Dear Community Members: Many of you have expressed an interest in being involved in the At-Large New gTLD working group as it focuses on the work of the Implementation Recommendation Team ("IRT") which is to draft a report for the Board by 24th April. WHAT IS THE IRT? As provided by the Board resolution of 6 March 2009: ³... based on the public comment submissions received regarding the New gTLD Draft Applicant Guidebook, ICANN Staff has determined that the implementation issues involving trademark protection need additional community input and analysis. These issues exist today within the existing gTLDs. Whereas, members of the community with knowledge and expertise in this area have proposed a way to synthesize the comments received in this area, and, with input from the broader community, including WIPO, propose solutions to the Staff on these issues in a timely manner. Whereas, the board recognizes that resolution of these issues would be beneficial to the introduction of new gTLDs, it is Therefore resolved (2009.03.06.06), that the Board requests the GNSO's Intellectual Property Constituency in consultation with staff to convene an Implementation Recommendation Team comprised of an internationally diverse group of persons with knowledge, expertise, and experience in the fields of trademark, consumer protection, or competition law, and the interplay of trademarks and the domain name system to develop and propose solutions to the overarching issue of trademark protection in connection with the introduction of new gTLDs. ³ Further information (English only) may be found at: http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-6-06mar09-en.htm. Anyone who wishes to participate in the At-Large new gTLD Working Group on the IRT Process is welcome to do so - please subscribe to the New GTLD Mailing list at this link: http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/mailman/listinfo/gtld-wg_atlarge-lists.icann. org. NOTE: If you have previously sent an email to the staff, or in community mailing lists, you should still join the mailing list directly as all At-Large lists are self-service, you have not been subscribed by a third-party. A microsite for the At-Large working group on the IRT is being established at https://st.icann.org/gnso-liaison/index.cgi?at_large_irt_process_working_gro up. Check back often as content will be added often. The IRT process itself is likely to be conducted in english-only. The At-Large community members participating in discussing the work of the IRT can be supported in English and Spanish, with respect to telephonic meeting interpretation, and to the extent possible document translation, so don't let language stand in your way of participating in this key policy development process. The Staff do not guarantee that all documents will be translated. For those of you who have asked how to directly participate in the work of the IRT, please note that the list of participants is now closed. There are volunteers from At-Large who responded before the deadline; the At-Large working group on the IRT will be closely connected to those individuals and they will be helping to ensure that At-Large¹s views are represented in the IRT¹s work. -- Regards, Nick Ashton-Hart, Matthias Langenegger, Heidi Ullrich, Marie-Hélène Bouchoms ICANN At-Large Staff email: staff@atlarge.icann.org