All, Please note this recent request from the CSG Ex Com as well as my initial reply. Jonathan From: Jonathan Robinson [mailto:jonathan.robinson@ipracon.com] Sent: 13 May 2013 14:51 To: 'Metalitz, Steven' Cc: 'Mason Cole (mcole@5x5com.com)'; 'Wolf-Ulrich Knoben (wolf-ulrich.knoben@t-online.de)'; 'Marilyn S. Cade (marilynscade@hotmail.com)'; 'P0 Elisa Cooper '; 'Tony Holmes '; 'Kristina Rosette' Subject: RE: scheduling request for Durban Dear Steve, Thank-you for this request which is noted. As you are likely aware, we have a draft agenda for the forthcoming GNSO Council meeting (16 May 2013) which includes discussion on the structure and organisation of meetings in Durban. Your request to discuss this is therefore timely and appropriate and I expect that we will be able to accommodate it. We will report back to you following the 16 May meeting. Best wishes, Jonathan Jonathan Robinson Chair ICANN GNSO Council jonathan.robinson@ipracon.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7993 6103 skype: jonathan.m.r From: Metalitz, Steven [mailto:met@msk.com] Sent: 13 May 2013 14:44 To: Jonathan Robinson (jonathan.robinson@ipracon.com) Cc: Mason Cole (mcole@5x5com.com); Wolf-Ulrich Knoben (wolf-ulrich.knoben@t-online.de); Marilyn S. Cade (marilynscade@hotmail.com); P0 Elisa Cooper ; Tony Holmes ; 'Kristina Rosette' Subject: scheduling request for Durban TO: Jonathan Robinson, GNSO Council chair Cc: Wolf Ulrich Knoben, Mason Cole, GNSO council vice chairs FM: CSG Executive Committee DT: May 13, 2013 The executive committee of the GNSO Commercial Stakeholder Group seeks your cooperation in rationalizing and improving the schedule for the next ICANN meeting in Durban, in order to facilitate timely and productive discussions within and among stakeholder groups and constituencies. The structure of "constituency day," under which all constituencies and stakeholder groups are allocated meeting time only on the Tuesday of the ICANN meeting week, has outlived its usefulness. While "constituency day" remains important, there is a particular need for constituencies and stakeholder groups to be assured of meeting time, as free as possible of scheduling conflicts, earlier in the meeting week, so that these groups can maximize their planning time for sessions with the ICANN board on Tuesday, and for discussion and formulation of positions on issues arising at or shortly before the ICANN public meeting. This would also free up time for cross-constituency or cross-SG meetings on Tuesday (including with staff), which now are extremely difficult to schedule. Accordingly, we ask the GNSO Council, in planning the meetings on the weekend preceding the formal opening of ICANN 47, to reserve a block of 2 1/2 hours on Sunday, July 14, during which the constituencies and stakeholder groups of the GNSO could meet, either singly or in joint sessions. Our request is that no meetings of GNSO Council or subgroups be scheduled during this block so that GNSO council representatives could participate fully in the constituency/SG meetings during this time. Over time the ICANN public meetings have expanded into the preceding weekend, and the GNSO have utilized this opportunity to maximize preparation for events later in the week as well as interacting with other parts of the community. It would seem appropriate and timely that its constituency organizations are also afforded an opportunity to improve their effectiveness in a similar manner. We would, of course, work with ICANN meeting staff to arrange appropriate meeting space during this time period. Based on our observation of recent GNSO sessions during the weekends preceding the ICANN public meetings, we believe that this request could be accommodated without compromising the effectiveness or efficiency of those meetings, and while preserving the GNSO council opportunity to interact with the Board. We also believe that other stakeholder groups share our frustration with the current meeting calendar and would support this change, at least on an experimental basis. Since the Durban meeting is fast approaching, we ask that you place this request on the agenda of the next GNSO Council session, and that the Council give it favorable consideration, so that cross-constituency or cross-SG discussions can be arranged. Please contact the undersigned or any other member of the CSG executive committee if there are any questions about this request. Steve Metalitz, IPC VP