Objectives of the review 'Ensuring accountability, transparency and the interests of global Internet users':

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The Accountability and Transparency Review is mandated by ICANN Bylaws Section 4.6(d) to assess "ICANN’s execution of its commitment to maintain and improve robust mechanisms for public input, accountability, and transparency so as to ensure that the outcomes of its decision-making

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reflect the public interest and

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1. continually assessing and improving ICANN Board of Directors (Board) governance which shall include an ongoing evaluation of Board performance, the Board selection process, the extent to which Board composition meets ICANN's present and future needs, and the consideration of an appeal mechanism for Board decisions;
2. assessing the role and effectiveness of the GAC and its interaction with the Board and making recommendations for improvement to ensure effective consideration by ICANN of GAC input on the public policy aspects of the technical coordination of the DNS;
3. continually assessing and improving the processes by which ICANN receives public input (including adequate explanation of decisions taken and the rationale thereof);
4. continually assessing the extent to which ICANN's decisions are embraced, supported and accepted by the public and the Internet community; and
5. assessing the policy development process to facilitate enhanced cross community deliberations, and effective and timely policy development.

Integral to the foregoing reviews will be assessments of the extent to which the Board and staff have implemented the recommendations arising out of the other commitment reviews enumerated below.

Timeline of review

• First review to be concluded no later than December 31st 2010.
• Prior reviews concluded in 2010 (ATRT1) and 2013 (ATRT2); the third review (ATRT3) launched in January 2017.
• Future reviews shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years measured from the date the previous Accountability and Transparency Review Team was convened. 

are accountable to the Internet community". The Board took action on 29 April 2024 to defer the Fourth Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT4) and initiate the Pilot Holistic Review. See the Board resolution here.

Click here to learn more about ATRT. Click here to get involved in ICANN Reviews.

*The ATRT1 and ATRT2 reviews were initiated under the Affirmation of Commitments (AoC). Further to a recommendation made by the Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (Work Stream 1), AoC Reviews were incorporated into ICANN Bylaws in May 2016 as a result of the IANA Stewardship Transition

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