dotGAL's comment to DAG 3

[Asociación PuntoGal <prensa@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

 PuntoGAL Associaton 3rd DAG Comments

PuntoGAL is an association committed to promoting dotGAL (puntoGAL), an
Internet Domain for Galician culture and language which will represent over
4 million Galicians spread all over the world.


We thank ICANN once again for the work put into developing this new DAG, but
we are very disappointed with the time it's taking to implement the new gTLD
program. ICANN should bear in mind the time, effort and money that many
potential applicants have already invested in preparing their applications,
only to face more and more delays in the application process. We therefore
believe ICANN should consider the following:

-The DAG 3 seems to have solved some of the issues that are essential for
launching the TLD process in an effective manner, and we are aware that some
issues, such as trademark protection, are still under discussion.
As an initiative in favour of a cultural and linguistic TLD, dotGAL aims to
create and increase Internet content in the Galician language and promote
Galician cultural values on the net. By definition, cultural and linguistic
TLDs are opposed to any kind of of cybersquatting, phishing and other
activities that could harm trademarks and Internet users, and as such do not
pose a problem for malicious conduct or abuse. We can and will set up the
appropriate mechanisms and a very clear sunrise to prevent all this. Just
take a look at the puntCAT (dotCAT) experience, the only existing cultural
and linguistic TLD. PuntCAT effectively established restricted policies and
well-defined use and content rules to prevent any trademark abuse. With
nearly 40,000 ".cat" domains registered, .CAT only had 4 UDRP cases, all of
them filed in 2007, just one year after the .cat sunrise period.

-Timeline
The PuntoGAL Association  is non-profit and volunteer-based organization
which has invested a lot of time, money and all kinds of resources in order
to follow the new gTLD process and get the application ready.  We've
made investments
plans, started talks with potential customers, registrars,... but we
cannot make
any real plans until ICANN confirms a definitive date of the opening of the
process. Once we know the date, all potential applicants can start preparing
the work that needs to be done, with effective, efficient and timely
planning that can be developed within deadlines.
PuntoGal has already said that extending the process any longer will be
detrimental for all  non-profit initiatives, particularly those representing
small communities, and will be harmful for longstanding applicants with
limited  resources.
For all these reasons, which have been explained to ICANN on many occasions
by different individuals, organizations and potential applicants, we
askICANN  to provide a reliable timeline and proceed with the
introduction of
new gTLDs as soon as possible.

Thank you.


-- 
Asociación PuntoGal
www.puntogal.org
prensa@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Tlf. 0034 670226268