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The transition to new domain rules will take place on July 5, 2010

Estonian Internet Foundation has set the deadline for the transition to new domain rules on July 5 2010. The new domain regulation will make the .ee ccTLD significantly more accessible: private individuals and foreigners will be able to register .ee domain. One person can register multiple domains.

"The Internet and .ee ccTLD have an important role in the functioning of national economy. We have to act in accordance with the customs of developed world, in being accessible and open", said Estonian Internet Foundation CEO Marek-Andres Kauts, commenting on the pending changes. "Estonia is ready to switch to the new domain regulation. It's time to launch a new phase in the history of Internet in Estonia." 

In the course of transition to new domain regulation:
- Estonian Internet Foundation will take over the management of the .ee ccTLD from EENet;
- private persons will be able to register domains under .ee;
- foreign persons will be able to register domains under .ee;
- one individual will be able to register multiple domains;
- domain registration will take place on a dual level, the interaction with registrants being delegated to registrars by the Estonian Internet Foundation;
- regulatory fee will be set on domain names. The cost of domain to registrants will be set by registrars in a free competitive market.

Domain name registration will be organised in a two-tier system, the interaction with registrants being delegated to registrars. "Our goal is to ensure a quality registrar service to the registrants, which requires a sufficient number of competing registrars available in a free market. As of today, we can confirm that registrars are ready to offer their services to registrants under the new regulations," Kauts said. The list of accredited registrars will be published on the Estonian Internet Foundation's website.

Transition to the new domain rules includes all the domains registered while the old regulation has been in effect. There will be a six-month transition period, during which registrants must choose a registrar and re-register their respectable domains.

Estonian Internet Foundation is an organisation representing the Estonian Internet community and handling the management of the Estonian ccTLD, whose responsibilities include management and organizing the registration of Estonia's top-level domains, representing the Estonian Internet community internationally, including in the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), enforcing the rules and fees of the ccTLD, keeping and managing the domain name registry and information systems around it, whilst ensuring their availability, reliability and security. The reform of domain regulation carried out by the Estonian Internet Foundation includes 
establishing new infrastructure for the .ee ccTLD, transition to new domain rules and establishing an arbitrary court for domain disputes at the foundation.