.canalplus

(a) The Applicant, Canal + France SA ("Canal Plus"), is a member of the Canal+ Group. Canal Plus is a French premium pay television channel, and was launched in 1984. It is one of the leading channels for premium content and theme channels in France, French Overseas Departments and Territories, and French speaking African countries.

Furthermore, various third parties are using Canal Plus brands in their premium pay TV offerings in different countries.

The Canal+ Group is a 100% subsidiary of the Vivendi Group, one of the largest media conglomerates in the world. It has activities in music, television, film, publishing, telecommunications, Internet and video games.

Currently, Canal Plust has more than 11,1 million subscribers and, together with its Affiliates, even more than 12,7 million. Furthermore, through its Affiliates, Canal Plus has become a European leader in the production and distribution of films for theatres, as well as sports marketing.

Considering the diverse activities of the Applicant and the Canal+ Group, as well as the fact that the Applicant is strongly engaged in Internet-related activities, content, etc., it strongly believes that a .CANALPLUS gTLD could add a lot of value to its current brand positioning on a national and international level. Therefore, it envisages the benefits (and therefore also the mission and purpose) of the .CANALPLUS TLD to be manifold, as will be further explained below:

i. First and foremost: make the most out of the opportunity presented by ICANN's New gTLD Program, and therefore securing Applicant's key brand ("CANAL PLUS") as a gTLD;

ii. Canal Plus' highly distinctive and recognizable brand CANAL PLUS has a true international exposure and clientele; therefore, adopting a .CANALPLUS extension at the top level of the DNS' hierarchy is considered important for the further expansion of Canal Plus' Internet activities. Canal Plus strongly believes that a .CANALPLUS gTLD could in the future turn out to become an interesting platform, and potentially generate numerous benefits from a marketing and branding perspective;

iii. Support the Canal Plus Group's day-to-day activities, for the benefit of the Applicant, its Affiliates, connected businesses and consumers;

iv. Provide stakeholders of the Applicant with a recognizable and trusted identifier - .CANALPLUS - on the Internet. Such stakeholders include, but are not limited to:

• subsidiaries;
• affiliate partners;
• sponsorships;
• prospective and current customers;
• employees, directors and officers of Canal Plus and its subsidiaries.

v. Provide such stakeholders with a secure and safe Internet environment, under the control of the Applicant, in which they are able to obtain information from and communicate with the Canal Plus;

vi. Over time: provide for the opportunity to certain selected stakeholders to register and/or use domain names in the .CANALPLUS gTLD, insofar and to the extent that (i) Canal Plus would remain in control over certain aspects of these domain names, (ii) in the opinion of Canal Plus, this would create significant business opportunities, (iii) there would be branding and marketing benefits for the Canal Plus Group as a whole, and (iv) if sufficient guarantees can be put in place in order to mitigate the risks of damage to the reputation of the CANAL PLUS brand and the business activities of the Applicant;

vii. Further assist the Applicant in general in promoting and offering content in multiple languages and services to an international audience, directly or indirectly accessible under specific domain names registered in the .CANALPLUS gTLD, referring to, amongst others, products and services, product and service categories, brands, etc.

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