[council] FW: Update on ICANN Board/GAC Consultation on New gTLDs

[Glen de Saint Géry <Glen@xxxxxxxxx>]

Update on ICANN Board/GAC Consultation on New gTLDs

by JAMIE HEDLUND on FEBRUARY 16, 2011

We wanted to provide some additional information on the work being carried out 
by ICANN's Board of Directors and the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) to 
prepare for their upcoming meeting in Brussels on the new gTLD program.

As detailed in our recent announcements and blog, the Board and the GAC will 
hold a joint workshop to discuss the GAC's concerns regarding the proposed 
implementation of the new gTLD program. Following the workshop, it is 
anticipated that the Board and GAC will meet for a bylaws-triggered 
consultation.

The Board, ICANN staff and the GAC are working diligently to understand the 
GAC's concerns and identify the areas of disagreement and possible solutions. 
Substantial preparatory work has been done, including the appointment of "issue 
leads" for the topics raised in the GAC's Cartagena Communiqué, exchanges of 
draft issue papers and joint conference call discussions. The papers will be 
published prior to the meeting.

Most ICANN Board Members and a strong contingent of GAC representatives are 
expected to attend.

In addition to the Brussels consultation, the 
bylaws<http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm#XI>-defined consultation will 
take place on 17 March, the day before the Silicon Valley-San Francisco Board 
Meeting. Because of the timing of the bylaws consultation, the Board will not 
approve or announce the new gTLD program at that Board Meeting.

The timing and substance of any subsequent Board actions on the new gTLD 
program will depend on the outcome of the bylaws consultation.

Stay tuned for further updates on the logistics and agenda for the Brussels 
meeting.

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