GRONINGEN, The Netherlands, September 3 /PRNewswire/ --     The Groningen-based internet company Baidu Europe is selling its highly
sought-after brand and domain names. As well as the brand name Baidu, the
domain names for sale include baidu.eu, baidu.tv, baidu.nl and baidu.be.
Managing Director P. Ufkes of Baidu Europe is taking this step in response to
the difficulties his company has faced since a Dutch agency began to promote
the Chinese search engine giant Baidu in Europe. Ufkes plans to continue his
company under a different name.

"The mounting popularity of the Asian Baidu, which has grown into the
world's third-biggest search engine; the launch of new services such as Baidu
TV - the domain name baidu.tv is already owned by Baidu Europe - and the
Chinese company's activities related to the Olympic Games are making it very
difficult to differentiate between the two companies," explains Ufkes.

Great interest

The European trademark rights of Baidu Europe, the generic domain names
baidu.eu, baidu.tv and ten other European Baidu domain names are being sold
through the Amsterdam-based trademark agency De Merkplaats. Managing director
Ufkes is expecting to attract a lot of interest in the European trademark
rights and domain names. "Baidu Europe has gained a very good reputation
during the past five years." Ufkes has already received a number of offers to
take over his company's brand and domain names. "But we weren't yet ready to
take the step."

Own search engine

The internet company Baidu Europe was established in 2003 and employs
eight people. The company specialises in the provision of total automation
and web design solutions. When Ufkes had the name Baidu registered he had not
yet heard of the Asian Baidu.

Following the Asian Baidu's decision in 2006 to have itself represented
in Europe by a Dutch agency, confusion arose between the identities of the
two companies. To make it clear that Baidu Europe is not directly linked to
the Chinese company, Ufkes announced plans to build a search engine of his
own to compete with Google. Although that media announcement brought an end
to Baidu Europe being confused with the Asian company, competing against a
superpower such as Google proved unsuccessful.

New name

The recent expansion of the Asian Baidu's activities and the developments
related to the Olympic Games have once again created confusion between the
identities of the two companies. Managing Director Ufkes has responded to
this problematic development by instructing trademark agency De Merkplaats to
sell the brand and domain names, which are protected in 27 European
countries. The Groningen-based company's new name will not be announced until
the sale has been concluded.

http://www.demerkplaats.nl