Dear GNSO Council Leadership and Councillors, I hope this message finds all of you very well as ICANN66 approaches. I write on behalf of the Drafting Team tasked with developing Guidelines & Templates for the GNSO’s Role in the Empowered Community. This group was formed by the Council in early 2019 following on the earlier work of the Bylaws Bylaws Implementation Drafting Team, which provided the GNSO Council with recommendations for necessary updates to the GNSO Operating Procedures arising as a result of the revised ICANN Bylaws that were adopted in May 2016. These updates to the GNSO Operating Procedures were approved by the GNSO Council and the ICANN Board in 2018. *What this DT has produced:* This DT has produced a series of guidelines and draft Council motion templates for carrying out the GNSO's responsibilities as an Empowered Community member: - Approval Action Community Forum & Decision Whether to Approve an Approval Action <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jXc2TQCv4ArMo0LPzTrLncIG_JwSnuQqV05xvrAp...> - Petition Process for Specific Actions & Rejection Action Community Forum <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1g-FNo2qm0Ohc6osJJ20sud1O5yDg9xv1v5Ux0n9Z...> - Nominating Committee Director Removal Process <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YYeAMR5J7a4zN2zTE4LA_hp7sLynsKIqUnQgMWcc...> - SO/AC Director Removal Process <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T5AUnP-egEPqs9CDoWOzNUmc0dPFROTOlLWPq10Q...> - Board Recall Process <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fSv0ELSGLmaABoz2_DKXHRsHrG-MyihPR1ePpbma...> - Independent Review Process (IRP) for Covered ICANN Actions & Community IRP <https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZNl5YHegBUOK59QIcEV8BcMhDUgcuo88BO-3n-UP...> The relevant Bylaws provisions underpinning these documents are quite complex, so the DT has put significant effort into producing plain English guidelines to assist the GNSO Council in fulfilling these provisions. Motion templates should provide a sound starting point when motions are needed, thus saving Council's time and effort. In many cases, the timelines associated with these Bylaws provisions are very tight; individual timelines are provided in the various guidelines to keep the GNSO Council on track. Still in progress, to be completed for Montreal: Special IFR Review Related Guidelines: One discrete element of our work has required close cooperation with our counterparts serving on the ccNSO's Guidelines Review Committee. It is the development of Guidelines for GNSO-ccNSO Joint Consultation on the Initiation of a Special IFR, and the interrelated guidance for the GNSO’s input process. There have been several rounds of substantial revisions to the initial draft Guidelines text, with suggested edits from both the GNSO and ccNSO participants. Rather than deviate from its current work plan and momentum, the Drafting Team proposes to return to the ccNSO's most recent suggestions on the Joint Consultation guidelines, and the related GNSO input process guidelines, after today’s submission of its work to the GNSO Council in time for the Council's October meeting. It has been suggested that the Joint Consultation Guidelines could be symbolically submitted to both the GNSO and ccNSO Councils in time for their respective November meetings, so that they could be discussed in the joint meeting of the Councils in Montreal and, if appropriate, jointly agreed in Montreal. *Upcoming GNSO Council meetings (Oct/Nov): * I understand that the DT's work is on the agenda for the Sunday preparatory session in Montreal. If the GNSO Council further finds it useful, the DT will be very pleased to attend the October and/or November GNSO Council meetings to answer any questions or provide an introduction to the guidelines and motion templates. We will also be very happy to explain the involvement with the ccNSO in developing the Guidelines for GNSO-ccNSO Joint Consultation on the Initiation of a Special IFR, and how this might proceed in Montreal. Suggestion for ICANN67 Public Session: We also suggest that the Council consider submitting a meeting request for ICANN67 Cancun for a public session (HIT or similar) to present the guidelines and templates to the GNSO Stakeholder Groups and Constituencies. Various of the GNSO's responsibilities as a member of the EC and a Decisional Participant involve some action that commences by or is communicated through or requires input from the SG/Cs. We believe that it would be helpful to clearly identify these to the SG/C communities directly so that they can reflect upon their own charters and internal procedures to determine if changes are required at the SG/C level (Bylaws, internal processes). We remain very willing to answer any questions that the Council may have about our work. Lastly, may I take this opportunity please to recognise the effort and commitment of all DT members and our outstanding GNSO support staff Ariel Liang and Julie Hedlund, to complete this work in such a timely and professional manner. Best wishes, on behalf of the DT, Heather Forrest DT Chair