The top-level domain (TLD) you’re referring to, .xn—qxa6a, is a Punycode representation of the internationalized country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the European Union, .eu in Greek. Punycode is a standardized method applied to encode Unicode strings into ASCII format, which is necessary because the Domain Name System (DNS) was traditionally limited to handling ASCII characters. This permits the DNS to grasp and manage domain names that consist of non-ASCII characters such as Arabic, Cyrillic, Chinese, and Greek alphabets.
To be more precise, .xn—qxa6a stands for .ευ (in Greek script). The EURid, which is the registry for .eu TLD, announced the launch of .ευ as the second IDN (Internationalized Domain Name) for the European Union after .eu in Cyrillic script. Since November 14, 2019, any interested party has been able to register their .ευ domain name.
The utilization of internationalized domain names enhances the internet’s global accessibility by facilitating a non-English speaking audience to navigate the web in their native scripts or languages. Implementation of such domain names promotes cultural diversity on the World Wide Web and provides opportunities for businesses to connect with customers in their local languages.
Interestingly, the adoption of .eu and .ευ indicates a progressive step for the European Union, as it aims to encourage digital cultural diversity and multi-lingualism within the region. These top-level domains serve as a helpful instrument for businesses and individuals who want to mark their online presence as distinctly European.
You can refer to the ICANN website for more about Punycode and non-ASCII domain names. The information about .ευ and its launch can be verified on the EURid’s website, the official .eu registry appointed by the European Commission.
Sources:
1. ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). “Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) Program”, ICANN. Accessed 12 May 2021.
2. EURid. “The .eu registry”, EURid vzw/asbl. Accessed 12 May 2021.
3. RFC 3492: Punycode: A Bootstring encoding of Unicode for Internationalized Domain Names in Applications (IDNA). A. Costello. March 2003.
4. EURid. “EURid has announced the timetable for the launch of the .ευ (in Greek script)”, EURid vzw/asbl. Accessed 12 May 2021.
