Page History
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Final
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(Re-submitted)
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FINAL
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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-
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SUBTASK
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1
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GNSO
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OSC
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CONSTITUENCY
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&
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STAKEHOLDER
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GROUP
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OPERATIONS
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(CSG)
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WORK
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TEAM
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Background
After several GNSO reviews, the ICANN Board Governance Committee (BGC) created a working group (WG) to consider the results of the reviews and recommend a comprehensive proposal to improve the effectiveness of the GNSO, including its policy activities, structure, operations and communications. The BGC WG produced a comprehensive set of recommendations: “BGC-WG Report on GNSO Improvements” that were approved by the full Board (http://www.icann.org/topics/gnso-improvements/gnso-improvements-report-03feb08.pdf
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).
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This
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report
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has
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been
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extensively
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referred
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to
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in
...
preparing
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this
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Recommendation
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Document.
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As
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a
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follow
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up
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to
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the
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above
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referred
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report,
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the
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GNSO
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Council
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formed
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two
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steering
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committees.
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The
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Operations
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Steering
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Committee
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(OSC)
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formed
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three
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work
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teams,
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one
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of
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which
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is
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the
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OSC
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Constituency
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Operations
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Team,
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subsequently
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called
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the
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OSC
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Constituency
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and
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Stakeholder
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Group
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Operations
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Team
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(OSC
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CSG
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WT).
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In
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this
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document,
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WT
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will
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mean
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OSC
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CSG
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Work
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Team.
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It
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has
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a
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Wiki
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page
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at:
...
...
...
The WT with GNSO staff support created a Work Plan and broke it down into Tasks and Subtasks. This document can be seen in the above referred Wiki page. S. S. Kshatriya (SS) volunteered to Lead Task 1, Subtask 1. Other WT members volunteering to work for Task 1 Subtask 1 are: Victoria McEvedy, Claudio DiGangi and Rafik Dammak.
Subtask 1 is described as: Develop recommendations for a set of participation rules and operating procedures, which all constituencies should abide by. Subtask 1 was further divided into three sections and these have been detailed in the recommendations.
In addition to the BGC-WG report, we referred to Constituency renewal and Stakeholder Group (SG) charter documents submitted to the Board for approval (http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/renewal-process-en.htm
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)
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as
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well
...
as
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Staff
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Analysis
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of
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Constituency
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and
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SG
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Charters
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that
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can
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be
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seen
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in
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the
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WT
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Wiki
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page.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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Section
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1.
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Participation
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Principles
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The
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BGC
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Report
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at
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p.43
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mandated
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the
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development
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of
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“…constituency-developed
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participation
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rules
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for
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all
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constituencies
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that
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encourage
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openness,
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transparency
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and
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accountability.
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The
...
rules
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must
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adhere
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to
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the
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following
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principles..”
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"The
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criteria
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for
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participation
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in
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any
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ICANN
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constituency
...
should
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be
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objective,
...
standardized
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and
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clearly
...
stated.
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•
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Admissions
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decisions
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should
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be
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transparent,
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including
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how
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these
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decisions
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are
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communicated,
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and
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how
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many
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applicants
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are
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successful.
...
•
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General
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information
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about
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each
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participant
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application
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and
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decisions
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regarding
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admissions
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should
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be
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publicly
...
available.
...
Each
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constituency
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must
...
keep
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records
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of
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successful
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and
...
unsuccessful
...
applicants.
...
•
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Each
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constituency
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should
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maintain
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up-to-date
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records
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of
...
all
...
current
...
members,
...
and
...
this
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information
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must
...
be
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publicly
...
available.
...
•
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There
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must
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be
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a
...
clear
...
avenue
...
of
...
appeal
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for
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an
...
applicant
...
rejection
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to
...
a
...
neutral
...
third
...
party.”
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This
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Subtask
...
team
...
developed
...
the
...
following
...
rules
...
to
...
implement
...
this
...
recommendation
...
and
...
proposes
...
that
...
all
...
Stakeholder
...
Groups/Constituencies
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(here-in-after
...
called
...
GROUPs)
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shall
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adopt
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the
...
rules
...
below
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for
...
participation.
...
Such
...
rules
...
and
...
procedures
...
shall
...
be
...
part
...
of
...
their
...
Charters.
...
1
...
a.
...
All
...
GROUPs-shall
...
adopt
...
these
...
rules
...
for
...
participation
...
to
...
encourage
...
openness,
...
transparency
...
and
...
accountability.
...
These
...
rules
...
and
...
any
...
other
...
rules
...
governing
...
participation
...
shall
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be
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objective,
...
standardized
...
and
...
clearly
...
stated.
...
FOR
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THE
...
AVOIDANCE
...
OF
...
DOUBT,
...
WHILE
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COMMONALITY
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IS
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ENCOURAGED
...
IN
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THE
...
INTERESTS
...
OF
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SIMPLIFICATION,
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GROUPS
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ARE
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NOT
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REQUIRED
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TO
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HAVE
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IDENTICAL
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RULES
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AND
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VARIATION
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BETWEEN
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GROUPS
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IS
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ACCEPTABLE,
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AS
...
APPROPRIATE.
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2
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b.
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The
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GROUPs
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shall
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have
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their
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participation
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rules
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based
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on
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common
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principles
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developed
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by
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the
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GNSO.
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These
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rules
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then
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shall
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be
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made
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available
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in
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THE
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FIVE
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UN
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LANGUAGES:
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CHINESE,
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RUSSIAN,
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ARABIC,
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SPANISH,
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and
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FRENCH
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so
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they
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can
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be
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understood
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by
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ICANN’s
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global
...
audience.
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3
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c.
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All
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GROUPs
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shall
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STRIVE
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to
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improve
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inclusiveness
...
and
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representativeness.
...
WE
...
RECOMMEND
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THAT
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GROUPS
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HAVE
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EITHER
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A
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DIFFERENTIAL
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FEE
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STRUCTURE
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BASED
...
ON
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THE
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ABILITY
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TO
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PAY,
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IN
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ORDER
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TO
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ENCOURAGE
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INCREASED
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REPRESENTATION
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FROM
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THOSE
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LIVING
...
IN
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LESS
...
DEVELOPED
...
ECONOMIES;
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OR
...
HARDSHIP
...
PROVISIONS
...
THAT
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ENTITLE
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ANY
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POTENTIAL
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MEMBER
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TO
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APPLY
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FOR
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HARDSHIP
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RELIEF
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FROM
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THE
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NORMAL
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FEE
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SCALE.
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d.
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All
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GROUPs
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shall
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strive
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to
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remove
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information
...
barriers
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and
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put
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in
...
place
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well-structured
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outreach
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programs
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so
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that
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many
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potential
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stakeholders
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come
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to
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know
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of
...
their
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existence
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and
...
also
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of
...
benefits
...
in
...
being
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part
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of
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the
...
ICANN
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policy
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process
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thereby
...
becoming
...
more
...
aware
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of
...
the
...
value
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of
...
joining
...
the
...
GROUP.
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5
...
Section
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2.
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Membership
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6
...
a.
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All
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GROUPs
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shall
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make
...
and
...
publish
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rules
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and
...
procedures
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for
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admission
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requirements
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of
...
interested
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parties
...
as
...
Members
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in
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clear
...
and
...
simple
...
terms.
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Such
...
rules
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and
...
procedures
...
shall
...
be
...
part
...
of
...
their
...
Charters.
...
b.
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All
...
GROUPs
...
shall
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abide
...
by
...
rules
...
governing
...
membership
...
which
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are
...
based
...
on
...
common
...
principles.
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All
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GROUP
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members
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shall
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have
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rights,
...
duties
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and
...
responsibilities
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and
...
in
...
particular,
...
rights
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to
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vote
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as
...
applicable
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as
...
per
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membership
...
rules.
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All
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GROUPs
...
must
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offer
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membership
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to
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natural
...
persons
...
or
...
individuals,
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if
...
applicable,
...
as
...
well
...
as
...
to
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entities
...
with
...
legal
...
personality
...
such
...
as
...
corporations.
...
However,
...
any
...
person
...
or
...
organization
...
applying
...
for
...
membership
...
shall
...
meet
...
the
...
membership
...
criteria
...
laid
...
down
...
by
...
the
...
GROUP
...
with
...
ICANN’s
...
approval.
...
c.
...
All
...
GROUPs,
...
shall
...
stipulate
...
the
...
rights,
...
duties,
...
and
...
responsibilities
...
of
...
its
...
members
...
in
...
clear
...
and
...
simple
...
terms
...
and
...
publish
...
the
...
same.
...
d.
...
A
...
simple
...
application
...
form
...
shall
...
be
...
devised
...
for
...
membership
...
and
...
it
...
shall
...
be
...
publicly
...
available
...
on
...
the
...
GROUP’s
...
website.
...
d1.
...
Admission
...
criteria
...
shall
...
be
...
PREDICTABLE
...
and
...
OBJECTIVE
...
and
...
not
...
arbitrary
...
or
...
discretionary.
...
Where
...
eligibility
...
depends
...
on
...
participation
...
in
...
a
...
certain
...
sector
...
of
...
business,
...
then
...
applicants
...
shall
...
be
...
entitled
...
to
...
submit
...
evidence
...
of
...
their
...
participation
...
in
...
that
...
sector.
...
d2.
...
The
...
general
...
membership
...
shall
...
be
...
entitled
...
to
...
object
...
to
...
an
...
application
...
for
...
membership
...
provided
...
that
...
such
...
objection
...
is
...
based
...
on
...
PREDICTABLE
...
and
...
objective
...
membership
...
criteria.
...
Such
...
an
...
objection
...
shall
...
be
...
published
...
to
...
the
...
rest
...
of
...
the
...
general
...
membership.
...
d3.
...
While
...
applying
...
for
...
membership;
...
an
...
applicant
...
has
...
agreed
...
to
...
abide
...
by
...
THE
...
WRITTEN
...
rules
...
and
...
regulations,
...
INCLUDING
...
CHARTERS
...
AND
...
BYLAWS,
...
of
...
the
...
GROUP
...
and
...
terms
...
and
...
conditions
...
laid
...
down
...
by
...
it.
...
e.
...
Status
...
of
...
a
...
new
...
application
...
and
...
admission
...
decision,
...
as
...
far
...
as
...
possible,
...
shall
...
be
...
publicly
...
available
...
AT
...
THE
...
OPTION
...
OF
...
THE
...
APPLICANT
...
and
...
an
...
applicant
...
shall
...
be
...
kept
...
informed
...
about
...
it.
...
In
...
particular,
...
the
...
applicant
...
shall
...
be
...
advised
...
of
...
the
...
gist
...
of
...
any
...
objection
...
AND
...
THE
...
REASONS
...
FOR
...
THE
...
OBJECTION
...
to
...
the
...
application,
...
BE
...
GIVEN
...
THE
...
OPPORTUNITY
...
TO
...
ASK
...
CLARIFYING
...
QUESTIONS
...
ABOUT
...
THE
...
OBJECTION,
...
and
...
be
...
given
...
the
...
opportunity
...
to
...
REPLY
...
WITH
...
CLARIFICATION
...
OR
...
TO
...
REPLY
...
IN
...
GENERAL.
...
f.
...
In
...
case
...
of
...
rejection
...
of
...
an
...
application
...
or
...
a
...
dispute,
...
the
...
applicant
...
shall
...
have
...
recourse
...
of
...
appeal
...
to
...
a
...
neutral
...
third
...
party.
...
The
...
GROUP
...
shall
...
SELECT
...
such
...
a
...
neutral
...
third
...
party
...
in
...
consultation
...
with
...
-ICANN/GNSO
...
.
...
IN
...
CASE
...
OF
...
UNFAIR
...
TREATMENT
...
RESULTING
...
IN
...
THE
...
REJECTION
...
OF
...
AN
...
APPLICATION
...
OR
...
A
...
DISPUTE,
...
THE
...
APPLICANT
...
MAY
...
LODGE
...
A
...
COMPLAINT
...
WITH
...
THE
...
ICANN
...
OMBUDSMAN
...
OR
...
A
...
MUTUALLY
...
AGREED
...
UPON
...
NON-BIASED
...
NEUTRAL
...
THIRD
...
PARTY.
...
THE
...
PROCESS
...
FOR
...
LODGING
...
A
...
COMPLAINT
...
WITH
...
THE
...
OMBUDSMAN
...
IS
...
SET
...
FORTH
...
IN
...
ARTICLE
...
V
...
OF
...
THE
...
ICANN
...
BYLAWS
...
AND
...
IN
...
THE
...
OMBUDSMAN
...
FRAMEWORK,
...
AVAILABLE
...
AT
...
http://www.icann.org/ombudsman/documents/ombudsman-framework-26mar09-en.pdf
...
.
g. Every member shall remain in good standing until the GROUP has decided otherwise AS PER ITS CHARTER PROVISIONS. The reasons that such status can be imperiled shall be predictable and OBJECTIVE not arbitrary or discretionary. In such an event, the member shall be given an opportunity to be heard. Appropriate procedures shall be made for such an eventuality. The affected party shall have right of appeal to a neutral third party.
h. List of members and their contact details shall be publicly available on the GROUP website. Individual members shall have the right to have publication of address and other contact details withheld to protect their privacy. All members, unless otherwise stated, shall be eligible to participate in the business of the GROUP and have voting rights as applicable.
-i. A GROUP may levy reasonable membership fees in keeping with the capacity of its members and the GROUP’s budget. Such fees shall be decided in the general body of its members-.
I. No legal or natural person shall be entitled to join more than one Constituency or Stakeholder GROUP as a voting member.
Section 3. Policy and Consensus
All members of GROUPs shall be eligible to participate in the Policy work of the GROUP and to join Committees formed to deal with policy issues and other GROUP issues, including eligibility of membership in the GROUP’s committees.
THERE SHOULD BE EMPHASIS ON CONSENSUS BUILDING IN GROUP DELIBERATIONS. -IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT GROUPs shall function on GROUPS SHOULD REFER TO the GNSO WG model. AND GUIDELINES for the purpose of reaching consensus and.-
TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY, ALL GROUPS SHOULD ESTABLISH AND PUBLISH A CONSENSUS BUILDING MODEL OR PROCESS IN THEIR BYLAWS OR CHARTER. THE PROCESS OR MODEL SHOULD BE BASED ON THE PRINCIPLES OF PARTICIPATION, REPRESENTATIVENESS, PROCESS INTEGRITY, FLEXIBILITY, TRANSPARENCY, OPENNESS, AND OTHER NORMS COMMON TO THE GNSO WG MODEL. -t(T)he use of voting WITHIN POLICY DELIBERATIONS should be minimized as much as possible-. 7
WHATEVER CONSENSUS BUILDING MODEL OR PROCESS A GROUP USES, THE GROUP MUST DESCRIBE THE PROCESS IN THEIR BYLAWS OR CHARTER SO IT IS VISIBLE AND TRANSPARENT.
1 Board Governance Committee (BGC) GNSO Review Working Group Report on GNSO Improvements. P 45, Para Last.
2 ,, ,, P 43, Para 1.
3 ,, ,, P 42, Para 5
4 ,, ,, P 41, Para Last
5 ,, ,, P 42, Para 4
6 ,, ,, P 43, Para 2
7 ,, ,, P 46, Para 2
