19 March 2010
Thank you very much Cheryl. I will forward this to the GNSO Council list to initiate discussion and will add it to the GNSO Council meeting agenda for 1 April.
It seems to me that it would be helpful to initiate formation of the WG as soon as possible after your 23 March meeting and after the 1 April GNSO meeting and task the WG with developing a charter. Does that make sense to you? I will seek feedback from the GNSO.
Chuck
18 March 2010
From: Cheryl Langdon-Orr,
Chair of the ALAC
To: Mr. Chuck Gomes,
Chair of the GNSO
Regarding: Proposal to form a Joint ALAC - GNSO WG "to develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs" in response to the ICANN Board Resolution 20 at the Nairobi Meeting.
Chuck further to our recent conversation on the matter of next steps in response to Board Resolution 20 (copied below) of the ICANN Board Meeting held March 12th in Nairobi, as this matter has clear and important interest and ramifications to our SO and AC (the matter of costs for developing countries and for some community based applicants has been of continued concern to At-Large) I am writing to you as Chair of the ALAC to formally request the GNSO's consideration of the ALAC and GNSO forming a Joint WG to explore options regarding applicant assistance in the application for and operation of new gTLDs, that may be required in some exceptional circumstances, in response to this resolution.
This new gTLD Applicant Assistance Program WG should be open to all stakeholders, and once formed, a call to join this Joint WG as either participant or observer should go out to all parts of ICANN.
ALAC will if the GNSO is in agreement formally propose the creation of this WG at our meeting of March 23rd and look forward to feedback from you on how the GNSO wishes to proceed with the WG's charter, administration etc., so that we can begin activity in a timely manner to ensure a first report on WG activities can be available at the Brussels Meeting and so that if we deem it appropriate that at this meeting an opportunity can be taken for community consultation with a workshop or similar activity.
In advance of the GNSO's formal response to this Joint WG proposal I will be adding this matter to our Agenda of the 23rd and asking the ALAC's gtld-wg to consider how it wishes to engage and integrate in this activity as either a committee of the whole, with the formation of a topic specific Work Team and/or nomination of specific representatives to this new WG. I will; also request that our staff prepare a Wiki space/commons linked to the gtld-wg space where the proposed Joint ALAC-GNSO-WG can operate and where the wider ICANN Community and stakeholders can openly contribute.
Board resolution 20 in Nairobi:
"20. Support for Applicants Requesting New gTLD Applicants
Whereas, the launch of the New gTLD Program will bring fundamental change to the marketplace, including competition and innovation;
Whereas, the evolution of relationships and restrictions on relationships between registries and registrars have been a center of discussion and
analysis;
Whereas, the introduction of new gTLDs will bring change and opportunity for innovation, new services and benefits for users and registrants;
Whereas, ICANN aims to ensure that the New gTLD Program is inclusive, along the lines of the organization's strategic objectives;
Whereas, ICANN has a requirement to recover the costs of new gTLD applications and on-going services to new gTLDs; and
Whereas numerous stakeholders have, on various occasions, expressed concern about the cost of applying for new gTLDs, and suggested that these costs might hinder applicants requiring assistance, especially those from developing countries.
Resolved (2010.03.12.46), the Board recognizes the importance of an inclusive New gTLD Program.
Resolved (2010.03.12.47), the Board requests stakeholders to work through their SOs and ACs, and form a Working Group to develop a sustainable approach to providing support to applicants requiring assistance in applying for and operating new gTLDs ."
Kindest regards,
Cheryl Langdon-Orr (CLO)
ALAC Chair 2007-2010
