WIPO reports that in 2007, a record 2,156 complaints alleging cybersquatting – or the
abusive registration of trademarks on the Internet – were filed with
the World Intellectual Property Organization’s (WIPO) Arbitration and
Mediation Center (Center), representing an 18% increase over 2006 and a
48% increase over 2005.

WIPO parties have settled a quarter of all cases without a panel
decision. Of the remainder, 85% of panel decisions have ordered
transfer of the domain names in question to the complainant and 15% of
the complaints were denied, leaving the names in the possession of the
registration holder.

The top five sectors for complainant business activity were
Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Banking and Finance, Internet and
IT, Retail, and Entertainment.