[ALAC-Announce] Public Comment:Proposed Renewal of .ORG gTLD Registry Agreement

[At-Large Staff]

http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/org-renewal-21jun13-en.htm
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/org-renewal-21jun13-en.htm>
Proposed Renewal of .ORG gTLD Registry Agreement
Comment / Reply Periods (*)
Comment Open Date: 21 June 2013
Comment Close Date: 21 July 2013 - 23:59 UTC
Reply Open Date: 22 July 2013
Reply Close Date: 12 August 2013 - 23:59 UTC
Important Information Links
Public Comment Announcement
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-2-21jun13-en.htm>
To Submit Your Comments (Forum)
<mailto:comments-org-renewal-21jun13 at icann.org>
View Comments Submitted
<http://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-org-renewal-21jun13/>
Brief Overview
Originating Organization:
ICANN
Categories/Tags: 
* Contracted Party Agreements
Purpose (Brief): 
ICANN is posting today for public comment the proposed renewal of the 2008
.ORG Registry Agreement. The proposal is a result of discussions between
ICANN and Public Interest Registry, and will be considered by ICANN after
public comment.

Current Status: 
Per recent amendment #5, the current agreement will expire on 31 August
2013.

Next Steps: 
After review of the public comments received, ICANN will consider the
proposed .ORG Registry Agreement for renewal.

Staff Contact: 
Karla Valente
Email Staff Contact
<mailto:karla.valente at icann.org?subject=More%20information%20on%20the%20Prop
osed%20Renewal%20of%20.ORG%20gTLD%20Registry%20Agreement%20public%20comment%
20period> 
Detailed Information
Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose:
ICANN is posting today for public comment the proposed renewal of the 2008
.ORG Registry Agreement. The proposal is a result of discussions between
ICANN and Public Interest Registry, and will be considered by ICANN after
public comment. Per recent amendment #5, the current agreement will expire
on 31 August 2013.

The current registry agreement for .ORG provides for presumptive renewal so
long as certain requirements are met. The agreement also provides that upon
renewal, changes may be made to render the terms similar to other comparable
agreements. The proposed renewal agreement includes modified provisions to
make the agreement in line with other comparable agreements, as well as
additional provisions that are currently proposed in the final draft of the
New gTLD Registry Agreement posted for public comment
<http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/base-agreement-29apr13-en.htm>
.

Included in the proposed renewal agreement are the following provisions:
* Threats to Security and Stability: A new provision has been added to allow
the registry operator to temporarily prevent the registration of one or more
names in the TLD in order to respond to an imminent threat to the security
and/or stability of the TLD or the Internet.
* Use of Registrars Accredited Under the 2013 RAA: A new provision is
included to require the registry operator to amend its Registry-Registry
Agreement to require registrars to use the 2013 RAA if registrars
representing 67% of the registrations in the TLD sign the 2013 RAA. If the
remaining registrars do not sign the amended Registry-Registrar Agreement
requiring registrars to become a party to the final 2013 RAA within a
certain time period, then the registrars' access to the TLD registry system
will be suspended (that is, those registrars will not be permitted to add
new registrations). This requirement is dependent upon the registry
operators of identified comparable gTLDs also submitting similar requests to
amend their Registry-Registrar Agreements.
* Emergency Transition provisions: A new provision proposed in the New gTLD
Registry Agreement is included in the renewal agreement to provide for
emergency transition in the event the registry is unable to sustain certain
critical registry functions for a period of time.
* Code of Conduct: The registry operator will be required to comply with the
Registry Code of Conduct as proposed in the New gTLD Registry Agreement.
* Resolution of Disputes: The dispute resolution procedures were updated
similar to the New gTLD Registry Agreement to require the parties to attempt
to resolve the dispute through mediation before they may initiate
arbitration.
* WHOIS: The WHOIS output is required to be compatible with ICANN's common
interface for WHOIS (InterNIC), and if requested by ICANN, the registry
operator must provide a link on its website to a webpage designed by ICANN
containing WHOIS policy and education materials.
* Cross-ownership Restrictions: The renewal agreement lifts restrictions on
cross-ownership of registry operators and registrars or registrar resellers.
Posted for public comment are both clean and "redline" versions of the
agreement and modified appendices as follows:
* Proposed Renewal Registry Agreement
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org/draft-org-agreement
-21jun13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 396 KB]
* Redline showing changes from current .ORG Registry Agreement
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org/draft-org-agreement
-redline-21jun13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 444 KB]
* Proposed Renewal Agreement Appendices
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org/draft-org-appendice
s-21jun13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 1.09 MB]
* Redline showing changes from current .ORG Appendices
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org/draft-org-appendice
s-redline-21jun13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 1.18 MB]
* Summary of Changes
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org/draft-org-renewal-s
ummary-changes-21jun13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 421 KB]
Contractual Compliance Review: As part of the renewal process, ICANN
conducted a review of recent .ORG Registry Agreement performance. The
compliance review covered areas including: Timeliness and Content of Monthly
Reports; Add Grace Period Limits Policy; Bulk Zone File Requirements; and
Payment of Required Fees.

The Public Interest Registry was found to be in substantial compliance with
their contractual requirements. The assessments can be found at:
http://www.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/reports/operator-pir-org-03jun1
3-en.pdf 
<http://www.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/reports/operator-pir-org-03jun
13-en.pdf>  [PDF, 267 KB]

Section II: Background:
ICANN and Public Interest Registry entered into Registry Agreements on 8
December 2008 for the operation of the .ORG top level domain. The current
.ORG agreement may be viewed at:
http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org>

Section III: Document and Resource Links:
Current .ORG Registry Agreement and Appendices
<http://www.icann.org/en/about/agreements/registries/org>

Section IV: Additional Information:
None


(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed
to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or
decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.

------------------

Heidi Ullrich, Silvia Vivanco, Matt Ashtiani, Gisella Gruber, Nathalie
Peregrine and Julia Charvolen
ICANN Policy Staff in support of ALAC
E-mail: staff at atlarge.icann.org


One World, One Internet


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