Owners of .eu domain names could face big changes after Brexit, depending upon the outcome of current discussions on how the UK decides to leave the EU. Following a recent announcement from the European Commission, and a statement from the .eu registry, EURid, Averma understands that the challenges and pressure can be hard to navigate and want to help .eu business owners address the implications and prepare for them.
Although discussions are far from over, and the Withdrawal Agreement unsettled, the UK’s proposed exit from the EU will change registration and renewal criteria for .eu domain name holders. Let’s see how.
What changes to .eu domain names will occur in a no-deal scenario?
If the UK leaves the EU under a no-deal, holders of .eu domain names with UK or Gibraltar postal addresses will no longer be eligible registrants from 30th March 2019. EURid has announced that there will be a transitional period until 30th May 2019, within which existing .eu domains will remain active to allow registrants to update domain registration and contact information in order to comply.
No new .eu domain names will be available to non-EU registrants with non-EU postal addresses after 30th March 2019 under these conditions.
At the end of the transition period, all .eu domain names that remain in the registry with non-EU postal addresses will be suspended, but kept within a domain database until March 2020, when they will, if not updated with eligible data, be removed and made available for resale to eligible parties.
What will happen if a deal is agreed by 29th March 2019?
If a deal can be reached, and a Withdrawal Agreement put in place, and an assumption that the current transition date will be kept at 30th December 2020, then new .eu domain name registrations for UK and Gibraltar postal addresses will cease on 1st January 2021. EU compliance will then be expected by 2nd March 2021 for existing domains or renewals.
After this date, identical conditions will apply as those under a no-deal exit. Any .eu domain names without eligible postal addresses will become available for purchase after 1st January 2022.
Why can’t non-EU entities register a .eu domain name?
To be eligible to hold a .eu domain name, registrants must be able to provide an EU postal address. At the present time, the UK and Gibraltar are a part of the EU and so have eligible addresses and can fulfil the criteria.
After Brexit, the UK and colonies will no longer be a part of the EU. Without a valid EU address for registration, people, businesses and organisations will no longer have the right to purchase a .eu domain name.
You can find the announcement in full, from EURid here.
What can you do now to prepare?
If you own a .eu domain name, you should act now to prepare your business as best you can. Averma knows that Brexit could impact your business in the event of a no-deal scenario in the short term, and we can work with you to help minimise the impact and potential damage to your website traffic.
If you’re an EU citizen living in the UK, the changes in criteria will affect you too, unless you still have a residency or business entity registered within the EU.
There are two options available to you that could make a difference – right now:
- If your .eu business has a legal presence within the EU – or a postal address within the EU27, Liechtenstein, Norway or Iceland, you should update your contact information now to reflect your eligibility. This could include a business address or a personal residency.
- Start the transition of your website traffic now with the addition of another domain extension to your current business. By adding a .co.uk or a .com extension, you can begin to minimise the potential damage to your site traffic and online branding. This is going to be an important move if you know that you won’t be meeting the criteria for .eu domain registration by the dates stated.
Don’t let this bog you down. Let Averma help you. Talk to us today and let’s talk about how we can help you to make the transition or updating of your .eu domain registration smooth and worry-free.
