Dear all, Please find included the update by Annebeth Lange and Paul Szyndler, the ccNSO appointed co-chairs of the CCWG on use of country and territory names. Kind regards, Bart --------------- Update on Cross-Community Working Group on Country and Territory Names As noted in a previous update, the C&TN Working Group concluded its initial deliberations on the first significant element of its work - the current and future use of two-letter codes as TLDs - at the ICANN Buenos Aires meeting. In early August, the WG released a second questionnaire, addressing the use of 3-letter codes as TLDs. It was transmitted to Chairs of all SOs and ACs. The survey closed recently and 32 submissions were received. While responses are still being analysed, there has been a particularly strong response rate from the ccTLD community. Although this positive return appears to validate the "questionnaire" style of consultation of the WG, progress has been slowed by the various internal processes of each SO and AC and the obvious distractions of the IANA Transition and ICANN Accountability work. While the survey was out for community consultation, the WG maintained a schedule of near-fortnightly teleconferences. Most recently, the group's focus was on the further refinement of consultation mechanisms and the need to ensure harmony with other initiatives within ICANN that address the use of geographic names. This included communication between the Chairs of the ccNSO and gNSO Councils and the Chair of the GAC regarding the GAC's Working Group on the Protection of Geographic Names in the new gTLD process. On 13 November, the GAC Chair responded noting the different foci of the Working Groups, agreed with the importance of achieve consistent frameworks and principles relating to the use of names with geographical meaning, and undertook to facilitate greater GAC involvement in the CTNWG. Upcoming work (via calls in mid-December and mid-January) will involve the WG going in to "analysis mode", considering the survey responses that have been received and using these as a basis for subsequent discussions.