[At-Large] Red Cross and IOC Protection under the new gTLD process
Alan Greenberg
alan.greenberg at mcgill.ca
Fri Feb 24 21:51:14 UTC 2012
During the discussions between the Board and the GAC preceding the
launch of the new gTLD program, the GAC requested special protection
of Red Cross/Red Crescent (RC/RC) and International Olympic Committee
(IOC) names, due to the special protection given to these names by a
variety of unique international agreements and treaties.
The Board responded by reserving a specific list of names from being
used during the first round of the new gTLD program, and remanded the
issue to the GNSO for further deliberations. Such deliberations were
to address both use of RC/RC and IOC names both at the top and second
level for new gTLDs.
The Board action was implemented by means of provisions in the
current Applicant Guidebook, Section 2.2.1.2.3 Page 2-10 to 2-11
<http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/agb/guidebook-full-11jan12-en.pdf>.
To enable the GNSO to properly consider the GAC request, additional
information was requested of the GAC. This additional detail
<https://gacweb.icann.org/download/attachments/1540128/GAC+advice+on+IOC+and+Red+Cross+Sep.+2011.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1317031625914>
was provided in September.
A GNSO Drafting Team was created with the intent of providing
guidance to the GNSO. Details of the groups deliberations (including
transcripts) can be found in the GNSO Calendar
<http://gnso.icann.org/calendar/>, with meetings generally held on
Wednesdays, and in the groups mailing list
<http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-iocrc-dt/> (which has seen much traffic).
If the GNSO were to take no action at this point, the exemptions
already in the Applicant Guidebook will stand.
I have made it clear that to the extent that there have been comments
on the issue within At-Large and ALAC, the tone has been that special
exemptions for these bodies should not be granted. That view is
shared by some other participants in the DT. However, it was also
generally accepted that an exemption has already been granted and
there is little opportunity for the GNSO to change the basic concept.
My personal position has been that although these special exemptions
are not what I would have preferred, it is clear that the Board has
already agreed to the basic concept, and the DT's major
responsibility is to ensure that the exemptions can be implemented in
as rational and effective means as possible, minimizing the need for
extraordinary action later in the process and definitely minimizing
the impact on other gTLD applicants.
The DT decided that the first priority was to provide clarification
on how top-level domains should be treated, as it was viewed as
important that any changes be finalized prior to the end of the gTLD
application period. Following extensive discussion, the group has
drafted a recommendation on how Section 2.2.1.2.3 should be revised
<https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/Draft+RCRC-IOC+Recomendation+-+24+Feb+2012>.
This recommendation, or what results from discussions over the next
week, will be discussed with interested members of the GAC on a
teleconference on March 2.
The intent is that whatever comes out of the next week of discussions
go to the GNSO in Costa Rica, for potential adoption in its meeting
on Wednesday, allowing the Board to consider adoption on Friday. The
DT will likely also suggest that if any applications already
submitted are disqualified due to these changes, that the entire
application fee be refunded.
The above discussion can be found at https://community.icann.org/x/FZ7bAQ.
The Recommendation can be found at
https://community.icann.org/x/GJ7bAQ. Please add any comments to the
recommendation page. Due to the tight timing, the earlier that
comments are made, the more likely they are to be considered.
Alan
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