Procedure for the ALAC to submit public comments on and file objections to new gTLD applications 

Update January 8 2013 - How the ALAC files an objection to a New gTLD Application 

 

 

A PDF of the Procedure for the ALAC to submit public comments on, and file objections to new gTLD applications is available, with various flowcharts to explain the process that was approved by the ALAC at the ICANN Costa Rica meeting.

When ICANN posts all gTLD strings that have been applied for and who applied for each string at http://gtldresult.icann.org/ , this will mark the beginning of two key activities:

  • Application Comment Process. Anyone interested may submit comments to express any points to be considered by the independent evaluation panels (String Similarity, DNS Stability, Geographic Names, Technical & Operational Capability, Financial Capability, Registry Services, Community Priority) while evaluating any of the new gTLD applications. The Application Comment Period (ACP) is approximately 8 14 weeks and ends August 12 September 26 2012.
  • Objection Period. Anyone with grounds to do so may submit a formal objection to any of the new gTLD applications. There's approximately a 7-month window to file a formal objection to any of the applications received. The ALAC has standing to object to a gTLD application on "Limited Public Interest Objection" grounds and "community" grounds. 

It is envisioned that At Large/ALAC could submit comments on a gTLD application for an evaluation panel’s consideration (String Similarity, DNS Stability, Geographic Names, Technical & Operational Capability, Financial Capability, Registry Services, Community Priority) or comments on objection grounds during the ACP.

Comments on objection grounds submitted during the ACP can be acted upon by the Independent Objector as mentioned under Section 3.2.5 on page 156 of the Applicant Guidebook (AGB). Also, comments may be submitted on any application for viewing by dispute resolution service providers on the basis of one of the four objection grounds (string confusion, legal rights, limited public interest, community). 

For the Application Comment Period (ACP), comments are received by At-Large, then the new gTLD RG decides whether a formal comment should be drafted for possible ALAC’s approval to submit the comment as policy advice from the ALAC.

Persons are assigned to prepare a 1st draft comment, receives comments from At-Large and then publishes a final comment.

ALAC then votes on each comment and for those comments approved by ALAC are submitted to ICANN as formal comments from ALAC.

RALOs and ALSes are able to submit comments on applied for gTLD strings directly for those statements or comments not considered by ALAC.

For the remainder of the Objection Period after the ACP (5 months), comments on objection grounds are received by At-Large, then the new gTLD RG reviews those comments for each gTLD application and decides whether to draft a formal objection statement to gTLD application for RALO’s approval to give advice to ALAC. An ad hoc WG is assigned to draft a formal objection statement to a gTLD application, publishes a first draft, receives comments/suggestions from AtLarge, and then the ad hoc WG submits a final objection statement in a format ready to submit to a Dispute Resolution Service Provider.

Each of the RALOs then votes on all objection statements to gTLD applications. If 3 or more RALOs approve an objection statement, the ALAC then votes on whether to accept the advice by the 3 or more RALOs.

If the ALAC vote is yes to accept the regions' advice, then ICANN is notified on ALAC’s intention to file the objection and ALAC, in coordination with ICANN to pay the objection fees files the objection to the appropriate Dispute Resolution Service Provider.

 

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