EURALO Board members (Period 2 years 09 Dec 2015- 09 Dec 2017)
MEMBERS
Olawale (‘Wale) Shakiru BAKARE - United Kingdom (replacing Jordi Iparraguirre)
EURALO Board Calls
Reference documents:
EURALO Articles of Association
Selection and performance criteria for EURALO Board members 2015
EURALO mailing list archives: http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/euro-board/
EURALO Election process Dec 2015
EURALO Board member (replacement) Election 2016-2017
EURALO Board member (replacement) Election 2016
Dear EURALO Board Members,
Greetings to everyone.
Having read the draft of the proposal in an email sent (2nd March 2017) by Jean-Jacques Subrenat. Undoubtedly, the proposal captures the areas cogent to the multi-stakeholderism of ICANN policy development process.
As I believed, there are central to the framework for the building of consensus-based model the EURALO members should channel more energy and efforts in that direction.
I would suggest that the recommendations be integrated into the EURALO’s yearly strategic plan. If not totally, but to an extent, would serve as a measurable tool for the yearly outreach and/or engagement activities of the EURALO across Europe.
I would like to get actively involved in the EURALO strategic plan, contribute my quota to see that the recommendations are well implemented.
Email sent Mon 1/18/2016 5:44 AM
Dear EURALO Board,
I wish you a very happy new year to all of you!
I reread the Wolf's document about the public interest. This vision is certainly common to the European multistakeholders.
As a Board member, I would like to explore this notion with the other members of EURALO. Below are some preliminary questions: - why the Internet (and especially domain name policies) is essentially seen by the politics as an economic tool and not a societal or cultural one? - can we share a compromise to consider some parts of the Internet as a common good? - how to improve the visibility of final users in the ICANN and how to have more weight on the policy making (related to accountability)?
Dear Olivier, all
I share your goals and look very much forward to our efforts to reach them in 2016. Wishing all of you a happy and successful New Year!
Yrjö
Email sent on Wed, 16 Dec 2015 20:09:37 +0200
Dear all,
Much along the same lines as Jordi, I would like to activate the hidden resources of the ALS's and get them involved in EURALO's policy/advice development work. Getting grassroots evidence from various parts of our continent would make our advice richer and more credible.
I would like to suggest that EURALO take an active role, showing an example to others, in continuing further the implementation of ATLAS II recommendation #28:
The ALAC should work with all RALOs and ALSes to map the current expertise and interests in their membership, to identify Subject Matter Experts and facilitate policy communication.
The implementation of #28 has started in various degrees at the RALO's, but so far mainly as a statistical exercise. What are needed are concrete data about what kind of specialized expertise is available from which ALS's, and names and contact details of people who are willing to give their input to the policy/advice development work. I suggest that EURALO takes it upon itself to devise a mechanism for getting this information, for its own benefit and as an example to others.
Best,
Yrjö
(please add goals here)
(please add goals here)
As 2015 is quickly arriving to a close, I wanted to briefly let you know of what my own goals are for EURALO in 2016:>
1. Outreach and in reach
We need to reach out and actively look for new potential At-Large Structures to join us, especially in countries which do not yet have a local At-Large Structure. This something which we should all be looking out for, in the contacts of the people that we know, in the conferences we all attend, at EuroDIG etc.
As for inreach, also known as "engagement", I am well aware that the majority of our ALSes are not particularly active in EURALO. Let's make this environment both more exciting, pertinent to our ALSes and valuable. I am saying "valuable" because I think we'll be fighting an already lost battle if our ALSes do not think there is any value in participating in EURALO and At-Large activities.
2. Skillsets
This ties in with what Yrjö was saying: we need to know our ALSes much more. Only if we know our ALSes better will we be able to specifically call upon specific ALSes when a particular topic of discussion or public comment request arrives on our table. So I support what Yrjö suggests that EURALO takes it upon itelf to devise a mechanism for getting this information.
3. Linking the ALAC to our ALSes
This really is a communications exercise. We have 3 ALAC members: Sébastien Bachollet, Sandra Höferichter, Jimmy Schultz
The RALO should be there as a full partner to our three ALAC members. They are not just individuals - they are an important channel to ICANN to voice our concerns. They are part of our community. I hope that we will be able to strengthen the link from the ALAC to the RALO.
These are just three personal goals. I know there are a lot more issues in EURALO, but I thought I'd start with the first three. I hope we'll be able to go further than these three goals and be able to pursue other goals that you are sharing with us.
Again, I am really excited to be able to work with you. I hope we will be able to be proactive throughout the year and bring that much needed energy to our EURALO members, to make EURALO inviting, exciting and effective.
Olivier
The Board is to review the EURALO main document, because this// //document today is far from the reality, from what we are doing. This is// //the main problem for the first period. Afterwards, we will try to write// //down what the EURALO Board is and what the tasks are that we’ll work// //during the next period of time, until the EURALO// //Board selection period. I suppose it’s necessary to do that. Thank you./
This builds on Mikhail's election manifesto:
In case I’m elected to the Board, I plan to initiate a process of updating the EURALO’s Articles of Association. I believe it should be revised./
Actual practices are far from the Articles of Association. Some examples. General Assembly elected a Chair of EURALO, but such role doesn’t mention in the Articles of Association. From the other side General Assembly were to elect Board and at the same time to appoint the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Board, but did not do it. By the way, not the whole Board must be elected, but only a half for 2 years. Another half must be elected next year.
Goals- Email sent by Mikhail Medrish on Thu 1/14/2016 5:14 AM
Dear Olivier, dear colleagues.
Sorry for a delay with response to Olivier’s question about my plans as a member of the Board. To formulate a substantial response I had to study some amount of documents and notes concerning the EURALO.
So, my considerations.
1. First of all, I believe that we are to have the only one plan of actions for a year period of time with tasks, dates and persons/responsibilities. It is absolutely what Jordi wrote "so we can set a plan and define owners, deliverables and datelines". I think to have the plan of actions or even the goals for two years period of time in current situation is unreasonable.
2. As for me I suggest for consideration some goals that follow from the EURALO’s purpose and scope mentioned in the MoU with ICANN:
· to minimize the potential negative consequences for end-users from IANA stewardship transition;
· to increase the attractiveness of EURALO for its members, potential ALS and individual users through increasing the level of transparency of the EURALO’s activities and decision making;
· to become more multilingual;
· to become more oriented to the human rights.
In my opinion, the main tasks for the first goal are the following:
I suggest adopting two new documents. One should contain the basic information about the organization, its goals and objectives, governing bodies with their rights and duties and basic procedures of election. The second document – Rules of Procedure – should describe EURALO’s procedures.
It should be noted that such document is specified by the current Bylaw (paragraph 9.1. Articles of Association) but is still missing. It’s obvious that mentioned documents should be written taking into account the changes in ICANN in connection with IANA stewardship transition.
As for the third goal I guess we are to use more than one English language on our site and in the documents. At least Bylaw and key documents and decisions should be published in several languages.
Within the framework of the fourth goal, we can delegate our representative to the working party on human rights in order at least to be in touch with the process.
Conclusion. The primary objective for the nearest future is to develop mentioned plan of actions. I believe this work should be headed by our Chair.
All the best. Mikhail Medrish.
P.S.
Some contradictions between bylaw and real lives of the EURALO.
A. Euro Individuals Association established in 2012 still not institutionalized in the EURALO Bylaw.
- The Statute of Euro Individuals Association says that «By the creation of its Association, individuals from all over Europe can gather and assume a voting right at EURALO’s annual General Assembly (GA), as stipulated in EURALO’s amended Bylaws from May 2011 in Belgrade.» Although the question of changing EURALO Bylaw was discussed in Belgrade no changes were made.
- The paragraph 3 of the Statutes Euro Individuals Association says that «Financial resources In order to fulfill its role in the frame of EURALO, the Euro Individuals Association can count on resources and capacities of EURALO such as its Secretariat and does not need own financial resources and administrative facilities.» There are no corresponding obligations in the EURALO’s Bylaw. This raises the problem of the resources’ use.
B. Governing bodies, EURALO officers and their functions do not correspond to the real life
- In reality the General Assembly of EURALO elects the Chairman of the EURALO. The Articles of Association does not provide for such position
- The Articles of Association says that in its Board has a Chairman and a Deputy Chairman. In reality there are no such officers and their functions are performed by the EURALO’s Chair and the Secretary. In particular, according to the Articles of Association the Chair of the Board is EURALO’s representative everywhere .
- The Statute does not provide for a Secretary as one of the EURALO officers.
- The Statute provides for a position of a Treasurer that was never elected in practice because of absence of necessity.
- The Statute provides for Advisory Council, which has never existed.
C. Procedures set forth in the Articles of Association do not always correspond to the practice (paragraphs 9.3, 9.7). There is still no Rules of Procedure which should be adopted by the Board (paragraph 9.1. of the Articles of Association).
D. The section 7 of the Articles of Association defines the possibility of periodical and extraordinary membership fees the amount of which determines the General Assembly. These regulaions are still not put into action. I know from my experience that even the existence of such possibilities in Bylaw can be a deterrent for potential ALSes on joining EURALO.
Dear all, as agreed during the last EURALO teleconference, please find below my main goal for this term as Board member. We have a running purpose and raison d'etre in participating in the development of policies for the DNS. This is already running. But this main objective is in danger if we are not able to increase participation and to incorporate new people in these activities. It's a mater of increasing diversity of viewpoints and be able to do more, taking into account that we are all volunteers and that we invest in EURALO/ICANN our free time after our standard working hours. So my main objective would be to help improve internal EURALO processes to increase participation, lower the entry barriers for new people to join and participate in WG, and speed up the learning curve. Your feedback and support will be really welcome thanks, jordi