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2026-01-29 SPIRT

2026-01-29 SPIRT

The call for the SPIRT will take place on Thursday, 29 January 2026 at 13:00 UTC for 60 minutes.

For other places see: Event Time Announcer: https://tinyurl.com/3t3ux8fd

PROPOSED AGENDA

  1. Welcome and SOIs/SOPs

  2. Review of Change Log Wiki

  3. Issue Submission Methodology

  4. ICANN org Update

  5. Upcoming Meeting

  6. AOB

BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

 

 

PARTICIPATION

Apologies: Nefertiti Marquez, Chris Disspain, Cheryl Langdon-Orr

 

RECORDINGS

Audio Recording

Zoom Recording (including audio, visual, rough transcript and chat)

 

 

Notes/ Action Items

 [KEY OUTCOMES]

  1. The Members List has been updated with the “Disclosure Statement” in the wiki page [icann-community.atlassian.net].

  2. The Change Log has been created in the wiki page [icann-community.atlassian.net]. 

  3. A SPIRT Issue Consideration Process draft [docs.google.com] has been created – including a google request form – for review to address those situations where a SPIRT member may have identified issues for the New gTLD Program.

  4. SPIRT Meetings will take place every other week; next meeting will be on 12 February 2026 (Time to be reconfirmed).

  5. No planned meetings during ICANN85 in Mumbai.

 

[ACTION ITEMS]

  1. All SPIRT members to update their SOIs in accordance with the SOP for the completion of the “Disclosure Statement” within the “Members List” by 26 February 2026 SPIRT Meeting.

  2. Members that are facing any problems with accessing or updating their SOIs to contact gnso-secs@icann.org for support.

  3. GDS Staff to share the current typographical changes file with the SPIRT after the call.

  4. GNSO Support Staff to circulate the SPIRT procedures draft with the SPIRT Members after the call

  5. SPIRT Members to review the procedures document and provide input for leadership team’s consideration and finalization.

 

[NOTES]

 

  1. Welcome and SOIs

 

o    See Members List in the wiki here: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AQCJHQ [icann-community.atlassian.net]

o    “Section 13” in the SOI should be updated to ensure it is current; “Disclosure Statement” column in the members wiki page is updated based on SOI updates in accordance with the SOP – this column must be updated by all members by the second meeting of February 2026 (26 February 2026) or they will be moved to observer status.

o    As for SOP and disclosure statement, the Chair re-emphasized that the use of “conflict of interest” should be avoided; rather, the members should focus on disclosing their association with applicants and/or a party that may file objections.

  • Outcome: Members List has been updated with the “Disclosure Statement” in the wiki page [icann-community.atlassian.net].

  • Action Item: 1) All SPIRT members to update their SOIs in accordance with the SOP for the completion of the “Disclosure Statement” within the “Members List” by 26 February 2026 SPIRT Meeting; 2) Members that are facing any problems with accessing or updating their SOIs to contact gnso-secs@icann.org for support.

 

  1. Review of Change Log Wiki

 

o    See the Change Log of the New gTLD Program in the wiki here: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/LIC9Lg [icann-community.atlassian.net]

o    You may also subscribe to receive from the wiki page directly: see page 6 on slide [icann-community.atlassian.net]

o    A separate Change Log exists for RSP. See the RSP page here: https://newgtldprogram.icann.org/en/application-rounds/round2/rsp/handbook [newgtldprogram.icann.org]

o    GDS Staff informed the SPIRT that there are typographical changes in the AGB that are currently being collected by GDS Staff; to be clear, they are not minor or non-minor changes that have any material impact to the applicants, thus will be logged under a new category – i.e., typographical changes. This file will be shared with the SPIRT after the call.

o    Several suggestions were made related to these changes: 1) For these changes, noting that they are a simple typographical change in the rationale would suffice; 2) adding another column to show “impact/no impact on applicants/application process”

o    AGB in html version: https://newgtldprogram-2026-agb.icann.org/en/2-preamble.html [newgtldprogram-2026-agb.icann.org]

o    A request was made for the AGB version # to be tracked thoroughly and to be placed or shown in a more prominent space.

  1. Issue Submission Methodology

 

  1. Per the SPIRT Charter [gnso.icann.org], issues can be forwarded to ICANN org by the ICANN Board or the GNSO Council. ICANN org may also refer an issue to itself but SPIRT cannot directly refer an issue to itself; however, for those circumstances where a SPIRT member may encounter an issue and want to bring it forward for discussion, a quick and easy form has been prepared for the members to utilize which can be found in the procedures form below. The form will be shared with the SPIRT via the mailing list separately at a later date.

  2. Procedures for the SPIRT Issue Consideration Process is as follows: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zITIUCB5yvjV_Rj5Z87ljyqajA5VliMSPvPb77AHaU0/edit?usp=sharing [docs.google.com]

  3. This procedures document will also be shared with the SPIRT members via the mailing list, requesting feedback on the draft.

  4. A suggestion was made that Step #6 in the process should be "The GNSO council refers the issue to ICANN Org" and not to both "SPIRT and ICANN Org” – this item will be revisted by the LT/Staff when reviewing and considering all comments from the SPIRT members.

  • Outcome: A SPIRT Issue Consideration Process draft [docs.google.com] has been created – including a google request form – for review to address those situations where a SPIRT member may have identified issues for the New gTLD Program.

  • Action Items: 1) GNSO Support Staff to circulate the SPIRT procedures draft with the SPIRT Members after the call; 2) SPIRT Members to review the process document and provide input for leadership team’s consideration and finalization. 

 

  1. ICANN Org Update

 

o    RSP Update on the list being published on 30 January, which will include organizations that have cleared evaluation and organizations that have cleared some, but not all, of the technical evaluations. – See Blog here: https://www.icann.org/en/blogs/details/upcoming-publication-of-2026-round-list-of-evaluated-registry-service-providers-27-01-2026-en

o    This update was also sent to the SPIRT’s mailing list (gnso-spirt@icann.org) and the email archives can be found here: https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/gnso-spirt@icann.org/ [lists.icann.org]

 

  1. Upcoming Meeting

  • SPIRT Meetings are to take place every other week per agreement; No planned meetings during ICANN85 in Mumbai.

  • Ad hoc meetings can arise at any time.

  • Next Meeting: 12 February 2026 (Time to be reconfirmed).

  • Outcomes: 1) SPIRT Meetings are to take place every other week; 2) No planned meetings during ICANN85 in Mumbai; 3) Next meeting will be on 12 February 2026(Time to be reconfirmed).

  1. AOB

    1. N/A