Second sunrise begins for .eu domains

Holders of unregistered trademarks can now apply for European domain names

The second sunrise registration period for the .eu domain opened this week, with the restrictions on firms hoping to apply lifted slightly.

The first registration period was open only to registered trademark holders and public bodies, but holders of other "prior rights", including unregistered trademarks or company names, are now eligible until 7 April. These prior rights will be validated by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Robin Fry of law firm Beachcroft Wansbroughs advised firms to apply now if possible, even if just to guard against the possibility of cybersquatters registering first.

"There is always a danger someone else will start to utilise their name or something similar to it, and it will be very difficult to recover it later," he warned.

According to .eu registry Eurid, in the first hour of opening there were over 71,000 applications across Europe.