1. This SLD Policy summarises the policy of Nominet UK (Nominet) as the manager and trustee of the .uk Top Level Domain regarding the creation of new Second Level Domains (SLDs) within the .uk namespace.
2. The SLD Policy should be read in conjunction with the SLD Procedure, which summarises the procedure for the selection of operators of registry services for new SLDs within the .uk namespace.
3. The SLD Policy and the SLD Procedure will take effect from 1 March 2004 and apply to any new SLD created after that date, whether the SLD is open to all registrants in the Domain Name System (DNS) or is closed, i.e. reserved for members of a defined, limited community.
4. Nominet may make modifications to the SLD Policy and SLD Procedure at any time following a process of open public consultation. Such changes will be published in advance (where practicable, 30 days in advance) on our web site: http://www.nominet.org.uk/ and will become effective upon the date specified therein.
5. In this SLD Policy the following words and phrases will have the following meanings:
DNS - The Domain Name System: a distributed database which allows for the universal resolution of domain names into their underlying internet protocol numbers. Internet protocol numbers identify the machines on which e-mail or web services are hosted;
Panel - A panel of 5 independent persons, consisting of a chairperson and 4 other Panellists (as described in section B of the SLD Procedure), which will assess each application in accordance with the SLD Policy and the SLD Procedure;
SLD- A second level domain under the .uk namespace. For a further explanation of the domain name structure, please see Nominet's Rules for the .uk Domain.
For "applicant" or "application" in the SLD Policy, please read "applicants" or "applications" where appropriate in the context.
The elements set out in this paragraph 'B' numbered 1 to 4 inclusive (and in the case of closed SLDs B5 also) are mandatory and of equal importance.
1. An SLD should have the following purposes:
a) to act as a mnemonic for users of the DNS. For this reason the SLD should be as short as practicable (ideally, 2 or 3 letters long);
b) to help identify the community of (potential) registrants for whom the SLD is intended; and
c) to facilitate the location of Internet resources in the UK.
2. The general view of both the UK Internet community and Nominet is that the approach to creating new namespaces within the DNS should be measured and responsible in respecting primarily the stability of existing Internet namespaces. Nominet's policy is that any new SLD should fulfil the following requirements:
a) it should add sensibly to the existing DNS hierarchy;
b) it should not create or add to confusion amongst Internet users in locating the Internet resources they seek. It may reduce or remove confusion amongst Internet users by better enabling the location of such Internet resources;
c) it should be likely to introduce new registrants, rather than to create a proliferation of defensive or duplicative registrations; and
d) it should be likely to meet previously unmet needs of potential registrants. In respect of a specified class of existing registrants, it should better meet their needs than the existing suite of SLDs.
3. No SLD should be created if its uses and functions are wholly or substantially contained within the charter of any single existing SLD.
4. SLDs should serve a significant community of potential registrants. For this reason:
a) a closed SLD should not normally be created where a open SLD would better serve the interests of the Internet community; and
b) a new SLD should not normally be created where a new SLD with a wider charter would better serve the interests of the Internet community.
5. For closed SLDs, the applicant should demonstrate that:
a) the relevant community can be clearly defined and has needs and interests in common which are distinguishable from those of the broader Internet community; and
b) that there is support within the relevant community for the proposed SLD.
6. The SLD Procedure will be run according to the general principles for the SLD Policy as listed in section B and the whole of the SLD Policy will form the selection criteria for the SLD Procedure.