Hi Ashley, Thank you for reaching out. We are currently trying to work with the IRT through the topics that have not yet been out for public comment – as we plan to publish these for comment on 14 February. Since string similarity and reserved/blocked names have been published for comment once already, these will only be published again for comment in late May as part of the draft AGB. Therefore, I would like us to schedule the call on this issue in the week of 17 February (assuming we hit the 14 Feb deadline for the 4th public comment). I hope this is helpful for your planning purposes. Very best. Lars From: Ashley Roberts via SubPro-IRT <subpro-irt@icann.org> Reply-To: Ashley Roberts <ashley.roberts@comlaude.com> Date: Tuesday, 28 January 2025 at 17:14 To: Michael Karakash <michael.karakash@icann.org> Cc: "subpro-irt@icann.org" <subpro-irt@icann.org> Subject: [SubPro-IRT] Re: [Ext] RE: Reserved and Blocked Names List Terminology Hi, Just bringing this up again so that it doesn’t fall off the radar. Can we please address it on one of the IRT calls? Many thanks, Ashley Ashley Roberts Head of New TLD Consultancy Com Laude T +44 (0) 20 7421 8250 Ext 264 [cid:image001.png@01DB71B2.70675860] [comlaude.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/comlaude.com/__;!!PtGJab4!8IrDAHang5ydzCK...> Follow us on LinkedIn [t-uk.xink.io]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/t-uk.xink.io/Tracking/Index/pRkAAGVfAADD_...> and YouTube [t-uk.xink.io]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/t-uk.xink.io/Tracking/Index/bhkAAGVfAADD_...> From: Michael Karakash <michael.karakash@icann.org> Sent: 17 December 2024 20:44 To: Ashley Roberts <ashley.roberts@comlaude.com> Cc: subpro-irt@icann.org Subject: Re: [Ext] RE: Reserved and Blocked Names List Terminology Hi Ashley, Thank you for your follow-up question, and apologies for the delay in getting back to you. After some discussion, we believe the best approach is to bring this topic up during a future IRT call after the holidays. This will help ensure we’re aligned on our understanding and can confirm that the policy recommendations have been accurately reflected in all relevant draft AGB sections. In the meantime, if you have any additional questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you! Best, Michael From: Ashley Roberts <ashley.roberts@comlaude.com<mailto:ashley.roberts@comlaude.com>> Date: Monday, November 18, 2024 at 7:15 AM To: Michael Karakash <michael.karakash@icann.org<mailto:michael.karakash@icann.org>> Cc: "subpro-irt@icann.org<mailto:subpro-irt@icann.org>" <subpro-irt@icann.org<mailto:subpro-irt@icann.org>> Subject: [Ext] RE: Reserved and Blocked Names List Terminology Hi Michael, It was nice to meet you briefly in Istanbul. Thank you for the helpful clarification below, but it raises a follow up question. The readjusting of these definitions appears to have broadened the scope of stings which are subject to string similarity comparison. In the 2012 round I believe only the following categories of string were subject to string similarity comparison with an applied-for string: * Existing TLDs * Other applied-for strings * Applied-for IDN ccTLDs * Reserved Names (which only included the 34 reserved names listed on page 60 here [newgtlds.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/newgtlds.icann.org/sites/default/files/gu...>) It now appears that other categories which were not subject to string similarity in 2012 will be subject to string similarity in the next round, including, country and territory names, 3 letter country codes, and IOC/Red Cross names. Was the scope intentionally broadened to include these other categories (and if so, did the change come from specific policy recommendations?) or is that an oversight caused by the readjustment of the definitions of Reserved and Blocked Names? I hope this makes sense. Please let me know if you need me to clarify my question. Many thanks, Ashley Ashley Roberts Head of New TLD Consultancy Com Laude T +44 (0) 20 7421 8250 Ext 264 [cid:image002.png@01DB71B2.70675860] [comlaude.com]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/comlaude.com/__;!!PtGJab4!8-QoYWwZEaks9gR...> Follow us on LinkedIn [t-uk.xink.io]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/t-uk.xink.io/Tracking/Index/pRkAAGVfAADD_...> and YouTube [t-uk.xink.io]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/t-uk.xink.io/Tracking/Index/bhkAAGVfAADD_...> From: Michael Karakash <michael.karakash@icann.org<mailto:michael.karakash@icann.org>> Sent: 09 November 2024 10:26 To: Ashley Roberts <ashley.roberts@comlaude.com<mailto:ashley.roberts@comlaude.com>> Cc: subpro-irt@icann.org<mailto:subpro-irt@icann.org> Subject: Reserved and Blocked Names List Terminology You don't often get email from michael.karakash@icann.org<mailto:michael.karakash@icann.org>. Learn why this is important [aka.ms]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification__;!...> [Note: Including the SubPro IRT in this reply for transparency, as this information could be helpful to others] Dear Ashley, Thank you for your questions. We appreciate the opportunity to clarify how the new definitions of "Reserved Names" and "Blocked Names" interact with string similarity rules under the updated Applicant Guidebook. Reserved Names and Blocked Names Redefined: As you’ve noted, the terminology has been adjusted from the 2012 Guidebook. Specifically: * In the 2012 Applicant Guidebook, what was termed the “Strings Ineligible for Delegation” is now referred to as the Reserved Names List. * The list previously called the “Top-Level Reserved Names List” is now referred to as the Blocked Names List. In the most recent version of the Blocked and Reserved Names AGB draft<https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/315490346/EXT_2024-09-05_Up...> which you find on the IRT Community Wiki<https://community.icann.org/display/SPIR>, you can see the clarifying language we’ve added. It states: “Note: In the 2012 Applicant Guidebook, the list called “Strings Ineligible for Delegation” is now referred to as the Reserved Names List, and the list previously called the “Top-Level Reserved Names List” is now known as the Blocked Names List.” In response to the questions in your email, the string similarity rules apply to all Reserved Names and Blocked Names listed in the table in the current AGB document. This means that: * Any applied-for gTLD string, or any of its variant strings, will not proceed if it is found to be similar to any name in the Reserved Names List or Blocked Names List. * However, there is an exception as noted in the draft String Similarity Review AGB language<https://community.icann.org/display/SPIR/1.+Working+Documents?preview=/31549...>: “If the applied-for gTLD string is a variant of a Reserved Name and the applicant is the Reserved Name entity itself, then the application can proceed with the evaluation as a variant gTLD of that Reserved Name.” As noted on the table, the only strings that are Reserved Names in the Next Round are Limited International IGO INGOs. * As a reminder, the variant of reserved name can only be applied for if the actual reserved name string is also applied for. Language in the draft IDN AGB language<https://community.icann.org/display/SPIR/1.+Working+Documents?preview=/31549...> states: “An application for an allocatable variant gTLD cannot precede an application for its primary IDN gTLD.” I hope this clarifies how the terms "Reserved Name" and "Blocked Name" are now used in the AGB and confirms the scope of string similarity evaluation for all names included in these lists. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have further questions or if there’s anything more we can assist with. Thank you! Best, Michael Original email: From: Ashley Roberts <ashley.roberts@comlaude.com<mailto:ashley.roberts@comlaude.com>> Date: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 at 11:23 To: Lars Hoffmann <lars.hoffmann@icann.org<mailto:lars.hoffmann@icann.org>> Subject: [Ext] Reserved Names List Dear Lars, We are already speaking to clients that are exploring applying for a TLD in the next round so we are beginning to carry out due diligence on the strings they are interested in. In going through the new string similarity rules it wasn’t clear to me what comprised the Reserved Names list referenced in point 6 on page 3 [itp.cdn.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/policy-develop...> of the rules so I wonder if you can please clarify? In the 2012 round the only Reserved Names which were subject to string similarity (as opposed to exact match blocking) were those on the ICANN reserved list, which consisted of 34 strings (see page 60 [newgtlds.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/newgtlds.icann.org/sites/default/files/gu...>). Other categories of term were blocked from application but were not subject to string similarity. This included country names, IOC and RC names, and 3 letter country codes. So something like FRANCE was blocked from registration but anything confusingly similar to that was fine. Under the new AGB language it seems as though what were termed “reserved names” and “blocked names” in 2012 have been re-categorised. According to the table in this AGB section [itp.cdn.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/generic-names-...>, the only terms which are Reserved Names are the IOC/RC/IGO names; everything else is considered a Blocked Name. Based on this categorisation, that would mean the only “reserved names” that are subject to string similarity are the IOC/RC/IGO names. However, that doesn’t seem right. Alternatively, if I assume all Reserved Names and Blocked Names in the table are subject to string similarity that would include country names and 3 letter country codes in that review, which also doesn’t seem right. This is making me wonder if there is an inconsistency with the use of the terms “reserved name” and “blocked name” across these different sections of the AGB. Can I ask you to kindly clarify: * Whether all categories in this table [itp.cdn.icann.org]<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/itp.cdn.icann.org/en/files/generic-names-...> are subject to string similarity rules, or * Whether only some of the categories in the table are subject to string similarity rules (and if so, which categories) Apologies that I didn’t pick this up during the recent public comment period. 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The Com Laude Group includes Nom-IQ Limited t/a Com Laude, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 5047655 and registered office at 28 Little Russell Street, London, WC1A 2HN England; Valideus Limited, a company registered in England and Wales with company number 6181291 and registered office at 28 Little Russell Street, London, WC1A 2HN England; Demys Limited, a company registered in Scotland with company number SC197176 and registered office at 15 William Street, South West Lane, Edinburgh, EH3 7LL Scotland; Consonum, Inc. dba Com Laude USA and Valideus USA, a corporation incorporated in the State of Washington and principal office address at Suite 332, Securities Building, 1904 Third Ave, Seattle, WA 98101; Com Laude (Japan) Corporation, a company registered in Japan with company number 0100-01-190853 and registered office at 1-3-21 Shinkawa, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 104-0033, Japan; Com Laude Domain ESP S.L.U., a company registered in Spain and registered office address at Calle Barcas 2, 2, Valencia, 46002, Spain. 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