Dear all, Please find below the resolutions from the GNSO Council meeting on Thursday, 10 July 2025 which will be posted shortly on the GNSO Council resolutions <https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions/202...> page. Thank you. Kind regards, Terri Policy Team Supporting the GNSO CONSENT AGENDA Motion to Confirm the GNSO-Appointed Member for the Universal Acceptance (UA) Expert Working Group (EWG) Submitted by: Tomslin Samme-Nlar WHEREAS, 1. On 7 May 2025, ICANN opened a Call for Nominations<https://www.icann.org/en/announcements/details/icann-call-for-nominations-un...> inviting the At-large Advisory Committee (ALAC), the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO), the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC), the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), and the Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC) to each submit one nomination for the formation of a new Universal Acceptance (UA) Expert Working Group (EWG) to provide guidance on promoting UA adoption. 2. On 2 June 2025, the GNSO announced a Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI)<https://gnso.icann.org/en/en/announcements/announcement-02jun25-en.htm> to solicit volunteers for the GNSO nominee position, closing the process on 13 June 2025. 3. The GNSO Council tasked the GNSO Standing Selection Committee (SSC) with reviewing the UA EWG Member applications and recommending one individual for the GNSO Council to appoint. 4. On 24 June 2025, the SSC convened to review and deliberate on the six (6) applications received, taking into account the selection criteria outlined in the announcements. 5. On 30 June 2025, the SSC submitted its Full Consensus recommendation to the GNSO Council, by way of submission of the relevant motion. 6. The GNSO Council considered the recommendation of the SSC. RESOLVED, 1. The GNSO Council confirms Nitin Walia as the SSC’s selection of the GNSO nominee for the UA EWG. 2. The GNSO Council asks the GNSO Secretariat to communicate the confirmation of Nitin Walia’s appointment as the GNSO nominee for the UA EWG to the staff supporting the UA EWG. 3. The GNSO Council asks the GNSO Secretariat to inform the GNSO-appointee for the UA EWG that he has been selected. 4. The GNSO Council asks the GNSO Secretariat to send a response to those applicants who were not appointed, thanking them for their interest and encouraging them to apply for future opportunities as they arise. Vote Results<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2025/vote-result/gnso-coun...> Motion for GNSO Council Review of ICANN83 GAC Communiqué Submitted by: Tomslin Samme-Nlar Whereas, 1. The Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) advises the ICANN Board on issues of public policy, and especially where there may be an interaction between ICANN's activities or policies and national laws or international agreements. It usually does so as part of a Communiqué, which is published towards the end of every ICANN meeting. 2. The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) is responsible for developing and recommending to the ICANN Board substantive policies relating to generic top-level domains. 3. The GNSO Council has expressed a desire to provide feedback to the ICANN Board on issues in the GAC Communiqué as these relate to generic top-level domains to inform the ICANN Board as well as the broader community of past, present, or future gTLD policy activities that may directly or indirectly relate to Advice provided by the GAC. 4. The GNSO Council's review of GAC Communiqué Advice and Issues of Importance is intended to further enhance the co-ordination and promote the sharing of information on gTLD related policy activities between the GAC, Board, and the GNSO. Resolved, 1. The GNSO Council adopts the GNSO Review of the ICANN83 Prague Communiqué Advice<https://docs.google.com/document/d/10hMkkf9GZuvtt0i2wMF_1nImmiBhBRNj9cSNmjDK...> and Issues of Importance<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zxpWVB3u9F37Rb_c5SFeTCE-OdJl-28K/edit> and requests that the GNSO Council Chair communicate the GNSO Council Review of ICANN83 GAC Communiqué Advice and Issues of Importance to the ICANN Board. 2. The GNSO Council requests that the GNSO Liaison to the GAC also informs the GAC of the communication between the GNSO Council and the ICANN Board. Vote Results<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2025/vote-result/gnso-coun...> Request for Consideration of Motion on Short Notice Submitted by: Susan Payne Seconded by: Anne Aikman-Scalese 1. Pursuant to GNSO Operating Procedures s3.3.2 a, b and c the IPC requests that the GNSO Council considers the below [Motion on Reviews], despite submission after the Submission Deadline. RESOLVED 1. The GNSO Council resolves to consider and vote on the [Motion on Reviews] during the meeting on 10 July 2025, despite submission after the Submission deadline. Vote Results<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2025/vote-result/gnso-coun...> Motion on Reviews (DEFERRED to the August 2025 meeting) Submitted by: Susan Payne Seconded by: Anne Aikman-Scalese WHEREAS, 1. Article 4.6 (b) of ICANN’s Bylaws, requires that the ICANN Board shall cause a periodic Accountability and Transparency Review which shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years measured from the date the previous Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT) was convened. 2. The Third ATRT (ATRT3) was convened in April 2019, and therefore the next review, the Fourth ATRT (ATRT4), should have been initiated in April 2024. 3. ICANN org consulted with the Supporting Organizations and the Advisory Committees, through their Chairs, on the timing and potential deferral of ATRT4 for a limited period of time. Three of the five responding SOs and ACs expressed support for the deferral of ATRT4, citing unimplemented ATRT3 recommendations and capacity issues with running multiple reviews-related projects in parallel. Two of the responding ACs indicated their preference for ATRT4 to initiate on schedule, citing adherence to ICANN Bylaws and the role that Accountability and Transparency Reviews play in providing oversight of ICANN's core commitment. 4. Following that consultation, on 29 April 2024, the Board resolved <https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-re...> to defer ATRT4 for a limited time not to exceed twelve months. 5. The Board received feedback from many parts of the ICANN community that the current status of review program activities, including the potential overlap of the Continuous Improvement Program (CIP), a Pilot Holistic Review, and pending ATRT4 are causing confusion and stressing community resources. The Board also received, on 15 April 2025, statements from the Registries Stakeholder Group (RySG)<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/bacon-to-sinha-14apr25-...>, the Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO)<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/reynoso-to-sinha-15apr2...>, and At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC)<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/zuck-to-sinha-15apr25-e...> regarding the broad issue of reviews, which did not align on the best path forward. 6. On 19 May 2025 the Board resolved <https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-re...> to continue the deferral of the ATRT4, and other Specific Reviews, pending community dialogue to inform next steps, and notwithstanding the timing mandated under the Bylaws for the commencement of ATRT4. 7. During the ICANN 84 meeting ICANN org further consulted with the Supporting Organizations and the Advisory Committees, through their Chairs. A potential path forward was proposed and appeared to gain support, whereby: * The community would urgently propose a Bylaws amendment to the Board that would amend the Bylaws to allow for a one-time review of all Reviews currently required by the Bylaws and to suspend the conduct of all Reviews until this exercise is completed; * With the explicit safeguard of a time frame for completion, absent which the current Reviews obligations come back fully into force. 8. On 19 June 2025 the At Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) submitted an Empowered Community Reconsideration Petition seeking reconsideration of the 19 May Board resolution to defer ATRT4 and related resolutions relating to community dialogue on and development of a revised reviews program. 9. As a Decisional Participant of the Empowered Community, the GNSO has until 10 July 2025 to decide to support the ALAC Petition as a Supporting Petitioner. Although the Intellectual Property Constituency (IPC) has expressed its support, the feedback from other Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies indicates that there is insufficient support from the GNSO as a whole, at this time, to meet the voting threshold required to give such support. In particular: * The NCSG expressed continued support for the potential path forward referred to at paragraph 7 above; * The RrSG noted it understands and appreciates the ALAC concerns but does not believe an EC petition is warranted at this juncture when dialogue on how to best proceed is ongoing; and * RySG expressed that it recognizes the importance of Reviews in general, as well as the need for ICANN to abide by its Bylaws, and that it has been discussing the path forward initially proposed by the SO/AC leaders in Prague. RESOLVED, 1. The GNSO Council expresses its appreciation for the concerns expressed by the ALAC as reflected in the Empowered Community Reconsideration Petition. 2. The GNSO Council supports, at this time and on a non-precedential basis, the potential path forward initially proposed at the SO/AC leaders meeting at ICANN 84, namely: * The community would urgently propose a Bylaws amendment to the Board that would amend the Bylaws to allow for a one-time review of all Reviews currently required by the Bylaws and to suspend the conduct of all Reviews until this exercise is completed; * With the explicit safeguard of a time frame for completion, absent which the current Reviews obligations come back fully into force. 3. The GNSO Council will convene a Small Team of volunteers to draft both a proposed Bylaws amendment and a potential plan for the conduct of the one-time review of all reviews, to share with other SOs and ACs and ICANN Board.The GNSO Council urges the ICANN Board to initiate and conduct the Standard Bylaws Amendment process without any undue delay and at the next Board Meeting after the amendment receives indications of support or non-objection of the other SOs and ACs, taking the GNSO’s proposal as a guideline. Vote Results<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2025/vote-result/gnso-coun...>