If you are a UK based individual, business or organisation with a .eu domain, the UK’s withdrawal from the EU means you will no longer be eligible to use it after Brexit.
Deal or no deal, all UK-registered .EU domains will be revoked post-Brexit unless you reside in the EU or have part of your business operating from within the EU and can legitimately transfer the registration to your European branch or compliant address.
How long you have to sort things out depends on whether a deal can be negotiated.
EURid (the European registry manager of .eu domain names) has provided information about what will happen to those .eu domain names which are currently owned by UK registrants.
Their notice provides details of the action plans for .eu domains following the UK’s departure: either on 30 March 2019 (at time of writing) in the event of ‘no deal’, or on 31 December 2020 if an agreement on the terms of the withdrawal is reached.
New Registrations
- From the relevant exit date (either 30 March 2019, or 1 January 2021), new applications to register .eu domain names by applicants from the UK will be rejected.
Existing Registrations
- Existing UK holders of .eu domain names will be notified of their non-compliance with the EU regulatory framework, both seven days before (on 23 March 2019, or 23 December 2020) and on the applicable exit day. However, they will be given an opportunity to demonstrate compliance for a further two months (up until and including 29 May 2019, or 1 March 2021) (the Compliance Deadline). During such time, domain names will remain active (although will not be automatically renewed) and the registrant may make certain changes, such as updating contact details and importantly, transferring the domain name to a non-UK, EU based individual or organisation. If a registrant cannot demonstrate compliance by the relevant Compliance Deadline, they will be ineligible to own the .eu domain name and it will be withdrawn (the domain name will no longer function, but will remain on the .eu registry database until the expiry of 12 months from exit day, when it will become available for general registration within the EU).
What to do next?
If you intend to keep your .eu domain after Brexit, you should update your contact details with an EU address as soon as possible.
However, if you don’t intend to keep your .eu domain post Brexit you should start redirecting traffic to a different domain immediately e.g. .com or .co.uk – this will introduce your new web address to users in advance, while also minimising any impact on your SEO ranking and online marketing activities.
If your .eu domain registration has been organised through IDNet and you require any assistance in transferring you can submit a request here https://www.idnet.com/solutions/domainregistration.php#
Please note that these plans and dates are all subject to future developments in the Brexit process. EURid will provide updates as and when the situation changes so its best to keep checking back here https://eurid.eu/en/register-a-eu-domain/brexit-notice/
The UK Government has issued and regularly updates guidance here:
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