FW: [gtld-council] Discussion on selection criteria

["Olof Nordling" <olof.nordling@xxxxxxxxx>]

Dear all,
As promised a minute ago.
Regards
Olof

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gtld-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-gtld-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bruce Tonkin
Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 4:20 AM
To: gtld-council@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gtld-council] Discussion on selection criteria

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)
-