Evolution of the .fr and .re registration rules and procedures on March 30th, 2009

New elements in the registration procedures
Within the context to simplify and standardize the procedures with the registrars, AFNIC will implement the EPP protocol starting March 30th 2009.
The implementation of this new registration interface is done in cooperation with the registrars and has started more than a year ago.
Important changes will also come-along, notably for the redemption period (from 7 to 30 days), holder identification, rules for the registrar changes (transfer) of a domain name and the unique authorization code (auth_info) that must be given to each domain name holder.
Other major change: the domain name status.
AFNIC will differentiate the registration from the activation of a domain name. At the time being, a domain name registration is only valid after its publication in the Whois directory and on the DNS servers. Starting March 30th, it will be possible to only register a domain name, that is to say published in the Whois and then, as an option, activated in the DNS.
For more information, you will find the first version of the new Procedure manual (1,5 Mo – In French only / Translation under way) and a document Before / After March 30th 2009  (410 Ko – In French only / Translation under way).
New registration conditions
At the same time, a new Naming Charter for .fr and .re domain names will be effective on March 30th, 2009.
Direct registration under .fr and .re will be favoured, with the goal to simplify the Charter. The major changes will take place on the subdomains listed below. No domain names will be deleted but starting March 30th, registrations will no longer be available under these subdomains:

The .nom.fr and .nom.re (subdomains reserved to individuals) will no longer be available for registration. Existing domain names will be maintained.
The .prd.fr (for R&D projects) and .presse.fr (for press organisms) subdomains will also be closed for registration.
Only the naming conventions agglo-nom.fr, cc-nom.fr, ville-nom.fr, mairie-nom.fr, cg-nom.fr, cr-nom.fr will be maintained and subjected to an authorized registration. AFNIC will no longer check that the other naming conventions are respected.
AFNIC will spend 2009 on a gradual administration shift of the sectorial domain names towards other structures. AFNIC has already contact the different persons in charge of these domains.

About AFNIC
(Association Française pour le Nommage Internet en Coopération )
Non-profit organization, AFNIC is in charge of the administrative and technical management of the .fr (France) and .re (Reunion Island) Internet domain names.
AFNIC brings together public and private members: representatives from the French government, Internet users and Internet Service Providers (Registrars).
Further information.