Marc, I am not sure you should leave.

I am just joining as a participant, and in my Declaration I noted that I simply don't know if one of my

advisees -- typically NGOs and ICT associations -- might not apply for future funding. I am also on the IGFSA Executive Committee and I don't know if IGFSA might apply for sponsoring funds.

But as long as we all declare our interests, and do it transparent, I think that is what is required.

I do think that it is different for those who participated in an auction who might lobby to have funding returned to them to offset costs that they incurred, which were clearly indicated as not refundable when they submitted a gTLD application, or when they decided to participate in an auction.

But, even the Board of ICANN has many participants with many conflicts of interest. Some are more diligent than others in observing those and always acknowledging them, perhaps, than others. :-)

I think that transparency and honesty is our best policy. But, if we lose insights from a diverse part of the ICANN stakeholder community, we will become less informed.

From: ccwg-auctionproceeds-bounces@icann.org <ccwg-auctionproceeds-bounces@icann.org> on behalf of Marc Gauw <marc.gauw@nlnet.nl>
Sent: Tuesday, September 5, 2017 10:15 AM
To: ccwg-auctionproceeds@icann.org
Subject: Re: [Ccwg-auctionproceeds] Conflict Of Interest, was Fwd: Board reply to CCWG-AP

Hi all,

After reading the Board reply with respect to 'Conflict Of Interest', it is getting obvious that the Board does not encourage that ccWG-members would also nominate for receiving/dispersing auction-funds later-on.

I have to respect that, and therefor have decided to leave the ccWG per today.

Note that NLnet Foundation over the last 20 years has been very active in dispersing our own charity-fund to hundreds of Internet projects, the last years primarily on open source and cybersecurity.

It was our intention to share our 'Internet-charity-experience' with this team DURING the ccWG, AND to provide support with dispersing parts of the auction-funds to the right non-profit cybersecurity projects AFTER the ccWG.

Now that it retrospectively turns out that the first support may exclude us from the second support, we have no choice than to leave the ccWG, since potentially receiving a (modest) part of the ICANN funds is crucial for our NLnet-battle against exponentially growing cybersecurity threats.

Many thanks for working together with you, and all the best with the remaining work in the ccWG !

Kind regards,
Marc

Op 4-9-2017 om 16:29 schreef Erika Mann:

Dear All -

herewith I'm forwarding Steve's reply to our letter.

We will have a first exchange on Thursday this week, during our CCWG AP call. I send Steve already a quick reply, saying that we will discuss the Board letter then for the first time.

Best,

Erika

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Crocker <steve.crocker@board.icann.org>
Date: Sun, Sep 3, 2017 at 3:19 PM
Subject: Board reply to CCWG-AP
To: Erika Mann <erika@erikamann.com>, Ching Chiao <chiao@brandma.co>, Marika Konings <marika.konings@icann.org>
Cc: Steve Crocker <steve.crocker@board.icann.org>, Marika Konings <marika.konings@icann.org>, Icann-board ICANN <icann-board@icann.org>, Avri Doria <avri@apc.org>, "Sarah B. Deutsch" <sarahbdeutsch@gmail.com>, Board Operations <Board-Ops-Team@icann.org>, Sally Costerton <sally.costerton@icann.org>, Samantha Eisner <Samantha.Eisner@icann.org>, Lauren Allison <lauren.allison@icann.org>

Dear Erika and Ching,

Thank you for your letter received on May 22, 2017 on behalf of the Cross Community Working Group on New gTLD Auction Proceeds (CCWG-AP) in response to the Board email of March 2^nd 2017.

On behalf of the Board, I am delighted to see that we are aligned in our thinking regarding the points discussed in the original email. Specifically, in response to your letter, please find attached a letter including additional acknowledgements and requested clarifications.

Thank you again for your efforts leading this work.

Steve
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Marc Gauw,
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