[gtld-council] Discussion on selection criteria

["Bruce Tonkin" <Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello All,

On Saturday there as a brief high-level review of ICANN mission and core 
values, and the selection criteria used in the selection rounds initiated in 
2000 and 2004.

Each constituency was asked to relate their preferred selection criteria to the 
ICANN core values.   Committee members were able to clarify the reasoning 
behind a particular constituency position, but no attempt was made to decide as 
a group which selection criteria have broad support.   The next step will 
happen in Wellington.

Below is a summary of this discussion.

Regards,
Bruce Tonkin

Criteria

Business constituency:
-       sound business plan
        o       to minimise risk failure and impact on registrants
-       sound technical plan
        o       meet standards interoperability
        o       to minimise risk failure and impact on registrants
-       sound operational plan
        o       to minimise impact on registrants
-       will comply with ICANN policies
-       eligibility criteria for the registrant is limited to a defined category
        o       to preserve and enhance the operational stability, reliability, 
security, and global interoperability of the Internet.


Registry:
Criteria for the selection criteria:
-       consistent with ICANN's limited technical coordination mission
-       provide objectivity that will encourage members of the private sector 
to participate in a new selection round
        o       to promote and sustain a competitive environment in the 
registration of domain names
        o       that are capable of enhancing the operational stability, 
reliability, security, and global interoperability of the Internet.
-       allow market forces to work freely in contrast to pre-determine 
Internet user demands
        o       to promote and sustain a competitive environment.
-       should encourage TLD operators/sponsors to differentiate TLD from other 
TLDs by offering users differentiated options beyond the obvious choice of TLD
e.g customer service levels, registry policies etc.
        o       to promote and sustain a competitive environment in the 
registration of domain names
        o       Respecting the creativity, innovation

-       should allow for policy decisions to made in the best interests and 
with participation of relevant user communities in contrast to centrally 
pre-determining all applicable policies for all TLDs
        o       by limiting ICANN's activities to those matters within ICANN's 
mission requiring or significantly benefiting from global coordination.
        o       So that To the extent feasible and appropriate, delegating 
coordination functions to or recognizing the policy role of other responsible 
entities that reflect the interests of affected parties
-       ensure the technical security and stability of the Internet

-       TLD application criteria should require compliance with ICANN 
guidelines for IDNs
        o       To ensure global interoperability of the Internet.

-       applicants that seek to launch a TLD with a primary purpose being to 
serve needs within a defined geographic territory (or territories) should be 
asked to identify the specific market of users applicable TLD
-       and where the territory is a developing country - describe measures 
that will encourage use of the Internet within that country

-       no applicant should be allowed to propose a TLD that is either a 
transliteration of an existing TLD or a lexical or semantic equivalent of an 
existing TLD.



Registrars:

-       applicants must meet minimum technical requirements
-       registry operators accredited:
        o       minimum technical requirements
        o       minimum operational requirements
        o       minimum financial requirements - cash on hand
        o       must have insurance
-       maintain the requirement that registries use ICANN accredited registrars
        o       to promote security and stability
        o       to promoting competition in the registration of domain names


non-commercial:
-       criteria for the selection criteria
        o       neutral, objective and predictable selection process
§       to promote and sustain a competitive environment in the registration of 
domain names
§       Respecting the creativity, innovation
§       Making decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and 
objectively, with integrity and fairness.

-       minimal technical and operational criteria
        o       to promote interoperability

ISPs
-       a representative from a well defined Community must be an applicant for 
a new TLD, and registrants are limited to members of that Community
        o        to preserve security and stability
-       The applicant must show that the new TLD has support in the Community
        o       As there is a concern that the TLD will fail and this may 
impact the existing registrants of that TLD  - this in turn relates to the core 
value of stability and reliability.
-       TLD application criteria should require compliance with ICANN 
guidelines for IDNs, 
-       The applicant must use technology and have operations that can 
implement IDNs at the second level
        o       To ensure global interoperability of the Internet.
-       The string chosen by the applicant must be differentiated from other 
TLD strings
        o       To avoid strings that look the same and may cause a security 
issue
-       The string chosen must not infringe the intellectual property rights of 
others 
-       No applicant should be allowed to propose a TLD that is either a 
transliteration of an existing TLD or a lexical or semantic equivalent of an 
existing TLD.




Intellectual Property

-       criteria for the selection criteria
        o       predictable, straight forward transparent and objective 
procedures
§       Making decisions by applying documented policies neutrally and 
objectively, with integrity and fairness.
§       Preserving and enhancing the operational stability, reliability, 
security, and global interoperability of the Internet.
§       Introducing and promoting competition in the registration of domain 
names where practicable and beneficial in the public interest.
-       State in what way the new TLD maximizes benefits for the public interest
        o       Introducing and promoting competition in the registration of 
domain names where practicable and beneficial in the public interest.
-       the applicant must show added value, which will bring user demand, 
which in turn will enhance competition
        o       minimize risk of failure with respect to stability, reliability
        o       maximize competition
-       must be a clearly differentiated space and satisfy needs that cannot 
reasonably be met by existing TLDs
        o       minimize risk of failure with respect to stability, reliability
-       registrants are limited to members of a well-defined Community
        o        to preserve security and stability
-       The applicant must show that the new TLD has support in the Community
        o       As there is a concern that the TLD will fail and this may 
impact the existing registrants of that TLD  - this in turn relates to the core 
value of stability and reliability.
-       The applicant must have mechanisms to ensure compliance with the 
charter of the TLD, and addressing violations
-       Accurate verification of registrant eligibility
-       Technical, financial, business, compliance policies
-       Maintenance of UDRP and robust database publicly accessible in 
real-time and without cost to those query it (compliance ICANN policy)
-