back to article Post-Brexit plan for .EU tweaked: No dot-EU web domains for Europeans in UK, no appeals, etc

An already iffy plan to deal with .eu domain ownership when the UK crashes out of the European Union has taken a turn for the worst. Brussels' bureaucrats have now imposed a strict two-month cancellation period for any .eu domain registered to a UK address, even if the owner is a European citizen, and refused to add an appeals …

  1. Graham Dawson Silver badge

    They're being obtuse, but that's not unusual for certain EU organisations (*cough*patents*cough*). Most of the geo tlds with citizenship restrictions don't care where you are as long as you can prove where you came from and it works quite nicely, even if it does mean I can't register .no domains for funsies.

    Oh well.

    1. Version 1.0 Silver badge

      So how do you think it works if you live in the EU and want to register a .UK address to an address in Paris?

      1. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Nominet policies 4.4 "We do not impose restrictions on your status as applicant for the registration of a Domain Name in the following SLDs ("Open SLDs"):"

        (Non-Open SLDs have restrictions on some domains such as sch.uk for schools)

        1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

          Out of curiosity, I wonder if there are any Channel Islands or IoM companies with .eu domains? Under this new ruling they should never have been allowed them. I could see that ending up in court.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        uk addresses

        I have had a couple of co.uk addresses from before I moved from the UK to OZ over 10 years ago. I have never had any problems renewing them.

    2. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

      (*cough*patents*cough*)

      The EPO is a European organization, but not an EU one. It has 38 member states.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

      2. Graham Dawson Silver badge
    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      > Most of the geo tlds with citizenship restrictions don't care where you are as long as you can prove where you came from

      In the case of the .eu registry, they don't care where you are from as long as you can prove where you are: "Any natural person, company or organisation residing in or established in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway can register a .eu or .ею (Cyrillic script) domain name." (terms & conditions).

      You can be Somali or even English and still register a .eu domain, provided that you reside in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.

      I do agree that they are being obtuse, but that's another matter.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        > certain EU organisations (*cough*patents*cough*)

        Edit: as has been pointed out above, the European Patent Organisation has nothing to do with the EU, which it predates by several years. It is a subject under international law of its own right.

        Incidentally, this may mean there will be at least certainty concerning patents post-Brexit, as the UK's status in the EPOrg will remain unaffected.

        1. Roland6 Silver badge

          > the European Patent Organisation has nothing to do with the EU

          Not quite nothing: the (European) unified patent court (UPC) will have the European Court of Justice as its ultimate decider.

          However, in signing up to the UPC, the UK accepted this (backstop?) situation.

    4. BitEagle

      Why oh why...

      Unnecessarily arsey?

      Still, a useful business opportunity for someone offering snail mail forwarding services...

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Why oh why...

        >Still, a useful business opportunity for someone offering snail mail forwarding services...

        The bargain basement model?

        For those a little more serious, the Republic of Estonia might be your friend:

        How to register a .EU domain from anywhere (or keep it after Brexit)

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Legal traditions

    I am familiar with patent law around much of the world, though not all kinds of laws, and every civilized country I have worked with there is the right to be heard, an age old legal tradition respected even by countries with a tenuous grasp of democracy. And now the EU has decided there shall be no appeal??

    The proposal to take it to court is also unclear - which court? British court might be found to have no standing and courts on the continent might not be a venue open to the British. Coincidence? Probably not.

    1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

      Re: Legal traditions

      British court might be found to have no standing and courts on the continent might not be a venue open to the British.

      Court cases always go to the court which has jurisdiction, so a case against the EU will go to the ECJ. It makes no difference where the complainant is, a Briton suing the EU will do so in the ECJ.

    2. Len
      Unhappy

      Re: Legal traditions

      There is not much point suing the EU, they are just following the process that the British people voted for. If you want to sue anyone, sue the UK government for destroying your assets.

      You may think I'm joking but the fallout of Brexit will be going through British courts for many years after the politicians have stopped talking about it. I do sometimes believe that No Deal will not happen but if it does happen, just losing the Rome I and Rome II regulations will remove the legal basis under many everyday business operations. Fun and games if you are a lawyer, not if you're anyone else.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "the fallout of Brexit will be going through British courts for many years"

        That's nonsense, the UK government has made very clear that it will declare martial law and that will speed the delivery of justice post brexit. Once the first few .EU domain holders are shot for civil disobedience, the remainder will fall into line.

  3. PacketPusher
    Trollface

    Mail Drops

    Here in the US, we have shops that rent mailboxes. Surely they have such things in Europe. All they have to do is rent a box and pay someone a few euros, to check it and forward to a UK address. Seems pretty easy to me.

    1. Cl9

      Re: Mail Drops

      Surely you wouldn't even need to do that, you could just enter any old European address? It's not like anyone will actually send mail to your physically registered address.

      1. PacketPusher

        Re: Mail Drops

        I was just being safe. They might send a snail mail code to enter to validate the mailing address.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Unhappy

      Re: Mail Drops

      Damn, I was going to be the one to suggest that if your job is axed post-Brexit, then opening a Mailboxes Etc. in Calais would be a sure-fire meal ticket for the future.

    3. Ken 16 Silver badge
      Boffin

      Re: Mail Drops

      There's an online service, I'd name them but don't want to advertise on their behalf but it's very clever. They provide a postbox, scan what comes in, you pay to read the scans and for an additional fee can have the original forwarded to you. You never have to go near the countries in question, though you do need to validate your identity.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Have anyone tried registering www.voteleavetakecontrol.eu? If Brexit goes though I would expect that within a couple of years Prime Minister Rees-Mogg will make it a criminal offense to own a .EU domain anyway.

    1. Fazal Majid

      Or women to wear trousers.

      1. Snorlax Silver badge

        Or women to vote.

    2. MyffyW Silver badge

      Jacob Rees-Mogg has already moved his company addresses to Dublin, so he's alright Jack. Or Jake.

    3. Naich

      I'm typosquatting at leaveu.eu. I occasionally post replies on their twitter feed to misdirect people there.

  5. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Time for a language law?

    For 953 years we have lived under the oppression of the French language, culminating in the evil that is Pret-A-Manger

    Surely in the bright new dawn of a post-Brexit future the UK could have a Quebec style language law where cafes (another word that will have to go) are hounded for labeling a sandwich as "Croque monsieur" instead of Mr Crunchy

    1. PJ H
      Trollface

      Re: Time for a language law?

      Well we've made a start with Patisserie Valerie...

    2. steviebuk Silver badge

      Re: Time for a language law?

      What are you on about? Pret-A-Manger is actually quite nice. Food tastes nice but a little pricey but still nice.

      :)

      1. Rameses Niblick the Third Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble?

        Re: Time for a language law?

        What are you on about? Pret-A-Manger is actually quite nice. Food tastes nice but a little pricey but still nice.

        As long as it doesn't kill you...

    3. S4qFBxkFFg
      Joke

      Re: Time for a language law?

      Then, we can begin the process of dedecimalisation - didn't that silly practice of dividing things into 100s start across the channel also?

      (On a serious note, being able to exactly divide a pound by 3, 6, 8, 12, 15, 16, 24, 30, 40, 48, 60, 80, or 120 would be quite useful.)

  6. Joe W Silver badge

    Didn't the UK create these rules?

    I mean, like other rules, which now imposed on them are regarded as unfair?

    Not trying to defend that process (I also think the rules are stupid), but wondering... the rules for .eu (has to be linked to a mail address inside the EU) or for Galileo (no access to the special super secret precise signal for non-member states) were decided by some people. Very likely some Brits as well. And don't start with "no democratic legitimation". Either your (any member state! Yes, the complaining Germans, French, Italians... you as well) government was part of the committee (or sent people there), or it was decided by an elected parliament. So you might think about electing other people...

    1. Jamie Jones Silver badge

      Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

      That's fine for registering new names, but we are talking about revoking domains that already existed.

      1. Snorlax Silver badge

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        You ever thread the t&c’s for registering a .eu domain?

    2. John Brown (no body) Silver badge

      Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

      "or for Galileo (no access to the special super secret precise signal for non-member states) were decided by some people. Very likely some Brits as well. "

      IIRC.it was specifically a British instigated demand that the super secret precise Galileo signal not be made available to any non-members.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        >IIRC.it was specifically a British instigated demand that the super secret precise Galileo signal not be made available to any non-members.

        That may be but it was the EU that re-interpreted that as meaning British companies cannot have any contracts in the Galileo project. Given that Switzerland and Norway, two non-members, do have such contracts, it is clear this was a new rule just made to spite the British.

        As for "super secret", that train left the station when they invited China in as a member.

    3. Saruman the White Silver badge

      Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

      The rules were invented in Brussels by unelected civil servants with little or no understanding of how the internet functions, but plenty of ideas on how to increase their power (no matter how much European citizens suffer for it).

      1. rtfazeberdee

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        "unelected civil servants" - why do people always prefix "civil servants" with unelected to sound clever? All civil servants in all countries are unelected.

        1. dogcatcher

          Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

          Because the Brussel's ones are employed by the unelected to counter the wishes of the electors.

          1. jabuzz

            Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

            No civil servant in the UK is employed by an elected representative either. That is the point of an independent civil service. This is not the USA where huge swaithes of the civil service are political appointees.

            If you care to watch Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister you will see British civil servants do reasonable job of countering the wishes of the electors too.

            The reason that sections of the British press refer to EU civil servants with the pejorative description of unelected is because it suits their rabid anti EU stance.

            1. Rameses Niblick the Third Kerplunk Kerplunk Whoops Where's My Thribble?

              Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

              Absolutely, UK civil servants are not there to support or obstruct any political party or elected official.

              Their job is to collectively turn the rabid nonsensical dribblings of elected politicians into coherent and workable actions.

            2. Saruman the White Silver badge

              Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

              However there is always an elected politician who ultimately has to take the flak if the civil servants screw up; that tends to ensure that the politicians usually (but not always) keep a close eye on what's going on an reins in most of the excesses. The civil servants in Brussels answer to unelected politicians who are answerable to no-one, so they have no reason to discourage excesses (and may actual encourage it at times).

        2. blue-eyes

          Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

          Because the EU has no government in the sense that the UK and other countries have with an elected Prime Minister and a cabinet who are elected and ultimately accountable and can be sacked. In the EU this role is filled by Junker, Barnier and co who are appointed and unsackable.

          1. Tom Paine
            Thumb Down

            Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

            They are accountable to MEPs (directly elected), the Council of Ministers (minsters who are appointed by national governments that are directly elected) or the Commission (Commissioners being appointed by, yes you guessed it,elected national politicians.)

            Have another go.

          2. Roland6 Silver badge

            Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

            >Because the EU has no government in the sense that the UK and other countries have ...

            Well whilst that is true to some extent, we shouldn't forget the European Project is work in progress, with the current situation not being the final configuration. So the powers invested in MEP's has increased over the years. The Leavers are to some extent correct, the current 'government' of the EU isn't ideal from a UK style democractic accountability viewpoint. However, the current situation is much more (democratically) accountable than what was put in place with Maastricht, which in turn will be seen to be less accountable than what is ultimately envisaged. However, to get to the fully accountable democratic form of government, really requires member governments to let go of the control they currently have over EU appointments - something some (and not just in the UK) will regard as a loss of sovereignty...

            So whilst it is easy to say 'leave', the conundrum is do you want a more democratic EU, in which case member governments will have to let go some 'sovereignty', or do you want to retain 'sovereignty', in which case you tend to preserve the current system where member governments control EU appointments. It is because of this conundrum, I'm confident that we are unlikely to see significant progress on the "ever increasing union" in my children's lifetime.

            1. Anonymous Coward
              Anonymous Coward

              Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

              Yeah, work in Progress with an outcome that we didn't ask for, want or need. So voting leave was the only solution to giving the political elite the bloody nose they deserved for not having the integrity to be honest with the electorate in the first place, because they knew the answer would be 'No thanks'.

              As for the EU, there's plenty of evidence that the objective is to punish the UK for having the nerve to vote leave. The Germans have finally woken up to the potential damage to THEIR economy and are starting to give Barnier et al the kicking they need to start working cooperatively instead of with a big stick. There are creative solutions but Barnier et al don't want creative solutions, just making an example of the UK.. pour encourager les autres [or rather discourager..)

              That's fine, No deal, no cash.

              I'm not suggesting for a minute its been well handled on this side either, its not. Withdrawing unilaterally from every European organisation was a catastrophic error in strategy.

        3. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

          Because in some European countries the distinction is rather hazy. Former politicians, especially of the social democratic flavour, "retire" into the civil service. So they were once elected into power of some sort and then given a cushy leading position by their friends who are still elected and member of the same political party. Is it corruption, favourism, nepotism or not? At times that is hard to tell.

          EU bureaucrats, on the other hand, do not normally show this pattern. Instead they show an impressive rate of growth.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

            Whilst rewarding themselves handsomely with pensions, expenses accounts at EU taxpayers expense. Which doesn't make it or them right.

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        "The rules were invented in Brussels by unelected civil servants"

        I always like to hear that by someone from a country with a monarchy and a whole "house of lords" denied to "common people" - and still running a real caste system.

        1. Tom Paine

          Re: "The rules were invented in Brussels by unelected civil servants"

          The hereditary peerages were largely abolished (as being eligible to sit in the HoL) 20 years ago.

          The monarchy is entirely symbolic and has absolutely zero involvement in policy or decision making. We had a bit of a war about that once.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            "The monarchy is entirely symbolic and has absolutely zero involvement in policy or decision making"

            I wouldn't be that sure... however if it's so useless, why not abolish it, and save millions of pounds that could be really used for NHS - and would save the world from a lot of stupid gossip?

            Anyway, house of lords members are "appointed" - which means "not elected", and 90 of them are there because they are "hereditary peers".

            "Largely abolished"? Just a late repaint, because evidently even in UK "hereditary privileges" became a little too much... even in the most elitists country in the world, but against "elites" now...

            1. BinkyTheMagicPaperclip Silver badge

              Re: "The monarchy is entirely symbolic etc

              The monarchy is not useless, the Queen brings in more money than she receives to the country, and they are useful as soft power.

              Granted, various royals below the queen are wastes of space.

              The House of Lords is by no means perfect but does still provide some measure of checks and balances, even if they ultimately can't thwart the House of Commons for long.

        2. Wellyboot Silver badge

          Re: "The rules were invented in Brussels by unelected civil servants"

          Any common person can get into the lords by

          (#1) simply giving support to a political party for long enough (by support read cash)

          (#2) being an MP the PM wants to be rid promote for whatever reason

          (#3) being owed a big favour by the PM

          (#4) Actual merit following a long public service or major business career isn't unknown either.

          Opposition leaders also get to bung a few to the upper house for the same reasons at the same time.

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        Looks like the remoaners are in full flow!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

          Why can't people stick to the issues and not resort to name calling?

          1. Shades
            Trollface

            Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

            Gammoaners can't help themselves.

            1. Shades
              Facepalm

              Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

              Two people don't understand irony and/or troll-face.

      4. Aging Hippy

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        >The rules were invented in Brussels by unelected civil servants

        One of the biggest lies told about the EU.

        Rules are made by working groups consisting of MEPs, real technical, legal and commercial experts from industry and academia, and anyone else with an interest such as ecology or privacy groups. (Even me on a few technical / commercial groups.)

        It is true that the administration and translations are done in Brussels. That is also where the European Parliament approves them (no squabbling like 5 year-olds so little TV coverage). So strictly speaking "the rules come out of Brussels" is a true but misleading statement.

        1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

          Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

          That is also where the European Parliament approves them (no squabbling like 5 year-olds so little TV coverage).

          No squabbling because they know their job is to show up, vote the way they've been told to, collect their 300 euros expenses, and head for the bar. When they show up at all that is, wasn't it 30 out of 751 who showed up for the speech at the end of the Maltese presidency a year or so ago? No wonder Juncker called it a "ridiculous parliament", he should know.

      5. Snorlax Silver badge
        Facepalm

        Re: Didn't the UK create these rules?

        Oh here we go with the “unelected civil servants in Brussels” crap...

        You think anything’s gonna change after Brexit? “Whitehall mandarins” will be making the rules for you after March 29th

  7. N2
    Trollface

    Seems like

    The EU registry wassocks just want to behave like a bunch of cnuts, no one else seems to bother so long as you pay your fee and register via a valid address

    No change there then.

    1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

      Re: Seems like

      Not the EU registry, but the EUrocrats. The registrar would no doubt happily continue to take fees for renewals rather than face a pile of cancellations.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Seems like

        "The registrar would no doubt happily continue to take fees for renewals rather than face a pile of cancellations."

        Looking at the history of .eu registrations versus those in it's member states, I'm not sure it does care so much for fees. I'm sure parts of it like the money, but it feels like it was setup by bureaucrats for bureaucrats rather than as a fully commercial domain registry. If EU organisations were not required to register .eu domains, would it even continue to exist?

        1. Jellied Eel Silver badge

          Re: Seems like

          If EU organisations were not required to register .eu domains, would it even continue to exist?

          Probably. There is some method to the madness, if there's some defined purpose and structure to eligibility and usage. So back in the day, .net was only supposed to be for infrastructure, but that ship has long sailed. Which is kind of why there's some good reasons to try to control registrations. Personally I've not visited many .eu domains other than official ones, but sometimes also NGOs or news sites operating under a .eu banner. If anyone's allowed to register, it loses some of it's value. So if I go to a .gov or .mil site, it should be an official US gov or military source.

          But such is politics. I think DNS has become a rather large mess, especially with all the for-profit new TLDs. But registrars outnumber and outvote ISPs when it comes to deciding that stuff, and there's lots of money to be made adding a few lines of text to a zone file. See ICANN for more info.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: Seems like

            "If EU organisations were not required to register .eu domains, would it even continue to exist?

            Probably."

            OK... I concede it would likely exist as part of another, larger registry. There is a requirement for an .eu in some form, my working should have been is there a requirement for it as a standalone organisation providing what is essentially a commodity service.

            And if it was run as a commodity service, I suspect the de-registration process would be more pragmatic than the options being proposed.

  8. TRT Silver badge

    Gordon Bl.eu!

    1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      Sacré bl.eu

    2. DropBear

      _C_ordon.

      1. TRT Silver badge

        Sorry.

        Cordon Bennett!

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Facepalm

    In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

    Fortunately, I am an American, so I don't have to live with Brexit or an overarching bureaucracy that has completely, utterly abandoned the concepts of pragmatism and compassion.

    Such a shame, and a self-inflicted wound on the EU to do this. You don't need to hunt down every person in the UK with a .eu domain and proactively screw them over. Especially since most of them are probably Europhiles.

    1. nil0

      Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

      > "Fortunately, I am an American"

      That's not a phrase you hear much at the moment...

    2. Malcolm Weir Silver badge

      Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

      While it's true you don't have to live with Brexit, you do have to live with an overarching bureaucracy that has completely, utterly abandoned the concepts of pragmatism and compassion.

      Except you elected yours.

      Mind you, it's been 3 days since a massive, multi-billion dollar fiasco for no purpose ended (probably temporarily), so perhaps your memory is going...

      1. georgezilla Silver badge

        Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

        " ... multi-billion dollar fiasco for no purpose ... "

        Oh, it had ( has ) a purpose. Yes it does. That egomaniac that is President wants an effing MONUMENT! That's all. A MONUMENT to his greatness ( well his narcissism ). and knows that the only way he will get it it to build it himself ( at the expense of the American taxpayers ).

        So yes it does have a purpose.

        EFF him!

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

          "While it's true you don't have to live with Brexit, you do have to live with an overarching bureaucracy that has completely, utterly abandoned the concepts of pragmatism, democracy and compassion."

          FTFY

        2. Stratman

          Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

          the only way he will get it it to build it himself ( at the expense of the American taxpayers )

          I though Mexico was paying for it. I'm sure he mentioned it a couple of (dozen) times.

        3. Carpet Deal 'em

          Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

          I think he meant "no purpose" as in "Trump didn't get what he wanted but buckled anyway". Pretty much all he's accomplished with that escapade is to guarantee his based won't reelect him.

      2. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. Captain Scarlet Silver badge
      Stop

      Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

      Hangon, you make it sound like we are going to be shot.

      For where I work it'll just make the domain renewals cheaper, only reasons we got a .eu domain was to protect our company name. I havent seen any proper usage of .eu in the UK so I can't see who it will affect.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

        ... so you'll be ok when a French guy registers your company name...?

        1. Captain Scarlet Silver badge

          Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

          Its not my company AC and zero people (Only bots) access the website from the .eu domain.

          Anyway someone already registered the .com domain of the company name before us, they got it first and I am ok with this.

      2. Dr Paul Taylor

        who it will affect

        I haven't seen any proper usage of .eu in the UK so I can't see whom it will affect.

        As I told you the previous time this came up, this affects me.

        So cut the stupid comments, please, and tell me where is the serious complaint from the UK IT industry?

        1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

          Re: who it will affect

          where is the serious complaint from the UK IT industry?

          It would appear that the IT industry doesn't care. Perhaps the UK marketing industry would be a better place to start?

        2. Captain Scarlet Silver badge
          FAIL

          Re: who it will affect

          You told me where?

          "Yet Another Anonymous coward" and @AC are not myself.

          I only use @AC for stuff that will get me fired.

        3. Roland6 Silver badge

          Re: who it will affect

          Whilst it might affect you, given what's on that website, I don't see anything that actually requires the usage of a .eu domain, although I fully understand why you might have originally chosen a .eu domain.

          A quick look on GoDaddy indicates that other PaulTaylor domains are available.

          My experience of .eu domains is as indicated by others, protection of a company name. So clients have tended to grab all the major relevant domains and use them as redirectors to either the .co.uk or .com website.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: who it will affect

            email address changes? stationary?

    4. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

      "Fortunately, I am an American, so I don't have to live with Brexit or an overarching bureaucracy that has completely, utterly abandoned the concepts of pragmatism and compassion."

      Seriously?

      The EU is far from perfect but I have found it far less overarching than UK or US bureaucracy and yes i have lived and worked in all the relevant places necessary to have a valid opinion.

      Personally I think the US is the worst and the EU the least over regulating with the UK in between but it is difficult they differ in many ways and in the UK we have the UK bureaucracy on top of whatever the EU mandates. The idea that the US has no overarching bureaucracy or that what exists in the US is compassionate and pragmatic suggets the author of the comment has never lived there. Just consider the US medical system/insurance if you want evidence.

    5. Snorlax Silver badge
      Mushroom

      Re: In case anyone wonders where the EU got its reputation for thoughtless bureaucracy....

      Not sure if your comment was written with a generous helping of irony or sarcasm, but pragmatism and compassion are not words I think of when I think of the United States these days.

  10. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge
    Devil

    Brexit truly is the gift that keeps on giving

    Also I need a popcorn icon

  11. eldakka

    Savage

    While I have no issue with requiring EU address to register a new domain, I think their timeline is moronic.

    Sure, require all new registrations or renewals to require the EU address, and maintain all existing registrations until they expire and become due for renewal, at which point the new eligibility requirements take effect. That'll give registrants a decent period of time to transfer to new domains.

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: Savage

      > I think their timeline is moronic.

      It is interesting rereading the Registration Policy and Terms & Conditions in the light of this announcement. From my reading, this policy update is slightly better than the existing rules, as they are giving people more than 30 days notice of the change and then 2 months to notify them rather than the 30 days stipulated in the rules.

      WRT to the "no appeals" - this is just a restatement of what is already in the Ts&Cs.

  12. LateAgain

    How is this supposed to work?

    I register a domain with a big company. They hide my contact details as required.

    So if I registered a domain with some company who's contact email is ".Co.uk" it'll get cancelled.

    If I transfer it to a company who's contact email is ".eu" it will keep on working.

  13. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    "there are likely to be more pressing matters than internet addresses."

    Taking away the registration might not be. Allowing an address to be reassigned to someone else is quite another because of the potential for fraud. It might come to be seen as quite a pressing matter but only when it's too late.

  14. Jamie Jones Silver badge

    STUPID STUPID STUPID

    I've said this before, but whatever:

    ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

    ⏩⏩⏩ STUPID STUPID STUPID ⏪⏪⏪

    ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

    Sure, don't allow any *new* registrations from the UK, but taking away existing ones (and even refusing renewals) is stupid, petty, pointless, and self-defeating, and doing so before they naturally expire is even more anal.

    Don't they understand that peopl can't simply change domain as easily as they change their underpants?

    Don't they realise that 99.9999% of .eu registrations from the UK are from *pro* Europe citizens? (OK, I plucked that figure out of my arse, but it's obviously 100% accurate!)

    This sort of bureaucratic bullshit is the sort of stuff the europhobe taboids pick up on to further their brexit cause.

    Unlike those cowards, though, I want to stay -- for all the obvious reasons we all know -- but also to help improve the bits of the EU that need improving.

    Leaving means we have no say, and this is just one example of many to come that will show how well that works out.

    1. Snake Silver badge
      Flame

      Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

      Although I am an American, and am not affected by this change, I do not agree with your assessment; I fully agree with the EU's policy on this.

      "But globalism is seemingly not in vogue at the moment, so the EU is forcing a geographic separation on something that doesn't have or need one. It's hard to imagine how someone owning a .eu domain that lives in the UK is a threat whatsoever to the registry. But then nothing about Brexit makes any sense, so why should domain names be any different?

      It's the *UK* that currently doesn't believe in globalism; it's the *UK* that wants out of EU. Yet, somehow, the person leaving the consortium should be able to make the rules - that being, I wish my personal domain to remain associated with the EU's TLD, thereby retaining any benefit / glamour / cachet acquired, however direct or indirectly, by that connotation.

      As usual, just like Trumpers, they want the cake and be able to eat it, too.

      ".eu" on the label has a certain worldwide connotation of "Continental", which leaving the EU now breaks. Permanently. You want Brexit because you don't want Europe to "tell you want to do", but you want to retain .eu domains in order to benefit from any additional sheen that they may be able to grant themselves in the future. EU economy running well, but UK still suffering from Brexit-itits? My domain is .eu! Really, as a customer you'll get the benefits of our growing economic qualities!

      Not.

      THAT'S what the EU is protecting. You want any and all benefits? Then you must stay in. You want to go? That's fine, we can't hold you back...but you get NOTHING. There is NO reason to grant you ANY benefits out of your stubborn desire to be selfish because, then, what is the benefit to those who stay and make [any necessary] sacrifice for the greater good?

      No benefit at all. It's the UK breaking off the engagement as they decide to play the field, then coming back years later and crashing the ex's wedding party for the buffet and open bar.

      Big. Fat. NO.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

        " want to retain .eu domains in order to benefit from any additional sheen". Hmmm, not sure what additional sheen that might be (after all, you can't polish a turd). I'm not aware of any company that actually uses the .eu domain. As another commenter pointed out, they register them just to stop any scammers registering them but there'll be nothing on the end of them, not even a redirect to a .com/.co.uk

      2. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

        A fundamental part of legal certainty is that you should be able to know in advance what rights you have. In this case the UK makes use of an existing provision in the laws. The EU, on the other hand, makes up new rules nobody knew of beforehand. Adding insult to injury the EU also decides there shall be no possibility for appeal.

        As for your idea of "Continental", neither Ireland, the UK, Sweden or Finland were on the Continent.

        1. rtfazeberdee

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          "The EU, on the other hand, makes up new rules nobody knew of beforehand." bollox, all rules have to be vetted. Personal ignorance of a rule is just that, your problem.

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

            How can people be aware at the time of signing up for a .eu domain of a rule that has yet to be drafted?? This is the core of the issue: the EU has made a new rule nobody knew of because it is NEW. Calling this personal ignorance shows only contempt for numerous legal traditions including the right to be heard, the right to an appeal, the ban on retroactive laws, legal certainty and more.

            People may be dissatisfied with Brexit but that is no excuse for throwing centuries of legal traditions out of the window.

            And if accept all this and only see blame on the part of the British people as a "solution" you are in for a lot more legal trouble.

        2. MonkeyCee

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          " The EU, on the other hand, makes up new rules nobody knew of beforehand. "

          What? That's bullshit. Sorry.

          The issue is that currently the UK is part of the EU. Thus lots of rules saying "x must be in an EU country" are currently;y fine if x is in the UK. The UK has decided it's leaving the EU, and has not yet managed to agree on what that means for all the cases of x. The proposed "deal" is that the UK remains in the identical position (legally speaking) and therefore all cases of x in the UK are fine.

          If the UK leaves without a deal, then the rules are clear. If UK not in EU, then things that require x to be in the EU are no longer valid if x is in the UK. It's pretty simple.

          Now, it's bloody stupid I agree. But as with most of this brexit spectacle it's the UK that is the one causing the issue, failing to offer a solution, then blaming everyone else when they get hoist on their own petard.

          1. Snake Silver badge
            Headmaster

            Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

            What? That's bullshit. Sorry.

            I 100% agree.

            The issue is that currently the UK is part of the EU. Thus lots of rules saying "x must be in an EU country" are currently;y fine if x is in the UK. The UK has decided it's leaving the EU, and has not yet managed to agree on what that means for all the cases of x. The proposed "deal" is that the UK remains in the identical position (legally speaking) and therefore all cases of x in the UK are fine.

            And therein lies the crux of the problem. Brexiters are under this self-entitled delusion that they get exclusive rights to call the shots; Brexiters moronically hold the belief that they get to leave the EU, but paradoxically get to tell the EU that they will retail any said benefits they personally choose, regardless.

            They are children who think they get to tell everyone else how to use the ball, after they leave class.

            As to 'making new rules', what part of EU membership WASN'T implied when you got that dot EU domain?? Do you get to keep your Henry@globalmegacorp.com email address after you quit?

            No? So why is this any different? The dot EU domain is a benefit of EU membership as it directly associates the domain owner with the economic union. No if, ands, or buts about it.

            You're leaving. Association gets revoked.

            The End.

            1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge
              FAIL

              Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

              Brexiters are under this self-entitled delusion that they get exclusive rights to call the shots; Brexiters moronically hold the belief that they get to leave the EU, but paradoxically get to tell the EU that they will retail any said benefits they personally choose, regardless.

              Is it really any surprise that you get referred to as 'remoaners", when you demonstrate zero understanding of what leavers actually want and expect, and cover up your ignorance with insults and bigotry?

              1. Snorlax Silver badge

                Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                Lol, Brexiters have never stooped to insults and bigotry.

                Oh wait...

                Anyway I think this revocation policy is great. I’m gonna be able to grab ‘my’ .eu domain at the end of March.

                1. Roland6 Silver badge
                  Happy

                  Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                  "I’m gonna be able to grab ‘my’ .eu domain at the end of March 2020."

                  Although if the UK does agree to the deal, you will have to wait until the 1 January 2022...

                  1. Snorlax Silver badge
                    Happy

                    Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                    I don’t see that happening, but hey...I’m a patient man.

              2. Snake Silver badge

                Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                Is it really any surprise that you get referred to as 'remoaners", when you demonstrate zero understanding of what leavers actually want and expect, and cover up your ignorance with insults and bigotry?

                What ignorance? Is it, or is not, a fact that Brexiters campaigned, and continue to believe, that they have the right to maintain Favoured Nation full EU-equivalent trade status even though they are leaving? If that is not the case, then why was May's compromise deal so humiliatingly defeated, because somehow everyone expected better terms for Britain but instead got a hot slap of reality from the EU consortium?? And the Ireland question??

                It's YOU who are living in a delusional fantasy land of entitlement, my friend. Too bad the EU gave you a what-for, and didn't roll over for your personal majesty.

                1. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

                  Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                  Is it, or is not, a fact that Brexiters campaigned, and continue to believe, that they have the right to maintain Favoured Nation full EU-equivalent trade status even though they are leaving?

                  No, it's not a fact, it's remainer delusion. No-one with any sense would think that a country leaving could "call the shots" or demand to "retain rights", only remainers seem to think that could be possible.

                  Obviously those could be requests in the negotiation process, it would be plain stupid to enter negotiations with a first bid of your minimum acceptable position. You start high, and get negotiated down, that's the bit of negotiations that remainers don't understand - you have to negotiate, d'Oh. How far you get depends on what the other side thinks it has to lose.

                  why was May's compromise deal so humiliatingly defeated

                  Also obvious, it was defeated because it would have tied the UK to EU control and EU rules, with no input to them, until (and if) the EU decided we could actually leave. It was indefinite Remain. May was told that, repeatedly, over the past 18 months, but she still went ahead with it and got a slap from parliament for her wilful stupidity.

                  It's YOU who are living in a delusional fantasy land of entitlement, my friend

                  I am not your friend, and feel no entitlement to anything from the EU. It is a failing empire, and we'll be better off out of it, although that will certainly mean more hard work in the future.

                  1. Roland6 Silver badge

                    Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

                    No-one with any sense would think that a country leaving could "call the shots" or demand to "retain rights", only remainers seem to think that could be possible.

                    Love the satire, I thought it was the Brexit leaders who said the EU would fall over themselves to give the UK a good deal (ie. equal to or better than being a member).

                    You start high, and get negotiated down

                    Interesting take on "No deal" which many Brexiteers have been wanting from the outset and the EU seems quite happy to let the UK have "no deal".

                    It is a failing empire, and we'll be better off out of it

                    Well if the EU is going to fail, one of two things will happen: the member nations get together and form a new club - membership open to existing club members, or there is war in Europe.

                    With the UK outside, it is highly unlikely it will be invited to join the new club, if there is war things will get very messy, in either case the UK will be blamed as the cause...

            2. Jamie Jones Silver badge

              Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

              And therein lies the crux of the problem. Brexiters are under this self-entitled delusion that they get exclusive rights to call the shots; Brexiters moronically hold the belief that they get to leave the EU, but paradoxically get to tell the EU that they will retail any said benefits they personally choose, regardless.

              I agree 100%, but regarding this article, you are blaming the people who DIDN'T WANT to leave.

          2. Roland6 Silver badge

            Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

            Re: " The EU, on the other hand, makes up new rules nobody knew of beforehand. "

            What? That's bullshit. Sorry. cont.

            >"If the UK leaves without a deal, then the rules are clear. If UK not in EU, then things that require x to be in the EU are no longer valid if x is in the UK. It's pretty simple."

            Under the .eu Ts&Cs a Registrant will have agreed to notify the Registrar within 30 days of any changes to their registration; hence in a no deal Brexit, the UK leaves the EU on 29-Mar, a UK-based Registrant will have 30 days ie. until 29-Apr to notify the .eu Registrar of this fact.

            So in issuing the notice, the EU has drawn your attention to this requirement; instead it could have quietly adhered to the rules and simply disabled domains registered to UK addresses on the 30-Apr...

        3. Jason Bloomberg Silver badge
          WTF?

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          A fundamental part of legal certainty is that you should be able to know in advance what rights you have.

          What "legal certainty"? Laws and rules change all the time, as they should. Many prohibit things which used to be considered acceptable, and there's nothing wrong with that.

          The notion that because something was legal or allowed it must always remain as such is utterly ridiculous.

          1. Shades

            Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

            "The notion that because something was legal or allowed it must always remain as such is utterly ridiculous."

            And that is what makes me laugh about people* who think that something that has the word "Amendment" in its title is absolutely set in stone.

            *Second Amendment nutjobs.

        4. Roland6 Silver badge

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          >Adding insult to injury the EU also decides there shall be no possibility for appeal.

          That was already in the .eu Domain Name Registration Terms and Conditions, the update is merely restating the rule...

          1. Anonymous Coward
            Anonymous Coward

            Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

            Unfair contract terms.

      3. Phil O'Sophical Silver badge

        Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

        It's the *UK* that currently doesn't believe in globalism; it's the *UK* that wants out of EU.

        Those are completely contradictory statements. The EU isn't intertested in globalism, it's just an inward-looking, protectionist bloc, as demonstrated by this whole .eu domain fiasco. The UK is leaving because it wants to be able to participate in the global economy, without having to ask permission from Brussels first.

        Now, how well that participation will go is entirely down to us, and the current numpties in Westminster (never mind the Stupid Woman™ in Nº 10) don't fill me with confidence, but whether we succeed or fail we're the ones looking at it globally.

        1. BinkyTheMagicPaperclip Silver badge

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          Well, no, Phil. That's what a certain percentage of the leave voters want, not all of them. Therein lies the problem.

          I'm looking at it globally too, as a Remainer. Yes, the EU is a protectionist bloc, and I want to be part of it. As a farty little island the terms we will receive trying to negotiate our own trade will be dramatically worse than as part of the EU. Not to mention the Irish border issue which was clearly signposted prior to the referendum and ignored by far too many people.

          We'll see who is right in a few years, personally I'll laugh like a drain if the UK establishes a trade deal with India, and the gammons go pink with rage as the price is an increase in immigration.

      4. Jamie Jones Silver badge

        Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

        Bah, I wrote an even longer reply, but it got zapped (my end) because computers are crap, so I'll try and recap. In summary:

        "But globalism is seemingly not in vogue at the moment, so the EU is forcing a geographic separation on something that doesn't have or need one. It's hard to imagine how someone owning a .eu domain that lives in the UK is a threat whatsoever to the registry. But then nothing about Brexit makes any sense, so why should domain names be any different?

        It's the *UK* that currently doesn't believe in globalism; it's the *UK* that wants out of EU. Yet, somehow, the person leaving the consortium should be able to make the rules - that being, I wish my personal domain to remain associated with the EU's TLD, thereby retaining any benefit / glamour / cachet acquired, however direct or indirectly, by that connotation.

        As usual, just like Trumpers, they want the cake and be able to eat it, too.

        Firstly, I did not make that comment that you pasted.

        Secondly, we are talking about *pre-existing* domains, not new registrations.

        Thirdly, you appear to be of the view that everyone in the UK voted to leave.

        I don't hear any brexitters complaining - the people who legitimately use .eu are pro-europe.

        So, nothing like the trumpets. We never wanted this "cake".

        ".eu" on the label has a certain worldwide connotation of "Continental", which leaving the EU now breaks. Permanently. You want Brexit because you don't want Europe to "tell you want to do", but you want to retain .eu domains in order to benefit from any additional sheen that they may be able to grant themselves in the future. EU economy running well, but UK still suffering from Brexit-itits? My domain is .eu! Really, as a customer you'll get the benefits of our growing economic qualities!

        Not.

        If you think ".eu" means "continental", then you are wrong. Besides, whether you consider Britain part of Continental Europe or not, that matter doesn't change because of a brexit ruling.

        And if you're going to repeat yourself, so will I.

        No, WE DON'T WANT BREXIT.

        THAT'S what the EU is protecting. You want any and all benefits? Then you must stay in. You want to go? That's fine, we can't hold you back...but you get NOTHING. There is NO reason to grant you ANY benefits out of your stubborn desire to be selfish because, then, what is the benefit to those who stay and make [any necessary] sacrifice for the greater good?

        No benefit at all. It's the UK breaking off the engagement as they decide to play the field, then coming back years later and crashing the ex's wedding party for the buffet and open bar.

        Big. Fat. NO.

        Again, WE WANT TO STAY IN.

        It's more like someone else breaking off the engagement (through no fault of the fiancee), and then the ex-partner taking revenge on the innocent guy.

        Or, how about you have a business that's built around your domain name. You've build an address that is recognisable for email and it's website.

        Then one day, someone tells you you are losing your domain name in 2 months because of some bureaucracy outside your control. Not only are they refusing to honour the time you've already paid for, they aren't even going to refund the cost of that time, yet alone any further expenses.

        To make matters worse, when you complain, some guy in The Registers comment section tells you it's your own damn fault!

        Listen, I'm glad you commented - too many Americans don't as they believe it's none of their business... Get right in there, like we do with American stories!

        However, please realise more than 16 MILLION people voted to stay in the EU, and now, the vast majority don't want to leave.

        You don't expect us to blame you personally for Trump: Don't blame me for brexit.

        1. BinkyTheMagicPaperclip Silver badge

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          Doesn't matter Jamie, they're right.

          It's more like moving to a country with your newly married partner, where your staying is due to being their spouse. If the marriage ends, you don't get to stay. Doesn't matter if you're settled and really like the country.

          It also isn't 'the vast majority'. Maybe the vast majority of people owning an .eu domain, but in terms of the general population although opinion has swung towards remain and the margin is somewhat outside statistical error, it's still not a vast difference. The country remains split down the middle.

      5. Carpet Deal 'em
        Facepalm

        Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

        > "Although I am an American, and am not affected by this change, I do not agree with your assessment; I fully agree with the EU's policy on this."

        All he's saying is that existing domains should be grandfathered in, which is standard with just about everything. That Brussels has demanded all domains be confiscated is very much contrary to the norm - and a petty departure at that.

        1. Roland6 Silver badge

          Re: STUPID STUPID STUPID

          >and a petty departure at that.

          Kindly point at the relevant sections of the EURid Ts&Cs and Registration Policy that support your contention...

          Also for extra marks you can compare the EURid policy etc with thoat covering .ac.uk : https://community.jisc.ac.uk/library/janet-services-documentation/terms-and-conditions-acuk

  15. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Muppets

    We don't want the EU but we want to keep EU domains...

    Give me a break.

    The UK gets what it asked for and then whines.

    They have been dragging their feet ever since they got in, even though they had favourable financial treatment (look up UK rebate).

    When a partner is so reluctant, the partnership is best aborted, and if the muppets end up staying I sure as hell hope that rebate goes.

    1. david 12 Silver badge

      Re: Muppets

      Clearly, this kind of behavior is the /reason/ why people in the UK voted for BREXIT.

      1. georgezilla Silver badge

        Re: Muppets

        Yep. Act like a spoiled, petulant child throwing a tantrum.

        Go ahead and throw it. Hold your breath until you turn blue while you're at it.

        You still won't get a cookie.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Muppets

          You still won't get a cookie.

          Don't want a cookie. Want to go out & play with my friends.

          1. Snorlax Silver badge

            Re: Muppets

            Not until you’ve finished your dinner

      2. Paul Smith

        Re: Muppets

        "Clearly, this kind of behavior is the /reason/ why people in the UK voted for BREXIT."

        When you spend over thirty years blaming the EU for all your problems and failings, you shouldn't be too surprised if they eventually start to believe you. Blame the EU to your hearts content but please try to remember that the UK is part of the EU and must accept responsibility for its own actions.

        The rules for using .eu domain names are pretty simple and were written by British civil servants working with their European peers, were approved by British politicians working with their European peers and were agreed and implemented with the authority of British Parliament. The relevant rule here is that if you are in the EU, you can use a .eu domain, if you are not in the EU, you can not use a .eu domain. At the end of next month, the UK will no longer be in the EU, therefore .eu domains registered in the UK can not longer be used.

    2. Jamie Jones Silver badge

      Re: Muppets

      We don't want the EU but we want to keep EU domains...

      No, the people who want to keep the domains they've already established DO WANT THE EU.

      And you call us Muppets?

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Muppets

        > No, the people who want to keep the domains they've already established DO WANT THE EU.

        Sorry but these people can only be treated as the rest of the country.

        I know half of the Brits want to stay, but they pay for the rest. Blame the brexiters, not the EU.

        And the tone of these EU domain articles on ElReg clearly demonstrates how confused Brits are.

        Hence my making my point, even if a bit too forcely, possibly.

        No EU means no EU domain, no Galileo, no open borders, no Airbus factory, etc.

        Not EU's fault. UK's choice.

  16. Hans 1
    Paris Hilton

    Shit happens when you leave a club, you lose all your rights related to said club.\_(⠉)_/

    Paris, 'cause, well,. not too far from Brussels

  17. SteveTM

    This kind of behaviour just fuels anti-eu pro-brexit attitudes. Consistently the EU behaves in this rather juvenile manner. I can buy any domain anywhere, yet apparently, only the EU is so super sensitive to the location of domain owners.

    Can we retaliate and make it so that all .co.uk europeans also have to go through the f....... admin I will have to go through to fix my .eu domain problem??!!

    1. Sorry that handle is already taken. Silver badge
      Facepalm

      Can we retaliate and make it so that all .co.uk europeans also have to go through the f....... admin I will have to go through to fix my .eu domain problem??!!

      What were you just saying about juvenile behaviour?

    2. Mr Humbug

      > I can buy any domain anywhere, yet apparently, only the EU is so super sensitive to the location of domain owners.

      The French worry about this too. To register a .fr you have to be a French legal entity or own a European trademark registration and you have to register it to an address in France (although I don't think anyone has actually checked the address we used for ours).

      1. Jamie Jones Silver badge

        But the equivalent is if you live in France, and have a .fr domain, and suddenly it's taken from you without you personally doing anything different.

    3. John 98

      What's forgotten

      The original idea of the eu domain was simple - it comes with a door Mr Plod can knock on (inside the EU obviously). Given that won't happen in Brexistan, the EU logic is broadly sound. The UK could offer to serve warrants, facilitate police activity..

      1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: What's forgotten

        John 98,

        That's only true if they actually check that addresses are real, and not just PO Boxes. Which I very much doubt.

        The real traceability on domains is surely the payment records. But if you're up to nefarious business, they won't lead back to you either. If they were serious about PC plod, then there would have to be checks. When you get a Belgian identity card for example, not only do you have to go to the town hall to fill out forms, you then get a knock on the door from PC Plod to make sure that you actually reside at the address you've just given. Then they stamp the word foreigner over your face and issue your card.

        This is just a bit of pointless pettiness, to little purpose but fortunately with very little impact on most people who can either work round it or ignore the .eu domain (as most people do already). After all they're proposing different rules in the case of a no deal or a deal, which given we're not doing anything reciprocal with our domains (whose rules don't change) does rather suggest they could leave it a year, or until the relevant domains expire with no great difference made.

  18. Andre Carneiro

    Bureaucracy rather than malice

    Well, I’m assuming the terms and conditions of .eu registration precede Brexit by a significant number of years.

    If all along they clearly stated that "Any natural person, company or organisation residing in or established in the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway can register a .eu or .ею (Cyrillic script) domain name." then it seems to me like they’re simply applying them to the letter...

    Also “register a domain” does not simply mean the act of actively registering but also the ongoing fact of owning the domain name so whilst letting it lapse rather than cancelling the registrations would be a practical and pragmatic approach, cancellation is pretty much in line with the T&Cs registrants agreed to.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Bureaucracy rather than malice

      > it seems to me like they’re simply applying them to the letter...

      Really? Do you have any legal background for your analysis?

      Your analysis does not entirely hold up to the standards I am used to in my work.

      1. Roland6 Silver badge

        Re: Bureaucracy rather than malice

        >Your analysis does not entirely hold up to the standards I am used to in my work.

        I suggest you read the relevant documents - they are applying the rules and being slightly generous in their time limits:

        65 days notice instead of 30

        2 months (ie. 60 days) grace period to notify them of material changes to your registration, instead of 30

        ...

  19. steviebuk Silver badge

    How petty

    Can they get? And they wonder why people don't like them.

    1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      Re: How petty

      Not petty, just strictly following rules and regulations without any pragmatism, aka perfect bureaucratism. It ain't nice, but it makes for some head lines, which still sell news papers. The real one to blame is probably Rupert Murdoch, he loves these nice, big head lines and he is perfectly capable of making sure he gets them.

      1. John G Imrie
        WTF?

        Re: Rupert Murdoch

        Today's headlines where all about Tory infighting forcing a no deal Brexit, except for the Sun, which seams to think that Jeremy Corbin is the most powerful person in Briton as he can single handedly lead Labour to stop Brexit. At least that's what I think the headline 'Don't let Labour Kill Brexit' is about.

      2. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

        Re: How petty

        A.P. Veening,

        Surely "just strictly following rules and regulations without any pragmatism" is one of the definitions of being petty? In general it also needs to be a subject of little importance - and that does pretty much cover the .eu domain. I don't recall ever having used it except to go to the Commission's website, for example.

      3. codejunky Silver badge

        Re: How petty

        "Not petty, just strictly following rules and regulations without any pragmatism"

        Not according to the article which says-

        Even the bureaucrats that came up with this terrible policy foresee that it may not be legal

        Basically its toys thrown out of the pram for hurt feeweings. Poor wittle twits. It is fantastic to hear they added a load more red tape just to put a second round in their already shot foot.

    2. John G Imrie
      FAIL

      Re: How petty

      Sorry, but we are leaving the club. Why should we get access to the subsidised bar?

  20. Potemkine! Silver badge

    Propaganda

    "Brussels' bureaucrats ", "Eurocrats "... BS!

    EURid is not part of the so called "European Bureaucracy", it's a non-profit organisation appointed by the European Commission as the domain name registry.

    Its chairman, Pierre Verbaeten, is a Belgian professor emeritus in the Computer Science at the KU Leuven, and has more than 226 publications to its name.

    Anti-european feelings are maybe popular in UK, but feeding the frenzy with lies is irresponsible.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Propaganda

      EURid is not part of the so called "European Bureaucracy", it's a non-profit organisation appointed by the European Commission as the domain name registry.

      It is indeed, and is required by the commission to process .eu registrations according to the rules of the commission as defined in all the treaties listed on its website. It doesn't matter how clever Prof. Verbaeten is, he's still just a policeman for his masters.

    2. Rob Stiles

      Re: Propaganda

      Brexiters aren't anti-European. Although there's a plethora of TLDs out there, I suppose some people will still want a European-like domain name. I don't know why anyone would want a .eu one if they're not in the EU. Perhaps if they're using it to make part of a bigger word.

      How about making a .europe one? There are already .asia and .africa TLDs so the equivalent would be .europe.

      This is a bit like the loser taking his football home of course. It's a bit pathetic.

  21. Anonymous Coward Silver badge
    Boffin

    "they have two months to transfer their domains to a different person or entity based in Europe"

    If that's actually what they said (rather than poor reporting), there's no problem. We'll still be in Europe, just not in the Union.

    Europe is a geographical entity, not a political one. In much the same way as Canada is in North America without being in the USA.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Good points. This also indicates huge trademark issues are coming up, which were in the first place one of the two major reasons to register a .eu domain.

    2. Roland6 Silver badge

      >If that's actually what they said (rather than poor reporting), there's no problem.

      It's poor reporting, the EURid Brexit Notice webpage is precise.

  22. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    brexit means UK is no longer a part of the EU, non?

    and no deal means no deals, non?

    ironically, the EU are already so pissed off with the UK over this 2-year long farce that the best negotiating tactics for the UK now (take your time!) would be to actually tell them that, er.. actually, WE ARE STAYIN CAUSE I KNOW ME RIGHTS!!!! They would probably agree on ANY terms just to see us get the fuck out at last and throw away the key to the eurotunnel door.

    1. Roland6 Silver badge

      Re: brexit means UK is no longer a part of the EU, non?

      >the best negotiating tactics for the UK now (take your time!) would be to actually tell them that, er.. actually, WE ARE STAYIN...

      Glad someone else has spotted this; however, it won't happen because ardent Brexiteers will say that this is a betrayal of the referendum result etc. etc....

  23. Milton

    Bomb out? Don't think so ...

    Even if it takes us to the last week before Brexit—which Theresa, The World's Most Obstinate Sheep is quite capable of—I really cannot believe that MPs would be so suicidally stupid as to allow the UK to crash out. May has been running down the clock in her arrogant incompetence and stubbornness, essentially trying to coerce MPs to vote for her disastrous deal becuase No-Deal would be even worse, but it seems unlikely to succeed when there are better, common-sense options on the table, not the least fo which remains an A50 pause to allow time for a final, fair, properly informed "people's vote". I appreciate that Parliament is chock-full of deceitful mediocrities—this is so obvious now that it isn't even news any more—but even then, standing at the very edge of the precipice, they will step back. If not for the good of the nation (which the Tories seem to have long since forgotten about as they fight like rats in a sack), their careers—pathetic as MPs really are these days—will be at grave risk if we crash out. (And the Conservative party will be destroyed. History would not forgive them.)

    As for the EU domains, I do think the bureaucrats are being pointlessly draconian about this. It would have made far more sense to allow, say, a year's grace period after Brexit (if it occurred) for transfer of sites, email etc, while barring new registrations from non-EU regions. It's not as if having a few thousand '.eu-non-EU' domains left on the books for a while is going to cause much of a problem. No one is smuggling assault rifles through Europe because they have a regionally debatable domain name, are they? I would have thought there were much bigger and more important fish to fry and yes: this is so petty that it demeans the decision-makers and makes them foolish.

    1. I ain't Spartacus Gold badge

      Re: Bomb out? Don't think so ...

      Erm, haven't the MPs already voted so that we leave with no deal on March 29th at 11pm? Isn't that the problem, after all? There's a majority in Parliament who'd like to stay in the EU, but having contracted it out to a referendum there's not a majority to overturn that result. In fact from analysis I've seen, there's not even a majority to hold a referendum to cancel Brexit. The numbers look to only be just shy of 300 - and that's assuming Corbyn can be persuaded to whip Labour to vote for one. Which I don't think he wants to do.

      The problem as I see it is that MPs views aren't even close to representing the voters' ones - which makes it really hard for them to act because they risk doing massive damage to democracy or pursuing policies they don't believe in. Hence it's hard to come to any decision.

      The other problem is that all sense of compromise seems to have gone out the window. Too many "remainers" now seem to be playing for the big win, rather than going for an acceptable second-best. So rather than settling on trying to get a Norway-style EEA deal 2 years ago and sticking to it, they're now hoping to totally cancel Brexit. Obviously they've got a chance of winning - but that also massively raises the risk of a no deal. Which they tell anyone who'll listen will be a catastrophe.

      On t'tother hand a lot of the moderate leavers seem to have set their minds on no freedom of movent, when there's almost certainly a majority in the country to leave the political bits while staying in the single market - and at least that gives everyone some of what they want.

      I also think you're being massively unfair to May when you say:

      ssentially trying to coerce MPs to vote for her disastrous deal becuase No-Deal would be even worse, but it seems unlikely to succeed when there are better, common-sense options on the table

      There aren't any better deals on the table, as you put it. There's May's deal or nothing. The EU aren't offering anything else. To get to any deal that involves leaving requires signing some version of May's deal, or leaving with no deal and starting from scratch. There's a chance that the more awful parts of the backstop can be sorted - because as things stand the alternative is going to be no deal, and the EU say they'll then insist on a hard border in Ireland. The road to the EEA / "Norway option" also leads via May's deal - though with that as the agreed future direction the backstop could be re-written - but might not be because Norway aren't in the Customs Union.

      Your other alternative is to remain. MPs can do that themselves, without a referendum - now the ECJ have ruled. But they don't dare - and rightly so. But there's not even a majority amongst them for holding a referendum. And that's not necessarily because they're all deceitful, it's because quite a few of them are pretty worried about the results of doing that. It may be what they settle on in the end - but it won't be easy. And may not give them (or you) the result they want...

  24. Paul Smith

    Stop guessing:

    The actual rules are here and are unchanged: https://eurid.eu/media/filer_public/76/48/7648e621-0c5d-4c09-8bde-e5622cb6b23e/registration_policy_en.pdf

    They were written by British civil servants working with their European conterparts.

    They were approved by British politicians working with their European conterparts.

    They were implemented by authority of the British Parliament.

    SECTION 5. PROVIDING ACCURATE AND COMPLETE CONTACT INFORMATION

    ...

    (ii) address and country within the European Union, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein

    a. where the registered office, central administration or principal place of business of the undertaking of the Registrant is located or

    b. where the organisation of the Registrant is established or

    c. where the Registrant resides;

    SECTION 12. PROCEDURE FOR THE REVOCATION OF DOMAIN NAMES

    1. The Registry may revoke a Domain Name at its own discretion exclusively on the following grounds:

    (i) outstanding unpaid debts owed by the Registrar to the Registry;

    (ii) the Registrant’s not or no longer fulfilling the General Eligibility Criteria provided under Article 5(2)(b) of the .eu Regulation;

    (iii) breach of the Rules by the Registrant.

    Any domain registered with an address in the UK will by in breach of 5.(ii) at from the end of next month.

    1. Joe W Silver badge

      Re: Stop guessing:

      Thanks!

      (and good summary on top, basically what I have been telling others who blame the EU for... well, everything. Biggest problem we have: the same politicians (from your country, that you voted into office) who make these rules then go home and blame the EU for the same rules...)

  25. Smoking Man

    You're just listening to an echo.

    You keep shouting "F*ck EU!" and what you now hear is "F*ck You!".

    Brexit means Brexit. You want it, you get it. Mind the gap.

  26. Gob Smacked
    Facepalm

    The EU moved on...

    The UK can't figure out what to do, so EU wide all kind of preparations to prepare for no deal are being implemented.

    The EU welcomes all UK businesses that want to do the mainland move, now and later. No worries, there's enough countries to share the load...

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    'Britain expected to bomb out of the Union' - so complete impartiality from The Reg then?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Reality is Remain-biased

  28. MonkeyCee

    It's not the EU...

    "Or, in other words, once the EU has decided you are no longer a citizen, it will take your property away from you, without compensation"

    The UK is leaving the EU. The UK is the one removing citizenship, not the EU. In fact the EU has offered all UK citizens residency* if they are living in the EU, and vice versa with the UK, but the UK government doesn't seem to be able to get that bill past parliament. For some of us our governments have offered us the same deal, even if the UK does not reciprocate, so deal or no deal I get residency in the Netherlands.

    I know you're trying to stir up things, but this is clearly based on location and not legal status. As per the article, a non-UK EU citizen whoi has their .eu domain registered to a UK address has to move it somewhere else, or lose it. Nowt to do with who is a citizen or not, entirely to do with the UK being in or out of the EU.

    Spitting tacks each time brexit means the UK doesn't benefit from being in the EU, and then blaming the EU for it is getting old. It's almost like all the benefits of the union are classified as "expected" rather than part of the give and take.

    Once the UK has finished with settling it's relationship with the EU, in what has been a very measured and reasonable negotiation**, it's going to be interesting to see how the UK (especially the press and public) reacts to having to negotiate with the rest of the world. All the signs from the WTO are that it's going to be a shitshow, even with the full support of the EU. The suggestion that the UK could just carve off it's share of the schedules from the EU (which the EU support) was laughed out.

    The government is weak, there is political division within most parties, there is no clear vision for a solution to the current (self induced) crisis and the UK hasn't negotiated a trade deal on it's own for thirty years. The other countries are going to eat us for lunch. I predict a future press briefing were the PM declares that that an unpopular trade deal that maintains the status quo is a great victory.

    * IIRC you need to be resident in the EU (not a citizen) for .eu registrations

    ** if you ignore the political hyperbole and look at what was actually done and agreed.

    1. Alan Johnson

      Re: It's not the EU...

      "I predict a future press briefing were the PM declares that that an unpopular trade deal that maintains the status quo is a great victory"

      realistically simply retaining the status quo ante woudl be a victory when negotiating as a much smaller weaker entity in a position where everyone knows that deals need to be made quickly and there is political weakness. I am just sceptical any significant deals will be made which are not worse than the current situation.

    2. Snorlax Silver badge

      Re: It's not the EU...

      No domain is *your property*, whether it’s .eu, .com, .ro or .co.uk, you just rent it.

      So, no, the EU isn’t stealing your property....

  29. Snorlax Silver badge
    Trollface

    Um, so, is it legal?

    "Even the bureaucrats that came up with this terrible policy foresee that it may not be legal..."

    The rules are pretty clear on who qualifies for .eu domain registration; I don't see any legal uncertainty.

    They were introduced for the benefit of EU residents, organisations and undertakings, after all.

    So if you aren't one of the above, you don't have any business having a .eu domain... Simples.

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