.eu domain expires when we leave?

Jelli

Just received an email from my domain name register with only 25 days to go, saying when we leave the EU .eu domains can longer be kept in the UK. 25 days! I'm not technically minded so never expected this, and didn't know certain domains can only be owned in certain regions (I've never tried buying a US domain).

I'm just an individual but I wonder if this is an unexploded bomb for many UK companies. Can anyone confirm if this only applies with a no-deal Brexit, or will I definitely lose my .eu domain even with a deal?

This kind of reminds me of EU citizens worried about their UK status. Domains are like homes and I'm clueless on what will happen come B-Day on the 29th March. Will I be evicted or not? Should I sell asap? I've no knowledge on how to sell in 25 days!

AJGuy

When I first picked my domain I was allowed to choose pretty much anything apart from .gov and .org

I’ll be surprised if they actually pull the .EU from U.K. companies as I never thought geographic location was important.

Jelli

AJGuy wrote: »

When I first picked my domain I was allowed to choose pretty much anything apart from .gov and .org

I’ll be surprised if they actually pull the .EU from U.K. companies as I never thought geographic location was important.

I'm hoping this, but the email says...

"1/ If you HAVE a European postal address:
Update your domain contact details so that your European address is registered. This way, you will be able to keep your domain and secure it from being taken by your competition. You can do this straight from your control panel - log in now to update your details and keep your .eu domain.

2/ If you DO NOT HAVE a European postal address:
Unfortunately, you will not be able to keep your .eu domain name once Britain leaves the EU, this could be as soon as March 29th in the event of no-deal Brexit. We recommend that you transfer your site to a new domain to keep your business running as usual during the Brexit transition and beyond."

Then when I emailed the register in panic got the reply...

"In order to still keep your .eu domain(s) with us, you will need to change the address details to ones that are in an EU country.

I cannot tell you for sure right now as there are many things that will happen and until we will receive an update on this whole situation I cannot either state or deny what will or will not happen."

glennevis

Read this
https://eurid.eu/en/register-a-eu-domain/brexit-notice/

AJGuy

Oh that’s going to be a nightmare! What is the nature of your business? Could you easily inform your clients or set up a holding address in somewhere like France for the domain to be registered to?

AJGuy

I don’t want to get into a debate but I’m sick of these sudden bombshells brexit keeps dropping.

Jelli

glennevis wrote: »

Read this
https://eurid.eu/en/register-a-eu-domain/brexit-notice/

Thanks. I'm going to need time to read and understand it, but hope it's not full of complicated legal stuff. Are there any reassuring points?

Oh and the domain wasn't for a business, it was just for a personal website that I've been tool ill to develop. I must of spent over £120 on renewals so far.

CardinalWolsey

Of course, it depends upon how a) how much you want to spend to retain the domain, and b) how thorough you believe the registrar's address checking will be... For example, on many of the domains I own, I use an address from a randomly selected (relatively local) postal code, and a phone number that goes nowhere. On those domains that are registered with my actual address / number, I've never received any post / calls relating to the domain...

Roger1

I'm in a similar position to the OP. My .eu domain gives me great - and short - e-mail addresses, such that both my and my wife's main e-mail addresses use it. We would be sad to lose it.

It so happens that I am Swiss (dual national). My domain provider tells me I can use a Swiss address to register. Nevertheless, CardinalWolsey offers an interesting perspective.

Jelli

I was thinking about doing what CardinalWolsey said before he suggested it, but aren't card billing addresses used to stop this? If I tried to renew an .eu domain after changing to an EU address, the register might refuse when the card's billing address is found to be from the UK.

Another thing is if I later decided to sell it there might be lots of paperwork sent to the EU address.

DoaM

They still send paperwork in respect of a domain purchase? I got something in paper when I purchased my .co.uk domain, but that was almost 20 years ago.