RE: [council] Two character domain names in the new gTLD namespace

["Jonathan Robinson" <jrobinson@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

All,

 

>From below:

 

Please note that the public comment forum closes on 10 July with the reply
period closing on 1 August. 

The GNSO Council may want to consider during its next meeting whether or not
to provide input on this topic. 

 

This item is currently NOT on the draft agenda for the 24 July 2014 meeting
as published today.

 

Please can you consider this and let me know if you are OK with us not doing
anything more on this topic or whether you would like to see the Council do
something.

 

Thanks,

 

 

Jonathan

 

 

From: Marika Konings [mailto:marika.konings@xxxxxxxxx] 
Sent: 03 July 2014 16:31
To: council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [council] Two character domain names in the new gTLD namespace

 

Dear All,

 

Following up on our conversation during the wrap up session on the public
comment forum that has been opened on the introduction of two character
domain names in the new gTLD namespace (see
https://www.icann.org/public-comments/two-char-new-gtld-2014-06-12-en), the
recommendation of the GNSO Reserved Name Working Group in relation to this
topic (see (
<http://gnso.icann.org/en/group-activities/inactive/2007/reserved-names>
http://gnso.icann.org/en/group-activities/inactive/2007/reserved-names) was
as follows:

*       We recommend that registries may propose release of two letter
and/or number strings at the second level, provided that measures to avoid
confusion with any corresponding country codes are implemented. A
standardized approach should be used which ensures consultation with
appropriate parties, including the ccNSO and ISO-3166 Maintenance Agency,
and where security and stability issues are identified, RSTEP. ** (** = The
existing gTLD registry agreements provide for a method of potential release
of two-character ASCII names at the second level. In addition, two letter
and/or number ASCII strings at the second level may be released through the
process for new registry services, which process involves analysis of any
technical or security concerns and provides opportunity for public input.
Technical issues related to the release of two-letter and/or number strings
have been addressed by the RSTEP Report on GNR.s proposed registry service.
The GAC has previously noted the WIPO II Report statement that .If ISO 3166
alpha-2 country code elements are to be registered as domain names in the
gTLDs, it is recommended that this be done in a manner that minimises the
potential for confusion with the ccTLDs.)

This recommendation was then rolled into recommendation 5 of the GNSO's
Final Report on the Introduction of new Generic Top Level Domains (see
http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/council-report-to-board-pdp-new-gtlds
-11sep07.pdf): 'Strings must not be a Reserved Word'. 

 

This was implemented in the Applicant Guidebook as part of specification 5
(schedule of reserved names at the second level in gTLD registries) as
follows: "Two-character labels. All two-character labels shall be initially
reserved. The reservation of a two character label string may be released to
the extent that Registry Operator reaches agreement with the government and
country-code manager. The Registry Operator may also propose release of
these reservations based on its implementation of measures to avoid
confusion with the corresponding country codes". 

 

And translated into the new gTLD Registry Agreement as: Specification 5
(Schedule of Reserved Names), Section 2: "All two-character ASCII labels
shall be withheld from registration or allocated to Registry Operator at the
second level within the TLD. Such labels may not be activated in the DNS,
and may not be released for registration to any person or entity other than
Registry Operator, provided that such two-character label strings may be
released to the extent that Registry Operator reaches agreement with the
related government and country-code manager of the string as specified in
the ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 standard. The Registry Operator may also propose the
release of these reservations based on its implementation of measures to
avoid confusion with the corresponding country codes, subject to approval by
ICANN".

 

Please note that the public comment forum closes on 10 July with the reply
period closing on 1 August. The GNSO Council may want to consider during its
next meeting whether or not to provide input on this topic. 

 

Best regards,

 

Marika