ICANN’s Board held a special meeting on 5-Nov and voted to allow vertical integration in the new gTLD plan: ICANN will not restrict cross-ownership between registries and registrars. Registry operators are defined as the registry operator and all other relevant parties relating to the registry services. The Board resolution added enforcement mechanisms against abusive conduct. New gTLD registry agreements will include: (1) a Code of Conduct prohibiting misuse of data or other abusive conduct arising out of cross-ownership; (2) auditing requirements; (3) graduated sanctions up to and including contractual termination and punitive damages; and (4) ICANN's right to refer competition issues to appropriate government competition authorities. Their resolution was published last night. See http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-05nov10-en.htm Also, ICANN did not post the next (last) applicant guidebook on 9-Nov as promised. Stay tuned ... -- Steve DelBianco Executive Director NetChoice http://www.NetChoice.org and http://blog.netchoice.org +1.202.420.7482