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December 2011

Our monthly activities focused on the follow-up of ALAC consultations (draft statement on geographic regions etc.) and the preparation of the last monthly call this year. Besides other call agenda items we dedicated our discussions on a wrap-up of EURALO activities, highlights / achievements and shortcomings in 2011 (participation at three ICANN meetings, ICANN-Studienkreis Budapest, EuroDIG and GA in Belgrade, EuroSSIG, Ukrainian IGF, Swiss new gTLD event etc.). Another highlight of this year was the submission of a substantiated ICANN Academy proposal to ICANN and ALAC. The increase by members was modest again this year (two ALSes from Ukraine EMP and UIA as well as TaC from France), and we are far away from reaching our standing goal of having one member per European country. After the 2011 amendments of our Bylaws we can offer equal opportunities to encourage and include individual members but we didn't follow up on the creation of an ALS (pending issue). To improve our membership record, more initiatives from ALL (not only officers and Board members) are needed, and we have to improve our presence at all sorts of IG-related events in our region (while being aware about the persistent lack of capacities and funding sources).

EURALO will start its planning for 2012 immediately after the seasonal break: preparations for EuroDIG 2012 (Stockholm), Safer Internet Day Leipzig (February), IGF open consultations Geneva (February and May), next ICANN-Studienkreis meeting 23 - 24 August in Oslo, and as a next presumable highlight, the June 44 ICANN meeting in Prague where we will probably convene our next GA and organize a EURALO Showcase. Most likely EURALO will be present at the 7th IGF in Baku / Azerbaijan again.

November 2011

EURALO’s November activities and the monthly conference call (15 November) focused on the following subjects:

From the Dakar meeting EURALO was closely involved in planning, organizing and programming of the Swiss New gTLD Info day on 28 November in Bern. This event was co-organized by Swiss OFCOM, the national registry Switch, the business association EconomieSuisse and EURALO representing civil society. It was a particular challenge for EURALO being – as a sort of best practice – closely involved in such a multi-stakeholder initiative in Switzerland. This info day can be considered as a success with more than 150 participants from all parts of the country. The only weak point was the evident under-representation of civil society and net-focused groups. See: http://www.new-gtld.ch/

The presentations and video recordings from the event are available at the website now. This new gTLD info day was an excellent national outreach opportunity for EURALO to make us known among the different stakeholder groups (federal offices, reps. from cities and cantons, specialised business segments, law firms etc.). Events like this offer some potential to represent EURALO on national levels and comparable opportunities like national IGFs etc. (as it was the case twice already at the Ukrainian IGFs, EuroDIG etc.).

As a key conclusion from the recent Swiss (and German) event can be drawn: Several private and business projects seem to be well prepared for the first application round early next year (January – April 2012). But as it was mentioned by Sandra atour last monthly call (referring to the German event early November in Berlin), most of the public entities are not aware about these new gTLD options and cannot submit projects in time for the first – and narrow – application round, besides the few and well-known city/community projects like .Berlin, .Paris, .London etc. In the public sector there is still a lot of awareness raising and consultation needed to convince the decision makers about these new opportunities.

Main topics of the monthly call were:

  • Welcome and short introduction of Silvia Vivanco, new Manager of At-Large Regional Affairs
  • Welcome and short introduction of new EURALO ALS TaC/France (Yuliya)
  • Post-Dakar ICANN Policy and ALAC Update (Olivier – global partnership and communication, consumer trust and consumer choice regarding new IDNs and new gTLDs programs, minimal standards for ALAC members, Strategic Plan 2012-2015, a look into the future, Sebastien – on knowledge-based system in AFRALO)
  • New gTLD event 4 November 2011 in Berlin, organized by Eco with participation of Sandra.
  • New gTLD event 28 November 2011 in Bern (see above),
  • wrap-up of EuroDIG 2012 planning meeting in Dakar, preparation for the next planning meeting in Stockholm (18-19 January 2012)
  • next GA and Showcase in Prague inline with ICANN meeting 44 – need for travel support for EURALO members to Prague from ICANN. 

October 2011

EURALO October activities and conference call (18 October)  focused on the following subjects:

  • Accomplishment of DD procedure for a new ALS application from Together-against-Cybercrime (TaC), France. Submission of EURALO regional advice to ALAC in advance of the Dakar ICANN 42 meeting. TaC certification as new ALS by ALAC in Dakar,
  • EURALO members’ participation in the 6th Edition of IGF in Nairobi (Wolfgang, Wolf, Sandra, Siranush, Bill, Avri, Yuliya, Yrjo),
  • EuroDIG booth in Nairobi where EURALO flyers were displayed as well (Wolf, Sandra)
  • Discussion of the next 7th Edition of IGF in Baku / Azerbaijan, and risks and opportunities of organizing such an event in a post-communist  “transition” country with an autocratic regime permanently violating FoE and other basic rights according to HR sources (Wolf, Avri, Bill).
  • Preparation to Dakar ICANN 42 meeting during webinar (14 October) and teleconference call (18 October).

Key items of EURALO's activities in Dakar:

  • active participation in discussion of the ALS role in ICANN IDN and new gTLD Programs, public interest and conflict of interests, dealing with inactive ALSs, language service and interpretation, communication and social media;
  • creation of a new ALAC working group on ICANN Academy (with Sandra as a chair);
  • EuroDIG 2012 planning meeting in Dakar (Wolf, Sandra, Olivier, Des, Yrjo, Oksana).

September 2011

This month's EURALO activities and teleconference call (20 September) focused on the following subjects:

  • Verifying and finding a new/better date for EURALO’s monthly call - results of Doodle poll to set new date/time of the EURALO call. The day will be the same – 3rd Tuesday, but the time slot will be changed to the evening.. It is worth to say, that the main reason for changing day or time of the monthly teleconference call was to involve more EURALO members, but they were not very responsive to this poll. 
  • The Draft ICANN Academy Proposal was submitted to ICANN and is now under further consideration by ALAC.
  •  The welcome of the new Ukrainian EURALO members (European Media Platform and Ukrainian Internet Association) could be accomplished. EURALO received a new ALS application from Together-against-Cybercrime (TaC), France, and DD procedure will be accomplished soon. Afterwards EURALO needs to submit its regional advice, possibly the procedure can be completed in line with the Dakar ICANN 42 meeting.  
  • Review and discussion of ICANN’s Strategic Planning 2012 – 2015 during our monthly call (with presentation by Kurt Pritz and Carole Cornell).
  • The work on the creation of an ALS for individual members (drafting of by-laws etc.) as a consequence of our last Belgrade GA had to be postponed again. This becomes a standing item on our monthly call agendas BUT there will be no progress as long as the individual members concerned will not take the initiative (creation of WG or the like) on this.
  • Second Ukrainian IGF was conducted successfully in Kiev on September 2-3 with active participation of Olivier, Wolf, Wolfgang, Oksana and Vladimir (the last two as co-organizers of IGF-UA II). Some specific features of Internet development in developing countries and the need for support from European and international organizations.
  • Upcoming 6th IGF in Nairobi – with participation of Sandra, Wolfgang, Wolf, Sebastian, Bill, Yrjö, Siranush and other people. EuroDIG has organized a booth at the IGF with messages from Belgrade and materials from national IGF initiatives. An EuroDIG support association will be created in the nearest future.
  • ICANN 42 meeting in Dakar – no need for special EURALO event, but need for new EURALO brochures in different languages. 

July - August 2011 

Due to the usual summer break in Europe, our activities were limited to the current deadlines such as re-nomination of EURALO's NomCom representative Yrjö Länsipuro for a 2nd term and our monthly calls.

Besides this, EURALO members (Sandra, Wolfgang, Olivier and Wolf) were working on a substantiated project proposal for a ICANN Academy which is no under review by ICANN Staff and ALAC -- see:

https://community.icann.org/display/Improve/ICANN+Academy+Proposal|display/Improve/ICANN+Academy+Proposal

June 2011

Please see here for download/attachments/2263577/EURALO+Secretariat+Monthly+Reports+Russian.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1310577645000

This month's EURALO conference call and activities focused on the following subjects:

  • Approval by ALAC (following EURALO’s advice) of the two EURALO ALS applications from European Media Platform and The Ukrainian Internet Association, which brings the total number of EURALO ALSes up to 29 (with 26 active);
  • Discussion of the recent ICANN Singapore meeting. Historical Board’s decision to pass the new gTLD program orbits ICANN not only in the sense of new technical and economical opportunities, but creates new communicational channels between ICANN and community. ALAC has to play a special role in this process;
  • Another subject of discussion in Singapore was the role of GAC and its coordination with ICANN Board and ALAC, and then Board’s decision on Vertical Integration and JAS WG process, especially on applicant support;
  • NomCom decision in Singapore (with participation of Yrjö) was reported and results will be announced shortly;
  • The problem of non-active ALSes was discussed at the RALO Secretariats’ meeting in Singapore. Within EURALO, there are three ALSes (Slovenian Consumer Association, KEPKA in Greece and Ynternet.org, Switzerland), which do not respond to any EURALO activity since 2007. Wolf proposed a seven-step procedure to decertify non-active ALSes (i. a. because of problems with quorum requirements);
  • One of the main results of the recent EURALO Belgrade General Assembly (8 participants physically present and 2 remote participants) was the intended creation of an ALS for individual members, and now it is necessary to form a WG to draft the bylaws for this ALS besides other preparatory steps;
  • EuroDIG (with 4th edition in Belgrade and next 5th in Stockholm) becomes a popular and recognised forum, but there is the goal and requirement to consolidate EuroDIG’s structure and make EuroDIG procedures more reliable. Wolf joined Sandra in the EuroDIG Secretariat, and a lot of EURALO members participate in EuroDIG activities. Another European event – Digital Agenda General Assembly, which took place in Brussels 16-17 June, was attended by Christopher;
  • Recent and upcoming activities of ALAC and EURALO members:
    • Internet meeting in India, 28 June (Sébastien, Olivier);
    • EuroSSIG, 24-30 July, Meissen, Germany (Sandra, Wolf, others);
    • IGF-UA, 2-3 September, Kiev, Ukraine (Oksana, Olivier, Wolf, others).

April 2011

EURALO activities during the last month were determined by:

  • Several European ALAC representatives and members participated in various ALAC consultation and policy issues.
  • EURALO members (Olivier Crepin-Leblond, Bill Drake, Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Wolf Ludwig) participated at the Council of Europe’s conference on Internet Freedom – From principles to global treaty law on 18-19 April in Strasbourg.
    * EURALO members (Yrjö Länsipuro, Bill Drake, Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Wolf Ludwig) participated at the 11th Meeting of the ICANN Studienkreis
 28-29 April 2011 in Budapest.
  • Some EURALO members (Sandra Hoferichter, Wolf Ludwig, Olivier Crepin-Leblond) are closely involved in the organisation of the 4th European Dialogue on Internet Governance (EuroDIG) at the end of May in Belgrade.
  • EURALO is preparing an Online voting tool together with At-Large Staff for preparing its Bylaw modifications (such as including individual members etc.) for the next General Assembly (GA) which will be convened at 29 May in Belgrade in the eve of the EuroDIG. Programming and reporting for the GA is under preparation as well.

EURALO San Francisco Report March 2011

Below please find the points EURALO has worked on since the Cartagena meeting:

  • EURALO continued its engagement in the four Work Teams for At-Large improvements and work is progressing. The Work Teams met in San Francisco again to present results.
  • EURALO members contributed actively throughout the At-Large policy development processes, submitting regional comments to issues such as ICANN’s Geographic Regions etc.
  • EURALO submitted budget requests for the Fiscal Year planning 2012-13, all intended to increase visibility, participation and outreach.
  • Several members of EURALO participate in preparation and programming of the next EuroDIG end of May in Belgrade. The annual EuroDIG becomes the major event for EURALO for outreach and networking. We have been active in the development of further outreach proposals that have become part of ALAC's submission to ICANN (training and empowerment).
  • We encouraged ALAC to support the ISOC statement on politically motivated Internet disruption in Egypt.

February 2011

- Policy

The Board - GAC meeting is fast approaching at the end of the month, and several EURALO members will be physically present in Brussels as observers. It is the aim for those members to speak to both Board and GAC members, and comment on the process taking place, bringing direct input from At-Large and from EURALO to the meeting participants.

An open Skype Chat has been set-up to bring direct input from RALOs to the ALAC Chair, who also only has observer status. This will also allow for a discussion among At-Large members to take place simultaneously, with online remote listening facilities being supplied by ICANN. All ALS members wishing to be part of the Skype Chat should email the EURALO Chair, Wolf Ludwig, or Olivier Crépin-Leblond, EURALO Secretariat, in order to be "invited" into the Skype Chat.

In February, EURALO Board members were involved in outreach activities such as:

- Rudi Vansnick (ISOC Belgium) participated in an ICANN-related Internet Governance conference in Tirana/Albania using the opportunity to encourage ALS applications from the country;

- the ALAC Chair and current EURALO secretariat, * *Olivier Crepin-Leblond, participated in an IG-related conference in Kiev/Ukraine and encouraged local groups to apply for a EURALO membership - with a prompt submission;

- the EURALO Chair intended to participate in the annual DomainPulse conference (comprising Austria, Germany and Switzerland) hold in Vienna for outreach initiatives. Due to the fact that EURALO has no earmarked travel funds for such events (if we are not invited by the organizers), we had to cancel our participation.

EURALO members (Bill Drake, Wolfgang Kleinwächter, Sandra Hoferichter and Wolf Ludwig) will participate in the next IGF Consultations end of February in Geneva what will be combined with the next preparation meeting (core team) for the EuroDIG 2011 end of May in Belgrade -- where the next EURALO GA will be held at the same time.

- Process

This month has seen EURALO input in the ALAC Budget planning process for the FY12 Budget which was then passed on to ICANN Finance.

EURALO's input into the process can be found on:https://community.icann.org/display/alacpolicydev/At-Large+FY12+Budget+Development+Workspace+-+2011&#124

display/alacpolicydev/At-Large+FY12+Budget+Development+Workspace+-+2011

It consisted primarily of proposals for two projects:

  • A EURALO General Assembly (GA) in 2012: bringing all of the European At-Large Structures together, in conjunction with the next ICANN meeting in Europe (June 2012)
  • Regional Outreach and EURODIG 2012: representation of EURALO at this conference by at least 3 EURALO members

EURALO is eagerly awaiting feedback from ICANN finance on the outcome of its input.

- WT-C SWOT / At-Large Improvements process

Several EURALO members have studied the current SWOT tables which EURALO was asked to comment on; most were satisfied that no further information needed to be entered and that the information contained was already very comprehensive.

- Finance & Budget sub-committee

Rudi Vansnick was appointed as the second EURALO representative on the ALAC Finance and Budget sub-committee. He will bring a regional, non-ALAC point of view to the work performed by this committee.

January 2011

- Process

This month, EURALO returned to pursuing its internal process and structural improvements which it had suspended prior to the Cartagena meeting due to more prioritised issues such as the selection process for an At-Large Selected ICANN Board Director.

EURALO's conference call agendas for December 2010 and were set-up to follow-up on the main items of discussion which had been suspended, namely:

It was decided that these issues will be given final approval by the EURALO Board at the General Assembly (GA) taking place in Belgrade, Serbia. It is worth noting that on the subject of individual membership in EURALO, Option B was favoured by call.

- Policy

EURALO's input was welcomed by the ALAC for its drafting of its statement on ICANN's Draft Strategic Plan. It re-iterated its support for:

  • a general assembly (GA) of all European ALSes to be funded and held in conjunction with a regional ICANN meeting
  • an At-Large Summit for all ALSes

- Cartagena Meeting

In December, the EURALO Chair and Secretary, as well as members of ALAC from the EURALO region attended the ICANN annual general meeting in Cartagena. It is both the Chair's and Secretary's view that this was possibly one of the most successful meetings we have had so far.

Sébastien Bachollet was selected as the Board Director for seat 15. Since he had been previously nominated to be an ALAC representative, by  the Nominating Committee, and in the view of not collecting several seats (maximising the participation by Europeans), he stood down from this post.

An alternative candidate, Jean-Jacques Subrenat, was presented by NomCom and he has accepted the position.

Finally, Olivier Crépin-Leblond, currently assuming EURALO's Secretariat, was selected at ALAC's new Chair for this year.

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