[council] Community Comment Invited on GNSO Constituency Confirmation Documents

[Glen de Saint Géry <Glen@xxxxxxxxx>]

[To: council[at]gnso.icann.org; liaison6c[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: ga[at]gnso.icann.org; announce[at]gnso.icann.org]
[To: regional-liaisons[at]icann.org]

http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-04feb09-en.htm
Community Comment Invited on GNSO Constituency Confirmation Documents 

4 February 2009

At the direction of the ICANN Board, the six existing constituencies of the 
Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) have submitted documents that are 
intended to demonstrate their compliance with the principles of 
representativeness, openness, transparency and fairness set forth in the ICANN 
Bylaws. All members of the ICANN community are now invited to review those 
submissions and share comments and observations with the Board through 25 
February 2009.

Background: 

As part of the comprehensive GNSO Improvements effort, last Summer the ICANN 
Board directed existing GNSO Constituencies to report their adherence to 
ICANN's Bylaws by submitting confirming documents in advance of the February 
2009 Board meeting. The Board believed that the submissions offered existing 
constituencies the opportunity to demonstrate their compliance with the Bylaws 
through their organizational structures, practices and processes. The Board 
also established a new requirement that GNSO Constituencies recognized by the 
Board formally confirm their status every 3 years to ensure that they continue 
to meet the requirements of Article X, Section 5, subsection 3 of the ICANN 
Bylaws regarding the principles of representativeness, openness, transparency 
and fairness. 

The Board directed the ICANN Staff to help with this effort by designing and 
developing a streamlined process and appropriate mechanisms to assist with the 
Board's timely recognition and approval of the existing constituencies. 

Explanation: 

The re-confirmation of existing IGNSO Constituencies is an important part of 
the overall GNSO Improvements Implementation effort. The existing 
constituencies will be the foundational structures for new Stakeholder Groups 
that are being created as part of the GNSO Improvements effort. They will also 
play a critical ongoing role in the functions of the GNSO. It is important that 
the constituencies remain committed to the principles of representativeness, 
openness, transparency and fairness set forth in the ICANN Bylaws.

Community feedback on the practices and processes of the existing GNSO 
constituencies and their adherence to the existing Bylaws is an important 
component of the Board's evaluations of these groups and any improvements that 
the Board may recommend. 

Relevant Board Resolution, Bylaws and Constituency Submissions: 

Minutes of 28 August 2008 Board Meeting: 
http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-28aug08.htm 
Minutes of 1 October 2008 ICANN Board Meeting: 
http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-01oct08.htm 
ICANN Bylaws Article X, Section 5, Subsection 3: 
http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm - X 
Copies of the Six Constituency Submissions: 
http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/renewal-process-en.htm and/or in the 
Comment forum of this proceeding, 
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200902.html#gnso-constituency-renewals
 
The Process From Here: 

At the end of this public comment forum period, the ICANN Staff will provide a 
summary/analysis of the comments submitted regarding each constituency report. 
That summary/analysis will be shared with the community and the Board. The 
Board will make a decision on whether to re-confirm/recertify each constituency.

It should be noted that the GNSO Improvements Report approved by the Board in 
June 2008 has additional guidelines and recommendations for the ongoing 
practices and processes of GNSO constituencies. It is expected that this work 
will be ongoing as part of the GNSO Improvements implementation efforts.

Deadline and How to Submit Comments: 

The Staff is opening a 21-day public consultation forum, from 4 February 2009 
through 25 February 2009, and invites community comments on this topic.

The formal Public Comment Forum Box is located here: 
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200902.html#gnso-constituency-renewals

To submit comments: gnso-constituency-renewals@xxxxxxxxx

To view comments (including the various constituency submissions): 
http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-constituency-renewals

Staff Responsible: Robert Hoggarth


Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat
gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://gnso.icann.org