Hello all,

During the 31 October IRT session on CPE, a question was raised regarding ICANN org’s processes and procedures in instances where an application may receive a comment that presents evidence or claims that an applicant provided misleading information in relation to their community string.

The Community Input AGB draft language (based on Topic 28: Role of Application Comment) provides more clarity as to how and when a comment can be submitted:

• Paragraph 3 in Section 1.1 states: “A single application comment period applies to all applications, including community-based applications. To the extent that third parties submit comments relating to a community-based application, these comments must be submitted before the end of the comment period if they are to be considered during Community Priority Evaluation.”
  
  

• Section 1.4 states: “Evaluators will review the comments and responses relating to the application(s) they will evaluate; only the comments and responses received during the time periods described above in section [cross-reference 1.3] will be considered by the evaluation panels. For more information relating to application comments in the evaluation process and Community Priority Evaluation, please refer to sections [cross-reference evaluation] and [cross-reference CPE] respectively.”
  
  

• Paragraphs 1 and 2 in Section 1.5: “Application comments have a very limited role in the dispute-resolution process. A distinction should be made between application comments, which may be relevant to ICANN’s task of determining whether applications meet the established criteria, and objections, which are a separate process.

Comments related to any of the four objection grounds, or about an objection that has been filed, will be for a dispute resolution panel, not ICANN, to consider.”

Best,

Michael