Hello All, Just a reminder of the PDP process: http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#AnnexA With respect to WHOIS, we have had the Staff Manager produce an issues report which contains around 20 issues. This was completed on 13 May 2003: http://www.icann.org/gnso/issue-reports/whois-privacy-report-13may03.htm The Council at its meeting on 22 May 2003: http://www.dnso.org/dnso/notes/20030522.GNSOteleconf-minutes.html "Decided to form a Steering Group - to take the Issues Report - to take the outcome of the Montreal ICANN workshop - to develop a set up terms of reference for one or more task forces on the critical issues - to make recommendations to the GNSO Council" The output of that Steering Group will be available for discussion at the GNSO Council meeting in Carthage. I believe that we are now decisions points 3 and 4 of the policy development process. 3. Initiation of PDP The Council shall initiate the PDP as follows: a. Issue Raised by the Board. If the Board directs the Council to initiate the PDP, then the Council shall meet and do so within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of the Issue Report, with no intermediate vote of the Council. b. Issue Raised by Other than by the Board. If a policy issue is presented to the Council for consideration via an Issue Report, then the Council shall meet within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of such Report to vote on whether to initiate the PDP. Such meeting may be convened in any manner deemed appropriate by the Council, including in person, via conference call or via electronic mail. c. Vote of the Council. A vote of more than 33% of the Council members present in favor of initiating the PDP will suffice to initiate the PDP; unless the Staff Recommendation stated that the issue is not properly within the scope of the ICANN policy process or the GNSO, in which case a Supermajority Vote of the Council members present in favor of initiating the PDP will be required to initiate the PDP. 4. Commencement of the PDP At the meeting of the Council initiating the PDP, the Council shall decide, by a majority vote of members present at the meeting, whether to appoint a task force to address the issue. If the Council votes: a. In favor of convening a task force, it shall do so in accordance with the provisions of Item 7 below. b. Against convening a task force, then it will collect information on the policy issue in accordance with the provisions of Item 8 below. Regards, Bruce Tonkin