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/xiIhB
This agenda was established according to the GNSO Operating Procedures v3.2, updated on 01 September 2016.
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.
Coordinated Universal Time: 21:00 UTC: http://tinyurl.com/y9tpznzl
14:00 Los Angeles; 17:00 Washington; 22:00 London; (Thursday 21 September) 00:00 Istanbul; 07:00 Hobart
GNSO Council Meeting Audio Cast
To join the event click on the link: http://stream.icann.org:8000/gnso.m3u
Councilors should notify the GNSO Secretariat in advance if they will not be able to attend and/or need a dial out call.
Item 1. Administrative Matters (5 mins)
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 meeting of the GNSO Council on 13 July 2017, posted on 03 August 2017.
Minutes of the meeting of the GNSO Council on 24 August 2017, will be posted on 14 September 2017.
Item 2. Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List (10 mins)
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 (0 min)
None
Item 4. COUNCIL VOTE – Review of all Rights Protection Mechanisms in all gTLDs data request (20 minutes)
In October 2015, the GNSO Council adopted all the consensus recommendations from its Data & Metrics for Policy Making (DMPM) Working Group, including a recommendation that PDP Working Groups use a prescribed form for submitting data collection requests to the GNSO Council as part of the objective of conducting data-driven policy making (https://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions#20151021-1). The Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) in All gTLDs PDP Working Group has identified a need for data, at this stage specifically related to the Sunrise Registration and Trademark Claims Period RPMs, in order for the Working Group to conduct a thorough review of the effectiveness of these RPMs, as directed by its Charter. It submitted a DMPM request accordingly to the GNSO Council on 7 September 2017. Here the Council will review the Working Group's request for budget and resources needed to perform all the data collection tasks the group has identified as crucial to its review of these two RPMs, and vote on whether to approve the request.
4.1 – Presentation of motion (Heather Forrest)
4.2 – Council discussion
4.3 – Council vote (voting threshold: simple majority)
Item 5: COUNCIL VOTE – Cross Community Working Group on the Use of Country and Territory Names (15 minutes)
On 26 March 2014, the GNSO Council resolved to approve the charter for the Cross Community Working Group on the Use of Country and Territory Names (CWG-UCTN). The purpose of the CWG-UCTN was to assess the feasibility of developing a harmonized framework for the use of country and territory names that could be applicable across the respective Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees.
On 24 February, the CWG-UCTN published its Interim Report for public comment. While the CWG-UCTN considered two and three-character country codes, it was determined that consensus was not feasible; the group did not consider full country and territory names. The CWG-UCTN therefore recommended that the CWG be closed, that policy efforts within the community should be consolidated, and that future work must be fully inclusive of the community.
As a Chartering Organization, the GNSO is expected to consider the CWG-UCTN's Final Report and determine next steps. The Council first discussed the Final Report and its recommendations, as well as possible next steps, on its 12 July Council meeting.
Here, the Council will consider a motion to adopt Recommendations 1, 2, and 4 of the Final Report, as well as the underlying objective of Recommendation 3, supporting Alternative A in particular.
5.1 – Presentation of motion (Heather Forrest)
5.2 – Council discussion
5.3 – Council vote (voting threshold: simple majority)
Item 6. COUNCIL VOTE – GNSO members for the ICANN Accountability and Transparency (ATRT3) Review Team (15 minutes)
On 31 January, ICANN published a call for volunteers for the Third Review of ICANN Accountability and Transparency (ATRT3). Under the new ICANN Bylaws, each SO/AC has an opportunity to nominate up to seven applicants to serve on the Review Team. The GNSO Council tasked the Standing Selection Committee (SSC) with the review process, considering the applicant's expertise, as well as geographic and gender diversity.
The GNSO received nine (9) applications requesting GNSO endorsement, available here: https://community.icann.org/x/qw0hB. The SSC has reviewed the applicants and on 13 September 2017 has submitted its proposed slate of nominees for GNSO endorsement.
Here, the Council will decide whether to approve the SSC's proposed slate of nominees.
6.1 – Presentation of motion (Susan Kawaguchi)
6.2 – Council discussion
6.3 – Council vote (voting threshold: simple majority)
Item 7: COUNCIL DISCUSSION – Revised GNSO Operating Procedures and ICANN Bylaws (15 Minutes)
On 27 May 2016, the ICANN Board adopted a set of new ICANN Bylaws which became effective upon the expiration the IANA Functions Contract between ICANN and NTIA. Accordingly, on 30 June 2016, the GNSO Council established a Drafting Team to fully identify all the new or additional rights and responsibilities that the GNSO has under the revised Bylaws. On 12 October 2016, the Drafting Team submitted its Final Report to the GNSO Council.
On 01 December 2016, the GNSO Council accepted the recommendations in the Drafting Team's Final Report and directed staff to draft proposed language for any necessary modifications or additions to the GNSO Operating Procedures and if applicable, those parts of the ICANN Bylaws pertaining to the GNSO.
On 19 June 2017, ICANN staff published its proposed changes to the GNSO Operating Procedures and ICANN Bylaws to implement the DT recommendations for public comment. Public comment closed on 10 August 2017 and staff published the Report of Public Comments.
Here, the Council will review the proposed changes, public comments received, and determine what next steps should be.
7.1 – Presentation of discussion topic (Marika Konings)
7.2 – Council discussion
7.3 – Next Steps
Item 8: COUNCIL DISCUSSION – Community gTLD Change Request Process (20 minutes)
ICANN Organization has received requests, including from fTLD, to amend Specification 12 of their Registry Agreements. ICANN has denied the requests, stating in part that they are not currently in a position to approve requests to amend community restrictions in Specification 12 of the New gTLD Registry Agreement.
In follow-up discussions with ICANN GDD and Legal staff, fTLD was told that ICANN could not consider the requested changes because there was no community-developed/supported process to enable them to do so. There was a procedure discussed in the New gTLD Program Explanatory Memorandum Discussion Draft: Community gTLD change request handling, but because it had not been approved nor was it included in the Applicant Guidebook, ICANN could not use this as the basis for considering the request from fTLD and others. As a result, ICANN asked fTLD if it would help lead the way in creating a Community gTLD Change Request process. fTLD agreed to undertake this effort and formed a working group comprised of fTLD and several community-based Registry Operators and New gTLD Applicants to develop a draft Community gTLD Change Request process.
The working group's current draft includes input from the RySG. The working group has also been working closely with ICANN's GDD team.
ICANN has suggested that the GNSO Guidance Process (GGP) might be one path to resolution. fTLD and other impacted parties have concerns about the timeline for a GGP as well as the allocation of community resources to resolve an issue that affects a relatively limited number of Registry Operators.
Here, the Council will receive a presentation from Craig Schwartz on the topic and discuss next steps.
8.1 – Presentation of topic (Craig Schwartz)
8.2 – Council Discussion
8.3 – Next Steps
Item 9: ANY OTHER BUSINESS (0 minutes)
9.1 – TBD
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/en/council/op-procedures-01sep16-en.pdf.
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