The top-level domain “.eu” will be ready for use from the start of next year, the European Commission said this week.
The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) has agreed to enter the .eu domain in the Internet root servers in the coming days, the Commission said Thursday. Once this has been done, final technical preparations can be made to ensure companies and public authorities can begin using .eu in their Internet addresses from the start of 2006.
The .eu domain name is not meant to replace the existing national domain names used by the 25 member states, such as .uk, .fr and .pl. Instead, it will allow companies and public authorities to have a “pan-European” Internet identity, the Commission said.
The next important step is for EURid, the consortium selected by the Commission to operate the .eu registry, to begin accrediting “registrars,” or companies that register domains on behalf of Internet users.
Citizens and businesses will be able to begin registering .eu Internet addresses later this year, the Commission said.
It advised users not to use “preregistration” services for the new domain that may already be available, citing “a risk of confusion and even fraud.”
