Until 31 December 2026, a .eu ADR dispute over one to five domain names decided by a single panellist costs €700 in filing fees instead of €1,300, because the .eu registry, EURid, is funding a €600 discount on every complaint. The reduced fee applies at both .eu ADR providers, the Czech Arbitration Court and the WIPO Center. It matters most to brand owners chasing a cybersquatted .eu name, and especially to Latin American groups entering the EU, who need to check two things before filing: which EU right they rely on and who can receive the domain.
Key takeaways
- The .eu ADR (alternative dispute resolution) procedure covers .eu, .ею and .ευ domains and is run under Regulation (EU) 2019/517 and the ADR Rules in force since 13 October 2022.
- From 1 January to 31 December 2026, the standard fee of €1,300 (single panellist, one to five domains) drops to €700; a three-member panel drops from €3,100 to €2,500.
- Unlike the UDRP, you need to prove lack of legitimate interest or bad faith, not both.
- Your right must be recognised by EU law or the law of a Member State. A trade mark registered only in Mexico or Brazil is not enough.
- Only a complainant that meets the .eu eligibility criteria can obtain a transfer; others can only ask for revocation.
What is the .eu ADR procedure?
The .eu ADR is the out-of-court procedure for disputes over .eu domains. It is the equivalent of the UDRP (the Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy used for .com and other generic domains), but it has its own legal basis: Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2019/517, applicable since 13 October 2022, allows a .eu name to be revoked through an administrative procedure when it is identical or confusingly similar to a name protected by EU or national law and was registered without rights or legitimate interest, or registered or used in bad faith.
According to EURid’s .eu ADR Guide, there are two providers: the Czech Arbitration Court (CAC), which has handled .eu cases since 2005, and the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, involved since 2017. Proceedings can run in any of the 24 official EU languages, legal representation is not mandatory and cases are typically resolved within two months.
How much does a .eu ADR dispute cost in 2026?
Both providers apply the same standard fees. The CAC fee page states that, from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2026, a temporary discount of €600 per filing applies “irrespective of the number of domain names”. WIPO’s .eu fee schedule shows the same reduced amounts for the same period.
| Case | Standard fee | Fee paid by the complainant in 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 5 domains, single panellist | €1,300 | €700 |
| 1 to 5 domains, three panellists | €3,100 | €2,500 |
| 6 to 10 domains, single panellist | €1,600 | €1,000 |
| 6 to 10 domains, three panellists | €4,000 | €3,400 |
| Request to change the language of the proceeding | €500 | €500 (no discount) |
For larger cases the CAC publishes fees up to 50 domains, and above that both providers set the fee on consultation. Two caveats: the CAC reserves the right to end the promotion at any time, and EURid says it may stop its contribution, so the fee should be checked on the day of filing. If a complaint is withdrawn or the case ends before a panel is appointed, the CAC keeps its administrative share and refunds the rest (CAC Supplemental Rules, Annex A). These are provider fees only; preparing the complaint and evidence is a separate professional cost.
What must you prove in a .eu ADR dispute?
Paragraph B11(d) of the .eu ADR Rules requires the complainant to prove that the domain is identical or confusingly similar to a name in respect of which a right is recognised or established by the national law of a Member State and/or EU law, and either that the holder registered it without rights or legitimate interest, or that it was registered or is being used in bad faith.
That “either” is the main difference from the UDRP, where the three elements are cumulative. Under the .eu rules, a complainant who shows that the holder has no legitimate interest does not also need to prove bad faith. The Rules list examples on both sides:
- Legitimate interest (B11(e)): use, or demonstrable preparations to use, the name for goods or services before notice of the dispute; being commonly known by the name; legitimate non-commercial or fair use without intent to mislead.
- Bad faith (B11(f)): registering primarily to sell or rent the name to the rights holder; blocking the rights holder, provided there is a pattern of conduct or the name has not been used in a relevant way for at least two years; disrupting a competitor; attracting users for commercial gain through confusion; or registering a personal name with no demonstrable link to the holder.
The two-year non-use rule is useful against parked names. If the holder simply declares an intention to use the name, the panel can issue an interim decision and suspend the case until six months after filing to see whether that use materialises (B12(g)).
Who can obtain the transfer of a .eu domain?
This is where companies from outside the EU often stumble. Under Article 3 of Regulation 2019/517, only EU citizens, non-EU nationals resident in a Member State, and undertakings or organisations established in the EU can hold .eu names. The ADR Rules (B11(b)) limit the remedy accordingly: transfer is available only if the complainant meets those criteria; otherwise the panel can only revoke the name.
The EURid guide adds a practical route: a non-EU company with an EU subsidiary can add the subsidiary as co-complainant and ask for the transfer to go to it, and the subsidiary does not need to hold the right itself. Revocation alone is a weak outcome, because the guide notes that a revoked name is released for general registration after six months.
How does the procedure run, step by step?
| Stage | What happens | Time limit (ADR Rules) |
|---|---|---|
| Language | The case runs in the language of the registration agreement unless the parties agree otherwise; a change can be requested before filing, at a non-discounted fee. | Paragraph A3 |
| Filing | Complaint and fee; the registry is notified and the name is locked. | Registry notified within 5 days of the time of filing |
| Response | The holder answers the complaint. | 20 days from delivery (B3) |
| Decision | The panel decides on the documents, normally without hearings. | 14 days from appointment (B12(b)) |
| Communication | The provider sends the decision to the parties, registrars and registry, and publishes it. | 5 days (B13) |
| Implementation | EURid transfers or revokes the name unless the holder starts court proceedings. | 30 days after notification (B12(a) and (d)) |
What this means for your business
- Audit your .eu exposure now: names matching your marks, typos and combinations held by third parties.
- Confirm your EU right. If your marks are registered only in Latin America or Africa, an EU trade mark or a national mark in a Member State, filed directly or through the Madrid System, is the prerequisite for using the .eu ADR at all.
- Decide who will hold the domain. If the parent company is outside the EU, plan the complaint with the EU subsidiary as co-complainant.
- Choose the language early, because changing it costs €500 and is not discounted.
- File before 31 December 2026 if the case is ready, since the €600 contribution can end without notice.
If you have several .eu names to recover or protect, our domain name dispute and recovery team can prepare the case and coordinate it with your other extensions. Where the EU trade mark is missing, it is worth starting with your trademark filings in the EU and Latin America.
Where companies get .eu disputes wrong
- Relying on a non-EU mark. A Mexican, Argentine or Brazilian registration does not satisfy the first requirement; the right must be recognised by EU or Member State law.
- Asking for transfer without an eligible complainant. The panel can then only revoke, and the name returns to the market.
- Treating it as a UDRP case. The .eu standard is different, and arguments copied from a UDRP complaint can miss the easier alternative route.
- Ignoring language. Filing in English against a registration agreement in another EU language without a successful change request creates avoidable problems.
- Waiting for a better moment. The discount is temporary and the holder can keep using the name in the meantime.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a .eu ADR complaint cost in 2026?
From 1 January to 31 December 2026, a complaint over one to five .eu domains decided by a single panellist costs €700 instead of €1,300, thanks to a €600 contribution funded by EURid. A three-member panel costs €2,500 instead of €3,100. Both the Czech Arbitration Court and WIPO apply these amounts, but either can end the discount, so check the fee on the day you file.
Is the .eu ADR different from the UDRP?
Yes. Under the .eu ADR Rules you must show that the domain is identical or confusingly similar to a name protected by EU or Member State law, and then either that the holder has no rights or legitimate interest, or that the name was registered or used in bad faith. Under the UDRP both of those last elements must be proved.
Can a company without an EU presence recover a .eu domain?
It can file a complaint if it holds a right recognised in the EU, such as an EU trade mark, but it can only obtain revocation, because transfer requires meeting the .eu eligibility criteria. According to EURid’s guide, a group with an EU subsidiary can add it as co-complainant and ask for the name to be transferred to that subsidiary.
Can IP Global Guard handle a .eu ADR case for my company?
Yes. We check your EU rights and eligibility, choose the provider and language, and prepare the complaint and evidence. We act before the provider directly when our professionals are qualified to do so and, otherwise, through qualified representatives, and we coordinate any follow-up in national courts from a single point of contact.
How IP Global Guard can help you recover a .eu name
A .eu dispute is quick and, in 2026, unusually cheap, but it rewards preparation: the right EU mark, an eligible complainant and evidence that fits the .eu standard rather than the UDRP one. IP Global Guard, the IP services line of META Channel Corporation Limited, manages domain recovery alongside the trademark portfolio across more than 25 jurisdictions in Europe, Latin America and Africa, with one strategy and one billing relationship.
Send us the .eu names that concern you, your trademark registrations and the entity you would like to hold the domain. We will tell you whether the case is worth filing before the discount ends. Contact our domain team.
This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects the fees published on the date of publication.
Sources
- Czech Arbitration Court, .eu ADR fees and 2026 discount (1 January to 31 December 2026)
- Czech Arbitration Court, Supplemental ADR Rules, Annex A fee schedule
- WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, .EU schedule of fees (EURid subsidy 2026)
- .eu Alternative Dispute Resolution Rules (in force since 13 October 2022)
- EURid, Guide to .eu Alternative Dispute Resolution (2025 edition)
- EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2019/517 on the .eu top-level domain (19 March 2019)
