http://www.icann.org/en/news/in-focus/accountability/enhancing-accountability

Proposed Next Steps for the Process

Establishing the ICANN Accountability Working Group:

At the ICANN meeting in Singapore, members of the community suggested establishing a working group to address topics raised around ICANN Accountability. To respond to both the community dialogues and suggestions, an ICANN Accountability Working Group is proposed.

The leaders of ICANN's Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees will be responsible for appointment of community members to the Working Group. Community members with skills in the subject matter areas listed below are encouraged to have their names put forward by the leadership of ICANN's Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committees for participation in the Working Group before the end of the comment and reply period. The Board may appoint liaisons to the Working Group. ICANN staff will identify external experts in these subject matter areas to join the Working Group and bring in new ideas. The subject matter areas are:

• Internet Technical Operations
• International Organizational Reviews
• Global Accountability Tools and Metrics
• Jurisprudence / Accountability Mechanism
• Internet Consumer Protection
• Economics (Marketplace and Competition)
• Global Ethics Frameworks
• Operational, Finance and Process
• Board Governance
• Transparency
• Risk Management

After the public comment and reply period, the Working Group will commence in time for the ICANN 50 Meeting. It's expected that sub-working groups on specialized subject areas will be useful and open to all including experts.

The ICANN Accountability Working Group would coordinate community dialogue, including discussion on draft materials on the discussions and proposed themes outlined above with regards to strengthening ICANN's accountability to address the absence of its historical contractual relationship to the U.S. Government and other identified issues. One of the first tasks of the Working Group will be to identify the issues that need to be solved. The ICANN Accountability Working Group would prepare a draft report on issues identified including whether measures are needed to strengthen ICANN's accountability, and if so, the recommended time frames for development of new or improved mechanisms, if any. The draft report would be provided for public comment. The ICANN Accountability Working Group would submit its final report to the ICANN Board. The Board would immediately and publicly post the final report, consider whether to adopt all or parts of it, and direct the CEO to implement those parts it has accepted once that decision is made.

It is expected that the ICANN Accountability Working Group would operate in an open, transparent and inclusive process, primarily through remote participation opportunities, that would include:

• A website that would include a timeline of activities and events, as well as all materials and communications from the working group, and a full archive of all content provided and evaluated throughout the process;
• A mailing list to ensure anyone can remain involved in the activities and progress of the group; and,
• All meetings and phone conference would be open for stakeholders to observe and transcripts and recordings would be posted.

Questions for Community Discussion:

As the next steps are being outlined and process finalized, ICANN is collecting community input to help provide feedback to further the work of the ICANN Accountability Working Group once it is comprised. ICANN is now seeking community discussion on both the questions first posed in March 2014 as well as some additional questions:

• What issues does the community identify as being core to strengthening ICANN's overall accountability in the absence of its historical contractual relationship to the U.S. Government?
• What should be the guiding principles to ensure that the notion of accountability is understood and accepted globally? What are the consequences if the ICANN Board is not being accountable to the community? Is there anything that should be added to the Working Group's mandate?
• Do the Affirmation of Commitments and the values expressed therein need to evolve to support global acceptance of ICANN's accountability and so, how?
• What are the means by which the Community is assured that ICANN is meeting its accountability commitments?
• Are there other mechanisms that would better ensure that ICANN lives up to its commitments?
• What additional comments would you like to share that could be of use to the ICANN Accountability Working Group?

Please provide your input on the questions above at comments-enhancing-accountability-06may14@icann.org

Download a PDF of this document here [PDF, 375 KB].

David A. Olive

Vice President, Policy Development Support
General Manager, ICANN Regional Headquarters –Istanbul

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)

Direct Line: +90.212.381.8727 

Mobile:       + 1. 202.341.3611

Email:  david.olive@icann.org

www.icann.org