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Registrar Stakeholder Group Position on Registry-Registrar Separation

  • To: "3gtld-guide@xxxxxxxxx" <3gtld-guide@xxxxxxxxx>
  • Subject: Registrar Stakeholder Group Position on Registry-Registrar Separation
  • From: "Clarke D. Walton" <clarke.walton@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sun, 22 Nov 2009 16:48:58 -0500

Registrar Stakeholder Group Position on Registry-Registrar Separation

BACKGROUND

The ICANN Registrar Stakeholder Group ("RSG") has participated in the debate 
regarding Registry-Registrar separation for New TLDs for well over one year. 
This RSG Position Statement captures the overall sentiment expressed by the RSG 
Members. The Statement was approved by formal vote of the RSG.

RSG POSITION STATEMENT

After consideration of the public interest benefits, the RSG supports the 
following principles regarding Registry-Registrar separation for New TLDs:

1.    The RSG continues to support the GNSO recommendation that domain names be 
registered only through ICANN accredited registrars. This ensures that the 
public interest is protected by having all registrations governed by the rights 
and responsibilities found in the Registrar Accreditation Agreement;
2.    ICANN should maintain the current structural separation requirements 
between the registry and registrar functions (i.e. the functions are handled 
separately);
3.    ICANN should maintain the current requirement that registry operators not 
discriminate amongst registrars;
4.    We agree with ICANN's expert economists that vertical integration of 
registries and registrars will enhance consumer benefits and provide consumers 
with lower prices, better service, and new innovation;
5.    The risks of malicious and abusive conduct that certain parties have 
raised as a concern would not be prevented by restricting the ability of a 
registrar to sell names of an affiliated registry operator;
6.    There is a rich history of registrars selling TLDs of affiliated registry 
operators in the gTLD and ccTLD spaces without any allegations of wrongdoing;
7.    Any requirements intended to protect registrants from malicious or 
abusive conduct , including data issues, should go to the conduct at issue and 
not serve as an excuse to exclude an entire potential class of competitors 
along with the attendant public benefits of such competition;
8.    ICANN should not prohibit affiliates of ICANN-accredited registrars to 
apply to be a New TLD registry operator;
9.    ICANN should not prohibit affiliates of ICANN-accredited registrars to 
provide any types of services to registry operators; and
10.  ICANN should not strictly prohibit registrars from selling registrations 
for TLDs of an affiliated registry operator.

CONCLUSION

ICANN should move forward positively and firmly to permit the integration of 
registry operators and registrars for New TLDs without sales restrictions, as 
such would inure to the benefit of consumers and the public interest.



The opinions expressed by the RSG in this Position Paper should not be 
interpreted to reflect the individual opinion of any particular RSG Member.

Attachment: RSG Position Statement -- registry-registrar separation FINAL.pdf
Description: RSG Position Statement -- registry-registrar separation FINAL.pdf



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