Two-letter domains in the new gTLDs that match ccTLDs are blocked. Their usage can be permitted only if the government of the corresponding country agrees to it. This decision was made by ICANN corporation upon the recommendation of the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC).
Governments rushed to use this opportunity. For example, Italy blocked domains it.pizza, it.bingo and it.casino, Israel - il.casino, il.bingo, il.law, il.chat, il.bible, il.country, il.airforce, il.navy and il.army, the European Commission - eu.credit, eu.creditcard, eu.auction, eu.casino, eu.bingo and eu.law. Côte d'Ivoire’s government was the most radical and blocked domain name ci. in all new gTLDs.
Registries of the new domains addressed ICANN with a collective letter, they ask to reconsider the decision. They point out that neither national governments, nor ccTLD registries own these two letters. Independent observers also believe that the made decision is at least debatable. They state that GAC members are clearly reinsuring, by presenting stricter rules to the new domains than to national registries. If you flip the blocked names, you will see a large list of names registered in the ccTLDs. However, a major part of them remains parked or is used not in the interests of the governments but does not concern national governments at all. But appearance of their flipped versions in the new domain zones is seen almost as a threat to the national interests.
