Dot-eu domain name scramble timetable unveiled

May 2004

There will be three stages in the registration process for the new European dot-eu domain names, it has been announced; member states, followed by trademark holders, will get their pick of URLs. The domain name free-for-all will kick off in earnest in April 2005.

The European Commission has now published the rules which will apply to the registrations of future dot-eu domain names. A year ago, the Commission chose Eurid (European Registry for Internet Domains) to officially manage the distribution of the new top-level domain. Eurid brings together Belgian, Italian and Swedish bodies in charge of their national top-level domains.

One of the first tasks that the consortium will be faced with is choosing the registration offices, who will be authorised to collect the domain name requests. The offices will also be charged with sending the requests to Eurid in chronological order based on when they were received.