On 13 January, the French National Assembly adopted on first reading a bill to define the new legal framework for extensions corresponding to the national territory and opening the registration of the .FR top level domain to businesses and individuals residing within the European Union.

      The text adopted explicitly refers to the constitutional rights involved in the Freedom of Communication and Freedom of Trade.

      The new law also reinforces key principles for the players in the domain name market such as the first come, first served rule, or the accountability of applicants for domain names in relation to the rights of third parties.

      AFNIC welcomes this significant step forward. It encourages all the stakeholders in the domain name market in France to share their opinions and proposals in order to complete the work on time. The draft will soon be handed over to the Senate, where it should pass in the coming weeks with registrations expected to be opened to European businesses and residents June 30,  2011.

Source from Domain News