https://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-10feb14-en.htm Proposed Modifications to GNSO Operating Procedures to Address Resubmission of Motions and Working Group Self Assessment Comment / Reply Periods (*) Comment Open Date: 10 February 2014 Comment Close Date: 3 March 2014 - 23:59 UTC Reply Open Date: 4 March 2014 Reply Close Date: 1 April 2014 - 23:59 UTC Important Information Links Public Comment Announcement<https://www.icann.org/en/news/announcements/announcement-10feb14-en.htm> To Submit Your Comments (Forum)<mailto:comments-gnso-op-procedures-10feb14@icann.org> View Comments Submitted<http://forum.icann.org/lists/comments-gnso-op-procedures-10feb14/> Brief Overview Originating Organization: Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Categories/Tags: * Policy Processes * Reviews/Improvements Purpose (Brief): The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) is recommending a modification of: (1) the GNSO Operating Procedures to Resubmission of Motions; and (2) the GNSO Working Group (WG) Guidelines to Add a WG Self Assessment Mechanism. Current Status: As required by the ICANN Bylaws, a public comment forum is hereby initiated on the proposed changes prior to GNSO Council consideration. Next Steps: Following the closing of the public comment forum, the SCI will review the comments received; revise its recommendations, if deemed appropriate, and; submit these to the GNSO Council for approval. Staff Contact: Julie Hedlund Email Staff Contact<mailto:Policy-staff@icann.org?subject=More%20information%20on%20the%20Proposed%20Modifications%20to%20GNSO%20Operating%20Procedures%20to%20Address%20Resubmission%20of%20Motions%20and%20Working%20Group%20Self%20Assessment%20public%20comment%20period> Detailed Information Section I: Description, Explanation, and Purpose: The Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) was established by the GNSO Council on 7 April 2011 as a standing committee of the GNSO, responsible for reviewing and assessing the effective functioning of the GNSO Operating Procedures and Working Group Guidelines. As part of its charter, the SCI is tasked to consider requests concerning issues related to the GNSO Council processes and procedures and to Working Group Guidelines that have been identified either by the GNSO Council or a group chartered by the GNSO Council as needing discussion. This public comment forum is being opened in relation to two proposed changes to the GNSO Operating Procedures being recommended by the SCI. The current GNSO Operating Procedures do not contain a specific provision on the possibility of resubmitting a motion for voting by the GNSO Council. In addition, the current GNSO Working Group Guidelines, which form Annex I of the GNSO Operating Procedures, do not contain a mechanism for WGs to self-assess their work. As a result, the GNSO Council requested that the SCI consider whether there should be a modification to the GNSO Council Operating Procedures to address the issue of the resubmission of a motion. In addition, the GNSO Council asked the SCI to develop a survey that WGs could use to perform a self-assessment once their work is complete. Accordingly, the SCI developed procedures to be inserted in Section 4.3 (Motions and Votes) of the GNSO Operating Procedures that provide for the resubmission of a motion to the GNSO Council for consideration at a subsequent meeting of the Council, if three criteria are followed: 1) providing of an explanation for the resubmission; 2) timely publication of the resubmitted motion, and 3) seconding of the resubmitted motion by a Councilor from each of the two GNSO Houses. The proposed new procedures also include limitations and exceptions for the resubmission of a motion concerning the timing of its submission, disallowing any material changes to the original motion, and clarifying that a previously-submitted motion not voted upon by the GNSO Council is considered a new motion (and not resubmitted) if it is brought before the GNSO Council again. Please see the redlined version of Section 4.3 of the GNSO Operating Procedures<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/op-procedures-voting-redline-10feb14-en.pdf> [PDF, 148 KB]. In addition, the SCI developed and tested a WG self-assessment questionnaire, as a result of which the SCI is recommending that procedures for administering the self-assessment be added as a new Section 7.0 to the GNSO Working Group Guidelines, which form Annex I of the GNSO Operating Procedures. In the self-assessment questionnaire WG members are asked a series of questions about the WG processes and outputs. ICANN staff is required to monitor responses to the questionnaire, close the questionnaire when all WG members have completed it, and provide a summary of responses to the WG Chair. Please see the redlined version of Annex I to the GNSO Operating Procedures<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/op-procedures-guidelines-redline-10feb14-en.pdf> [PDF, 242 KB]. As required by the ICANN Bylaws, the SCI is requesting community input on these proposed modifications to the GNSO Operating Procedures. Section II: Background: The Standing Committee on Improvements Implementation (SCI) was established by the GNSO Council on 7 April 2011 as a standing committee of the GNSO, responsible for reviewing and assessing the effective functioning of the GNSO Operating Procedures and Working Group Guidelines. As part of its charter, the SCI is tasked to consider requests concerning issues related to the GNSO Council processes and procedures and to Working Group Guidelines that have been identified either by the GNSO Council or a group chartered by the GNSO Council as needing discussion. The SCI operates on the basis of the GNSO WG Guidelines, and its recommendations are made based on Full Consensus of the SCI on the proposals under consideration. Each GNSO Stakeholder Group and Constituency appoints a representative to the SCI. Other members of the SCI include a Nominating Committee appointee and an observer from any GNSO constituency-in-formation (if any). The SCI may also appoint observers from other ICANN Supporting Organizations and Advisory Committee. For further information about the SCI and its activities, please see https://community.icann.org/display/gnsosci/Home. Section III: Document and Resource Links: Current version of the GNSO Council Operating Procedures - see GNSO Operating Procedures v2.7 (13 June 2013)<http://gnso.icann.org/en/council/op-procedures-13jun13-en.pdf> [PDF, 556 KB]. Section IV: Additional Information: Not applicable ________________________________ (*) Comments submitted after the posted Close Date/Time are not guaranteed to be considered in any final summary, analysis, reporting, or decision-making that takes place once this period lapses. Glen de Saint Géry GNSO Secretariat gnso.secretariat@gnso.icann.org http://gnso.icann.org