Request for the first-level domain name ".Amazon"

On March 10, the Board of Directors of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) adopted a resolution regarding the assignment of the ".Amazon" first-level domain name to Amazon Inc. The measure states that, in the absence of an agreement between the Amazonian countries and the US company in this matter by April 7, 2019, and in case of a joint request for an extension of that deadline, ICANN will tackle this matter after April 21. The Council honored the request of the governments of Brazil and other Amazonian countries by not making any decision regarding this issue during its ongoing meeting in Japan, a gesture that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs appreciates.

Since 2012, Brazil, through its ministry of foreign affairs, in coordination with the other Amazonian countries, strongly opposes the exclusive use of ".Amazon" by Amazon Inc.. According to Brazil, due to its inseparable semantic relation to the Amazon forest, that domain should not be, in any way, the monopoly of a company. On the contrary, it is imperative that the States concerned be able to participate in the management and use of the name in order to defend and promote the natural, cultural and symbolic heritage of the Amazon region, as well as foster the regional economy and the digital inclusion of the populations living there.

In the coming weeks, Brazil will pursuit, in good faith, in partnership with other Amazonian countries and in dialogue with Amazon Inc., a mutually acceptable solution that respects the legitimate and superior public interest of States and societies involved. The Brazilian government maintains the hope that the American company will demonstrate a high sense of public responsibility and marked political and cultural sensitivity.

ICANN is a private law entity responsible for the management of the Internet domain name system. The role of governments is limited to mere advice to the Directing Council, without legal force, on matters of public policy, especially when there are links between their decisions and national or international rights. This very specific governance will also require ICANN's sense of public accountability and political and cultural sensitivity when deciding on an Internet domain assignment that refers to the national identity of no less than eight countries and a region with a significant symbolic meaning. Its future decision should also take into account the need to preserve the balance of the multisectoral regime of internet governance.