Implementation of the .eu Top Level Domain

LEGISLATIVE ACT : Commission Regulation 874/2004/EC laying down public policy rules concerning the implementation and functions of the .eu Top Level Domain and the principles governing registration. CONTENT : the initial implementation stages of the .eu Top Level Domain (TLD) created by Regulation 733/2002/EC, have been completed by designating a legal entity to administer the.eu TLD Registry function. The Registry, designated by Commission Decision 2003/375/EC, is required to be a non-profit organisation that will provide services on a cost covering basis and at an affordable price. This Regulation sets out the eligibility and general principles for registration and deals with requests for domain name registration, and the accreditation of registrars. The main points are as follows: - requesting a domain name will be possible through electronic means in all official languages of the Community, through accredited registrars; - the Registry will carry out the accreditation of registrars following a procedure that ensures fair and open competition between Registrars. Only parties who meet certain basic technical requirements to be determined by the Registry will be eligible for accreditation; - Registrars will only accept applications for the registration of domain names filed after their accreditation and will forward them in the chronological order in which they were received; - the applicable law in disputes between registrars and registrants on matters concerning Community titles will be the law of one of the Member States; - Registrars must require accurate contact information from their clients, such as full name, address of domicile, telephone number and electronic mail, as well as information concerning a natural or legal person responsible for the technical operation of the domain name; - pursuant to Regulation 733/2002/EC, Member States may request that their official name and the name under which they are commonly known should not be registered directly under.eu TLD otherwise than by their national government; - a Member State will be authorised to designate an operator that will register as a domain name its official name and the name under which it is commonly known. Similarly, the Commission is authorised to select domain names for use by the institutions of the Community, and to designate the operator of those domain names. The Registry is empowered to reserve a number of specified domain names for its operational functions; - some Member States have notified to the Commission and to other Member States a limited list of broadly-recognised names with regard to geographical and/or geopolitical concepts which affect their political or territorial organisation. Such lists include names that could either not be registered or which could be registered only under the second level domain in accordance with the public policy rules. The names included in these lists are not subject to the first-come first-served principle; - the principle of first-come-first-served will be the basic principle for resolving a dispute between holders of prior rights during the phased registration. After the termination of the phased registration the principle of first come first served willapply in the allocation of domain names; - a procedure for phased registration must put in place. Phased registration will take place in two phases. ENTRY INTO FORCE : 30/04/04.�