GNSO Council Agenda 13 November 2024 - Part I
Please note that all documents referenced in the agenda have been gathered on a Wiki page for convenience and easier access: https://community.icann.org/x/ygAiFg
This agenda was established according to the GNSO Operating Procedures v3.5, updated on 24 October 2019
For convenience:
- An excerpt of the ICANN Bylaws defining the voting thresholds is provided in Appendix 1 at the end of this agenda.
- An excerpt from the Council Operating Procedures defining the absentee voting procedures is provided in Appendix 2 at the end of this agenda.
GNSO Council meeting held in Istanbul, Türkiye 13:15 - 15:15 EEST: https://tinyurl.com/25kf4xs6
Coordinated Universal Time: 10:15 - 12:15 UTC
02:15 Los Angeles; 05:15 Washington DC; 10:15 London; 11:15 Paris; 13:15 Moscow; 21:15 Melbourne
GNSO Council Meeting Remote Participation: posted 24 hours before meeting
Councilors should notify the GNSO Secretariat in advance if they will not be able to attend and/or need a dial out call.
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Item 1: Administrative Matters (5 minutes)
1.1 - Roll Call
1.2 - Updates to Statements of Interest
1.3 - Review / Amend Agenda
1.4 - Note the status of minutes for the previous Council meetings per the GNSO Operating Procedures:
Minutes of the GNSO Council Meeting on 19 September 2024 were posted on 07 October 2024.
Minutes of the GNSO Council Meeting on 17 October 2024 were posted on 01 November 2024.
Item 2: Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List (0 minutes)
2.1 - Review focus areas and provide updates on specific key themes / topics, to include review of Projects List and Action Item List.
Item 3: Consent Agenda (5 minutes)
- Motion to Defer the Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) Policy Development Process (PDP) Phase 2 for an Additional Six Months
Item 4: COUNCIL VOTE - Motion to Adopt the Revised Charter for Permanent Standing Committee on Continuous Improvements (SCCI) (10 minutes)
Given the demand for improvements to be implemented out of PDP3.0 and the GNSO Council Strategic Planning Sessions (SPS), along with forward recognition of the implementation of ATRT3’s Recommendation 3.6, the GNSO Council resolved on 16 June 2021 to adopt the CCOICI Framework as a pilot, assigning the CCOICI the following tasks:
1) GNSO Working Group (WG) Self-Assessment Requirements;
2) GNSO Statement of Interest (SOI) Requirements; and
3) Assessment of Accountability Work Stream 2 (WS2) Requirements.
To conclude the pilot, the CCOICI administered a survey to all relevant GNSO stakeholders in early 2024, and received broad agreement from the community that the CCOICI and its Task Forces should continue their work. Additionally, survey respondents considered the CCOICI and its Task Forces suitable mechanisms for working on continuous improvements for the GNSO Council and the GNSO.
Here, the Council will vote on the Standing Committee on Continuous Improvements (SCCI) charter, which concludes the CCOICI pilot and makes the Standing Committee for Continuous Improvements a permanent standing committee.
4.1 - Introduction of Topic (Manju Chen, CCOICI Chair)
4.2 - Council Vote (voting threshold: simple majority)
4.3 - Next Steps
Item 5: COUNCIL VOTE - Expedited Policy Development Process on Internationalized Domain Names (EPDP-IDNs) Phase 2 Final Report (15 minutes)
In May 2021, the GNSO Council voted to initiate the EPDP-IDNs that was tasked to develop policy recommendations that will eventually allow for the introduction of variant gTLDs at the top-level and build on the existing body of policy work on the IDN subject, specifically the Outputs produced by the GNSO New gTLD Subsequent Procedures Policy Development Process (SubPro PDP). The Team’s focus was to fill the gaps not addressed by the SubPro PDP, including applying SubPro PDP Outputs to existing gTLDs and second-level variant domains.
In November 2022, the Council approved an EPDP Team request to divide its work into two phases, with Phase 1 covering topics related to top-level gTLD definition and variant management and Phase 2 pertaining to second-level variant management. The two-phased approach was intended to allow the EPDP Team to focus on the charter questions that are most likely to impact the implementation of the Next Round of the new gTLDs and avoid potential delays.
As a result, the EPDP Team submitted its Phase 1 Final Report to the GNSO Council in November 2023. The Council approved the Final Report, including all sixty-nine (69) policy recommendations and implementation guidance, and the Board adopted a scorecard on the Phase 1 Final Report on 8 June 2024, plus another scorecard on 7 September 2024, leaving two (2) pending recommendations out of fifty-eight (58).
The Phase 2 Final Report covers charter questions pertaining to second-level variant management on the following topics:
- “Same entity” at the second-level and IDN Table harmonization
- Adjustments in registry agreement, registry service, registry transition process, and other processes/procedures related to the domain name lifecycle
- Adjustments in registration dispute-resolution procedures and trademark protection mechanisms
- Process to update the IDN Implementation Guidelines
During its October meeting, the Council received a comprehensive overview from Donna Austin, Chair of the EPDP-IDNs, on the Final Report and the policy recommendations. The Phase 2 recommendations and implementation guidance all received full consensus designations.
Here, the Council will vote on the Phase 2 Final Report from the EPDP on IDNs.
5.1 - Introduction of Topic (Manju Chen, GNSO Council Liaison to EPDP-IDNs)
5.2 - Council Vote (threshold: supermajority)
5.3 - Next Steps
Item 6: COUNCIL VOTE - Initiation of Policy Development Process for Latin Script Diacritics (05 minutes)
On 16 May 2024, the GNSO Council passed a motion, requesting ICANN’s Policy Support Staff to draft a Preliminary Issue Report on Latin Script Diacritics. The objective of the Preliminary Issue Report was for ICANN org to assess all relevant issues related to the GNSO Council request, and, following Community Input during the Public Comment phase, to recommend a course of action to the GNSO Council.
The Final Issue Report is focused on the circumstance when an ASCII gTLD and the Latin script diacritic version of the gTLD are not variants of each other AND may be found to be visually similar to each other. The issue is theoretically possible for any existing ASCII or Latin script IDN gTLD pairs, and is essentially infinite for future applied-for ASCII or Latin script IDN gTLDs, where diacritics are involved. On 16 May 2024, the GNSO Council requested an Issue Report on this topic which once received, will aid in determining next steps. The Preliminary Issue Report opened for public comment on 18 July 2024 and closed with 41 submissions on 27 August 2024, a summary of which can be found in Annex B. The Final Issue Report includes a draft charter prepared by ICANN org supporting the GNSO Council. The Council may determine that edits are required before adopting the charter, in the event a PDP is initiated.
Here, the Council will vote on the recommendation from the Final Issue Report to initiate a Policy Development Process on Latin Diacritics.
6.1 - Introduction of Topic (Greg DiBiase, GNSO Chair)
6.2 - Council Vote (threshold: an affirmative vote of more than one-third (1/3) of each House or more than two-thirds (2/3) of one House)
6.3 - Next Steps
Item 7: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Policy Status Report (PSR) on Rights Protection Mechanisms PDP Phase 2 (15 minutes)
On 18 February 2016, the GNSO Council resolved to initiate a two-phased PDP to review all existing Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) in all gTLDs. The Phase 1 Final Report issued by the PDP Working Group assessed the effectiveness of the relevant RPMs established as safeguards in the 2012 New gTLD Program, including the Trademark Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Procedure (TM-PDDRP); Sunrise and Trademark Claims services offered through the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH); and the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS) dispute resolution procedure. Phase 2, when launched, will focus on a review of the Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP), which has been an ICANN Consensus Policy since 1999.
ICANN org published a Policy Status Report (PSR) on the UDRP in March 2022. At that time, the Council considered the PSR and feedback from Councilors and deferred work pending implementation of Phase 1 recommendations. More recently, the Council considered a draft motion on an updated PSR, but instead agreed to have further discussion on timing and expected preparation work prior to requesting an updated PSR.
Here, the Council will discuss preparatory elements for RPMS Phase 2, including the Policy Status Report.
7.1 - Introduction of Topic (Greg DiBiase, GNSO Chair)
7.2 - Council Discussion
7.3 - Next Steps
Item 8: COUNCIL DISCUSSION: Draft Charter on Latin Diacritics (20 minutes)
Pursuant to item four on this Council agenda, the Final Issue Report includes a draft charter prepared by ICANN org supporting the GNSO Council. Some Councilors expressed concerns with the membership model suggested in the charter and requested additional time to review the details with their respective groups.
Here, the Council will discuss if updates are needed to the draft charter for the PDP on Latin Diacritics.
8.1 - Introduction of Topic (Greg DiBiase, GNSO Chair)
8.2 - Council Discussion
8.3 - Next Steps
Item 9: COUNCIL UPDATE: Registration Data Request Service (RDRS) Standing Committee Update (20 minutes)
In June 2023, the GNSO Council approved a Charter for the Registration Data Request Service Standing Committee, which outlines the Standing Committee’s tasks.
Specifically, the Standing Committee is tasked to review the data that will be produced by ICANN org on a monthly basis following the launch of the RDRS (see data points outlined here). The Scoping Team is expected to analyze the data and consider:
- Assignment #1. Trends that can be identified over a month-by-month period;
- Assignment #2. Possible technical updates that should be considered to RDRS and/or related messaging and promotion (recognizing that the RDRS will only be running for a two-year period and limited resources may be available to implement such updates);
- Assignment #3. Specific lessons learned that should be factored into the consideration of how to proceed with the SSAD recommendations;
- Assignment #4. Suggestions to the Council for a proposed recommendation(s) to the ICANN Board in relation to the consideration of the SSAD recommendations.
The Standing Committee has been reviewing monthly data since the inception of the RDRS in November 2023.
Here, the Council will receive an update on the RDRS Standing Committee’s observations to date.
9.1 - Introduction of Topic (Sebastien Ducos, Chair of RDRS Standing Committee)
9.2 - Council Discussion
9.3 - Next Steps
Item 10: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - GNSO Liaison to the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) Annual Report (10 minutes)
The GNSO Liaison to the GAC role was first piloted from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016 as part of a broader initiative of the GAC-GNSO Consultation Group to facilitate early engagement of the GAC in GNSO policy development activities. Due to the success of the pilot, the GNSO Liaison to the GAC is now a permanent role and an integral part of communications between the GAC and GNSO.
The Liaison is primarily responsible for providing timely updates to the GAC on GNSO policy development activities in order to complement the existing notification processes; the Liaison is also a resource for answering questions in relation to these (GNSO) activities that GAC members may have. Furthermore, the Liaison is responsible for providing the GNSO Council with regular updates on progress, including on GAC activities, specifically in so far as these relate to issues of interest to the GNSO. The objective of the liaison mechanism, in combination with other mechanisms and early engagement tools, is to facilitate effective early engagement of the GAC and assist with the flow of information between the GAC and the GNSO.
The Liaison is responsible for delivering to the Council an annual report, which includes updates on relevant engagement activities and progress.
Here, the Council will receive a presentation on the annual report from the Liaison.
10.1 - Introduction of Topic (Jeff Neuman, GNSO Liaison to the GAC)
10.2 - Council Discussion
10.3 - Next Steps
Item 11: GNSO Chair Q&A (5 minutes)
The GNSO Operating Procedures prescribe the process for GNSO Chair Election. Further to the procedures, Greg DiBiase, the current GNSO Chair, submitted his Chair Statement for the Council’s consideration.
Here, the Council will have an opportunity to ask questions to Greg about his candidacy.
11.1 - Introduction of Topic (Nacho Amadoz, GNSO Council Vice-Chair)
11.2 - Council Q&A
11.3 - Next Steps
Item 12: Any Other Business (15 minutes)
12.1 - Ethics Policy & Statements of Interest (SOIs)
12.2 - Review CIP-CCG’s proposed edits on continuous improvement:
- The SO, AC, or NomCom is fulfilling its purpose
- The structures of SO, AC, or NomCom are effective
- The operations of SO, AC, or NomCom are efficient
- The SO, AC, or NomCom is accountable internally to its stakeholders and substructures (where applicable), and externally to the wider ICANN community in benefit of the global Internet population
- The SO, AC, or NomCom collaborates to further the mission of ICANN and the effectiveness of the ICANN bottom-up multistakeholder model
12.3 - Farewell to Outgoing Councilors
12.4 - Open Mic
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Appendix 1: GNSO Council Voting Thresholds (ICANN Bylaws, Article 11, Section 11.3(i))
See https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/bylaws-en/#article11.
Appendix 2: GNSO Council Absentee Voting Procedures (GNSO Operating Procedures, Section 4.4)
See https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/op-procedures-30jan18-en.pdf
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