At its meeting of 27 May 1999, the ICANN Board mandated the Domain Name Supporting Organization (DNSO) to study recommendations by WIPO relating to domain name dispute resolution. The DNSO further developed these recommendations and recommended in a report to the ICANN Board that a uniform domain-name dispute-resolution policy be established for all registrars.

As noted in the WIPO Guide to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP): "[In 1999], the ICANN Board of Directors adopted the UDRP Policy.... The WIPO [Arbitration and Mediation] Center acted as technical advisers to the ICANN drafting committee charged with finalizing the UDRP Policy and Rules. It has developed WIPO Supplemental Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy which supplement the UDRP Policy and Rules." For further information on the background of UDRP, see this source.

The WIPO Guide to the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) explains: "[In] 1999, the ICANN Board adopted a set of Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the UDRP Rules) setting out the procedures and other requirements for each stage of the dispute resolution administrative procedure. The procedure is administered by dispute resolution service providers accredited by ICANN. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center (WIPO Center) is such a dispute resolution service provider."