Bruce This is REALLY nice to see. May I blow the ccTLDs collective trumpet a bit? And suggest that the ccNSO was and remains ahead of the Board in this particular game and there double your bet! ;=) So maybe next opportunity you get, you could suggest that the Board might consider further enhancing ICANN accountability transparency in a manner similar to the Decision of ccNSO Council in April (reproduced below) in which we laid down that only specific and specified reasons for closed proceedings should apply, and only for the duration necessary. Just a thought . . . Nigel PS: This specificity-based approach with reasons required for /in camera/ meetings is modelled after a particular Private Member's Bill on openness and transparency in local government in the UK that was sponsored by Margaret Thatcher in the 1960s.

ccNSO Council Decision debated by Council on 14.4.2016 adopted by 29.4.2016

Transparency requires that, ICANN¹s constituent bodies operate in an open and transparent manner. This does not only imply that recordings, transcripts of meetings, if made, and notes and minutes are made publicly available after meetings, but also that face-to-face

meetings are open to observers, and will be listed as such.

However, some matters do justify confidentiality and excluding the public, such as (example list):

· Employment matters

· Discussion on persons

· Contractual matters

· Any proceedings of the Ombudsman

· Consideration of any legal advice that would involve a risk of waiver of privilege if the meeting were not closed

· Any item where there has been a request to deal with it in confidence and where that request is granted

Further, it is self-evident that for meetings of Council, WGs, Committees, only appointed members or others, listed as liaisons or other form of formal participant may actively contribute, but the presumption has to be, that all meetings, including Council prep, WG meetings, have to be open to observers i.e. to people who want to listen to and watch the proceedings of the meeting in real time, without participating.

Resolution

1. All face-to ­ face ccNSO, ccNSO Council or ccNSO chartered Working group meetings shall be open to observers, unless a majority of the voting members present at the meeting resolve to close the meeting due to the confidential nature of the topic being dealt with.

If so, that part of the meeting shall only be closed to observers for the duration of the deliberations of the confidential item.

2. The ccNSO Guideline Review Committee is requested to update the relevant Guidelines accordingly, and submit them to Council for adoption.

3. The chair of the Council is requested to inform the chairs of the ccNSO chartered WG’s of this Council decision.

Great news! This is good to know and thanks for sharing; It is an important step forward as ICANN move towards being independent. Regards Sent from my LG G4 Kindly excuse brevity and typos On 18 May 2016 13:38, "Bruce Tonkin" <Bruce.Tonkin@melbourneit.com.au> wrote:

Hello All,

See below.

Regards, Bruce Tonkin

From: https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2016-05-15-en

i. Enhancing Openness and Transparency – Board Deliberations

Whereas, the Board believes that providing increased access to Board deliberations is important, and that increased openness is an important means of working toward that goal.

Whereas, the ICANN Board discussed at its Amsterdam workshop how to improve its functioning and agreed that enhancing the visibility into the Board deliberations and decision-making processes was an important part of becoming more accountable and more transparent.

Whereas, the Board noted the call from the community for increased openness and transparency.

Whereas, the Board believes that a positive first step towards increased openness is publicly posting transcripts and/or recordings of its deliberative sessions to the extent that such information or dialogue is not subject to confidentiality restrictions or privilege.

Resolved (2016.05.15.13), the Board directs the President and CEO, or his designee(s), to work with the Board to develop a proposed plan for the publication of transcripts and/or recordings of Board deliberative sessions, with such plan to include an assessment of possible resources costs and fiscal impact, and draft processes to:

(i) ensure the accuracy of the transcript;

and

(ii) for redaction of portions of the transcript that should be maintained as confidential or privileged.

Resolved (2016.05.15.14), the Board expects to evaluate the plan in Helsinki, and if satisfactory to begin testing of the proposed processes relating to publication of transcripts and/or recordings of the Board's deliberative sessions as soon as practicable after Helsinki.

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