Hi all, Just a few updates in preparation for our 20 December GNSO Council Meeting. With an eye toward wrapping up open action items, I have proposed some target dates for next steps and completion. I welcome further input and comment on the following points from Rafik and Pam and our staff colleagues in advance of our 20 December call. 1. FCS Appointee: As outlined in my email of 4 December, we will be confirming Heather Forrest as the permanent GNSO representative to the Fellowship Selection Committee (FCS). I confirmed with Heather that she is still available and there have been no other expressions of interest or opposition. This will be completed at our December meeting. 2. Cross-Community Engagement Group (CCEG) on Internet Governance: The Leadership Team and staff discussed this in early December, and agreed we need to make a decision on whether to charter the CCEG-IG, or to allow it to be less formal. We were advised by the ccNSO Chair that the ccNSO does not intend to become a chartering organization at this time, but that ccNSO members may continue to participate. While I strongly support engagement between and among the ICANN Board, ICANN Org, and the ICANN Community on issues related to Internet Governance, I do not have strong feelings about whether or not the group needs a charter and the associated structure and reporting requirements, which in turn drive resource demands. However, in the interest of making and communicating a GNSO Council decision, I recommend that the GNSO not become a Chartering Organization and we allow the group to meet more informally and on an ad hoc basis as needed. I recommend we have further discussion at our 20 December meeting, and make a decision at our January meeting in Los Angeles. 3. IANA Functions Review (IFR) Co-Chair Appointment: Looking ahead to early 2019, the GNSO Council may have an action item to appoint a Co-Chair, along with the ccNSO) to the IANA Functions Review team. We anticipate a finalization of IFR membership sometime in January or early February, which will define the pool of possible Co-Chair candidates. The Leadership Team will continue to monitor this and alert the Council if it appears we will need to invoke the SSC (in the event of multiple candidates) or if the IFR team members will self-identify its Co-Chairs. Regardless, the Council will have an action in Q1 2019 to identify, appoint, or confirm the GNSO Co-Chair to the IFR, ideally at our February meeting. 4. Call for Volunteers -- Drafting Team on charter for ICANN Procedure of Handling Whois conflicts with Privacy Law: The Leadership Team and staff discussed this in early December, and agreed it is premature to issue a call for drafting team volunteers while the work of the EPDP is ongoing. We agreed to push any call for volunteers until such time the EPDP Final Report is issued and the Council can assess any implications of the EPDP recommendations on this Implementation Advisory Group. We will revisit this action item following the publication of the EPDP Final Report and discuss it during our March Council meeting at ICANN 64 in Kobe. 5. ICANN Reserve Fund and Auction Proceeds: Just a reminder that we deferred discussion of this item from our November meeting due to a time crunch. In Barcelona and during our November meeting, it was agreed that the Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies would have the lead on developing any recommended positions, and if any, the Council would discuss and compare notes to determine if there was consensus to take some action or position. Having seen and heard no SG/C recommendations, we will have the opportunity to discuss this at our 20 December meeting and it will then be removed as an agenda/action item. 6. IGO-INGO CRP Final Report: The Leadership Team and staff met and discussed this topic in early December, and Pam, Rafik and I met again this week to review possible next steps. At our last Council meeting, it was generally agreed that Council outreach to both the GAC, in response to Manal's letter to Heather in Barcelona, and to the IGO-INGO PDP WG, could be helpful in further informing the Council as we deliberate on the Final Report. We have drafted a letter responding to the GAC welcoming further information relevant to our discussions, which we will share on the list for further Council input following our 20 December meeting. We have not yet developed text for outreach to the PDP WG, so that remains an open action item and available to us. From the list of multiple options presented during our November Council meeting, the Leadership Team has narrowed the list to a single recommendation and welcomes further Council discussion during both our December and January meetings. The recommendation for Council consideration and, importantly, for input from the SGs and Cs, will be sent via a separate email prior to the 20 December Council meeting. This is not subject to a decision at our 20 December meeting, but will be an opportunity for further discussion and deliberation. I recommend that we set a February or March deadline for making a final decision and voting. Thanks in advance to you all, and I look forward to our upcoming Council meeting and discussion. Best, Keith