81,000 .EU domain names hang on the Brexit precipice

The domain names that have been suspended will remain in this state until 31 March 2021 when they will be placed in the “WITHDRAWN” status.  Suspended domain names no longer support services such as websites and email, but may still be reinstated if their registration data is updated to meet the eligibility criteria. 

The Update emphasises that the large number of suspensions came in spite of notices EURid had published on its website since June 2020 and emails that were sent to affected registrars. 

Registrants of the suspended domain names may salvage them by updating the registrant information to indicate an entity legally established in one of the 27 eligible EU countries or EEA Member States, or by updating their residence to a EU27 or EEA Member State, or by proving their citizenship of a EU27 Member State irrespective of their residence.

EURid was at pains to point out in the Update that:

Our support services have been working since the early hours of 2021 to help registrars and registrants to reinstate the domain names with updated contact details. To date, over 2 500 domain names were made operational again.

Withdrawn domains will become available for registration again from 1 January 2022, which poses its own set of problems in that these domain names may be picked up by unscrupulous third parties who could then use them maliciously (for example, by recreating email addresses).  It is important, therefore, that registrants who have ceded domain names this year have a plan in place to ensure that this does not happen.

 Should you any require assistance with meeting the .EU registration requirements, please do not hesitate to contact David Taylor or Jane Seager.

Authored by the Anchovy News Team