Implementation of the .eu Top Level Domain

PURPOSE: implement the .eu country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) within the Community.

COMMUNITY MEASURE: Regulation 733/2002/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the implementation of the .eu Top Level Domain.

CONTENT: the objective of this Regulation is to establish the conditions of implementation of the .eu TLD, to provide for the designation of a Registry and establish the general policy framework within which the Registry will function. National ccTLDs are not covered by this Regulation.

The objective of this Regulation is to implement the .eu country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) within the Community. The Regulation sets out the conditions for such implementation, including the designation of a Registry, and establishes the general policy framework within which the Registry will function. This Regulation shall apply without prejudice to arrangements in Member States regarding national ccTLDs. The creation of the .eu Top Level Domain (TLD) is included as one of the targets to accelerate electronic commerce in the e-Europe initiative as endorsed by the European Council at its meeting in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000, in order to promote eleectonic commerce.

The .eu TLD should promote the use of, and access to, the Internet networks and the virtual market place based on the Internet, in accordance with Article 154(2) of the Treaty, by providing a complementary registration domain to existing country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) or global registration in the generic Top Level Domains, and should in consequence increase choice and competition. The .eu TLD should also improve the interoperability of trans-European networks by ensuring the availability of .eu name servers in the Community.

This Regulation is without prejudice to Community law in the field of personal data protection. This Regulation should be implemented in compliance with the principles relating to privacy and the protection of personal data. The Registry is the entity charged with the organisation, administration and management of the .eu TLD, including maintenance of the corresponding databases and the associated public query services, the accreditation of Registrars, the registration of domain names applied for by accredited Registrars, the operation of the TLD name servers and the dissemination of TLD zone files.

After publishing a call for expressions of interest in the Official Journal of the European Communities, the Commission should, on the basis of an open, transparent and non-discriminatory selection procedure, designate a Registry. The Commission should enter into a contract with the selected Registry which should specify the conditions applying to the Registry for the organisation, administration and management of the .eu TLD and which should be limited in time and renewable.

Within the framework established by this Regulation, the public policy rules concerning the implementation and functions of the .eu TLD and the public policy principles on registration, various options including the 'first come, first served' method should be considered when registration policy is formulated.

ENTRY INTO FORCE : 30/04/2002.