Page History

Developments in 2021-2022 on:

• Additional Work on Subsequent Procedures (including re: Closed Generics)
• Subsequent Procedures Operational Design Phase (SubPro ODP)
• Potential Council next steps regarding DNS abuse
• Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies
• Transfer Policy Review Policy Development Process (TPR-PDP)
• Internationalized Domain Names EPDP
• Registration Data Accuracy (RDA) Scoping Team
• Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data / System for Standardized Access/Disclosure Operational Design Phase (SSAD ODP)

Additional Work on Subsequent Procedures  – TO MONITOR THIS for ALAC/At-Large participation.

2022

• 20 Oct: Milke Silber was confirmed by Council as the Chair for the GGP.
• 25 Aug: Council resolved unanimously to initiate the GGP using a "Representative + Observers" WG model with each SG/C/AC to be invited to nominate a representative. The GGP will start with Applicant Support first, with the possibility of adding further topics down the line.
• 12 Aug: Council is expected to consider and vote on a new version of the GGP on Application Support. In brief, this version of the GPP on Application Support proposes as follows: 
  • A (smaller) Working Group employing a “Representative + Observers” model, to conduct and conclude its work, and oversight activities, in an efficient/effective manner while allowing for inclusive community participation. GNSO Council retains oversight, as with any GNSO WG.
  • Each AC/SG, ASO and ccNSO may appoint 1 Member to the WG, who are expected to represent the view of their appointing organization and may be called on to provide the official position of their appointing
    organization and will be responsible for participating in GGP consensus calls. Appointing organizations may replace their Member(s) at their discretion.
  • Members must either possess a level of expertise in previous deliberations and/or knowledge that may have been lacking during those initial deliberations.
  • The WG has the flexibility/discretion to rely on Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in specific fields to aid in deliberations for certain tasks, but these SMEs will not be considered as Members of the WG.
  • The GNSO Liaison to the ODP may serve as an non-voting member of the WG to advise on issues discussed within the SubPro PDP.
• 21 Jul: Council considered a late proposed amendment to the substantive motion to establish a GGP to work just on Applicant Support. The amendment received some support and it was decided to defer this issue to Council's August 2022 meeting to allow opportunity to incorporate supported element(s) into the substantive motion for Council's consideration.
• 15 Jun: Council to proceed with a motion in its Jul meeting to establish a GGP to work just on Applicant Support through a Steering Committee (of a representative+observer model) with ultimate oversight by Council. This GGP is the proposed mechanism to address SubPro Implementation Guidance 17.5, which suggests the creation of a dedicated IRT and it be charged “with developing implementation elements of the Applicant Support Program. In conducting its work, the Implementation Review Team should revisit the 2011 Final Report of the Joint Applicant Support Working Group as well as the 2012 implementation of the Applicant Support program.” This dedicated IRT was to be charged with making substantive decisions on outreach activities and allocation of scarce resources (e.g., when there are more qualified applicants than available funds), among other activities.
• 19 May: Council to explore (intersessionally) the Draft New gTLD Subsequent Procedures GNSO Guidance Process (GPP) Initiation Request.
• 5 May: Council received a Draft New gTLD Subsequent Procedures GNSO Guidance Process (GPP) Initiation Request for its consideration. This will likely be discussed at Council's May 2022 meeting.
• 9 Mar: Based on GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Question set #2, Council discussed options for the way forward to deal with a number of areas possibly considered as incomplete in terms policy-development: including on Applicant Support, SPIRT, challenges and appeals. But Council has yet to determine the mechanism to adopt. 

RE: Closed Generics, specifically

• 2 Sep: (CG): Council leadership initiates selection by SGs for their representatives for the dialogue.
• 9 Aug: (CG): ALAC receives invitation to formally join GNSO and GAC as parties to the Dialogue on Closed Generics.
• 21 Jul: (CG): Still awaiting convening of the Dialogue, which is inter alia subject to the identification/nomination of representatives from the GNSO and GAC.
• 29 Jun: (CG): Council has sent a letter to the Board and the GAC relaying its recommendations on the GAC-GNSO Dialogue; cc-ed to ALAC Chair, appending the Jun 2022 report of the Council Small Team on Closed Generics.
• 15 Jun: (CG): Council has agreed to relay its recommendations to the Board and GAC as the next step leading to the start of the GAC-GNSO Dialogue, with ALAC participation.  
• 19 May (CG): Council Chair Philippe Fouquart received a reply from Maarten Botterman to Council's 27 Apr letter; inter alia encourages GAC and Council to confer on the question of ALAC's participation in the consultative process.
• 5 May (CG): Council's reconstituted Small Team now comprises Paul McGrady (NCA-Non CPH), Kurt Pritz (RySG), Manju Chen (NCSG), Jeff Neuman (GNSO Liaison to GAC), Justine Chew (ALAC Liaison to GNSO), Greg Dibiase (RrSG), Desiree Miloshevic (NCA-CPH), and Marie Pattulo (CSG); also Council leadership comprising Philippe Fouquart, Sebastien Ducos, and Tomslin Samme-Nlar.
• 27 Apr (CG): Council replied to the ICANN Board, accepting the invitation for a facilitated dialogue with the GAC on Closed Generics.
  • In its reply, Council noted there being no SubPro recommendation to change current policy on Closed Generics, the approach for the immediate next round of New gTLD applications would be out of harmony with GAC Advice on Closed Generics (namely that closed generics ought to serve a public interest goal).
  • Council stated that Council will pursue next steps for the dialogue (a) on the basis of the Board having asked that its facilitated dialogue be limited to making Closed Generics available with restrictions, including for eg. that they serve a public interest goal; (b) subject to mutual agreement with the GAC on conditions for that dialogue.
  • Council also noted to the Board, NCSG's opposition to the limited dialogue party approach. 
  • (NB. The earlier convened Council small team will now be reconstituted with a larger/more representative membership of Councillors to develop conditions for the dialogue)
• 22 Apr (GC): GAC responded to the Board's 6 Mar and 10 Mar letters, raising points on the ICANN Org's Framing Paper.
• 6 Apr (CG): Council CGs Framing Paper Small Team convened with narrow remit of "proposing to Council next steps in responding to the Board proposal (i.e., whether or not the Council is open to working with the GAC on developing a framework for closed generics)" – Council to decide.
• 30 Mar (CG): Board replied to GAC's 10 Mar letter, acknowledging GAC’s willingness to have ALAC participate in the consultation process; encourages GAC and GNSO Council to consider this matter as part of the discussions regarding the proposed dialogue.
• 15 Mar (CG): Council to convene small team to review the ICANN Org's framework paper regarding the Board-facilitated dialogue between GNSO-GAC, and to suggest next steps.
• 10 Mar (CG):  Further to the 7 Mar correspondence, the Board forwarded ICANN Org's Framing Paper for the dialogue on Closed Generics.
• 10 Mar (CG): GAC replied to the Board's 6 Mar letter, agreeing to participate in dialogue and welcomed participation from the At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) in this consultation process.
• 6 Mar (CG): ICANN Board wrote to the GAC and Council requesting for facilitated dialogue on way forward with Closed Generics (CG).

Subsequent Procedures Operational Design Phase (SubPro ODP);  See: https://www.icann.org/subpro-odp for more official info.

2022

• 12 Nov: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Relay of Question set #6
• 2 Nov: SubPro ODP Team blogs on Work Track 6: Communications and Outreach

   *14 Oct: SubPro ODP Team releasesSubPro ODP Community Status Update #4 (last of four planned updates). The output of this ODP (i.e. the ODA - Operational Design Assessment)  is now expected to be completed on 9 Nov and delivered to the ICANN Board on 12 Dec.

   *15 Aug: SubPro ODP Team releases SubPro ODP Community Status Update #3 (the 3rd of four planned updates) which refers to Assumptions Subsequent Procedures ODP v.5. The last update is scheduled for 15 Oct.

• 25 Aug: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison submits Question set #5 REPLY
• 2 Aug: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Reminder on Question set #5
• 29 Jul: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison submits Question set #4 REPLY
• 20 Jul: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Question set #4 finalization and Relay of Question set #5
  • Question set #5 sought clarity on the Predictability  Framework
• 8 Jul: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison submits Question set #3 REPLY
• 30 Jun - 15 Jul: Council Small Team comprising Jeff Neuman (GNSO Liaison to SubPro ODP), Paul McGrady (NCA-Non CPH), Justine Chew (ALAC Liaison to GNSO), Desiree Miloshevic (NCA-CPH), and Flip Petillion (IPC) worked on replies to Question set #4.
• 30 Jun: Question set #3 REPLY finalized
• 26 May: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison submits Question set #2 REPLY

   *25 May: SubPro ODP Team releases Assumptions Subsequent Procedures ODP v.4

• 19 May: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Relay of Question set #4 and SubPro Topic Assumptions
  • Question set #4 sought clarity on 10 topics

   *16 May: SubPro ODP Team releases SubPro ODP Community Status Update #2, the 2nd of four planned updates. The next update is scheduled for 15 Aug.

• 12 Apr: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Relay of Question set #3
  • Question set #3 sought clarity on String Similarity

   *29 Apr: SubPro ODP Team releases Assumptions Subsequent Procedures ODP v.3  

   *28 Mar: SubPro ODP Team releases SubPro ODP Community Status Update #1, the 1st of four planned updates. The next update is scheduled for 16 May.

   *23 Mar: SubPro ODP Team releases Initial & Overarching Assumptions Subsequent Procedures ODP v.2

   *28 Feb: SubPro ODP Team releases Initial Assumption Subsequent Procedures ODP v.1

• 14 Feb: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Relay of Question set #2
  • Question set #2 sought clarity on the Dedicated IRT for Application Support Program
• 25 Jan: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update #5 - Third call with ICANN's SubPro ODP Team
• 21 Jan: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison submits Question set #1 REPLY
• 18 Jan: SubPro ODP Team blogs on SubPro ODP Work Tracks posted
• 9 Jan: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update #4 - Second call with ICANN's SubPro ODP Team
• 3 Jan: Actual SubPro ODP Launch date

2021

• 20 Dec;  ICANN org announces that ICANN GDS has informed ICANN Board that it is beginning this ODP in January 2022.
• 16 Dec:  Council mainly considered the process for SubPro ODP interactions between the GNSO ODP Liaison and the ICANN Org's SubPro ODP Team - Councillors are meant to take suggested responses of the GSNO ODP Liaison to SubPro ODP Team's preliminary questions (Question Set #1) back to their respective SG/C for feedback to enable finalization and timeous relay of agreed responses to the SubPro ODP Team. ICANN Org has a public archive of engagement on the topic. 
• 1 Dec: SubPro ODP Team blogs on answers to questions regarding the SubPro ODP
• 1 Dec: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update #3 - First call with GDS (ICANN's SubPro ODP Team)
• 22 Nov: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update #2. ICANN Org is still in internal project organization mode although GDD has posed a first set of questions to the GNSO ODP Liaison, Jeff Neuman. Formal kick-off of the ODP only expected at end of Nov 2021, thereafter proceeds for an approximate 10 months.
• 18 Nov: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update - Relay of Question set #1
  • Question set #1 sought clarity on (i) Applications Assessed in Rounds, (ii) RVCs & PICs, specifically on DNS Abuse Mitigation (iii) Applicant Reviews, and (iv) Auctions.
• 16 Nov: GNSO SubPro ODP Liaison update #1

Potential Council next steps regarding DNS abuse  – TO MONITOR THIS and ENSURE ALAC input is understood.

2022

• 16 Nov: 
• 20 Oct: Council acknowledged the Small Team's report and recommendations; acquiesced to the Small Team regrouping to work on Recommendation #4 (drafting of letter to Contracted Parties).
• 10 Oct:  Small Team's final report and recommendations were submitted to GNSO Council for consideration.
• 21 Sep:  Small Team's draft report and recommendations were presented and discussed at ALAC-GNSO meeting at ICANN75.

  *17 Aug: Justine's 3rd Presentation to CPWG on Small Team deliberations on comments received from SGs/Cs/DNSAI; + discussion on draft report

• 4 Aug: Small Team completes deliberation on comments received from outreach exercise and moves onto producing their report

  *20 Jul: Justine's 2nd Presentation to CPWG on Small Team deliberations on comments received from ALAC, GAC, SSAC

• 16 Jun: Small Team conducts meeting at ICANN 74
• 2 Jun: Small Team begins review of responses from Contractual Compliance. 

  *25 May: Justine's 1st Presentation to CPWG on responses from Contractual Compliance

• 19 May: Small Team completes review of comments received from outreach to ALAC, GAC, SSAC, DNSAI, SGs and Cs.
• 20 Apr: ALAC input to 7 Mar letter considered by Small Team and well received, in general.
• 6 Apr: Input received from BC. Small Team met, to proceed with info gathering from Contractual Compliance in respect of action to do with DNS Abuse vis a vis Contracted Parties. Still awaiting input from other SG/Cs.
• 4 Apr: Small Team received responses from ALAC, GAC, SSAC and DNSAI to 7 Mar letters. Small Team to meet 6 Apr.
• 18 Mar: Reply date for 7 Mar letter to ALAC extended to 4 Apr.
• 7 Mar: Council issued letters to ALAC, GAC, SSAC and the DNS Abuse Institute (DNSAI) to seek input on what DNS abuse issues are best mitigated via policy development specifically, if any, as a mechanism to help determine the Council’s next steps on DNS abuse; to reply by 21 Mar. Input to be sought from each SG also. More respondents may be approached at a later date. 
• 9 Feb: Small Team initial meeting. Updates to be provided at Council Meeting #2 of 2022.
• 4 Feb: Council small team (comprising Thomas Rickert, Mark Datysgeld, Wisdom Donkor, Maxim Alzoba, Sebastien Ducos, Greg DiBiase, and Justine Chew, also Philippe Fouquart, Tomslin Samme-Nlar, and Paul McGrady) set to begin work on 9 Feb.

2021

• 28 Oct: A Council small team (comprising Thomas Rickert, Mark Datysgeld, Wisdom Donkor, Kristian Ormen, Maxim Alzoba, Sebastien Ducos) to draft potential GNSO Council next steps regarding DNS abuse. 

ICANN Org Discussion paper on Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies –  TO MONITOR THIS and assess for ALAC input opportunities.

2022

• 4 May: ICANN Org (GDS) met with Council and SG/C Chairs to progress ongoing discussions on the Oct 2021 Discussion Paper on Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies (Zoom Recording). Discussions to continue.
• 25 Apr: Council received a GNSO-sec-developed Discussion Paper on suggested Tracking & Coordination of PDP Improvements
• 6 Apr: Exchanges between Council and GDS ongoing.
• 20 Jan: Council to approach ICANN Org on efficient way to address concerns raised in Discussion Paper.
• NB. Council small team has expanded (now comprises John McElwaine, Maxim Alzoba, Stephanie Perrin, Antonia Chu, Thomas Rickert, Steve DelBianco, Chris Disspain, Susan Mohr, Sebastien Ducos, and Owen Smigelski)

2021

• 28 Oct: A Council small team (comprising John McElwaine, Maxim Alzoba, Stephanie Perrin, Antonia Chu, Thomas Rickert and possibly others) to review the Discussion Paper on Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies and develop a draft response. 

Transfer Policy Review Policy Development Process (TPR-PDP)

2021

• 16 Dec: Council approved a Project Change Request (PCR) to update charter topics considered in Phase 1 of the TPR-PDP by moving the topic of NACK (rejection of transfer request) of an unauthorized transfer to Phase 1a scope from Phase 2.

Internationalized Domain Names EPDP

2022

• 16 Nov: Council approved the EPDP's Project Change Request (PCR). With this PCR, the EPDP seeks to facilitate the implementation planning of the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures by bifurcating its work into two phases, with Phase 1 covering topics related to top-level IDN gTLD definition and variant management, and Phase 2 covering issues pertaining to second-level IDN variant management, which also requires a timeline extension due to the diversity and complexity of IDN issues, additional data collection needs, review of ICANN org input for draft recommendations, and public comment-related processes. The timeline now contemplated is:
• 10 Oct: Council is alerted to an impending Project Change Request (PCR) which seeks significant changes to the EPDP's project plan. 

  * 22 Sep: ICANN Board has approved the IDN Guidelines version 4.1 except the deferred guidelines 6a, 11, 12, 13, 18 and associated Additional Notes, and directed these to be published as IDN Guidelines version 4.1 and to supersede version 3.0.

• 20 Jan: Council to send letter to ICANN Board responding to the Board’s 20 Oct letter regarding the IDN Implementation Guidelines v4.0.

2021

• 16 Dec: Council Leadership to draft a response to the ICANN Board’s 20 Oct letter regarding the IDN Implementation Guidelines v4.0.
• 18 Nov: Council has yet to discuss its approach for the response to the ICANN Board’s 20 Oct letter regarding the IDN Implementation Guidelines v4.0.
• Aug: The Expedited Policy Development Process on Internationalized Domain Names (EPDP on IDNs) commenced work on its Charter Questions.

Registration Data Accuracy (RDA) Scoping Team

2022

• 10 Oct: The Scoping Team has completed Assignment #1 (enforcement and reporting) and Assignment #2 (measurement of accuracy) and submitted its write up to the Council on 5 September 2022. In the write up, the group is suggesting moving forward with two proposals that would not require access to registration data, namely a registrar survey (recommendation #1) and a possible registrar audit (recommendation #2) that may help further inform the team’s work on assignment #3 (effectiveness) and #4 (impact & improvements), while it awaits the outcome of the outreach to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) by ICANN org in relation to proposals that would require access to registration data (recommendation #3). Council is seeking a new Chair for the Scoping Team.
• 10 May: The RDA Scoping Team submitted a Project Change Request (PCR) to Council. 

18 Nov 2021

• Council received notice that the ICANN Board has selected two Board members to serve as liaisons to this Registration Data Accuracy Scoping Team. They are Becky Burr and Harald Alvestrand (alternate).
• Council has acknowledged the Registration Data Accuracy - Scoping Team (RDA_ST) Project Plan

Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data / System for Standardized Access/Disclosure Operational Design Phase (SSAD ODP);  See: https://www.icann.org/ssadodp for more official info

2022

• Oct: Council is to further discuss next steps on the Whois Disclosure System (WDS) in November.
• Sep-ICANN75: Attention on SSAD has now been redirected to ICANN Org's proposal for the Whois Disclosure System (WDS). Design for this WDS was published prior to ICANN75 and ICANN org provided a presentation of the system design to the EPDP Phase 2 small team during ICANN75. Subsequently, the small team and Council held initial discussions amongst themselves, as well as with the Board during their joint session on Tuesday. The Council discussed during its meeting on Wednesday and the small team met informally on Thursday of ICANN75
• Mar: Council Small Team seated (comprising Members: Paul McGrady, Sebastien Ducos, Marc Anderson, Stephanie Perrin, John McElwaine, Olga Cavalli, Thomas Rickert, Laureen Kapin (GAC- shared membership), Chris Lewis-Evans (GAC- shared membership), Alan Greenberg, Sarah Wyld, Steve DelBianco, Becky Burr, Steve Crocker, Philippe Fouquart (GNSO Council Observing) , Tomslin Samme Nlar  (GNSO Council Observing); and Alternates: Gregory DiBiase)
• 1 Feb: GNSO Council Chair invited GNSO SG/Cs, ALAC, GAC to nominate their EPDP Phase 2 representatives for a Council Small Team led by Sebastien Ducos to analyse the SSAD ODA to develop recommendations on next steps.  On 4 Feb, the ALAC Chair nominated Alan Greenberg (being one of the 2 ALAC EPDP Phase 2 representatives) for this Council Small Team.
• 27 Jan: Council and ICANN Board Consultation on SSAD ODP
• 18 Jan: SSAD ODP Project Update Webinar #5
• 12 Jan: A follow up discussion is held for Council and and GNSO-appointed EPDP Phase 2 members to discuss next steps ahead of Council's meeting with the ICANN Board on 27 January on concerns around financial sustainability of the SSAD (wiki)
• 5 Jan: A 4 Jan 2022 summary paper was circulated to Council members ahead of a 12 Jan call

2021

• 20 Dec: A closed session is held for Council and GNSO-appointed EPDP Phase 2 members only with the SSAD ODP Project Team focusing on the SSAD Cost Model information (presentation)
• 16 Dec: Council did not discuss GAC's letter of 15 Dec 2021 to Council regarding SSAD ODP
• 3 Dec:  ICANN's SSAD and Governmental Accreditation Authorities Webinar
• 18 Nov: ICANN Webinar: SSAD ODP Project Update Webinar #4 on the Business Process Design
• 2 Nov: ICANN Update: Contractual Compliance and Identity Verification Methodology
• 28 Oct: ICANN72 Webinar: SSAD ODP Project Update #3
• 24 Sep: ICANN Webinar: SSAD ODP Project Update #2  
• 13 Jul: ICANN Webinar: SSAD ODP Project Update

GNSO Council Meeting #11 of 2022 held on 17 Nov 2022 

• Agenda
• Matters of Interest
• Meeting Record
• Special Summary Report

GNSO Council Meeting #11 of 2022 held on 17 Nov 2022

Full Agenda  |  Motions 

• Item 1: Administrative Matters
• Item 2: Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List
• Item 3: Consent Agenda
• Item 4: COUNCIL VOTE - Whois Disclosure System Next Steps
• Item 5: COUNCIL VOTE - Registration Data Accuracy Scoping Team - Adoption of Recommendation #3
• Item 6: COUNCIL VOTE - DNS Abuse Small Team Report
• Item 7: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) Review Next Steps 
• Item 8: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Expired Domain Deletion Policy and the Expired Registration Recovery Policy Next Steps
• Item 9: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Council Committee for Overseeing and Implementing Continuous Improvements (CCOICI) - Work Stream 2 (WS2)
• Item 10: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - SPS planning
• Item 11: ANY OTHER BUSINESS 

For notes on highlighted items click on MATTERS OF INTEREST tab above

Matters of interest to ALAC/At-Large

• Item 1: Administrative Matters

  • Minutes of the GNSO Council meeting on 21 September 2022 part 1 and part 2 were posted on 15 October 2022.

  • Minutes of the GNSO Council meeting on 20 October 2022 were posted on 04 November 2022.

• Item 2: Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List
• Item 3: Consent Agenda
  • Acknowledgment of John McElwaine to serve as Council liaison to the Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) Implementation Review Team (IRT)
  • Acknowledgment of the Expedited PDP on Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) Project Change Request (PCR)
• Item 4: COUNCIL VOTE - Whois Disclosure System (WDS) Next Steps
  • The proposed design of the WDS was published prior to ICANN75 and ICANN org provided a presentation of the system design to the EPDP Phase 2 small team during ICANN75. Subsequently, the small team and Council held initial discussions amongst themselves, as well as with the Board.
  • The small team has continued to meet to determine whether
    • 1) does the WDS align with the expectations as set out in the small team’s preliminary report,
    • 2) will implementation of the WDS deliver the information to help inform Council-Board consultations on the cost-benefit of the SSAD recommendations,
    • 3) Does does the small team recommend to the GNSO Council that it requests the ICANN Board to proceed with the implementation of the WDS.
  • Since Council's October meeting, the small team completed the addendum to the preliminary report, which was circulated on 7 November 2022 for the Council’s review. 
  • Council will vote on a motion to adopt the addendum to the report from the small team on the Whois Disclosure System.  (voting threshold: simple majority)
• Item 5: COUNCIL VOTE - Registration Data Accuracy (RDA) Scoping Team - Adoption of Recommendation #3
  • The RDA Scoping Team was initiated by Council in July 2021, and tasked with considering a number of accuracy-related factors such as the current enforcement, reporting, measurement, and overall effectiveness of accuracy-related efforts. These considerations are to help inform the team’s deliberations and development of recommendations to Council on whether any changes are recommended to improve accuracy levels, and, if so, how and by whom these changes would need to be developed (for example, if changes to existing contractual requirements are recommended, a PDP or contractual negotiations may be necessary to effect a change)
  • The Scoping Team has completed Assignment #1 (enforcement and reporting) and Assignment #2 (measurement of accuracy) and submitted its write up to the Council on 5 September 2022. In the write up, the group is suggesting moving forward with two proposals that would not require access to registration data, namely a registrar survey (recommendation #1) and a possible registrar audit (recommendation #2) that may help further inform the team’s work on assignment #3 (effectiveness) and #4 (impact & improvements), while it awaits the outcome of the outreach to the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) by ICANN org in relation to proposals that would require access to registration data (recommendation #3). Council will need to consider the proper timing for identifying a new Chair for this effort, given the resignation of the previous Chair.
  • Council had at its October meeting discussed whether to approve recommendations #1 and #2 put forward by the Scoping Team (e.g., registrar survey and/or registrar audit) or instead, to defer consideration of recommendations #1 and #2, pending resolution of recommendation #3 (pausing the work on proposals that require access to registration data until there is clarity from ICANN org on if/how it anticipates the requesting and processing of registration data to be undertaken in the context of measuring accuracy). 
  • Council will vote on a motion on how to proceed with recommendations of the RDA Scoping Team.  (voting threshold: simple majority)
• Item 6: COUNCIL VOTE - DNS Abuse Small Team Report
  • At ICANN72, Council agreed to establish a small team to consider and recommend next steps for Council related to DNS abuse, if any. An assignment form was drafted and the team held its first meeting 9 February 2022.
  • The team performed outreach to interested community groups to better understand what DNS abuse related issues need to be addressed specifically via gTLD policy development. The outreach targeted members and respective SG/Cs, also ALAC, GAC, SSAC, and the DNS Abuse Institute, from which input was received and considered.
  • The team then arrived at a set of 4 recommendations by thinking of DNS abuse as taking place in phases (e.g., malicious domain registration/domain being compromised, DNS abuse being reported, action being taken by a well-positioned party). These phases helped the small team to better understand which elements are best addressed via policy development versus another mechanism. To that end, the small team has concluded that improvements in DNS abuse mitigation can be sought via three buckets: through education / communication / outreach, through contractual negotiations, and/or policy development
  • The small team delivered its report to Council on 10 October 2022 and the report was discussed during the October Council meeting.
  • Council will vote on a motion to accept recommendations #2 (bulk registrations), #3 (reporting of DNS Abuse), and #4 (action & enforcement) as contained in the report. Council will also vote to commit to considering the requested actions under recommendation #1 (malicious registrations), after assessing the impact from recommendations #2, #3, and #4.  (voting threshold: simple majority)
• Item 7: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) Review Next Steps
  • On 21 January 2021, Council approved the recommendations from the Phase 1 Final Report of the GNSO Policy Development Process (PDP) on the Review of All Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) in All gTLDs, covering RPMs applicable to gTLDs launched under the 2012 New gTLD Program. Council discussed the need to review the RPMs charter in advance of launching Phase 2 of the PDP, which is focused on the UDRP. 
  • Council discussed the best path forward and determined that a Policy Status Report (PSR) should be requested to understand if new issues or information have emerged that could be relevant to a comprehensive policy review. After discussions between Council and ICANN org's Global Domains & Strategy (GDS) team on the scope and purpose of the PSR, GDS completed the draft PSR and published it for public comment on 3 March 2022; the revised PSR was shared with Council on 18 July 2022 and Council then received a briefing from GDS during the July meeting.

  • Based on discussion during that meeting, there seemed to be support from a number of Councilors to delay next steps for various reasons, including the considerable amount of existing Council work competing for attention.

  • Council will consider appropriate next steps for the review of the UDRP, which could include delaying work currently and identifying a triggering mechanism to recommence the work in the future.

• Item 8: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Expired Domain Deletion Policy and the Expired Registration Recovery Policy Next Steps
  • In October 2020, Council considered when to request a Policy Status Report (PSR) to conduct a review of the (1) Expiration Policies, the Expired Domain Deletion Policy (EDDP) and (2) Expired Registration Recovery Policy (ERRP). Given concerns about capacity, along with the general perception that no known issues have presented themselves, Council agreed in November 2020 to delay the request for the PSR that had been identified as requiring consideration; the deferral was for a period of 24 months, necessitating consideration in November 2022.
  • In July 2022, the Council agreed that it would be helpful to check with the registrars and ICANN Compliance to help determine if there are any known issues or concerns with either of the two Expiration Policies which could warrant requesting a PSR. A report from Contractual Compliance was shared with Council on 1 November 2022 and feedback from the registrars has been shared in the past on previous Council calls. 
  • Council will receive a briefing on the report from ICANN Compliance and time permitting, consider potential next steps.
• Item 9: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - Council Committee for Overseeing and Implementing Continuous Improvements (CCOICI) - Work Stream 2 (WS2)
  • Council received a brief update on WS2 from ICANN org during its September 2021 meeting and received a more detailed update in February 2022, to better understand the level of progress it has already made via already completed work (e.g., the development of guidelines and templates to support the GNSO as a Decisional Participant in the Empowered Community) and the limited set of remaining WS2 tasks.
  • Council then considered the best path forward to complete the remaining work and agreed to extend the CCOICI pilot to include the WS2 work. The CCOICI has now completed this assignment and shared its WS2 Recommendations Report on 4 November 2022.
  • Council will receive an update on the report, in advance of a potential vote on the report in December 2022.
• Item 10: COUNCIL DISCUSSION - SPS planning
• Item 11: ANY OTHER BUSINESS 

Records of 17 Nov 2022 Meeting

• Audio Recording
• Zoom Recording (includes chat and visual and rough transcript. To access the rough transcript, select the Audio Transcript tab)
• Transcript
• Minutes
• Special Summary Report

Special Summary Report of 17 Nov 2022 Meeting to ALT-PLUS

For brevity, I will just highlight a few things here. For some of the issues, you can glean a wider perspective from GNSO Council Nov 2022 Matters of Interest and/or from GNSO Council Nov 2022 Meeting Records.

1. Consent Agenda

• Council acknowledged John McElwaine as the GNSO Council Liaison to the RPMs IRT.

2. Expedited Policy Development Process on Internationalized Domain Names (part of Consent Agenda also)

• Council approved the EPDP's Project Change Request (PCR) wherein the EPDP sought:
  • To facilitate the implementation planning of the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures by bifurcating its work into two phases, with Phase 1 covering topics related to top-level IDN gTLD definition and variant management, and Phase 2 covering issues pertaining to second-level IDN variant management, and
  • Due to the diversity and complexity of IDN issues, additional data collection needs, review of ICANN org input for draft recommendations, and public comment-related processes, a 31-month extension to the original project plan, with projection of the following key milestone dates:
    • Publish Phase 1 Initial Report for Public Comment by April 2023
    • Submit Phase 1 Final Report to the GNSO Council by November 2023
    • Publish Phase 2 Initial Report for Public Comment by April 2025
    • Submit Phase 2 Final Report to the GNSO Council by November 2025

3. Whois Disclosure System (WDS) Next Steps / EPDP Phase 2

• Council accepted the EPDP Phase 2 small team findings and recommendations as outlined in the small team's addendum.
•  Council also confirms that pending the implementation and subsequent running of the WDS for a period of up to two (2) years, the SSAD recommendations should remain paused for consideration by the ICANN Board.

4.  Registration Data Accuracy Scoping Team 

     In relation to the Scoping Team's write up which recommended:

1) pausing the work in relation to proposals that require access to registration data,
2) encouraging ICANN org to proceed with their outreach to the EDPB as well as the Data Protection Impact Assessment in connection with the scenario(s) in which the request and processing of registration data takes place as a matter of urgency, and
3) requesting that ICANN org and Contracted Parties finalize the negotiations on the Data Processing Agreement (DPA) as soon as practicable as the absence of a completed DPA may act as a roadblock for policy work before Council

• Council adopts recommendation #3
• Council defers consideration of recommendations #1 and #2 until such time the DPA negotiations between ICANN org and Contracted Parties have completed and there is feedback from ICANN org on if/how it anticipates the requesting and processing of registration data will be undertaken in the context of measuring accuracy, or for six months, whichever is the shorter
• Once the DPA negotiations are completed and the feedback referred to at paragraph 2 is received from ICANN org, Council will review the formation and instructions to the Scoping Team to ensure these are still fit for purpose and request the Scoping Team to further consider potential proposals that require access to registration data as well as how these impact the existing recommendations #1 and #2 (e.g. should these still be considered by Council for adoption, or in the context of proposals that require access to registration data these may no longer be relevant or a priority?). If, after 6 months from this resolution, the DPA negotiations are not completed and/or the required feedback referred to at paragraph 2 has not been provided by ICANN org, Council will discuss and determine whether or not to continue deferring the consideration of recommendations #1 and #2.
• Taking into account the delay with which the write up was delivered, as well as some of the challenges that were shared with the Scoping Team’s Chair during his briefing to the Council, Council leadership will reach out informally to Scoping Team members to better understand the issues encountered to help inform the Council’s review of the formation and instructions.
• Council leadership is requested to send a communication to ICANN org in relation to recommendation #3 (as well as Contracted Parties in relation to the DPA) as well as communicateCouncil’s decision to non-GNSO groups participating in this effort (ALAC, GAC and SSAC) as well as the Scoping Team.
• Council thanks Michael Palage, outgoing Chair, and Olga Cavalli, outgoing Council liaison, for their efforts. As part of its review of the formation and instructions to the Scoping Team, Council will consider next steps for finding new leadership for this effort.

5. DNS Abuse Small Team Report

    In relation to the small team's report, containing 4 recommendations, delivered to Council on 10 October, which in summary are:           

1) Recommendation #1 re Malicious Registrations: After the community has been able to process the community outreach and other suggestions made in this report, if further tools are considered necessary, the small
team recommends that Council considers requesting the development of a Preliminary Issue Report on the topic of malicious registrations,
2) Recommendation #2 re Bulk Registrations: The small team recommends that Council requests RrSG and others (for example, ICANN org, the RySG and the DNSAI) to further explore the role that bulk registrations play in DNS Abuse as well as measures that Registrars may have already put in place to address this vector. Based on the feedback received, Council will consider whether further action on bulk registrations is deemed necessary,
3) Recommendation #3 re DNS Abuse Reporting: With an eye towards outreach, the small team recommends that Council encourages continued discussion between Contracted Parties and DNS Abuse reporters/potential reporters with the goal of further fine-tuning and promoting existing tools and initiatives, and/or those under development, to further work towards easier, better and actionable reporting of DNS Abuse. Take into consideration additional pipelines that might be helpful, and
4) Recommendation #4 re Action & Enforcement: The small team recommends that Council reaches out, via a letter, to the RrSG and RySG to share the findings of the small team and requests feedback on how these
potential gaps can be best addressed. This letter should request that Contracted Parties initiate work on the “Suggested Standards” document in consultation with ICANN Compliance.  Based on the feedback received to this letter, Council will determine next steps, but at a minimum, Council would expect to be kept up to date on any further work that would be undertaken by Contracted Parties in consultation with ICANN Compliance.

• Council accepts the recommendations as outlined in the report and requests that the leadership of the small team works with Council leadership on developing the respective communications as foreseen under recommendations #2, #3 and #4.
• In relation to recommendation #1, Council commits to considering requesting the development of a Preliminary Issue Report on the topic of malicious registrations after the outreach and communication as foreseen under recommendations #2, #3 and #4 have taken place and Council has had an opportunity to consider the progress made from efforts related to that outreach. If Council determines that a Preliminary Issue Report is needed, it must be undertaken in a way that avoids overlap and/or duplication of efforts.
• Council thanks the small team for its efforts, as well as the community groups that contributed to it.

6. Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (UDRP) (Phase 2 of Rights Protection Mechanisms (RPMs) in all New gTLDs)

• After Phase 1 of the RPMs PDP (i.e. review of the Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS)) was completed in January 2021, Phase 2 (i.e. review of the UDRP) was deferred for a number of reasons, including need to redraft its charter, need to prioritise other work so as not to overwhelm the community with more work, Council once again revisited the options on what to do with this review of the UDRP which are:

1) Go forward with the review with a to-be-redrafted charter, or
2) Defer the work for a set period of time (eg 12 or 18 months) or until triggered (eg by completion of Phase 1 RPMs IRT's work which would then free up community and staff resources), or
3) Terminate the RPMs PDP (requiring a super-majority vote) (which effect is thought to be equivalent to a long deferral & re-chartering since all policies needs to be reviewed repeated and periodically).

• There was some support for option 2 in deferring 12-18 months and also the possibility of constituting an 'expert group' to alleviate pressure on the community, and to recharter the PDP to reflect reliance on such a smaller group. No formal decision taken.

7. Expired Domain Deletion Policy and the Expired Registration Recovery Policy 

• At Council's request, Contractual Compliance presented on their report to Council of 1 November 2022. Noting that the general perception that no known issues have presented themselves, and that a request for a Policy Status Report (PSR) has already be deferred for 2 years (from November 2020 to November 2022).
• There were suggestions that (1) registrars could be tasked with better handling the ambiguity mentioned as between resellers-registrants on the role of registrars/resellers, and (2) to examine the need for clear policy to address the ambiguity in order to safeguard registrant interests. No formal decision taken.

8. Council Committee for Overseeing and Implementing Continuous Improvements (CCOICI) - Work Stream 2 (WS2)

• Council is looking at adopting WS2 Recommendations Reportreceived on 4 November 2022 in its December meeting.TBD