Recommendation 13

13.1

Review ALAC's/At‐Large's Policy Advice Development processes and propose measures to reduce barriers

Substantially Complete 

13.1(a)

Ratify the process reflected in the flowchart titled “Figure D-1:  How the ALAC Should Request an Extension to a Public Comment Period” (see Appendix 2), by which the ALAC could request that a Public Comment period be extended.  
This proposed process includes the following steps (see Figure D-1 in Appendix 2):

• The ALAC’s deciding on the number of days needed for the extension;
• The ALAC’s submitting an extension request; and
• If the request is denied, the ALAC’s deciding on next steps (i.e., whether to submit a comment or not).
  

Complete

See: ICANN Public Participation Committee

See: Figure D-1 in Appendix 2

13.1(b)

Request that extensions to Public Comment periods be allowed of any length up to 30 additional days (see “A” on Figure D-1 in Appendix 2).

Superseded

This sub-task was superseded as it subject to change in ICANN's Public Participation Committee.

See: Figure D-1 in Appendix 2

13.1(c)

Request that any extension request to a Public Comment period be granted or denied within 24 hours (see “B” on Figure D-1 in Appendix 2).

Superseded

This sub-task was superseded as it subject to change in ICANN's Public Participation Committee.

See: Figure D-1 in Appendix 2

13.1(d)

Recommend the establishment of a Policy Scheduling Team (PST), consisting of ICANN staff, to coordinate the opening of Public Comment periods.  
The PST should:

• Be comprised of an ICANN staff member assigned to each SO and AC and the Language Services Manager; and
• Maintain a publicly available Policy Comment Schedule (PCS), which tracks upcoming Public Comment periods, in order to (a) avoid many such periods opening around the same time, (b) allow the ACs and SOs to better plan their time and (c) allow better planning for needed translations.  (For each upcoming Public Comment period, the PCS should Include the policy name, a synopsis, the responsible AC or SO, and tentative opening date.)
  

Complete  

The Policy Staff proivde one another with weekly updates on the policy updates of the ACs/Sos that they each support.

13.1(e)

Establish a standing committee, the ALAC/At-Large Policy Review Committee (PRC), responsible for advising the ALAC of actions needed regarding upcoming PCS policy issues, as well as policy issues not on the PCS but of At-Large interest.

The working of the PCS is depicted in the flowchart titled “ALAC/At-Large Policy Review Committee (PRC)” (see Figure D-2 in Appendix 2).
The specific responsibilities of the PRC should include advising the ALAC as early as possible of:

• ALAC comments needed in response to upcoming Policy Comment periods;
• At-Large community briefings, documentation or translations needed for upcoming Policy Comment periods;
• The degree of interest that the RALOs and ALSes have in the ALAC’s submitting comments during Policy Comment periods; and
• Policy issues (and other concerns) relevant to end users that are not on the PCS but that the RALOs and ALSes are interested in bringing to ICANN’s attention. In order to perform its function, the PRC should be comprised of:
• The Chair and Secretariat of each RALO;
• At least two additional representatives from each RALO;
• The ALAC Rapporteur; and
• The ALAC liaisons to the various ACs, SOs and cross-constituency WGs.

Substantially Complete

This sub-task is to be completed by the Prague Meeting.

See: Figure D-2 in Appendix 2

13.1(f)

Ratify the process reflected in the flowchart titled “ALAC/At-Large Policy Advice Development (PAD) Process” (shown in Figures D-3, D-4 and D-5 in Appendix 2), by which the ALAC could systematically respond to Public Comment periods. 
This flowchart represents a comprehensive, flexible, systematic process that would replace the At-Large Policy Advice Development process currently in use. 
The proposed process is divided into five stages, made up of the following steps:

• Stage 1:  Policy is available for comment (see  Figure D-3, Stage 1, in Appendix 2)
  • The ALAC notifies At-Large that the policy for Public Comment is available in English, Spanish and French.   
• Stage 2:  Within 10 calendar days after the policy is available (see  Figure D-3, Stage 2, in Appendix 2)
  • The ALAC decide whether or not to submit a comment;
  • The ALAC decides if, at this stage, it needs an extension of the deadline and, if so, requests one;
  • The ALAC assigns a standing or ad hoc Working Group (WG)  to create a first draft of the comment; and
  • The ALAC decides if a community briefing call is needed and, if so, requests one. 
• Stage 3:  At least 9 calendar days before the deadline (see Figure D-4, Stage 3, in Appendix 2):  
  • The assigned WG informs the ALAC whether or not an extension of the deadline is needed at this stage (if considered needed, the ALAC can request the extension);
  • The WG makes its draft ALAC comment available for review and comments by At-Large; and
  • Incorporating relevant discussions and comments, the WG produces the final ALAC comment.
• Stage 4:  At least 7 calendar days before the deadline (see Figure D-5, Stage 4, in Appendix 2):
  • The ALAC starts an ALAC ratification vote on the final comment.
• Stage 5:  At least 1 calendar day before the deadline (see  Figure D-5, Stage 5, in Appendix 2):
  • If the final comment is ratified, the ALAC requests the At-Large staff to transmit the comment to the ICANN staff person responsible for the Public Comment period.

Substantially Complete

Ratification of this sub-task is to take place online or at the ICANN San Jose Meeting.

See: Figure D-3 in Appendix 2

See: Figure D-4 in Appendix 2

See: Figure D-5 in Appendix 2

13.2

Strengthen policy‐development processes within the SOs and ACs for requesting and considering ALAC input

Superseded (see notes)

Watching Brief 

This task is no longer relevant for the following reasons:

•  As part of the GNSO’sreview and revision of its Policy Development Process (PDP) during the last year, it now regularly requests and considers ALAC input;
• The standing ALAC liaison to the ccNSO and the ccNSO liaison to the ALAC now ensure that ALAC input is regularly sought and considered in the ccNSO’s PDP.; and
• The ASO PDP, via the RIRs, is already open to public input. 

13.2(a)

Review current process in each AC/SO.

Superseded

Watching Brief

13.2(b)

Develop recommendations to make relevant changes for community consideration

Superseded

Watching Brief

13.3

Processes between SOs, ACs and the Board need to be developed/strengthened to provide feedback on how ALAC advice has been considered and used within their processes

Superseded (see notes)

Watching Brief 

This Recommendation is no longer relevant as:

• A strengthening of AC/SO communication, including a mailing list and regular AC/SO call.
• The actions of ICANN
• Growth in Cross-Constituency Working Groups
• The DSSA
• This task is already specifically addressed byRecommendation 7 of the Final Recommendations of the Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT). (31 Dec 2010).

13.4

Ensure the GNSO PDP incorporates measures that guarantee input from ALAC is requested, included, and considered integral to the process

Superseded (see notes)

Watching Brief 

This Recommendation is no longer relevant because:

• As part of the GNSO’s review and revision of its Policy Development Process (PDP) during the last year, it now regularly requests and considers ALAC input.
• The task is no longer relevant because, as part of the GNSO’s review and revision of its Policy Development Process (PDP) during the last year, it now regularly requests and considers ALAC input. 

13.5

Ensure the ccNSO PDP incorporates measures that guarantee input from ALAC is requested, included, and considered integral to the process

Superseded (see notes)

Watching Brief 

This task is no longer relevant, since the standing ALAC liaison to the ccNSO and the ccNSO liaison to the ALAC now ensure that ALAC input is regularly sought and considered in the ccNSO’s PDP.  These liaisons allow for significant collaborative input into each other’s policy and other work.

13.6

Ensure the ASO PDP incorporates measures that guarantee input from ALAC is requested, included, and considered integral 

Substantially Complete

The ALAC and its Improvements Taskforce established that the ongoing responsibility for this task will be disseminated amongst ALAC Chair, the Executive Committee, the Director of At-Large, and RALO leaders.