Weekly Launch Guide February 3, 2020

SPOTLIGHT

Brexit Has Arrived for .EU Domains

The United Kingdom approved a Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union in the wake of Brexit. This move took effect at midnight (CET) on January 31, 2020. As part of the agreement, the UK and EU will enter into a transition period that lasts until the end of the calendar year – December 31, 2020. This date may be extended by any future agreements that enter into force. During the transition period, UK residents may continue to hold and register .eu domain names. After the transition period, the .eu registry will commence their action plan to withdraw and delete domains that remain registered with noncompliant registrant contacts (i.e., UK addresses). The registry has not yet announced updated timelines for withdrawal and deletion. CSC will continue to monitor and communicate registry updates as new information is released. CSC remains available to help navigate these changes and maintain compliance with the registry. Please contact your Client Service Partner with any questions.

TW Registry has recently released ASCII version of .xn--kpry57d

TW Registry has recently released ASCII version of .xn--kpry57d and it is currently going through the Grandfather Phase until February 10, 2020 (TPE). During this phase, only the Registrant who has existing ASCII.tw can register matching .xn--kpry57d (e.g. Registrant of twnic.tw is eligible to register twnic.xn--kpry57d). The existing ASCII.tw should not have a serverHold status or be in the domain dispute resolution process. The eligible domain is ASCII.tw only and this doesn’t include IDN.tw. Any ASCII.tw registered before the end of Grandfather Phase are eligible to secure matching .xn--kpry57d.

Please note that CSC’s order Cut-off date is 6-Jan-2020 (EST). The registration orders need to be submitted before this date.

Dot Gay Ready to Show Its Pride

Top Level Design, an established registry with other TLDs already available, announced the upcoming launch of .gay. The TLD aims to “bring together the world’s most proactive and vocal brands interested in equal representation and LGBTQ advocacy.” The use of .gay domains for anti-LGBTQ content, or to malign/harm LGBTQ individuals or groups, is strictly prohibited. In addition to providing a safe and advocacy-based space, the registry will donate a portion of revenue from domain registrations to LGBTQ nonprofits. Two Sunrise Phases will be offered for .gay. The first sunrise will follow the traditional sunrise phase format for trademark holders with a TMCH filing beginning February 10, 2020, and run through March 31, 2020. A second sunrise phase will follow for brands that wish to register, but do not have a corresponding TMCH filed mark. Sunrise II runs from April 6, 2020, until May 6, 2020.  An Early Access Program phase beginning May 11, 2020, leads into General Availability on May 20, 2020.  All phases will be first-come, first-served, and the registry will observe a brief quiet period in between each phase. CSC is collecting specific phase requirements, and we will communicate these additional details as the information becomes available. Please contact your Client Service Partner with questions or to express interest in the launch. 

Still Launching

The following TLDs have launch phases (Pre-General Availability) that are currently still in progress. If you are interested in participating in any of these launches, please contact your Client Service Partner.

.xn—kpry57d

.cat (1 & 2 character)

.basketball

.mt

.bot

.rugby

.pa

.new

Launches within 30 days (bold indicates where dates fall within time frame)

The information provided is intended for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice.