[NA-Discuss] FW: The European Commission Papers on ICANN

[Evan Leibovitch]

On 8 September 2011 09:09, John R. Levine <johnl at iecc.com> wrote:


> > You'll notice the ALAC recently released a joint statement with the GAC.
>
> Yup, the GAC has actual influence.  To the extent we can nudge them, that
> would be useful.
>

There is a good mesh here.

The GAC has a big stick but is slow to move and generally doesn't follow the
daily ebb and flow. The ALAC (and At-Large) has a feather but is nimble and
aware of the issues.

The recent joint statement was about a very specific point -- reducing new
TLD fees for in poorer countries. This point is being made emphatically and
directly by the GAC and ALAC, and indirectly by the GNSO (which is one of
the chartering bodies of the "JAS" working group studying the issue).

I am told there is significant resistance at the Board level to this
recommendation. If the Board rejects this, it will speak volumes to the
world about the true value of the bottom up process.



> > I remain convinced that we have more resources than any other
> > constituency in ICANN due to our extraordinary membership. We are the
> > world.
>
> Not to be unduly crass, but we have no budget.  In all the consituencies
> that matter, people get paid to lobby ICANN.
>


True. Keeping the motivation of volunteers without financial incentive is
probably At-Large's biggest challenge. And the money ICANN spends on
At-Large is barely enough to keep the handful who get past that challenge to
be sufficiently engaged (let alone draw others in). But I do agree with
Olivier that what remains is indeed extraordinary, and has certainly given
ICANN something that can well advance the end-user point of view.

Whether ICANN recognizes that resource for more than promotional value is
yet to be seen. The Board vote on the JAS issue will be very telling. And
this time, governments are watching too.

- Evan