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EPDP Internationalized Domain Names

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Please note that the documents linked below related to the PDP are provided for informational purposes. Some documents are produced by the GNSO and others are not. To learn about the materials on the Active Project pages, please see this overview.

Background

On 14 March 2019, the ICANN Board approved a set of recommendations developed by ICANN org on how to allocate IDN variant TLD labels. The ICANN Board requested that the GNSO and ccNSO take into account those IDN variant TLD recommendations while developing their respective policies to define and manage IDN variant TLDs for the current TLDs and future TLD applications. The ICANN Board further requested that the GNSO and ccNSO keep each other informed of the progress in developing the relevant details of their policies and procedures to ensure a consistent solution for IDN variant gTLDs and IDN variant ccTLDs.

On 15 August 2019, the GNSO Council IDN Variants Scoping Team started to develop recommendations for the GNSO Council's consideration on how to address the IDN variant TLD recommendations. In addition, the Scoping Team also considered issues in the Final Proposed Draft version 4.0 of Internationalized Domain Name ("IDN") Implementation Guidelines ("IDN Guidelines v. 4.0"), for which the ICANN Board had agreed to the GNSO Council request to defer its adoption. In January 2020, the GNSO Council discussed the Final Report from the Scoping Team.

In January 2020, the ICANN Board approved the Recommendations for the Technical Utilization of the RZ-LGR on how to employ the RZ-LGR to determine valid IDN TLDs and their variant labels. The ICANN Board requested that the GNSO and ccNSO take into account those RZ-LGR Technical Utilization recommendations while developing their respective policies to define and manage IDN variant TLDs for the current TLDs and future TLD applications.

In October 2020, the GNSO Council agreed to establish a Drafting Team to develop both a draft charter and an Initiation Request for an EPDP on IDNs. On 18 February 2021, the GNSO Council adopted the Final Report of the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures PDP WG, which included a number of IDNs related recommendations; those recommendations were taken into account by the Drafting Team, ensuring that the charter built on that existing work. The Drafting Team delivered these materials to the GNSO Council in May 2021.

On 20 May 2021, the GNSO Council passed a resolution to initiate the Expedited Policy Development Process (EPDP) on Internationalized Domain Names and adopted its charter. The EPDP Team is tasked with providing the GNSO Council with policy recommendations on: 1) the definition of gTLDs and the management of variant labels; and 2) how the IDN Implementation Guidelines, which Contracted Parties are required to comply with, should be updated in the future.

See the latest update of current EPDP efforts in the GNSO Policy Briefing here.

Status

Working Group Status

Web Presence

Responsible Staff Members

  • Ariel Liang
  • Steve Chan
  • Daniel Gluck

Working Group Members & Leadership and GNSO Liaison

For the latest information and status on this project:

GNSO Resolution on the Initiation of the EPDP:

Adopted on: 20 May 2021

Summary: The GNSO Council hereby approves the Initiation Request for the EPDP on IDNs and as such initiates the EPDP.

Resolution

Working Group Charter

Adopted on: 20 May 2021

Working Group Initial Report

Submitted on: 24 April 2023

Working Group Supplemental Initial Report

Submitted on: 08 November 2023

Working Group Draft Final Report

Submitted on: TBD

Working Group Final Report

Submitted on: TBD

GNSO Adoption of the Final Report

Adopted on: TBD

GNSO Council Report to the ICANN Board

Adopted on: TBD

Public Comment Prior to ICANN Board Consideration

Submitted on: TBD

Notification by the ICANN Board to the GAC to Request Input on Whether Policy Recommendations Raise Public Policy Issues

Submitted on: TBD

Board Paper

Submitted on: TBD

ICANN Board Resolution Text

Adopted on: TBD

Notice of Policy Actions

Adopted on: TBD

Implementation Details

  • TBD

Additional Information