Frequently Asked Questions

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What can I do if I think that someone has registered a .eu domain name to which I have a right?

.eu names are awarded on a first-come-first-served basis. This means any name registered will simply be registered to the first person to apply for it, regardless of whether this person has a right to the name or not. If you, as a subsequent party, feel that you have more right to the domain name than the current owner you can pursue one of the following courses of action:

1. Contact the current owners of the name and enquire as to whether they would be interested in transferring the name to you.

2. If they are opposed to transferring the name, you can always make use of the .eu alternative dispute resolution procedure (ADR.) File an ADR proceeding against the current owners of the name via the Czech Arbitration Court in which you prove that they purchased the domain name for speculative or abusive purposes as defined in EC regulation 874/2004 article 21. (A copy of regulation 874/2004 can be downloaded from www.eurid.eu and can be found under the Downloads/Documents section.)

3. If you feel that an ADR proceeding would not be a suitable way to resolve your dispute, you could start a court proceeding against the current owners of the name in any court of law in which you claim that you have more right to the name because you have a prior right to the name (Which can include but is not limited to: owning a registered/unregistered trademark for the name, having a company by that name etc.)