In March this year ICANN approved the appointment of EURid, a not for profit organisation, to manage the new .eu domain names. EURid has subsequently announced a launch date for registration of the new .eu domain names as 7 December 2005 when a phased "sunrise" registration period will begin. Registration will be on a first-come-first-served basis once the initial sunrise period is complete. Only organisations whose registered office is in the EU, organisations established in the EU or individuals resident in the EU may register a .eu domain name.
We have been following the progress of the implementation of the .eu top-level domain since 2002. In March this year ICANN approved the delegation of EURid, a not for profit organisation, to manage the new .eu domain names, and EURid has recently announced an anticipated launch date for the top level domain of 7 December 2005.
Who can register a .eu domain name?
Registration (whether within the sunrise period or afterwards) is restricted to organisations whose registered office, central administration or principal place of business is within the EU; organisations established in the EU and individuals resident in the EU.
Beginning on the 7 December there will be a sunrise period of 4 months during which only public bodies and those with recognised rights to a name (such as trade mark holders) may register a .eu domain name. Immediately after the sunrise period, registration will open on a first come first served basis.
How can I register a .eu domain name?
There is a set procedure in place for registering a .eu domain name. First you must choose an acceptable name: it must be unique and it must satisfy several technical requirements (for example, it must be made up of between 2 to 63 characters). You then choose an accredited .eu registrar. The registrar will complete an electronic form (registration is completely automated). It is vital that the details are entered correctly; a misspelled domain name cannot be corrected.
Can I pre-register before 7 December?
It is important to note that once registrars are accredited they are allowed to accept pre-registrations for their customers. These pre-registration applications will be stored in date order until the official launch date when they will be submitted by the Registrar in the order of receipt.
How long does a registration last?
A .eu domain name is registered for a period of one year. Unless EURid is advised otherwise, the domain name will be renewed automatically on the anniversary date and the registration fee deducted from the registration account. The fee is 10 euros.
Sunrise Registration Period
The sunrise period creates a two phase registration period, each phase lasting two months. During phase one (Sunrise I), public bodies and holders of registered Community or national trademarks will be able to register domain names. During phase two (Sunrise II) those who may register in phase one may continue to register their names, together with holders of other rights recognised under community law or the national law of an EU member state.
In addition to the usual information required to register a .eu domain name, sunrise applications will be required to state the right they are claiming to the domain name and under which law that right is granted. Sunrise applications will be more costly than the normal .eu applications due to the extra administration costs. The level of fees is yet to be determined.
Phase one will start on 7 December 2005 and phase two on 7 February 2006. The sunrise period is set to close and registrations begin on a first come first served basis with no requirements for rights in that domain name ("Land Rush") on 7 April 2006.
ADR
If you believe your application was assessed incorrectly, you will be able to dispute the decision using an Alternative Dispute Resolution service run by EURid, or it may be used against a party who has made an abusive registration.
Conclusion
As registration is on a first come first served basis, it is important to keep informed of when registration will happen. More information can be found on EURid's website at www.eurid.eu. Use of an accredited registrar is advised, and pre-registration recommended where available. Care should be taken to record your domain name correctly as it cannot be corrected after submission, but a new, correct domain name must be applied for.
For further information, please contact Susan Barty on +44 (0) 20 7367 2542 or at [email protected], or Simon Moran on +44 (0) 20 7367 3680 or at [email protected] or Lisa Benjamin on +44 (0) 20 7367 2328 or at [email protected]
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