BRUSSELS, Dec. 1 (UPI) -- The European Union's new .eu Internet domain opens Dec. 7, the EUobserver reported Thursday.
The EUobserver said that public bodies and business trademark holders will be prioritized to register their .eu names for the first four months, and from April 2006 the registry will become available for applications from the general public.
"I expect Europe's top level domain .eu to become similarly important as .com," EU Commissioner for Information Society and Media Viviane Reding said in a statement. "For businesses, .eu will extend their marketing reach, while protecting them under EU law against cybersquatters. As a citizen, a '.eu' address can help making your Web presence or that of your school, university, or club more visible across the European Union. Europe's new top level domain therefore offers a unique opportunity for modern online marketing across borders."
