Re: [council] Announcement from JAS working group

[Rafik Dammak <rafik.dammak@xxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks Bill,

Rafik




2010/11/12 William Drake <william.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

> Rafik
>
> While it might have been preferable to get this from another SG, to move
> things along I second your motion on the JAS WG charter extension.
>
> Best
>
> Bill
>
>
> On Nov 12, 2010, at 10:51 AM, Rafik Dammak wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> regarding the JAS working, an announcement was just posted at ICANN website
> about the milestone report
> http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-11nov10-en.htm
>
> Regards
>
> Rafik
>
> Developing Economies and the New gTLD Program
>
> 11 November 2010
>
> A message from the JAS WG:
>
> The *Milestone 
> Report<http://icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/jas-milestone-report-11nov10-en.pdf>
> * [PDF, 1.2 MB] and accompanying 
> Addenda<http://icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/jas-milestone-report-addenda-10nov10-en.pdf>
>  [PDF,
> 1.07 MB] published for public comment today deals with a very important
> issue: *how can ICANN assist applicants from developing economies to
> increase their participation in the new generic Top-Level Domain (New gTLD)
> Program?*
>
> A Working Group (WG) formed by ICANN stakeholders has been working since
> April 2010 to address this issue. This followed a 
> Resolution<http://icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-12mar10-en.htm> from
> ICANN Board of Directors in Nairobi, on March 2010 that asked ICANN’s
> stakeholder community
>
> *"...to develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants
> requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs."*
>
> Here are some basic aspects of this important work.
>
>    1. *What is this all about? What is a Milestone Report?*
>
>    The Milestone Report is a document produced by this Working Group that
>    offers recommendations on how ICANN should develop a sustainable approach 
> to
>    providing support to applicants from developing economies requiring
>    assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs Registries. The Report
>    proposes initial criteria for qualification as well as several other types
>    of support to be considered, for example, technical, informational.
>
>    Although this work presents the foundation for ICANN to establish a 
> *Support
>    Development Program* dedicated to this issue, the work is not final
>    yet. This report is going to be considered by the Board, staff and ICANN’s
>    supporting chartering organizations.
>
>    This initiative is related to the New gTLD Program, which in the near
>    future will allow entities from around the world to apply for a generic
>    top-level domain. The applicants passing the evaluation process, will sign 
> a
>    contract with ICANN and run a Registry.
>    2. *Who is being considered to receive support? Who benefits from this?
>    *
>
>    The Working Group is proposing the following group to be eligible for
>    support once the "need" criterion is met:
>    - Community-based applications such as cultural, linguistic and ethnic;
>       - Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs), civil society and
>       not-for-profit organizations;
>       - Applicants geographically located in emerging markets/developing
>       countries;
>       - Applications in languages whose presence on the web is limited;
>       - Entrepreneurs wanting to serve a developing market that might not
>       be sustainable under the current cost structure.
>
>    At this phase, the Working Group has not adopted any specific
>    classification for developing economies and recommends using a
>    classification that is internationally agreed upon, for example, G-77 or
>    United Nations or World Bank classifications.
>
>    We all benefit from this initiative. The Internet belongs to all as
>    well as the responsibility to look into effective ways to reduce the 
> Digital
>    Divide, in this particular case, by delivering a sustainable and critical
>    support for applicants from developing economies and looking for a solution
>    not only at the application phase but also through to the initial years of
>    these new Registry operators.
>    3. *Why is it important?*
>
>    It is important because the Internet is a virtual real estate that
>    belongs to everyone. Entities from around the world should be able to
>    increase their participation in the top-level expansion. The Working Group
>    also stresses it is important not only to increase participation from
>    developing economies, but also to increase the likelihood of success by
>    these new participants that will be delivering Domain Name Services (DNS).
>
>    The current New gTLD Program, as design, has an evaluation (and several
>    other fees) that are considered high for a significant number of potential
>    participants from around the world. Besides the issue of high fees, the
>    program is in English only and has an evaluation process with criteria and
>    requirements that are quite complex to navigate.
>    4. *What are the highlights of this report?*
>
>    This report approached the issue of accessibility from several angles.
>    First, there are recommendations to lower the fees for applicants the meet
>    the criteria recommended by this group. The initial focus is on a 
> relatively
>    limited and identifiable set of potential applicants that is often
>    considered not controversial to support. The main criterion for eligibility
>    is "need". The detailed definition of financial need and the method for
>    determining the needs of an application will be part of a continued work.
>    5. *Who is part of this Working Group?*
>
>    This Working Group, also called Joint SO/AC WG on New gTLD Applicant
>    Support or simply "JAS WG", is comprised of highly respected and 
> experienced
>    volunteers from the Supporting Organization and the Advisory Committee. 
> This
>    all-volunteer group teleconferences twice each week, and works through a
>    wiki and mailing lists. These active contributors are located in Australia,
>    Africa, Europe and North America.
>    6. *What happens next?*
>
>    Few things will happen in the upcoming months:
>    - The general public is strongly encouraged to participate in the
>       public forum that can be found here:
>       
> http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201012-en.htm#jas-milestone-report<http://icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201012-en.htm#jas-milestone-report>
>       - The Board, staff, supporting organizations will review the
>       Milestone Report and public comments received.
>       - The Supporting organizations and Board will allow for the
>       continuation of this initiative, which means that this or a new Working
>       Group will carry this work to a next phase.
>       - Staff *might* initiate working on the *Support Development Program
>       *, depending on the Board’s direction.
>    7. *How can one get involved?*
>
>    One way to get involved is to provide a feedback using ICANN’s public
>    comment forum. This is one of the ways ICANN listens to the global Internet
>    community. You can find the link to this forum here:
>    
> http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201012-en.htm#jas-milestone-report<http://icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201012-en.htm#jas-milestone-report>.
>    The public forum will close on *15 December 2010*.
>
>    If you feel strongly about this (and other Internet related issues)
>    attend ICANN Meetings – in person or remotely. The next one is in
>    Cartagena <http://cartagena39.icann.org/> beginning of December).
>    8. *Where to find more information?*
>
>    Relevant Resolutions:
>    - 
> http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-12mar10-en.htm#20<http://icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-12mar10-en.htm#20>
>       - 
> http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-25sep10-en.htm#2.2<http://icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-25sep10-en.htm#2.2>
>       - 
> http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-28oct10-en.htm<http://icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-28oct10-en.htm>
>       - http://gnso.icann.org/resolutions/#201004
>
>    Information about the New gTLD Program:
>    
> http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm<http://icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm>
>
>    Archive regarding the WG activities:
>    - *E-mail:* http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-irtp-b-jun09/
>       - *Wiki:* https://st.icann.org/so-ac-new-gtld-wg/index.cgi
>
>
>
>  ***********************************************************
> William J. Drake
> Senior Associate
> Centre for International Governance
> Graduate Institute of International and
>  Development Studies
> Geneva, Switzerland
> william.drake@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> www.williamdrake.org
> ***********************************************************
>
>
>