Summary

Board endorses Version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines and agrees the President and CEO are authorized to implement them.

Text

Whereas, the IDN Guidelines were initially adopted by the ICANN Board in 2003, and subsequently updated in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to reflect best practices and protocol updates through the IETF.

Whereas, the current version was published prior to the IDNA2008 revision of the IDNA Protocol and is now over four years old.

Whereas, an IDN Guidelines Revision Working Group, made up of experts from ccTLD and gTLD registries, met in Singapore to establish a plan for updating the IDN Guidelines.

Whereas, Version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines was published for public comment from 27 July 2011 to 26 August 2011.

Whereas, a public comment summary and analysis was completed and published on 2 September 2011.

Whereas, the IDN Guidelines Revision Working Group incorporated inputs received during the comment period and published a final update to Version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines on 2 September 2011 for consideration by the ICANN Board.

Resolved (2011.10.28.02), the ICANN Board of Directors endorses the Version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines and agrees that the President and CEO is authorized to implement the Guidelines by authorizing registration of IDNs on the basis of those Guidelines.

Implementation Actions

  •   Implement Guidelines by authorizing registration of IDNs.
    •  Responsible entity: President and CEO
    •  Due date: None provided
    •  Completion date: 22 November 2011

Rationale

Under the Affirmation of Commitments signed by ICANN and the US Department of Commerce on 30 September 2009, the importance for global Internet users to be able to use the Internet in their local languages and character sets was recognized. ICANN has followed an open and transparent process in publishing a revised IDN Guidelines.

This update to the IDN Guidelines is necessary to bring the Guidelines into current practice with IDNA2008. This is also needed so that new IDN registries that are being launched through the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process and current gTLD registries offering IDN registrations adopt the most current version of the Guidelines.

A Board paper detailing the process for updating Version 3.0 of the IDN Guidelines and comments received between 27 July 2011 and 26 August 2011 has been provided to the Board.

There are no anticipated fiscal impacts on ICANN from this decision. ICANN staff will continue to work with the Revision Working Group on future updates to the IDN Guidelines that may be necessary based on the outcomes of the IDN Variant Project and other developments to the IDNA Protocol.

Other Related Resolutions

Additional Information

Explanatory text does not modify or override Resolutions.  See Board Resolutions Page for more information.

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