[gnso-gtld-dt] Kick-Off: Call for input on: "Impact of new gTLDs on ICANN's structure"

[Thomas Rickert <rickert@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear colleagues,
welcome to this mailing list and thank you for your willingness to contribute 
to this important topic. 

I have copied Bertrand's original message at the end of this e-mail for your 
reference.

Let me propose to take an approach consisting of two phases. 

In the first phase, I would like the group to establish some facts and in the 
second phase we should draw conclusions from this. The reason for that is that 
I am convinced that we need to write down and consider the wishes and 
expectations which the existing and new players may have before rushing into a 
debate about potentially changing an exisisting structure.

Phase one:

- Qualitative challenges 
- Quantitative challenges 

Phase two:

What is the impact of the above factors on the ICANN structure, if any?


To give you an idea of what we might consider, here come some questions / 
examples:

Phase one:

Qualitative challenges:

- What are the interests of new registries? Are they different from those of 
existing registries? In what way are they different?
- Will the interests of registrars change, will distribution channels change? 
- Will there be enough representation of the community with the given structure?
...

Quantitative challenges:

- There will be a bigger community with more attendees at meetings. 
- Will ICANN be able to provide a good service to the bigger community with 
existing staff?
...

In Phase two, we will then assess the identified challenges/expectations and 
see whether these can be met/responded to with the given structure. If not, we 
will hopefully be able to make some suggestions how they can be addressed 
adequately. 

I would like to invite you to provide input to the aspects of phase one for the 
time being as I think we should first find out what the challenges could be 
before we discuss potential consequences or actions that should be taken by 
ICANN. Certainly, you are invited to respond addressing phase two as well, if 
you wish.

Would you please send your initial input by August 20th? I will then analyze it 
and send out the request for input for phase 2. 

Thank you and best regards,
Thomas

> Dear all,
>  
> The new gTLD program will have a significant impact on the functioning of 
> ICANN and its structure. An in-depth community discussion is needed to 
> identify early the corresponding challenges and possible evolutions. It 
> should be conducted while the gTLD program itself is being implemented, 
> without waiting for the completion of this round. This should in particular 
> be taken into account in the upcoming gNSO review, planned in 2013.
>  
> As you probably remember, this issue was therefore put on the agenda of the 
> various Board interactions with SOs, ACs and constituencies during the Prague 
> meeting. Several issues were identified during these discussions, pertaining 
> both to scalability factors (due to the number of applications) and 
> qualitative impact (including the diversity of the new gTLDs and the 
> potential overlapping of the constituencies they could belong to).
>  
> At the end of each such session, Steve Crocker invited participants to share 
> a one-pager on this topic to gather preliminary views and help prepare a 
> dedicated session in Toronto. 
>  
> I am writing to you as Chairs of the respective SOs, ACs, Stakeholder Groups 
> or Constituencies to renew this call for input. The Board Structural 
> Improvements Committee (SIC), chaired by Ray Plzak, will discuss the topic 
> during the Board Workshop mid-September and your perspective is eagerly 
> sought after. The contributions can be very synthetic at that stage, for 
> instance merely listing bullet points of identified potential impacts. The 
> objective is to get as complete a picture as possible of the different 
> dimensions of the issue.
>  
> I know the summer period is not the easiest to gather views in you respective 
> groups but I also understand that this has already been discussed before 
> Prague and you probably are in a position to share the concerns already 
> identified, if not the possible solutions. This is only a preliminary stage 
> and further consultations will take place to prepare the Toronto session. 
>  
> Thank you in advance for your contribution, if possible before September 10, 
> and don't hesitate to share this call for input with people I might have 
> inadvertently overlooked or you think might be good contributors from your 
> group.
>  
> Best
>  
> Bertrand
>  




___________________________________________________________
Thomas Rickert, Attorney at Law

Managing Partner, Schollmeyer & Rickert Rechtsanwaltsgesellschaft mbH
www.anwaelte.de

Director Names & Numbers, eco Association of the German Internet Industry
www.eco.de