ICANN submission to the ITU-RDF-EUR 2026 focuses on Universal Acceptance
ICANN has outlined efforts to ensure domain names and email addresses work across all languages, highlighting gaps that still limit access to the internet for many users.
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has presented its work on improving access to the internet across different languages at a regional forum organised by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The contribution, submitted to ITU Regional Development Forum for Europe held in March 2026, focuses on a technical issue known as Universal Acceptance.
In simple terms, Universal Acceptance means that all valid domain names and email addresses should work properly across websites, applications, and online services, regardless of the language or script used. For example, a website address written in Arabic, Cyrillic, or another non-Latin script should function the same way as one written in English.
Although the underlying internet standards already support multiple languages, many digital systems have not been updated to recognise or process these formats. As a result, users may not be able to register, access, or use domain names and email addresses in their own languages.
ICANN’s submission highlights that this gap limits digital inclusion. It notes that millions of people are unable to fully participate online because services do not support their language or script.
To address this, ICANN is promoting awareness and technical adoption of Universal Acceptance. This includes training programmes, collaboration with public institutions, and outreach to developers and the technical community. The organisation has also supported global awareness events, known as ‘UA Day’, which have been held in dozens of countries and languages.
In Europe, ICANN is working with regional domain operators and academic institutions to build technical capacity and integrate these standards into education and internet governance programmes.
The initiative is linked to broader international efforts to reduce digital divides and improve access to online services. According to the submission, enabling full language support is an important step toward making the internet more accessible and usable for diverse populations.
