http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/spec13-06dec13-en.htm
Proposal for a Specification 13 to the ICANN Registry Agreement to Contractually Reflect Certain Limited Aspects of ".Brand" New gTLDs

Comment / Reply Periods (*)

Comment Open Date: 6 December 2013

Comment Close Date: 9 January 2014 - 23:59 UTC

Reply Open Date: 10 January 2014

Reply Close Date: 31 January 2014 - 23:59 UTC

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Brief Overview

Originating Organization:

ICANN

Categories/Tags:

Contracted Party Agreements
Legal/Regulatory
Top-Level Domains

Purpose (Brief):

ICANN is posting today for public comment a proposal requested by the Brand Registry Group to incorporate a new Specification 13 to the new gTLD Registry Agreement, which would be available to a Registry Operator that operates a TLD that ICANN determines qualifies as a ".Brand TLD".

The proposed draft of Specification 13 and the concepts reflected therein have not been approved by the New gTLD Program Committee of ICANN’s Board of Directors. ICANN is seeking public comment on all aspects of the proposal.

ICANN is also posting with the proposed draft of Specification 13 a position statement of the Brand Registry Group in support of the proposed draft.

Current Status:

Awaiting comments

Next Steps:

ICANN staff will review comments submitted by the community and will provide a summary and analysis of these comments to ICANN management and the New gTLD Program Committee of ICANN’s Board of Directors. ICANN management and the Committee will review the feedback as well as the additional research and analysis directed to inform its consideration of the proposal.

Staff Contact:

Cyrus Namazi

Email Staff Contact

Detailed Information

Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose:

ICANN is seeking public comment on a proposal requested by the Brand Registry Group to incorporate a new Specification 13 for the gTLD Registry Agreement, which would be available to a Registry Operator that operates a TLD that ICANN determines qualifies as a “.Brand TLD”. Specification 13 affords a .Brand TLD certain modifications to the gTLD Registry Agreement. Stakeholder views are invited to help define and consider all aspects of the proposal. In particular, comments would be helpful in regard to the following:

whether it is appropriate to classify certain TLDs as “.Brand TLDs”;
whether the definition of “.Brand TLD” is sufficiently narrow to capture only what is commonly recognized as a corporate brand;
whether there may be unintended consequences associated with the implementation of draft Specification 13;
whether it is appropriate to permit a Registry Operator for a .Brand TLD to limit its registrar use to one or more preferred ICANN accredited registrar(s); and
whether a two year “cooling off” period prior to re-delegation of the .Brand TLD upon expiration or termination of the Registry Agreement is appropriate (subject to the limitations provided in the draft Specification).

Section II: Background:

The Brand Registry Group first engaged with ICANN regarding modifications to the new gTLD registry agreement to address concerns of their constituents at ICANN’s Beijing Conference in April 2013. Following the Beijing Conference, numerous discussions where held telephonically leading up to both ICANN’s Durban and Buenos Aires meetings. Following discussions at ICANN’s Buenos Aires Conference, ICANN staff and the Brand Registry Group agreed that posting a draft of Specification 13 would be helpful to facilitate community input and discussion. If adopted, it is anticipated that Registry Operators will apply for qualification as a “.Brand TLD” prior to executing a Registry Agreement.

Section III: Document and Resource Links:

Draft Specification 13 [PDF, 80 KB]
Brand Registry Group's supporting statement [PDF, 83 KB]

Section IV: Additional Information:

None.

(*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making that takes place once this period lapses.

Glen de Saint Géry

GNSO Secretariat

gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org

http://gnso.icann.org