GeoTLDPriorization Comment

["Maruhn Gerald (MWAEV)" <g.maruhn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed Prioritization Draw.  
 
According to our letter of endorsement and support signed by the former 
minister, Mr. Peter Jacoby, given to dotSaarland GmbH concerning the 
application for the .SAARLAND top level domain, the state government of the 
Saarland believes that the gTLD will be used for the social and economic 
benefit of the people of the German federal state of Saarland and will thereby 
serve the public interest. 
 
We think that the prioritization of GeoTLDs with governmental support along 
with the IDN gTLDs would better serve the global public interest ICANN 
represents as they will - just like IDNs - promote DNS diversity, make the 
Internet more accessible, increase avenues of participation and serve the 
public interest. 
We think that according to it´s policy ICANN should share our interest in 
enabling the GeoTLD applicants to beginn their work for the benefit of the 
referred cities, states and regions as soon as possible, strengthening local 
communities.
 
Additionally, given the small number of GeoTLDs, such a prioritization would 
not unduly and substantially delay the remainder of the applications.
 
We therefore strongly agree with all comments which argue in favour of 
prioritizing GeoTLD applications with formal letters of government support 
alongside the currently prioritized IDN TLDs and urge ICANN to apply the same 
standards and arguments to GeoTLDs.

 

 

 

Gerald Maruhn

Ministry for Economic Affairs, Labour, Energy and Transport

ICT-Regulatory Policy Department

Franz-Josef-Roeder-Str. 17

66119 Saarbruecken

Germany

Phone  +49/681/501-3432