Domain extension .eu
Buy a .eu domain: price, renewal and rules
The .eu is the domain extension of the European Union. Unlike .com it is not open to everyone – special conditions apply to companies and individuals in Switzerland, which we explain here.
- Registration
- CHF 9.90
- in the first year · incl. VAT
- Renewal
- CHF 19.90
- per year · incl. VAT
- Transfer
- CHF 17.90
Is your .eu domain still available?
The .eu domain at a glance
.eu was introduced in 2006 and is managed by EURid, a non-profit organisation based in Belgium that works on behalf of the European Commission. Besides .eu there are the variants .ею in Cyrillic and .ευ in Greek script. The rules are based on EU law, not on ICANN rules as with .com or .org.
Who may register a .eu?
According to EURid, the following can hold a .eu domain:
- Citizens of an EU member state, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway – regardless of where they live.
- People without such citizenship who live in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
- Companies established in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway.
- Organisations established there.
What does this mean for customers in Switzerland?
Switzerland belongs to neither the EU nor the EEA. A limited company based only in Switzerland therefore cannot register a .eu, and neither can a Swiss citizen living in Switzerland. It is possible, however, for EU citizens living in Switzerland, for dual nationals with an EU or EEA passport, for companies in the Principality of Liechtenstein and for the subsidiary of a Swiss company in an EU country – in that case the subsidiary must be entered as the holder. EURid can verify registration data; if the conditions are not met, the domain can be suspended and revoked.
Rules for the domain name
- 2 to 63 characters: letters a–z, digits and hyphens. A hyphen may not be at the beginning, at the end, or in both the 3rd and 4th positions.
- IDNs in Latin script are possible, including umlauts as in bäckerei-müller.eu. Cyrillic names belong under .ею, Greek ones under .ευ; scripts may not be mixed.
- Term of 1 to 10 years.
Prices, expiry and transfer
At HostOn a .eu costs CHF 9.90 for the first year and CHF 19.90 per year from the second year. If it is not renewed and gets deleted, it goes into quarantine for 40 days: the website and e-mail stop working, but the domain can still be reactivated during that time. After that it becomes available again.
To transfer to HostOn you need the authorisation code from your current provider; it is only valid for a limited time. The transfer costs CHF 17.90 and extends the term by one year. A suspended .eu cannot be transferred.
Alternatives to .eu
If you do not meet the conditions, .com is the usual choice for a European or international presence. For the Swiss market, .ch remains the first address; for customers in Germany or Austria, .de or .at can make sense. We do not recommend having a .eu registered through a third person in the EU: that person is then the holder of the domain.
Who is .eu suitable for?
For companies in Liechtenstein, for Swiss groups with an establishment in the EU, for EU citizens in Switzerland with their own project and for offers explicitly aimed at customers in several EU countries.
Before ordering, check who will be entered as holder. Only this person or company has to meet the conditions – and only they can dispose of the domain later.
Frequently asked questions
Answers to the questions we are asked most often about this service.
No, not if it is based only in Switzerland. If the company has a subsidiary in an EU country, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Norway, the subsidiary can register the .eu.
Yes. Citizens of the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway may register a .eu regardless of where they live.
Yes. Liechtenstein is part of the EEA, and companies and organisations established there are eligible.
CHF 9.90 for the first year and CHF 19.90 per year from the second year. A transfer costs CHF 17.90.
After deletion the domain is in quarantine for 40 days. During that time the website and e-mail do not work, but the domain can be reactivated. After that it becomes available again.
