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| No. | Recommendation | Recipient | Thematic Group Source | Assignees | Status |
| 6 | ICANN’s MSM should serve as the reference in encouraging all participants (individuals or parties) to declare and update existing or potential conflicts-of-interest, each time a vote takes place or consensus is sought. | ICANN Board; ICANN Staff; ICANN Community | TG1 |
| COMPLETED - Pending confirmation from the ALAC regarding the 'Next Step' |
Implementation Details
The At-Large Community has an established practice for members to declare and update existing or potential conflicts-of-interest via the online Statement of Interest (SOI) form. In particular, before and after an ALAC or RALO election or selection, relevant At-Large members are required to update their SOIs. ALAC members, ALAC liaisons, and RALO leaders are also requested to update their SOIs immediately following every Annual General Meeting.
In other ICANN groups, such practice also exists but varies somewhat, depending on their rules and work procedures. For example, in the GNSO, its working groups require every member to fill out a SOI as a prerequisite for membership; GNSO Council members must state changes to their SOIs, if any, at the beginning of every Council meeting.
However, there is limitation to expand or streamline such practice in all Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees due to their structural or operational differences. They need to develop their own workable, enforceable mechanism to ensure that members declare and update conflicts-of-interest regularly and on a timely manner.
Next Step
The At-Large Community will continue improving its mechanism for members to declare and update conflicts-of-interest. The ALAC will follow GNSO’s example and require ALAC members and liaisons to state changes to their SOIs, if any, at the beginning of every ALAC monthly teleconference.
Actions:
- : Assignees to modify the wording of this recommendation
- : Ariel Liang to email this recommendation to the IANA-issues mailing list to encourage members to propose modified wording.
Notes:
- :
- It seems to be a standard practice as it is reflected in the way that working groups and the Board conduct their work.
- It is uncertain whether all participants explicitly declare and update existing or potential conflicts-of-interests. This request doesn't seem to be included in the CCWG-Accountability Report.
- :
- The wording of this recommendation seems to be a bit over-reaching. We may not want to have all members to declare conflicts of interests during every single vote. We, however, expect members to update their conflicts of interests regularly.
- Re conflicts of interests updates, it seems that every community group has some type of rules (e.g. SOIs in GNSO, ALAC) that are appropriate to what they are doing.
- Conflict of interests issues will be dealt with by CCWG-Accountability WS2?
- :
- Members' conflicts of interests should be updated if their status change (with regard to their work and other potential areas of conflict of interests).
- :
At-Large Community has already established the practice of updating SOIs before elections and selections
Some ICANN community groups require members to update their SOIs whenever a meeting takes place (more than requested in the recommendation) (e.g. every GNSO council member states changes to their SOIs, if any, at the beginning of every Council meeting); however, there is limitation to expand this practice in every stakeholder group (e.g. ccNSO);
ALAC to follow GNSO’s example to require members to update their SOIs and state changes, if any, before every ALAC meeting as a standing agenda item
1 Comment
Carlton Samuels
The most practical approach is that suggested today; members conflict of interests should be updated if their status has changed. Why the change of label from SOI?
-Carlton