Hi Folks, Evan asked us to send Paris meeting retrospectives, so here's mine (to NA and ALAC): The Paris meeting was officially scheduled Mon-Thurs, with GNSO Council meetings beginning Saturday and Board workshop Sunday. This was a day shorter than previous meetings, and I found the truncation materially cut into the time to meet for hallway conversation and move among constituencies, which is, to my mind, the most valuable part of the face-to-face In addition, I was in board meetings for much of the time and so unable to attend much of the ALAC meeting. Topic areas: new gTLDs, including IDN Fast Track GNSO reform ALAC review Summit/travel policy The meeting saw important, but over-hyped progress on new gTLDs. The Board approved the GNSO's complex procedure, complete with the grounds for objection on "morality" and "lack of community support" grounds to which ALAC has voiced its objection. I thank NA members, among others, for their work in drafting a statement I could reference in my comments about the flaws in this policy. Whatever happens, this will hardly be "the greatest expansion of the Internet in 40 years," as an early version of the ICANN PR crowed. There is also movement on the IDN-CC fast-track. The Board held off voting on the GNSO restructuring, giving constituencies and liaised groups a 30-day deadline to reach consensus on alternatives. I hope we'll get reports from Alan on the status of these discussions The consultants gave their report on the ALAC Review. Many of us disagreed with their fact-gathering, analysis, and conclusions! I hope we'll put those into constructive suggestions to the Board ALAC Review Working Group. The Board resolved to support the ALAC summit, remarking at the same time that ALAC's overall funding levels were being reviewed in the new travel policy. If we have comments on travel policy and funding, we need to make those heard. Thanks, and comments welcome! --Wendy -- Wendy Seltzer -- wendy@seltzer.org Visiting Professor, American University Washington College of Law Fellow, Berkman Center for Internet & Society http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/seltzer.html http://www.chillingeffects.org/ https://www.torproject.org/