This Wiki space will be an ongoing status report as the process evolves. Newer entries will be at the TOP.
February 29, 2012
A status report on the Drafting Team's activities has been issued in preparation for a teleconference with the DT members ans well as any interested members of the GNSO Council and the GAC.The report is a significant expansion on the one particular recommendation discussed below.
This is formally a report of the Chair, although there was extensive discussion on the list which led to a number of changes from the first draft.
February 12, 2012
During the discussions between the Board and the GAC preceding the launch of the new gTLD program, the GAC requested special protection of Red Cross/Red Crescent (RC/RC) and International Olympic Committee (IOC) names, due to the special protection given to these names by a variety of unique international agreements and treaties.
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If the GNSO were to take no action at this point, the exemptions already in the Applicant Guidebook will stand.
I have made it clear that to the extent that there have been comments on the issue within At-Large and ALAC, the tone has been that special exemptions for these bodies should not be granted. That view is shared by some other participants in the DT. However, it was also generally accepted that an exemption has already been granted and there is little opportunity for the GNSO to change the basic concept.
My personal position has been that although these special exemptions are not what I would have preferred, it is clear that the Board has already agreed to the basic concept, and the DT's major responsibility is to ensure that the exemptions can be implemented in as logical rational and effective means as possible, minimizing the need for extraordinary action later in the process and definitely minimizing the impact on other gTLD applicants.
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