Everything you should know about .EU domain name registration

Following the agreement between ICANN and EURid, the calendar for the opening of the .eu domain name has taken a concrete form:

• 21/03/05: The integration of the TLD in the roots approved by ICANN
• 22/03/05: EURid appointed the company PriceWaterhouse Coopers as validation agent for Belgium.
• xx/04/05: Finalization of the ADR-procedure and appointment of the organisation responsible for conflicts.
• xx/05/05: Finalization of the “Registrar Agreement” and commencement of the appointment of the Registrars.
• xx/06/05: Publication of the Registration Policy as to expose it to commentary.
• xx/09/05: Publication of the attribution rules of the .eu domain name in all the European languages.
• xx/09/05: Final draft of the Registration Policy, including the rules of Sunrise and the exact date of the opening of the Sunrise period.
• xx/09/05: The software will be made available to the Registrars so they can submit it to tests.
• xx/12/05: Launch of Sunrise Period 1
• xx//01/06: Launch of Sunrise Period 2
• xx/04/06: Opening of the registration of domain names for all.

The first registration of a .eu domain name is planned for this year, even if the definitive opening of the .eu-extension for all is not planned till about halfway 2006.