[bc-gnso] Public Comment: Geographic Regions Initial Report

["BC Secretariat" <secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-31jul09-en.htm
Public Comment: Geographic Regions Initial Report

31 July 2009
The Initial Report of the community-wide working group reviewing ICANN's 
Geographic Regions is now available for public comment. All members of the 
ICANN community are now invited to review that document 
(http://www.icann.org/en/topics/geographic-regions/initial-report-geo-regions-review-wg-31jul09-en.pdf
 [PDF, 100K]) and share comments and observations with the community through 4 
September 2009.

Background: 

Geographic diversity is a fundamental component of the ICANN organization. The 
ICANN Bylaws (Article VI Section 5) currently define five geographic regions as 
Africa, North America, Latin America/Caribbean, Asia/Australia/Pacific and 
Europe. 

The ICANN Geographic Regions were originally created to ensure regional 
diversity in the composition of the ICANN Board and were subsequently expanded 
in various ways to apply to the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO), 
At-Large Advisory Committee (ALAC) and the Country Code Names Supporting 
Organization (ccNSO). An ICANN Board resolution in 2000 directed Staff to 
assign countries to geographic regions on the basis of the United Nations 
Statistics Division's current classifications, and introduced the concept of 
"citizenship" in relation to the definition of ICANN Geographic Regions. 

Over time, the ccNSO has developed concerns about the implementation of the 
ICANN Geographic Regions and related representational issues. The ccNSO Council 
approved a resolution in 2007 recommending that the ICANN Board appoint a 
community-wide working group to further study and review the issues related to 
the definition of the ICANN Geographic Regions, to consult with all 
stakeholders and submit proposals to the Board to resolve the issues relating 
to the current definition of the ICANN Geographic Regions. 

The Board determined at its meeting in Los Angeles on 2 November 2007, that 
because any potential change to ICANN Geographic Regions could have widespread 
effect in ICANN, the views of other Supporting Organizations and Advisory 
Committees should be sought by the Board. The Board asked the ICANN community, 
including the GNSO, ccNSO, the Address Supporting Organization (ASO), GAC, and 
ALAC, to provide the ICANN Staff with input on the ccNSO Council's resolution 
relating to ICANN's Geographic Regions - including the proposal to appoint a 
community-wide working group to review the structure of ICANN's present 
Geographic Regions and related issues, as suggested by the ccNSO.

The community supported the concept of the working group and the Board 
authorized its formation at its December 2008 Meeting (see - 
http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-07nov08.htm#_Toc87682556).

Explanation: 

 The Board approved the Charter of the working group at its public meeting in 
Sydney Australia (see - 
http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-26jun09.htm#1.2). Copies of the 
Charter, in all six UN languages, are posted in the Public Comment Forum Box 
(see - 
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200909.html#geo-regions-review).
 

The Charter authorized by the Board outlines a three-part process in which the 
working group first prepares an Initial Report outlining the current 
applications of ICANN's geographic regions in various ICANN structures and 
processes and confirming the issues to be addressed by the working group during 
its deliberations. That Initial Report is the document being posted today.

According to the Charter, the Initial Report will be followed by an 
"Intermediate Report", currently scheduled to be drafted and prepared by the 
October 2009 Seoul ICANN meeting. A third "Final Report" that will include the 
working group's recommendations (if any) is currently scheduled to be published 
early next year.

Relevant Board Resolution, Bylaws and Background Documents: 

ICANN Bylaws Article VI, Section 5: http://www.icann.org/en/general/bylaws.htm 
- VI-5 
ICANN Geographical Regions - Final Report by the ccNSO Regions Working Group 
For Submission to the ICANN Board: 
http://ccnso.icann.org/workinggroups/ccnso-final-report-regions-wg-240907.pdf 
[PDF, 122K] 
Geographic Regions Review Working Group Charter: 
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/geographic-regions/charter-26jun09-en.htm 
The Process From Here: 

At the end of this public comment forum period, the ICANN Staff will provide a 
summary/analysis of the comments submitted regarding the proposed charter 
document. That summary/analysis will be shared with the community and the 
Working Group. The Working Group will review the community input on the Initial 
Report to guide its deliberations and future work on the Intermediate Report 
and Final Report documents.

Deadline and How to Submit Comments: 

The Staff is opening a 35-day public consultation forum, from 31 July 2009 
through 4 September 2009, and invites community comments on this topic. 

The formal Public Comment Forum Box is located here: 
http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200909.html#geo-regions-review

To submit comments: geo-regions-review@xxxxxxxxx

To view comments: http://forum.icann.org/lists/geo-regions-review/

Staff Responsible: Robert Hoggarth

Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat