Dear all, Please find below the agenda for the GNSO Council meeting taking place on 16 April 2026 at 21:00 UTC. This will be posted on the agenda wiki page <https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/agAyJ> shortly. Thank you. Kind regards, Julie Policy Team Supporting the GNSO ********** GNSO Council Agenda 16 April 2026 Please note that all documents referenced in the agenda have been gathered on a Wiki page for convenience and easier access: Documents 2026-04-16<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/x/AYBRJ> This agenda was established according to the GNSO Operating Procedures<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/op-procedu...> v3.5, updated on 15 March 2023. For convenience: * An excerpt of the ICANN Bylaws defining the voting thresholds is provided in Appendix 1 at the end of this agenda. * An excerpt from the Council Operating Procedures defining the absentee voting procedures is provided in Appendix 2 at the end of this agenda. GNSO Council meeting on Thursday, 16 April 2026 at 21:00 UTC: Event Time Announcer - GNSO Council Meeting<https://tinyurl.com/38jbydhn> 14:00 Los Angeles; 17:00 Washington DC; 22:00 London; 23:00 Paris; (Friday) 00:00 Moscow; 07:00 Melbourne GNSO Council Meeting Remote Participation: <https://icann.zoom.us/j/91048235847?pwd=bmEHjk0uYT3sR2DIoE0c0yw4HKbM6O.1> Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting<https://icann.zoom.us/j/92983839529?pwd=R0BcWsye1mbmk1uFXUbeN42WAt2jyP.1> Councilors should notify the GNSO Secretariat in advance if they will not be able to attend and/or need a dial out call. ___________________________________ Item 1: Administrative Matters (5 minutes) 1.1 - Roll Call 1.2 - Updates to Statements of Interest 1.3 - Review / Amend Agenda 1.4 - Note the status of minutes for the previous Council meetings per the GNSO Operating Procedures: Minutes <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2026/minutes/minutes-gnso-...> of the GNSO Council Meeting on 12 February 2026 were posted on 03 March 2026. Minutes <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2026/minutes/minutes-gnso-...> of the GNSO Council Meeting on 11 March 2026 were posted on 29 March 2026. Item 2: Opening Remarks / Review of Projects & Action List (5 minutes) 2.1 - Review focus areas and provide updates on specific key themes / topics, to include review of Projects List<https://gnso.icann.org/en/council/project> and Action Item List. <https://community.icann.org/x/RgZlAg> Item 3: Consent Agenda (5 minutes) * GNSO Review of the GAC Communiqué * Board Seat 14 (Non-Contracted Party House) * Chris Buckridge Item 4: Council Discussion - Proposed Process to Un-Adopt Approved GNSO Policy Recommendations (15 minutes) In November 2025, the GNSO Council published a proposed process to enable the ICANN Board to reconsider a previously adopted policy recommendation from the GNSO for public comment<https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/proceeding/proposed-gnso-process-for...>. The proposal is based on the identification of a procedural gap, specifically the lack of a defined process for the Board to reconsider an adopted GNSO policy recommendation. The process is proposed to be contained in updates to the GNSO Operating Procedures, specifically updates to the Policy Development Process (PDP) Manual and the GNSO Guidance Process (GGP) Manual. Based on the public comments received, GNSO Support Staff proposed and circulated<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/council@icann.org/thread/AG5GYIOAK77...> updated text for the PDP<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WxnQEsswTbeLuT-D_iZzD8N9BXGIgiGkYiaADsxH...> and GGP<https://docs.google.com/document/d/159UvOrKfigdEvWCB9f4cmHNo8cVVlOMCE2LTTREX...> Manuals to the Council. The updated text, which was presented during the March 2026 Council meeting<https://icann.zoom.us/rec/play/152o_2p-GXyQcg7t2rfUd4Tnn8d778AkXhDRZzL16RRR1...> endeavors to strike the right balance of necessary flexibility and appropriate guardrails. Councilors were asked to discuss the proposed updates with their groups and share feedback. Here, the Council will discuss whether there are any concerns that need to be addressed prior to finalizing the updated language. 4.1 - Introduction of Topic (Jennifer Chung, GNSO Council Vice-Chair) 4.2 - Council Discussion 4.3 - Next Steps Item 5: Council Update - SSAD Supplemental Recommendations: Team Composition and Assignment (20 minutes) On 2 March 2026<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2026/correspondence/payne-...>, the GNSO Council wrote to the ICANN Board noting, “while the GNSO Council understands the sensitivities inherent in Board non-adoption, the GNSO Council believes the Supplemental Recommendations path is the most efficient way to make important and necessary improvements to the SSAD recommendations.” Additionally the Council noted, “while the GNSO Council has not agreed to a specific timeline yet, in our recent discussions, GNSO Councilors agreed that Supplemental Recommendations should be delivered to the ICANN Board within months, not years”. Following discussions with the GNSO Council, on 12 March 2026, the Board passed a resolution<https://www.icann.org/en/board-activities-and-meetings/materials/approved-re...> to not adopt the 18 SSAD recommendations. In its resolution, the Board urged the GNSO Council to “ensure that future policy work on the SSAD recommendations is aligned with other relevant policy work; and is completed within the Board's two-year operational extension for RDRS, which ends in November 2027.” The Board also sent the following correspondence to the Council on 18 March 2026<https://itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/correspondence/sinha-to-payne-18-03-2026-...>. On 12 March 2026<https://icann85.sched.com/event/2Gwoc/gnso-discussion-on-next-steps-for-ssad...>, the GNSO held a discussion about next steps for the SSAD recommendations, where ICANN Support Staff presented a proposed team composition for the Council and Community’s consideration. ICANN Support Staff amended the initial proposal for team composition based on Council and Community discussions and distributed it to the Council for further feedback on 20 March 2026<https://lists.icann.org/hyperkitty/list/council@icann.org/thread/62SKWKAA2WE...>. ICANN Support Staff also distributed a proposed draft Assignment Form on [x date]. Here, the Council will confirm team composition principles and agree to kick off the SSAD Supplemental Recommendations Team based on the proposed draft Assignment Form. [Additionally, ICANN Board caucus members have been invited to participate in the discussion.] 5.1 - Introduction of Topic (Susan Payne, GNSO Chair) 5.2 - Council Discussion 5.3 - Next Steps Item 6: Next Steps on Urgent Requests (20 minutes) During the first GNSO Working Session<https://icann85.sched.com/event/2Gwac/gnso-work-session-1-of-3> at ICANN85, the ICANN Board provided an informal update to the GNSO Council regarding the timeline within which registry operators and registrars will be required to respond to urgent requests for lawful disclosure. The Board caucus members noted the public comment period<https://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/proceeding/timeline-for-urgent-reque...> on the timeline for urgent requests had recently concluded. Based on the comments received, the Board and ICANN org noted the comments largely aligned on the proposed timeline<https://itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/new-generic-top-level-domain-g-tld-progra...> of “without undue delay, not to exceed 24 hours absent exceptional circumstances as described in 10.7.2.3” and associated policy language. Accordingly, the ICANN Board noted the discussion of the timeline appears closed and the policy language can be included as an update to the Registration Data Policy<https://www.icann.org/en/contracted-parties/consensus-policies/registration-...>. The Board additionally noted an outstanding question regarding ongoing work on an authentication mechanism for authenticating law enforcement requestors. The Board noted there was generalized alignment in the Community that in order to respond to urgent requests in an appropriate timeframe, authentication of the individual submitting the request was critical. Additionally, the Board noted that while there has been progress on authentication work within the dedicated PSWG Group, there is not currently an agreed upon authentication mechanism. Because the soon-to-be published policy language includes the concept of authenticated entities, there remains a gap in enforcement of the policy. In light of this, the Board noted three potential paths to close the gap and sought feedback from the Council on which path the Council considers appropriate: 1. Council to acknowledge that further development and establishment of an authentication mechanism is part of fully implementing Phase 1, Recommendation 18<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/epdp-gtld-...>. Accordingly, no further policy development work is required for the urgent request timeline specified in Phase 1. 2. Council to further consider authentication as part of its work on Supplemental Recommendations on EPDP Phase 2 (the SSAD recommendations) and any additional language or clarification needed could be added to the Supplemental Recommendations, noting authentication for urgent requests applies for requests sent directly to a Contracted Party OR a request sent via an eventual SSAD. 3. Board to un-adopt a subsection of Phase 1, Recommendation 18<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/epdp-gtld-...> regarding the urgent request timeline, allowing the Council to issue a Supplemental Recommendation that would include the concept of an authentication. (Note: the process for Board un-adoption is still under Council discussion.) Here, the Council will discuss the above options and agree on next steps. 6.1 - Introduction of Topic (Susan Payne, GNSO Chair) 6.2 - Council Discussion 6.3 - Next Steps Item 7: Review of Reviews Update (15 minutes) During its meeting on 14 August 2025<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/gnsocouncilmeetings/pages/...>, the Council voted to approve the charter<https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/reynoso-to-sinha-30jul2...> for a Cross Community Group (CCG) on the Review of Reviews. The charter provides that the purpose of the CCG is to manage a fundamental evaluation of the following reviews set out in the ICANN Bylaws, as a whole system, including their implementation, and propose a refreshed system of reviews. The reviews and their past outcomes to be evaluated include: * Periodic review of ICANN structure and operations (section 4.4), * Annual Review (section 4.5) and * Specific Reviews (section 4.6); and * Previously conducted Reviews; and * Reviews that have previously been formally recommended. The CCG will not evaluate the Continuous Improvement Program itself, but will take account of its work and will consider how it can best contribute to the broader system of reviews. This evaluation will exclude the following: * Review of the Independent Review Process (IRP) (section 4.3) * Review of the Reconsideration Request (section 4.2) * Review of the Community Mediation (section 4.7) * Review of the Empowered Community processes related to the Empowered Community powers as listed in section 6.2 (for example the Rejection Action and Approval Action Processes, and Board Recall and Director Removal Processes) * Reviews established through the IANA Stewardship Transition: * the Customer Standing Committee Effectiveness Review (section 17.3), and * the IANA Functions Review (section 18) including the Special IANA Function Review (section 18.12). The GNSO-appointed representatives to the CCG have provided periodic updates to the Council. Here, the GNSO-appointed representatives to the CCG will provide an update on the latest progress to date. 7.1 - Introduction of Topic (Osvaldo Novoa and Sophie Hey, GNSO representatives to the Review of Reviews) 7.2 - Council Discussion 7.3 - Next Steps Item 8: Review of DNS Abuse PDP1 Work Plan (15 minutes) During its meeting<https://icann-community.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/gnsocouncilmeetings/pages/...> on 11 December 2025, the GNSO Council passed a motion<https://gnso.icann.org/en/council/resolutions/2020-current#202512> to initiate two (2) PDPs on DNS Abuse Mitigation. The GNSO Council requested that the DNS Abuse Mitigation PDP 1 Working Group be convened as soon as possible after the adoption of the Charter in order to fulfill the requirements of this PDP. On 15 January 2026, the GNSO Council adopted <https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2026/vote-result/gnso-coun...> the PDP 1 Charter<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2026/draft/charter-dns-abu...> and commenced the formation of the PDP 1 WG, which held its first meeting at ICANN85 Mumbai. Since then, the PDP WG has been making progress on its charter questions while it finalizes its project plan. As a required step in the GNSO operating procedures, the PDP WG has submitted its work plan to the GNSO Council. Work plans are generally only acknowledged by the Council as a matter of AOB; afterwards, the work plan functions as a critical element of mutual accountability between the WG and the Council, as the manager of the policy development process. Given the high profile nature of this PDP and the levels of community interest, the Council liaison to the PDP will give a more thorough update of the work plan. 8.1 - Introduction of Topic (Jennifer Chung, GNSO Council Vice-Chair) 8.2 - Council Discussion 8.3 - Next Steps Item 9: Any other business (20 minutes) 9.1 - Update on ICANN86 planning and GNSO Draft schedule 9.2 - ccNSO Liaison update 9.3 - Council Process for Response to SPIRT Request 9.4 - PPSAI IRT Liaison Update 9.5 - GNSO-GAC Bilateral ICANN86 preview _______________________________ Appendix 1: GNSO Council Voting Thresholds (ICANN Bylaws, Article 11, Section 11.3(i)) See <https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/bylaws-en/#article11> Bylaws FOR INTERNET CORPORATION FOR ASSIGNED NAMES AND NUMBERS | A California Nonprofit Public-Benefit Corporation - ICANN<https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/governance/bylaws-en/#article11> . Appendix 2: GNSO Council Absentee Voting Procedures (GNSO Operating Procedures, Section 4.4) See https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/file/field-file-attach/op-procedu...