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#ICANN73 Newsletter
9 March 2022
TOP STORIES
Improving Access to ICANN’s Government Engagement Content
By Mandy Carver, SVP, Government & IGO Engagement

Governments are a crucial part of ICANN's multistakeholder model. At ICANN organization, I lead our Government and Intergovernmental Organization Engagement (GE) team, which is responsible for developing and implementing a global strategy to engage with governments and Intergovernmental Organizations (IGOs). We also monitor and analyze government and IGO activities to ensure that our ICANN community and our stakeholders are aware of and have the necessary information to address geopolitical issues that could impact ICANN's role and the community's ability to make policy.

ICANN is pleased to announce that we're making it easier to access and find that information on https://icann.org. Together with the Information Transparency Initiative (ITI) team, we created a new and improved section on our website dedicated to our government and IGO work.

Explore the new pages here.

Read Mandy's full blog here.
ICANN Request for Proposal: Top-Level Domain Operating Model Study
ICANN has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to perform a global study centered on diversity and innovation in the Domain Name System (DNS) and serving the next billion Internet users.

The proposed study will provide evidence-based information on operating models, user requirements, and other factors related to running a top-level domain (TLD) in the DNS. The results will help ICANN understand what information – including the most significant challenges and emerging trends – to consider in developing rules and procedures for the next gTLD round to support diversity and innovation in the DNS while maintaining DNS security, stability, and resilience.

Read the full announcement here.

Indications of interest should be emailed to Operating.Model.Study-rfp@icann.org. Proposals should be electronically submitted using ICANN's sourcing tool by 23:59 UTC on 4 April 2022. Access to this tool may be requested via the same email.
YOUTUBE LIVESTREAMS
Select ICANN73 sessions will be livestreamed on YouTube as part of ICANN's continuing efforts to increase accessibility. These view-only livestreams provide a low-bandwidth alternative for attendees.

Plenary Session: Evolving the DNS Abuse Conversation
9 March 2022
14:30–16:00 UTC
Session details: https://go.icann.org/33OJbTN
YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/Dgt4L6M2QVo

Plenary Session: Discussion Forum on Geopolitical, Legislative, and Regulatory Developments
10 March 2022
16:30-18:00 UTC
Session details: https://go.icann.org/3M1q89W
YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/wwNbJtJqU6g

ICANN Public Forum
10 March 2022
18:30-20:00 UTC
Session details: https://go.icann.org/3Ipl2lw
YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/uwm0dOFX6sA

ICANN Public Board Meeting
10 March 2022
20:30-21:30 UTC
Session details: https://go.icann.org/3IsEkGP
YouTube livestream: https://youtu.be/lKOluD8VXnc
HIGHLIGHTED SESSIONS
DNSSEC and Security Workshop
This session is a public presentation and discussion with those actively engaged in the deployment of the Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC). Registries, registrars, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), and others who plan to deploy DNSSEC services will benefit from the presentation and discussion of the deployment experience. Anyone with an interest in the deployment of DNSSEC, particularly registry, registrar, and ISP employees with technical, operational, and strategic planning roles may want to attend.
GNSO Council Meeting
During its meeting today, the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council will focus on priority issues, especially pertaining to the Operational Design Phase (ODP) of its recently concluded policy development processes (PDPs). One featured highlight includes an update from a GNSO Council small team regarding their review of the Operational Design Assessment (ODA) of the Phase 2 recommendations of the Expedited PDP on the Temporary Specification for gTLD Registration Data. The GNSO Council is also expected to discuss any update from the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures (SubPro) ODP, which officially began in January 2022. View the agenda here.

GNSO Council Meeting | 9 March, 16:30 UTC
GNSO IDNs EPDP Working Session
The GNSO Expedited Policy Development Process on Internationalized Domain Names (EPDP-IDNs) Working Group continues deliberations on the definition of all top-level domains (TLDs) and the management of variant labels to facilitate the delegation of variant generic top-level domains (gTLDs) in the root zone. During this session, members will continue working on charter questions such as the “same entity” principle for TLDs, which relates to how IDNs can be established legally and operationally. View the agenda here.

GNSO IDNs EPDP Working Session | 9 March, 18:30 UTC
SESSION RECAP
GNSO Transfer Policy Review PDP Working Group
This session was held on Tuesday 8 March. If you missed the session, access the recording and session information here.

Agenda
The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Transfer Policy Review Policy Development Process (PDP) Working Group continued deliberations on its charter questions related to the reasons for denying or not denying an inter-registrar transfer. The session included the use of poll questions pertaining to the current policy provisions that enumerate the reasons a registrar may not deny a registrant’s request to transfer its domain name(s) to another registrar.

Highlights
  • Roger Carney, working group chair and Registrar Stakeholder Group (RrSG) member, opened the session with an overview of the working group’s progress and continued discussion of its charter questions related to the Transfer Policy. He provided the opportunity for the other GNSO stakeholder groups to provide any updates before moving into a review of the charter questions. 
  • The working group continued working on questions related to reasons for denying a transfer. Several sections of the consensus policy will require revisions, and many working group members suggested specific changes to the text, which were captured in the working materials. 
  • The RrSG highlighted reasons why language in section 3.9.5 pertaining to payment defaults between registrars and business partners should be more specific. Proposed revisions to the language include removing the reference to business partners and replacing it with language specifying the use of a privacy proxy service or role of domain name resellers. 
  • The Noncommercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG) noted its concerns related to transfer fees as potentially being a form of anti-competition since the current Transfer Policy does not explicitly prohibit this practice. The group noted that when the Registrar Accreditation Agreement (RAA) was initially established over twenty years ago, the Transfer Policy did not exist, and that this may support requests from the NCSG to add further clarity to the Transfer Policy language. The NCSG agreed to discuss the working group’s proposed changes with its members. 

Next Steps
ICANN org will research some of the working group members’ questions related to registrar locks. In preparation for the working group’s next call, ICANN org will help research what is required and not required in the current RAA. The working group needs to review changes related to the denial of transfers as a complete package and reorder the “must” and “must not” categories in the current consensus policy. The working group’s next call will be held on Tuesday, 22 March 2022 at 16:00 UTC.


View the ICANN73 schedule here.
Reminder: You must be registered for ICANN73 and signed in to the ICANN73 meeting site to view the full schedule.
ICANN73 TOOLS AND RESOURCES
To ensure the transparency of ICANN Public Meeting participation during #ICANN73 sessions, please remember to sign in to Zoom sessions using your full name (First Name + Last Name/Surname).

Please contact support staff if you have difficulties joining a session.
Read the ICANN73 Participation Guide for all the information you need to use our remote and language support tools.
NETWORKING AT ICANN73
Take a Break in the Fika Lounge

Learn about navigating the virtual meeting, play trivia, or try a new skill like origami.
EMEA REGIONAL FOCUS