.gent

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Status:	Delegated
country:	Belgium
Registry Provider:	OpenRegistry
Date Implemented:	10 July 2014
Type:	GeoTLD
Priority #:	1021

.gent is a delegated GeoTLD in ICANN's new gTLD program, it was applied for use with regards to the city of Gent (spelled Ghent in English), in Belgium. The city has given its support to Combell to manage the domain, which is a local hosting services provider. The project has also brought in OpenRegistry to supply its registry and technical back-end platform. The project was announced just three days after the approval of the new gTLD program at ICANN 41 in Singapore. The proposed application succeeded and was delegated to the Root Zone on 10 July, 2014.

Gent is Belgium's third largest city, with a population of 250,000.

Application Details

The following is excerpted from the applicant's response to question #18:

"The .GENT gTLD is primarily intended to provide the Belgian city of Ghent with a unique, characteristic and clear identity on the Internet. “Gent” is the common name in Dutch ⁄ Flemish for the city of Ghent.Ghent is the official English translation and will be used in this document. Therefore, the .GENT TLD will be considered the key identifier on the Internet, focused on its main target audience, using Dutch ⁄ Flemish as its common language.

The city of Ghent is one of the best-known historic, cultural and industrial cities in Belgium. Gent also has a major harbor, and functions as one of Belgium’s logistical hubs, which makes it a gateway to many Western European countries.

The applicant, Combell Group NV⁄SA, has discussed this initiative with the City Council of Ghent and has received a letter of support from the City Council for this initiative. This letter of support is attached to this application (see answer to Question 21b).

Considering the fact that .GENT is a standard gTLD, no particular restrictions or eligibility conditions will be imposed upon registrants of domain names in this extension. The main audience for this city-TLD is Dutch ⁄ Flemish speaking, but .GENT has the potential to also attract registrants from outside of the city’s borders.

In the first place, the .GENT initiative intends to promote the City of Ghent, its residents, organizations and companies on a national and international level. The applicant – supported by the City of Ghent – will aim to achieve this goal by providing local residents, companies and organizations with a clear and recognizable identifier on the Internet.

The applicant believes that only those residents, companies and organizations who have a true connection or nexus with the City of Ghent will be appealed by this extension.

Although the likely nexus with the City of Ghent will not be reflected in policies, contractual documents, or the like, the Applicant is convinced that those who are interested in registering a domain name in .GENT will have some connection with the City of Ghent. The City of Ghent has always been an open, forward-looking city with a true multicultural and multilingual spirit. Therefore, no particular requirements or eligibility restrictions will be imposed upon registrants in the .GENT TLD."

Contract Signed

On 23 January 2014 Combell received a Registry Agreement signed by ICANN for .gent after passing all the required processes needed to become a Registry Operator for the string.