Dear Councillors, Please find the resolutions from the GNSO Council meeting on 19 November 2015. 1 Approval of a charter for the Next-Generation gTLD Registration Directory Service (RDS) to replace WHOIS (Next-Gen RDS) PDP WG 1. Following submission of the WHOIS Policy Review Team's Final Report<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/final-report-11may12-en.pdf>, the ICANN Board passed a resolution on 8 November, 2012<http://www.icann.org/en/groups/board/documents/prelim-report-08nov12-en.htm>, launching an Expert Working Group on gTLD Registration Directory Services (EWG) to (1) help redefine the purpose of gTLD registration data and consider how to safeguard the data, and (2) propose a model for gTLD registration directory services to address accuracy, privacy, and access issues. 2. Upon publication of the EWG's Final Report<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/final-report-06jun14-en.pdf> in June, 2014, an informal group of Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Councilors and ICANN Board members collaborated to propose a Process Framework<http://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/next-generation-rds-framewo...> for structuring a GNSO Policy Development Process (PDP) to successfully address these challenging issues. 3. On 26 May, 2015<https://www.icann.org/resources/board-material/resolutions-2015-04-26-en#1.f>, the ICANN Board adopted that Process Framework and reaffirmed its 2012 request for a Board-initiated PDP to define the purpose of collecting, maintaining and providing access to gTLD registration data, and to consider safeguards for protecting data, using the recommendations in the EWG's Final Report as an input to, and, if appropriate, as the foundation for a new gTLD policy. 4. In accordance with the PDP Rules, a new Preliminary Issue Report<http://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/rds-prelim-issue-13jul15-en...> was published for public comment<https://www.icann.org/public-comments/rds-prelim-issue-2015-07-13-en> on 13 July 2015. Following review of the public comments received, the Staff Manager updated the Issue Report accordingly and included a summary of the comments received (see Annex D), which was submitted as the Final Issue Report<https://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/final-issue-report-next-ge...> to the GNSO Council for its consideration on 7 October 2015 5. The GNSO Council has reviewed the issues raised in the Final Issue Report as well as the Draft Charter for a PDP Working Group that was included in the Preliminary Issue Report and updated reflecting the input received in the Final Issue Report<https://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/final-issue-report-next-ge...> under Annex C (pp.67-77) RESOLVED, 1. The GNSO Council approves the Draft Charter proposed in the Final Issue Report<https://whois.icann.org/sites/default/files/files/final-issue-report-next-generation-rds-07oct15-en.pdf>and appoints Susan Kawaguchi as the GNSO Council liaison to the Next-Generation gTLD Registration Directory Service (RDS) to replace WHOIS (Next-Gen RDS) PDP WG; 2. The GNSO Council directs ICANN staff to issue a call for volunteers for the PDP WG after the approval of this motion. The call for volunteers should be circulated as widely as possible in order to ensure broad representation and participation in the Working Group and should be initiated no later than January 4th, 2016 and remain open until the WG convenes for the first time; and 3. The WG, when convened, is instructed to reach out to all Stakeholder Groups/Constituencies SG/Cs for additional feedback on any items that they believe should be considered that may not have been specifically called out in the charter. The WG is also expected to consider input already provided by SG/Cs during the public comment period on the Preliminary Issue Report. Should the WG be of the view that after the review of this feedback changes need to be made to the charter to address these, the WG is expected to come back to the Council with proposed changes to the charter for the Council to consider. 1. Until such time as the WG selects a chair(s) for the WG and that chair(s) is confirmed by the GNSO Council, the GNSO Council liaison to the WG shall serve as the interim chair. 2. Approval of the Referral Request to the Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) Whereas 1. The GNSO Operating Procedures<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/op-procedures-24jun15-en.pdf> in Chapter 2.2 describe the process of elections of the GNSO Chair and the GNSO Vice-Chairs 2. Following the result of the initial election round at ICANN54 in Dublin, the GNSO Council agreed on a time table<http://gnso.icann.org/en/elections/proposed-council-chair-03sep15-en.pdf> for the next round for the election of the GNSO Chair 2015-2016 3. During the ICANN 54 meeting in Dublin questions were raised with regards to the election process for the GNSO Chair and Vice-Chairs, including the candidate nomination process with particular reference to the preparedness of newly-elected Council members to vote, the eligibility of newly elected Councilors to run for the GNSO Chair position, the need for the GNSO Council to specifically determine the term of the Chair and Vice-Chairs in accordance with the ICANN Bylaws, and to the overall timing of the Chair election. Resolved The GNSO Council requests the Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) 1. To review Sections 2.2(b), (f) and (g) of the GNSO Operating Procedures with respect to clarifying: (i) the eligibility of incoming Council members to run for the position of GNSO Chair; (ii) the start and end dates and the duration of the Chair and Vice-Chair terms in accordance with the ICANN Bylaws; and (iii) the timing of publication of the election results; and 2. To recommend a general time table for election of the GNSO Council Chair to be approved by the GNSO Council and added to the GNSO Operating Procedures. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you Kind regards, Glen Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org<mailto:gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org> http://gnso.icann.org<http://gnso.icann.org/>