Scottish Government building on Rond Point Schuman, Brussels, with Berlaymont in background
The .scot domain is Scotland’s internet identity and the community domain for “the worldwide family of Scots”. It was acquired in 2014 after the internet was opened up to new generic top-level domains and a Glasgow-based, not for profit company dotScot Registry submitted an application to ICANN.
The .scot application was supported by the Scottish and UK Governments, Scottish businesses and cultural organisations at home and abroad and well-known Scots like Sir Sean Connery.
.scot is now the only community domain anywhere that includes the national government, parliament and health service among its users. It has a presence in 62 countries and is the domain of choice for thousands of individuals at home and abroad who want to highlight their Scottish connection, take advantage of Scotland’s positive global reputation or are simply proud of having ‘.scot’ as part of their internet identity.
To broaden appeal even further, a new domain for Scotland, .co.scot, was recently added to the .scot stable.
Scotland’s relationship with Europe stretches back almost 1000 years and includes economic, academic, educational, religious, political and cultural ties. As the domain for the international community of Scots, .scot is Europe-friendly by definition. Scotland voted overwhelmingly against Brexit but .scot and .co.scot continue to encourage Scots in Europe to highlight the Scotland/Europe connection.
Saltire flying in Tallin, Estonia (pic Alasdair Reid)
Brexit notwithstanding, there are still thousands of Scots living and working in Europe. One of them is the .scot ambassador to Europe, Alasdair Reid. Alasdair has been based in Brussels since 1988, after gaining degrees from both Scottish and Belgian universities, he has spent three decades advising regional, national and European public authorities on how to develop innovations systems that generate more sustainable and just futures.
He says:
“In the evolving geopolitical situation in Europe, many Scots are looking to underline both their Scottish roots and their European identity. A .scot or co.scot domain are perfect ways to express this common identity and help them be part of the European ‘Digital Single Market’, both for those Scots living across Europe and Scots at home working or doing business with European partners. For someone like myself living and working at the heart of the European Union in Brussels and working with partners across Europe, I know how valuable being able to identify as a Scot and a European is in building trusted relationships online.”
Pub Le Glasgow, Fontainebleau, France (pic Harry McGrath)
Another long time Europe resident is Scot Michael Docherty. Michael worked with the European Commission for thirty years, mostly in the field of international cooperation.
He says:
“BREXIT was a psychological shock to all Scots working in the Commission and initiatives such as .scot and .co.scot help to show our continued personal commitment to both our homeland and the European ideal. For Scots in Europe generally who have been cut adrift, .scot or .co.scot are ways to show that we do not give up on our national or European identities. We never cease to point out what we are not. It does no harm to state what we are.”
Flags flying at Scottish Parliament (.scot)
It is impossible to estimate how many Scots and those with a Scottish connection are doing business in Europe though the Scottish Business Network has done a great job of identifying some of them and connecting them to Scotland.
Other initiatives include the recent launch of the European Movement in Scotland’s Brussels branch, with the objective of building bridges between Scots and friends of Scotland in Brussels and those arguing for a European future back in Scotland. The group will organise topical events in Brussels and work to bring Brussels and European developments closer to Scotland.
In short, whatever the implications of Brexit might be for Scotland, our 1,000 year relationship with Europe isn’t going to end anytime soon. At DotScot Registry we are keen to do our part to enhance the relationship in a modern context by involving as many European Scots as possible in Scotland’s global internet identity.
[To register your own .scot or .co.scot domain, please visit domains.scot]