30.4.2002 Official Journal of the European Communities L113/1 (Acts whose publication is obligatory) REGULATION (EC) No 733/2002 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 22 April 2002 on the implementation of the.eu Top Level Domain (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, and in particular Article 156 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the Commission ('), Having regard to the opinion of the Economic and Social Committee (%), Following consultation of the Committee of the Regions, Acting in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 251 of the Treaty (%), Whereas: (1)  The creation of the.eu Top Level Domain (TLD) is included as one of the targets to accelerate electronic commerce in the e-Europe initiative as endorsed by the European Council at its meeting in Lisbon on 23 and 24 March 2000. (2)  The communication from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament on the organ- isation and management of the Internet refers to the creation of the .eu TLD and the Council resolution of 3 October 2000 on the organisation and management of the Internet (* charges the Commission to encourage the coordination of policies in relation to the management of the Internet. (3)  TLDs are an integral part of the Internet infrastructure. They are an essential element of the global interoper- ability of the World Wide Web (WWW’ or ‘the Web)). The connection and presence permitted by the allocation of domain names and the related addresses allow users to locate computers and websites on the Web. TLDs are also an integral part of every Internet e-mail address. (4) The .eu TLD should promote the use of, and access to, the Internet networks and the virtual market place based on the Internet, in accordance with Article 154(2) of the () O] C 96 E, 27.3.2001, p. 333. () O] C 155, 29.5.2001, p. 10. (}) Opinion of the European Parliament of 4 July 2001 (O] C 65 E, 14.3.2002, p. 147), Council Common Position of 6 November 2001 (O] C 45 E, 19.2.2002, p. 53) and Decision of the European Parliament of 28 February 2002 (not yet published in the Official Journal). Council Decision of 25 March 2002. (% O] C 293, 14.10.2000, p. 3. Treaty, by providing a complementary registration domain to existing country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) or global registration in the generic Top Level Domains, and should in consequence increase choice and competition. The .eu TLD should improve the interoperability of trans-European networks, in accordance with Articles 154 and 155 of the Treaty, by ensuring the availability of .eu name servers in the Community. This will affect the topology and technical infrastructure of the Internet in Europe which will benefit from an additional set of name servers in the Community. Through the .eu TLD, the Internal market should acquire higher visibility in the virtual market place based on the Internet. The .eu TLD should provide a clearly identified link with the Community, the associated legal frame- work, and the European market place. It should enable undertakings, organisations and natural persons within the Community to register in a specific domain which will make this link obvious. As such, the .eu TLD will not only be a key building block for electronic commerce in Europe but will also support the objectives of Article 14 of the Treaty. The .eu TLD can accelerate the benefits of the informa- tion society in Europe as a whole, play a role in the integration of future Member States into the European Union, and help combat the risk of digital divide with neighbouring countries. It is therefore to be expected that this Regulation will be extended to the European Economic Area and that amendments may be sought to the existing arrangements between the European Union and European third countries, with a view to accommo- dating the requirements of the .eu TLD so that entities in those countries may participate in it. This Regulation is without prejudice to Community law in the field of personal data protection. This Regulation should be implemented in compliance with the princi- ples relating to privacy and the protection of personal data.