UK Registrants With .EU Domains
Important: This article applies to customers in the UK or Gibraltar who own a .EU domain.
Overview
EURid, the registry for .EU domain names released a plan prohibiting organizations established in the United Kingdom (UK) or Gibraltar (GB) and UK residents and citizens from owning .EU domain names. This "Withdrawal Agreement" lasts until December 31, 2020.
Effective January 1, 2021, UK registrants will no longer be able to register a .EU domain name.
What are the .EU Eligibility Requirements?
On October 1, 2020, EURid notified all UK/GB registrants by email that they will lose their eligibility as of January 1, 2021, unless they demonstrate their compliance with the .EU regulatory framework by updating their data before December 31, 2020.
This could be shown in the following ways:
- UK registrants could do so by indicating they are a legally established entity in one of the eligible Union Member States.
- Updating their residence to a Union Member State.
- Proving their citizenship of a Union Member State regardless of their residence.
On December 21, 2020, UK/GB registrants and their registrars who did not demonstrate continued compliance with the eligibility criteria will be notified by email from EURid about the risk of forthcoming non-compliance with the .EU regulatory framework.
What are We Doing to Help Impacted Customers?
To make sure our customers remain in compliance with the registry for .EU, we will provide the impacted customers with a solution to meet the requirement. This will be a one-time courtesy. When you renew, it will be at the regular price.
The switch will occur on the back end of December 10, 2020. There is no action that you will need to take.
What if I Don't Meet the .EU Eligibility Requirements?
On January 1, 2021, EURid will again notify all UK/GB registrants and their registrars by email that their domain name is no longer compliant with the .EU regulatory framework and is consequently withdrawn.
The domain name of any UK/GB registrant who did not demonstrate eligibility will be withdrawn. A withdrawn domain name no longer functions because the zone file can no longer support any active services (such as websites or email).
By January 1, 2022, all affected domain names will be revoked and become available for general registration. Their release will occur in batches from the time they become available.