Dear All, I hope this message finds you well. Attached is my report on the ICANN82 Meeting in Seattle. To make it easier to follow, I have divided the report into three sections: 1. Highlights from Council Meeting #215 in Seattle. 2. Updates on Working Groups and Committees. 3. ICANN82 Sessions. *AGENDA <https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/atlarge/pages/99711461/ALA...> Council meeting #215 – March 13th., 2025 * *BACKGROUND AND DOCUMENTS <https://ccnso.icann.org/en/about/statements.htm>* Council workspace for this meeting: https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/-4slBg ccNSO correspondence: statements and responses: https://ccnso.icann.org/en/about/statements.htm *1.- HIGHLIGHTS FROM COUNCIL MEETING #215 IN SEATTLE* *Some News in the Council about Councilors:* Alejandra Reynoso was reelected as a Chair, starting her term at the end of ICANN82 and until ICANN85. Biyi Oladipo (.ng) and Jordan Carter (.au) were re elected as Vice Chairs, starting at the end of ICANN82 and until ICANN85. Byron Holland (.ca) started his position #12 at the Board, replacing Katrina Sataki who resigned. Everton Rodrigues (.br) started as a new Councilor, elected for LAC Region. *Election Process for European Region Vacancy – Meeting Report Summary* The ccNSO Council approved an extraordinary election process to fill the European Region vacancy after Nicklas Pousette declined his term. The timeline includes nominations (26 March – 22 April 2025) and elections if needed (30 April – 21 May 2025), with results announced on 23 May 2025. Joke Braeken was appointed Election Process Manager, and the decision took effect upon publication. *Some Decisions made during the Council Meeting #215 in Seattle* *Council 360 Review* Suggestion: Extend deadline Background: The ccNSO Council 360 feedback process requires at least 10 CouncilLors to respond within a two-week period. In the first 2025 review (11 Feb – 3 Mar 2025), only 6 Councillors responded, failing to meet quorum. Decision: The ccNSO Council has extended the 360 review process until 21 March 2025. Results will be shared with individual Councillors starting 25 March 2025. *Blueprint Review Process – ccNSO Working Groups and Committees* Decision Summary: Following the successful review of the DNS Abuse Standing Committee (DASC) in January 2025, the ccNSO Council approved a standardized review method for other committees and working groups. The Council adopted the review blueprint and requested the ccNSO Chair and Secretariat to develop a review schedule in consultation with the committees, considering workload and necessity. The timeline is expected by Meeting 216 to ensure the launch of a review before ICANN83 in Prague. The resolution will take effect seven days after publication, and the Chair will inform the relevant working groups accordingly. *Update on Pilot Holistic Review (PHR) and ATRT4 Next Steps* An update was provided on the Board’s discussions regarding the Pilot Holistic Review (PHR) and its future direction. The Board has engaged with the PHR co-chairs, SO/AC chairs, and the broader community to determine whether the premises of the review are acceptable. The continuation of the PHR remains subject to both community and Board approval. Concerns were raised about the review process, questioning its necessity and suggesting a return to the drawing board. While there was some opposition, At-Large members largely supported continuing the work. It was suggested that the group should first communicate with the Board before making decisions. The importance of clarity on the Board’s intent regarding ATRT4 and other reviews was emphasized. A note to the Board will be drafted to inquire about their plans. There were discussions about systemic issues within ICANN’s review processes, with a proposal to pause all reviews, including PHR, and consider appointing a design team to improve the overall review system. A drafting team was formed to prepare a communication to the Board. Caution was advised against halting all bylaw reviews, emphasizing the need for a balanced approach. *2.- SOME UPDATES ON THE WORKING GROUPS AND COMMITTEES* *IGLC <https://ccnso.icann.org/en/workinggroups/iglc.htm> – Internet Governance Liaison Committee* The group adopted the New Action Plan <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DGqqze3TWT0oLZv--gkRMBIAPZtysZ7oaJ0pP3PP...> during ICANN82 Meeting, which includes the update of the heatmap <https://drive.google.com/file/d/16p_pqHKkeFjWfXBAdOYDMW4i4-9kALso/view> (is a brainstorming of ideas on the hot Internet Governance topics in the different regions) and the napkin pitch exercise, which requests the views of the IGLC members on a topic identified on the heatmap. - The IGLC will monitor key policy trends and regulatory developments that relate to ccTLDs. - When needed the IGLC will inform and share information to the broader ccTLD community to assist community members to assess trends and developments by: Providing written reports for inclusion in the ccNSO newsletter Hosting sessions at ICANN public meetings Arranging intersessional webinars and roundtable discussions Coordinating with other (ccNSO) working groups and committees to discuss and present views on a central topic from different perspectives The New Action Plan also included an impact-effort analysis which concluded the need to prioritize the following topics: 1. The Future of Internet Governance 2. Resilience 3. Artificial Intelligence The IGLC recognizes *Resilience* as a multifaceted topic involving various ccNSO groups. To prevent overlap, it suggests coordinating with other ccNSO working groups to present diverse perspectives, potentially leading to a shared approach for similar topics. Regarding *Artificial Intelligence,* the IGLC will monitor key policy trends and regulations, informing the ccTLD community via the ccNSO Newsletter when relevant. The IGLC is planning for ICANN83 a session on the *Future of Internet Governance.* *PGA WG <https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/ccnsowkspc/pages/108415223...> – Policy Gap Analysis Working Group* The group ended its first part in January and created an overview document with policies and guidance related to ccTLDs. <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Jp2WLD6ZfF1nVY3p0xSNkCeo1E4fKIdL/edit> 2 recommendations came out after discussion in the working group. Recommendation is for two ccNSO Study Groups, to look in depth at: 1. IANA Public Records for ccTLDs - what is the purpose, data accuracy and maintenance. 2. IANA role (if any) in disaster recovery for ccTLDs. The ccNSO Council will decide on the next steps in the next few months. Session during ICANN82: https://icann82.sched.com/event/1vpcS *DASC <https://ccnso.icann.org/en/workinggroups/dasc.htm> – DNS Abuse Standing Committee* The session focused on the accuracy of domain name registration data and its role in mitigating DNS abuse. The discussion covered proactive and reactive monitoring strategies designed to improve data accuracy. Early findings suggest a correlation between unverified registration details and potentially harmful domain activity. It was also highlighted that registrant verification can support law enforcement investigations and help ensure that domain owners retain control over their domains. However, verification alone is not considered a complete solution for preventing abuse. Measures implemented by a ccTLD registry to enhance data accuracy were discussed, including incentives for registrars that adopt electronic identification (eID) verification and the launch of a new system in May 2025 to flag domains with inaccurate registration details and set deadlines for correction. The session concluded with a vote to gather participants' perspectives on the effectiveness of accurate registration data in combating online abuse. The group agreed to broaden its scope of discussion to encompass a wider range of topics, including spam, phishing, malware, and other related issues. Additionally, they considered renaming the group to avoid limiting its focus solely to DNS abuse. Session during ICANN82 in Seattle: https://icann82.sched.com/event/1vpcW *TLD-OPS <https://ccnso.icann.org/en/workinggroups/tld-ops-standing.htm> Standing Committee* The purpose of the Standing Committee is to govern the daily operation of the TLD-OPS email list; and, when deemed necessary, to develop and implement progress plans for future improvements and developments of the TLD-OPS email list, including its ecosystem. A new workshop will be held during ICANN84 on concrete demonstration on security software for registries. <https://ccnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/field-attached/tld-monitoring-to...> *3.- SESSIONS DURING ICANN82 – SEATTLE* *ccTLDs NEWS SESSION* The ccTLD News Sessions have been an integral part of the ccNSO Members Meetings for several years, serving as a global forum where both seasoned professionals and newcomers can exchange insights and discuss key issues related to country-code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs). At ICANN82, the session covered several significant topics, including: - *Proactive Measures Against Domain Abuse in .us* – Crystal Peterson (.us) introduced the Registry Threat Mitigation Service (RTMS), a centralized platform aimed at enhancing domain security by facilitating the detection, blocking, investigation, and reporting of domain abuse threats. - *Research on Next-Generation DNS by APTLD* – Sameer Gahlot (.in) presented findings from two case studies conducted by APTLD. The research explored how registries can integrate emerging technologies to improve security, privacy, and efficiency within the DNS ecosystem, highlighting the necessity of adapting to global technological advancements. - *Updates on the Ukrainian ccTLD* – Dmytro Kohmanyuk (.ua) provided an overview of recent developments in Ukraine's ccTLD, addressing challenges and progress in the context of the ongoing geopolitical situation. - *Lusophone Community Initiatives* – Marta Moreira Dias (.pt) shared insights into projects and initiatives aimed at fostering collaboration and development within the Lusophone ccTLD community. These discussions underscored the evolving landscape of ccTLD management and the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing both technical and strategic challenges. Session during ICANN82: https://icann82.sched.com/event/1vpcH *ccNSO with GAC SESSION* The session was divided into two parts. The first item focused on identifying policy and procedural gaps in IANA's policies related to country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs), conducted in a plenary format. The second item was an interactive engagement session where participants were split into breakout groups to discuss various ccTLD models. This networking session offered an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and idea exchange. The session was both interesting and productive, fostering deeper insights into the challenges and opportunities facing ccTLDs. More information and presentations: https://gac.icann.org/sessions/icann82-session-20-gac-meeting-with-the-ccnso *SIDS - Small Island Developing States within the ICANN Ecosystem* ICANN82 hosted the first official session on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) following informal discussions at previous meetings. The open mic session covered ICANN initiatives for SIDS, improvements in training and engagement, and regional collaboration. Key highlights included ICANN’s capacity-building efforts in Oceania and the LAC Regions. The importance of technical training, collaboration with the SIDS technical community, and anycast deployment for reliable root service was emphasized. Participants proposed enhancing regional cooperation, conducting assessments for tailored training, and addressing financial constraints. LACTLD presented two Caribbean ccTLD initiatives: the Unified Domain Search Engine and LACTLD's Anycast Cloud, used by six regional ccTLDs. The session concluded with a brainstorming, agreeing to revive a mailing list for continued discussions. Session during ICANN82: https://icann82.sched.com/event/1vpeC Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need some more information on any of the topics, —I’ll be happy to answer. Thank you. Best Regards, -- *Laura Margolis* ALAC Liaison to ccNSO margolisl@gmail.com +59899690992 skype: lauri.margolis ccNSO Liaison Workspace <https://community.icann.org/display/atlarge/ALAC+Liaison+to+the+ccNSO+Report...>