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INDUSTRY HOT SHEETS
Sedo Contributors: Nora Cotter, Dominik Agolli, Axel Bringeus, Meredith Croyle, Eben Smith.
.EU Inches Closer to Reality
.EU Now Available for Pre-Registration although official launch is not likely before mid-2005
BRUSSELS -- The European Registry of Internet Domain Names (EURID) announced that it expects to complete contract negotiations with the European commission by mid-September, clearing an important hurdle along the path to creation of .EU, a pan-European regional Top Level Domain (TLD). A tentative timeline on the EURID website indicates an expected delay of 8-9 months after the contract signing until the beginning of a sunrise period for pre-registrations. Public registration would begin four months following the completion of the sunrise period.
While this timeframe suggest there's still a considerable wait until the launch of the new TLD (originally planned for an early 2004 launch), some registrars are offering you an opportunity to get involved right now by offering speculative pre-registrations. There is usually no cost up front, and you pay only if the registrar manages to register the domain that you are looking for. Although EURID reminds visitors that official pre-registrations are not yet possible, as long as you place your pre-registration through a credible registrar and do not pay anything up front, there is little to lose.
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