The domain was approved by the European Commission in March 2002 and will be operated by the European Registry of Internet Domainnames (EURid). The domain is not yet live and no registrars have been accredited as sellers.
A major obstacle has been the failure of the Commission and Member States to agree public policy rules. But these were finally published on 30th April.
The registry is now able to progress to the next stage, which is to agree a contract with the Commission and to sign an agreement with the body with responsibility for managing the internet's system of domain names, ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). ICANN then has to make the appropriate technical changes to allow the .eu domain to work.
In the light of this, EURid has amended its timetable for the launch of the domain.
The plan is that during May and June the Registry will be preparing and amending its systems, contracts, rules and procedures to reflect the agreed public policy rules. In June and July, EURid hopes to begin to accredit registrars. Then, between December 2004 and April 2005, a sunrise period will operate.
Sunrise is a common phase for new domain name roll-outs that lets owners of trade marks secure their rights before the names go on a first-come, first-served basis after the domain launch. During this period applicants will have forty days to provide proof of their existing rights. If they cannot comply, the names will be released for others to register.
The sunrise period will be offered in two phases, of two months each. Phase one will cater for registered Community or national trade mark holders, the names of public bodies and geographical indications.
These names may also be registered during Phase two, along with names based on other 'prior rights', i.e. names recognised under Community or national law. These include, according to the Commission's public policy rules, "unregistered trade marks, trade names, business identifiers, company names, family names, and distinctive titles of protected literary and artistic works."
EURid anticipates that open registration will start in April 2005.