[AfrICANN-discuss] New gTLD Draft Applicant Guidebook, Version 4 Available for Public Comment

[Anne-Rachel Inné]

New gTLD Draft Applicant Guidebook, Version 4 Available for Public Comment

31 May 2010



*Quick Links*

   - Review & provide feedback to Applicant
Guidebook<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/comments-4-en.htm>
   - Read Explanatory Memoranda & Related
Reports<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/explanatory-memoranda-4-en.htm>
   - Read Comments Summaries &
Analyses<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/summaries-4-en.htm>

 A fourth draft of the Applicant Guidebook that describes the process of
applying for new generic top-level domains was released today along with
explanatory memoranda and detailed analysis of comments received. The
program continues to improve and moves toward completion thanks to the
outstanding collaboration from the ICANN Community working groups whose
expertise helped to address and bring toward closure several challenging
issues.

Also posted are the summaries and analysis of the public comment
period<http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtlds/summaries-4-en.htm>on
topics such as: trademark & community protections, potential for
malicious conduct, IDN issues and registry operations & agreement.

* Public Participation *

The evolving product is the successful result of countless hours of
proactive participation and thoughtful feedback not only from the general
public, but particularly from the ICANN stakeholder community members. A
special thanks to the following groups for responding to the challenge of
working on difficult issues in a brief period of time:

   - * IRT* (Implementation Recommendations Team) – trademark protections
   - * STI* (Special Trademark Issues group) – Uniform Rapid Suspension and
   Trademark Clearinghouse
   - * ZFA* (Zone File Access group) -- standardized zone file access model
   - * HSTLD* (High Security Top-Level Domains) – special designation for
   high security TLDs
   - * TDG* (Temporary Drafting Group) registry agreement and
   post-delegation dispute resolution procedures
   - * VI-WG* (Vertical Integration Working Group) – Registry/Registrar
   separation

* What’s new in Draft Applicant Guidebook** Version 4*?

The new version has important new content, for example:

   - Incorporation of trademark protections, including improvements to the
   Uniform Rapid Suspension (URS), the Trademark Clearinghouse (TM
   Clearinghouse), and the Post-Delegation Dispute Resolution Proposal (PDDRP);
   - Changes to rules for geographic TLDs, including a prohibition on
   country names as gTLDs;
   - A new gTLD Registry transition process model, including provisions for
   emergency transition in the case of prolonged Registry technical outages;
   - A model for providing centralized zone file access (ZFA) to aid in
   combating malicious conduct;
   - A revised base Registry agreement, the contract future registries must
   sign with ICANN, including new features such as:
   - Registry-Registrar cross-ownership language -- proposed position
      pending the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO)
policy-development
      work;
      - Emergency Registry transition provision -- to be used for protection
      of registrants in the event of prolonged Registry technical outage;
      - Special new agreement provisions for governmental and
      inter-governmental organization (IGO) applicants -- based on negotiations
      with Universal Postal Union (UPU) for .post (subject to modification for
      different circumstances of other similar organizations);
      - New "hybrid" process for future amendments -- based on consultations
      with Registries and others;
      - New provisions for centralized registry zone file access (ZFA).

 Among the accompanying materials, also open for comments are:

   - Proposed New gTLD Program
Budget<http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-201007-en.htm#draft-new-gtld-budget>
   - Market/Economic Study: an initial analysis of the costs and benefits of
   the introduction of new gTLDs – *to be released shortly*

*Upcoming Program Events*

During the June ICANN Meeting in Brussels
<http://brussels38.icann.org/>there will be several program sessions,
including:

   - General New gTLD Program update, including highlights of the Draft
   Applicant Guidebook, version 4.
   - Reducing Barriers to gTLD Creation for Developing Regions
   - Brand Management in the Age of New gTLDs - Trademark Protection
   mechanisms discussed.

 For final schedule and remote participation access information see:
http://brussels38.icann.org/.

* Resources:*

   - New gTLD Program: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm
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