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Community Reference - Public Notices

This section contains Public Notices related to the GNSO Improvement process.

November 2008:

Role of Individual Internet Users and Related Issues (Note: comment period ended 28 November 2008)

Reference: http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/public-comment-200811.html#gnso-users

Explanation: The ICANN Board has asked (see Resolution below) for additional community input on the appropriate role and representation of individual commercial and non-commercial Internet users in the Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO). Faced with a number of different recommendations stemming from various independent reviews and GNSO and user-community group efforts, the Board continues to consider this issue and believes that comments from the community, especially stakeholders in the GNSO, ALAC and At-Large groups, and any relevant applicants for new constituencies, would be particularly helpful.

It is, Resolved (2008.10.01.14), The Board requests additional community dialogue and input on the appropriate role and representation of individual Internet users, including individual commercial and non-commercial Internet users, in the GNSO. Input from the GNSO, the ALAC and At-Large community, and any relevant applicants for new constituencies, would be particularly helpful and should address the inclusion of registrants and individual users in the GNSO in a manner that compliments the ALAC and its supporting structures, and ensures that registrants' and individual Internet users' gTLD interests are effectively represented within the GNSO.

Prospective commenters are asked to consider addressing the inclusion of registrants and individual users in the GNSO in a manner that compliments the ALAC and its supporting structures and ensures that registrants' and individual Internet users' gTLD interests are effectively represented within the GNSO.

Note: a summary document has been prepared by the ICANN Staff to provide background on this issue and to outline a number of potential options being considered by the Board.

October 2008:

Proposed Cybersafety Constituency was submitted to the ICANN Staff by Cheryl Preston.

GNSO Bylaw Revision: Council Member Term Limits (Note: comment period ended 3 November 2008)

Explanation: Public comments are invited on a proposed change to the ICANN bylaws that would implement term limits for GNSO Council members. Currently there is no limit to the number of consecutive terms in which a GNSO Council member may serve. In November 2006, the GNSO Council passed a resolution endorsing term limits, wherein a council member could serve no more than two consecutive terms (http://gnso.icann.org/resolutions/#200611). Moreover, a former council member must remain off the GNSO Council for one full term prior to serving any subsequent term. In light of the pending GNSO review which was underway at the time, the ICANN Board postponed action on term limits. The ICANN Board Governance Committee subsequently included term limits as a recommendation in the GNSO Improvements Report (http://www.icann.org/en/topics/gnso-improvements/gnso-improvements-report-03feb08.pdf, see Sec. 5.1, p. 28) The Report recommends that the preferred limit be two 2-year terms, in order to enhance inclusiveness and enable more people to become involved in Council activities. The GNSO Improvements package was approved by the Board on 26 June 2008 http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-26jun08.htm#_Toc76113182. The draft bylaws change also creates an exception, as recommended by the GNSO Council and the Board Governance Committee, in a "special circumstance,"such as geographic diversity requirements, where no alternative representative is available to serve.

Currently, the GNSO Council, constituencies and ICANN staff are working to implement a new structure for constituency representation and voting for the GNSO Council. In considering the imposition of term limits for GNSO Council members, comments are particularly invited on whether the pending reorganization presents issues for the implementation of term limits that should be considered before term limits are adopted, including any other aspects of the new structure, such as the creation of stakeholder groups or the formation of new constituencies. ICANN also invites comments on when term limits should go into effect.

Note: a summary document has been prepared by ICANN Staff including background on the issue as well as comments submitted.