Domain Names
UK business with a .eu web address? Not for much longer.
The European Commission says UK based businesses will no longer be able to use .EU domain names after Brexit
Bad news for UK based businesses who have been using a .eu domain name for their website. The European Commission has announced that after Brexit, they will no longer be able to use them.
The .eu domain extension was launched in 2005 and .eu domain names can be registered by any company, individual or organisation residing in the European Union or in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. There are currently around 3.8 million registered .eu domain names, down from almost four million in 2014, and of those around 300,000 are registered to UK businesses, organisations and individuals.
However, on the 28th of March, 2018, the European Commission, issued a statement saying that after Brexit, UK residents will no longer be able to register or renew .eu domain names.
"As of the withdrawal date, undertakings and organisations that are established in the United Kingdom but not in the EU, and natural persons who reside in the United Kingdom will no longer be eligible to register .eu domain names or, if they are .eu registrants, to renew .eu domain names registered before the withdrawal date."
That potentially leaves 300,000 businesses and individuals looking for a new virtual home.
It could well be more posturing from the European Commission because it is equally likely that the continued use of .eu domain names may form part of any Brexit agreement, but in truth, a .eu domain name has rarely been the domain name of choice for British businesses and individuals. It smacks of someone coming late to market who discovers that their first, second and perhaps third choice domain name has already been taken. Its use after Brexit will look increasingly out of step.
Our advice for any UK business currently using a .eu domain name is to start planning ahead now and consider what other options are on the table.
The first choice for a business focused on the UK market should be a .uk domain name and the aftermarket offers the opportunity to buy a fantastic .co.uk or .uk domain name that will put you not only back in the game, but at the top of your game.
Click the button below to see our current selection of domain names for sale. And if you require help or advice re-branding from a .eu to a .uk domain name, we're only an email away!
The .eu domain extension was launched in 2005 and .eu domain names can be registered by any company, individual or organisation residing in the European Union or in Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway. There are currently around 3.8 million registered .eu domain names, down from almost four million in 2014, and of those around 300,000 are registered to UK businesses, organisations and individuals.
However, on the 28th of March, 2018, the European Commission, issued a statement saying that after Brexit, UK residents will no longer be able to register or renew .eu domain names.
"As of the withdrawal date, undertakings and organisations that are established in the United Kingdom but not in the EU, and natural persons who reside in the United Kingdom will no longer be eligible to register .eu domain names or, if they are .eu registrants, to renew .eu domain names registered before the withdrawal date."
That potentially leaves 300,000 businesses and individuals looking for a new virtual home.
It could well be more posturing from the European Commission because it is equally likely that the continued use of .eu domain names may form part of any Brexit agreement, but in truth, a .eu domain name has rarely been the domain name of choice for British businesses and individuals. It smacks of someone coming late to market who discovers that their first, second and perhaps third choice domain name has already been taken. Its use after Brexit will look increasingly out of step.
The way forward is a UK domain name
Our advice for any UK business currently using a .eu domain name is to start planning ahead now and consider what other options are on the table.
The first choice for a business focused on the UK market should be a .uk domain name and the aftermarket offers the opportunity to buy a fantastic .co.uk or .uk domain name that will put you not only back in the game, but at the top of your game.
Click the button below to see our current selection of domain names for sale. And if you require help or advice re-branding from a .eu to a .uk domain name, we're only an email away!
Tweet
