[AfrICANN-discuss] Community Comment Invited on Petition To Form A New IDNgTLD Constituency

[Anne-Rachel Inné]

 News Alert

http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-21apr09-en.htm
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 Community Comment Invited on Petition To Form A New IDNgTLD Constituency

21 April 2009

The ongoing GNSO Improvements process has created significant community
interest in the formation of new GNSO constituencies and several groups have
stepped forward to begin the process of forming a new GNSO constituency. The
ICANN Board has now received a third formal petition - from the prospective
IDNgTLD Constituency. All members of the ICANN community and the public are
now invited to review the petition and charter of the Consumers Constituency
and share comments with the Board through 20 May 2009.

*Background and Explanation: *

In June 2008, the Board of Directors endorsed a series of recommendations on
how to improve the GNSO’s structures and operations. One of the significant
drivers of those recommendations was an interest in maximizing participation
in the GNSO and its policy development processes. Among the various
recommendations endorsed by the Board was that ICANN take steps to clarify
and promote the option to self-form new constituencies.

The current ICANN Bylaws provide that any group of individuals or entities
may petition the Board for recognition as a new or separate constituency, in
accordance with Section 5(4) of Article X. Such a petition must explain (1)
why “the addition of such a Constituency will improve the ability of the
GNSO to carry out its policy-development responsibilities” and (2) why “the
proposed new Constituency would adequately represent, on a global basis, the
stakeholders it seeks to represent.” Despite those Bylaw provisions, it has
been many years since the organization has had formal requests for a new
constituency. Since the Board action last June, however, the ICANN Staff has
received inquiries from several interested parties about how to form a new
GNSO constituency and th e first took place only a little over five weeks
ago when the proposed new CyberSafety Constituency submitted its formal
petition and Charter documents. The proposed Consumers Constituency subs!
equently submitted its formal petition and charter on 10 April 2009.

The ICANN bylaws do not provide specific procedural guidance for how
interested parties should submit the petitions contemplated in Article X.
Mindful that explicit steps, formats, and/or processes for expansion would
take some time for the community to develop in the implementation of the
improvements recommendations, the Board directed ICANN Staff to provide the
community with some initial guidance, a structure and a specific procedural
path for potential new constituencies to follow. At its 1 October meeting,
the Board acknowledged Staff's development of a "Notice of Intent" document
for potential new constituencies and directed Staff to develop a formal
petition and charter template to assist new constituency applicants in
satisfying the formative criteria (consistent with the ICANN Bylaws) to
facilitate the Board's evaluation of petitions to form new constituencies.

The process subsequently developed by the Staff required interested groups
to first submit a Notice of Intent to Form a New Constituency (NOIF). The
proponent of the IDNgTLD Constituency completed that first step on 10 April
2009. The second step of the process is development of a New Constituency
Petition and Charter. The proponent of the IDNgTLD Constituency completed
that effort on 18 April 2009.

*Relevant Board Resolution, Bylaws and Constituency Submissions: *

   - Minutes of 1 October 2008 ICANN Board Meeting:
   http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/minutes-01oct08.htm


   - ICANN Bylaws Article X, Section 5, Subsection 4:
http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm
   - X-5.1 <http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm#X-5.1>


   - Copies of the IDNgTLD Constituency Petition Documents:
   http://gnso.icann.org/en/improvements/newco-process-en.htm and/or
in the Public
   Comment Forum<http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200905.html#idngtld>of
this proceeding

*The Process From Here**: *

At the end of this Public Comment Forum period, the ICANN Staff will provide
a summary/analysis of the comments submitted regarding the IDNgTLD
Constituency petition and charter. That summary/analysis will be shared with
the community and the Board. The Board will ultimately make the decision on
whether to authorize the new constituency.

It should be noted that the GNSO Improvements Report approved by the Board
in June 2008 has additional guidelines and recommendations for the ongoing
practices and processes of GNSO constituencies. It is expected that this
work will be ongoing as part of the GNSO Improvements implementation
efforts.

*Deadline and How to Submit Comments: *

The Staff is opening a 30-day public consultation forum, from 21 April 2009
through 20 May 2009, and invites community comments on this matter.

The formal Public Comment Forum Box is located here:
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200905.html#idngtld

To submit comments: idngtld-petition at icann.org

To view comments (including the various constituency submissions):
http://forum.icann.org/lists/idngtld-petition

*Staff Responsible**:* Robert Hoggarth
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