Tag Archives: SIDN

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

SIDN Reports .NL Domain Registrations Grow 15% in 2009

SIDN logoSIDN, the .NL (Netherlands) registry, has announced that domain name registrations increased by 15.3 per cent in 2009. The increase, a total of more than 480,000 domain names, took the total to 3,678,224 at year end.

SIDN ranks fourth in total number of ccTLD registrations with 3,856,569 domains registered as of today. First is .DE (Germany) with 13,623,918 registrations today, followed by .CN (China/9,535,120/February 28) and .UK (United Kingdom/8,413,958). Fifth is .EU (European Union/3,243,201).

The .NL figures were announced in SIDN’s 2009 annual report that was published this week. Other highlights were improvements in service provision to registrars with improved contact as well as research into registrars’ wishes and service quality.

The project that dominated SIDN’s year was the development of the new registration system, DRS5. SIDN’s registrars were closely involved in this project, with a number joining a special DRS5 Taskforce, which acted as a sounding board for SIDN throughout the design and realisation of the new system.

‘Despite the subdued economic climate, the .NL domain continued to grow strongly in 2009,’ commented SIDN’s CEO, Roelof Meijer. ‘With more than 3.6 million domain names at the end of 2009, the .NL domain is the fourth biggest of the world’s 250-plus country-code domains. By the middle of 2010, we expect to register the four-millionth .NL domain name. Such strong growth makes internet security an increasingly important issue – one that we gave considerable attention to in 2009. The success of our efforts in that field was reflected by the findings of an international survey, which highlighted the .NL domain as the most secure domain of its size anywhere in the world. Security will remain one of our main focuses in 2010.’

Other issues covered in the annual report are the changes to internet as it turns 40 years of age focussing on The Netherlands. These include that more and more business is now down online, the increase of online services from government, the growth of Twitter and social networking as well as music and video downloads and the mobile internet. The report also notes SIDN is fully prepared for IPv6. They expect that there to be only IPv6 addresses available in 2011.

The SIDN 2009 Annual Report is available for download here.

Europe Registry logoTo register your .NL domain name, check out Europe Registry here.

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

SIDN revises General Terms and Conditions, Complaints & Appeals Regulations

SIDN logoOn 17 March 2010, a new system for the registration of domain names is being introduced and various processes are changing as a result. From that date, SIDN is therefore revising both the General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants and the General Terms and Conditions for Registrars to reflect the new situation. At the same time, the Complaints & Appeals Board (C&AB) is taking on a wider role, so the Complaints & Appeals Regulations (C&A Regulations) are changing as well. Continue reading SIDN revises General Terms and Conditions, Complaints & Appeals Regulations →

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

SIDN revises General Terms and Conditions, Complaints & Appeals Regulations

SIDN logoOn 17 March 2010, a new system for the registration of domain names is being introduced and various processes are changing as a result. From that date, SIDN is therefore revising both the General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants and the General Terms and Conditions for Registrars to reflect the new situation. At the same time, the Complaints & Appeals Board (C&AB) is taking on a wider role, so the Complaints & Appeals Regulations (C&A Regulations) are changing as well. Continue reading SIDN revises General Terms and Conditions, Complaints & Appeals Regulations →

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

SIDN revises General Terms and Conditions, Complaints & Appeals Regulations

SIDN logoOn 17 March 2010, a new system for the registration of domain names is being introduced and various processes are changing as a result. From that date, SIDN is therefore revising both the General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants and the General Terms and Conditions for Registrars to reflect the new situation. At the same time, the Complaints & Appeals Board (C&AB) is taking on a wider role, so the Complaints & Appeals Regulations (C&A Regulations) are changing as well.

Viewing the changes The new versions of the T&Cs for Registrants, the T&Cs for Registrars and the C&A Regulations are available to download using the links below. A version of each T&Cs document with the changes highlighted is also available. No comparable version of the C&A Regulations is provided, however, because the changes are too extensive for that to be helpful.

The main changes

The main changes The wording of all three documents has been improved in various respects. In addition, the procedures and processes described have been clarified where appropriate. The main material changes are as follows:

General

  • In the Dutch versions of all the documents, the term ‘registrar’ is replacing the term ‘deelnemer’ (literally ‘participant’), to reflect international usage. This terminological change has no material effect on the relationship between SIDN and its registrars. There is no corresponding change in the English-language documents, which already used the term ‘registrar’. In anticipation of the re-formation of the Registrars’ Advisory Council, which is likely to necessitate revision of SIDN’s constitution, the Dutch-language version of the constitution currently retains the term ‘deelnemer’.

General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants

  • The rules on the use of a domicile address by .nl registrants living or based outside the Netherlands are changing. From 17 March 2010, all such registrants will be obliged to accept SIDN’s registered office address as their domicile address. This means that it will be lawful for a bailiff to serve a writ on a non-Dutch registrant at that address. If a registrant does not live or is not based in the Netherlands, this will be apparent from the Whois.
  • From 17 March 2010, it will be possible to register a .nl domain name, but not have it added to the .nl zone file. The details of such domain names will be available from the Whois, however. It will also be possible for SIDN to delete a domain name from the zone file, if the name server pointers do not meet SIDN’s technical requirements. In due course, SIDN will publish a policy document explaining how it intends to exercise this power.
  • Several articles have been revised to reflect the wider powers of the Complaints & Appeals Board. The material changes are described below.

General Terms and Conditions for Registrars

  • The previously announced change to a registrar’s responsibility to confirm the identity of the registrants it represents has been implemented. Under the revised T&Cs, the registrar will still have a duty to take reasonable steps to ensure the accuracy of registered data, both at the time of registration and thereafter. A registrar must never register information that the registrar knows or suspects to be inaccurate. Furthermore, a registrar has to be able to demonstrate the accuracy of any data for which the registrar is responsible, if requested to do by SIDN.
  • An article of the T&Cs for Registrars has also been revised to reflect the wider powers of the Complaints & Appeals Board. The material changes are described below.

C&A Regulations
SIDN has an independent Complaints & Appeals Board (C&AB). Under the circumstances described in the General Terms and Conditions, anyone who has been affected by certain types of decision made by SIDN can appeal to the C&AB. The C&AB also considers complaints about .nl domain names in situations where a complainant asserts that the registration of a name, as a consequence of the name’s use, is inconsistent with public order or decency. The C&AB has its own website (www.cvkb.nl), where further details are available.

Last year, in consultation with the C&AB, SIDN undertook a thorough review of the C&A Regulations and identified various ways in which the existing procedures could be improved, the principles that the C&AB applies could be clarified and the powers of the C&AB should be modified. The C&A Regulations have now been revised in line with the outcome of the review.

The new regulations allow an individual to appeal to the C&AB in the following cases:
Where SIDN has unilaterally terminated a registration contract.
Where SIDN has unilaterally restricted the use of a domain name, e.g. by deleting it from the zone file.
Where SIDN has reversed a registration or a register amendment (e.g. a change of registrant or transfer to another registrar) or has rejected such a transaction request.
Where SIDN has declined a request to opt out of publication of the registrant’s details in the Whois.
Where SIDN has rejected an application to register a domain name because in the past the applicant has not fulfilled his/her obligations towards SIDN.

Appeal to the C&AB will in future also be possible for a registrar whose registrarship contract has been unilaterally terminated by SIDN. General speaking, registrars are regarded as professional organisations and assumed not to require special protection. Nevertheless, the termination of a registrarship contract can have far-reaching implications for a registrar’s business. SIDN therefore considers it appropriate that, in the event of termination, a registrar has access to a low-threshold independent decision review system.

Changes are also being made to the arrangements for complaining about a domain name whose registration is considered to be inconsistent with public order or decency. Under the new rules, anyone may complain to the C&AB if he or she believes that the registration of a .nl domain name is inconsistent with public order or decency as a consequence of the name’s use. In other words, a complaint has to relate explicitly to the combination of a name and its use. More information about the new complaints procedure is available here.

Read more about the consideration of complaints by the Complaints & Appeals Board.

related downloads:
General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants (per 170310)
(113 kB)
General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants (per 170310) (track changes)
(170 kB)
General Terms and Conditions for Registrars (per 170310)
(71 kB)
General Terms and Conditions for Registrars (per 170310) (track changes)
(81 kB)
Complaints and Appeals Regulations (per 170310)
(97 kB)

Europe Registry logoTo register your .NL domain name, check out Europe Registry here.


This SIDN announcement was sourced from here.

Domain Name Registrants, Domain Name Registrars, Domain Name Registry

SIDN Announces Changes to .NL Registration Policy

SIDN logoSIDN have announced the outcomes of the 2008 Domain Name Debate including the recently introduced new rules for non-Dutch registrants on the use of a Dutch domicile address that was implemented back in October. Changes include a reduction in the amount of Whois data made available, ability to reserve a .NL domain name and dropping the requirement for a registrar to verify a registrant’s identity.

The 2008 Domain Name Debate was held by SIDN, the organisation responsible for the functional stability and development of the .NL ccTLD, in December 2008. The goal was to give the Dutch internet community the opportunity to express its views on a number of important policy issues such as those above, along with retaining the requirement that registrants living or based outside the Netherlands should provide a Dutch domicile address.

For the SIDN announcement on the outcomes of the debate, see below:

SIDN implements conclusions of 2008 Domain Name Debate
On 13 November 2008, SIDN organised the 2008 Domain Name Debate. The event provided the Dutch internet community with the opportunity to express its views on a number of important policy issues, including the availability of personal data from the Whois and the need for registrars to verify registrants’ identities. One outcome of the debate – new rules for non-Dutch registrants on the use of a Dutch domicile address – was implemented back in October. SIDN will act on the other conclusions of the debate in the next few months.

Changes to the Whois
The Whois is an application on SIDN’s website, which can be used to look up information about .nl domain names. So, for example, one can check whether a particular domain name is still available for registration. It is also possible to get hold of the contact details of an existing domain name’s registrant. If the registrant is a private individual, such information is personal data and therefore has to be handled sensitively. During the debate, the arguments in favour of making registration data generally available were weighed up against the need to protect personal data. The conclusion was that the amount of personal data available from the Whois should be reduced. On 12 January 2010, changes to the Whois will therefore be implemented, so that less is revealed about registrants. Further details of the planned changes and the background to them are available here.

Reservation of domain names
SIDN proposed making it possible to reserve .nl domain names for a fee. Reservation would entail registering a name, without it being delegated (i.e. added to the zone file) by SIDN. No registrant’s details would be shown in the Whois for a reserved name. This proposal will be partially implemented in DRS5 – a new version of the domain registration system that SIDN and its registrars use to register names. In DRS5, which is due to enter use on 17 February 2010, it will be possible to register a domain name with the status ‘Inactive’; the name will then be reserved and not added to the zone file.

Changes to identification rules
At present, a .nl registrar is required to verify the identity of a prospective registrant before proceeding to register the relevant domain name. Although during the debate there was not unanimous support for dropping this requirement, SIDN has decided against its retention. The decision was motivated mainly by the wish to bring the .nl domain into line with the industry standard and ‘normal practice’ on the internet. Under the new arrangements, registrars will continue to have a duty to ensure the accuracy of registered data, both at the time of registration and thereafter. A registrar must never register data that are known or may be suspected to be incorrect. Furthermore, a registrar will have to be able to demonstrate that registered information is correct, if asked to do so by SIDN.

Changes to domicile address rules
Participants in the Domain Name Debate were in favour of retaining the requirement that registrants living or based outside the Netherlands should provide a Dutch domicile address. SIDN intends to be guided by the wishes of the debate participants. Early next year, a new version of the General Terms and Conditions for .nl Registrants will come into effect. Under the new T&Cs, a domicile address will still be required, but SIDN’s address will serve as the standard domicile address.

The above announcement from SIDN was sourced from:
www.sidn.nl/ace.php/c,728,6199,,,,SIDN_implements_conclusions_of_2008_Domain_Name_Debate.html

Europe Registry logoTo register your .NL domain name, check out Europe Registry here.