Dear all,

First, my sincere apologies for cross-posting this message.

On 10 September 2023, the ICANN Board approved Fundamental Bylaws Amendments to Articles 18 and 19 of the ICANN Bylaws, which relate to the IANA Function Review (Article 18) and Special IANA Function Review (Article 19).

The resolution approving the Fundamental Bylaws Amendments is available at: https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-resolutions-regular-meeting-of-the-icann-board-10-09-2023-en#section1.b.

The proposed Bylaw changes were published for public comment, and the ccNSO Council provided input, which was taken into account and is mostly reflected in the proposed Bylaw changes. The announcement and background materials and ccNSO Council submission may be found at https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/proceeding/iana-naming-function-review-bylaws-changes-18-04-2023

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO the ccNSO?

First of all because this proposed Bylaw change is about changes to IANA Naming Function Review and the IANA Naming Function is core to our work as ccTLDs.  

Secondly, the proposed Bylaw change is a change of a Fundamental Bylaw, and the ccNSO Council has to decide whether to :

(a) support the proposal, 

(b) object to the proposal, or 

(c) have no opinion on the proposal.

That is why the ccNSO Council needs you opinion on the proposed Bylaw change.  The opinions of both ccNSO members and non-ccNSO ccTLD managers are equally important, and both are needed to help guide the ccNSO Council.

I urge you to review the materials that have been posted and give some thought about the proposal, and inform us about your opinion on the proposal, whether it be approval, disapproval, or neutral. 

HOW DOES THE ccNSO GIVE ITS APPROVAL?

The ICANN Board has approved the Bylaw change on 10 September. The ccNSO and other Decisional particpants were notified on 15 September.  This notification initiated what is called a 30 day period known as the “Approval Action Community Forum Period”. During this period (ending 15 October 2023), the “Empowered Community Administration” (a group consisting of Community members from five ICANN Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees) decided to hold a public Community Forum during ICANN78 in Hamburg on 26 October 2023 from 13.00 to 13.30 UTC. The Board will present the proposed Bylaw amendment and answer any questions that any Community member might have regarding the proposal. If you have a concern about the proposal, please feel free to attend the Forum and express your concern.  Remote participation will be offered at the Forum.

Within 21 days of its conclusion of the Approval Action Community Forum Period, so by 16 November 2023, each Supporting Organization and Advisory Committee will determine their position with respect to the Bylaw change, according to its own rules and procedures (see: https://ccnso.icann.org/about/guideline-approval-actions-procedure-17oct19-en.pdf) .

Thank you, kind regards, on behalf of Stephen Deerhake, ccNSO Approval Action Process Manager,

Bart Boswinkel, ccNSO Secretariat.