Today, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (lCANN) published Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) Implementation Guidelines version 4.1 after approval by the ICANN Board. Following the guidelines publication, ICANN organization (org) will begin work on their implementation and will communicate the effective date to relevant parties when available.
The IDN Implementation Guidelines relate to IDN registration policies and practices designed to minimize the risk of cybersquatting and consumer confusion. Following the Call for Community Experts, the IDN Guidelines Working Group (IDNGWG) was formed in October 2015 to review IDN Implementation Guidelines version 3.0, last updated in 2011. After the IDNGWG's work concluded, version 4.0 was published on 10 May 2018.
As a result of subsequent discussions between the Generic Names Supporting Organization Council and ICANN Board, the ICANN Board deferred implementation of guidelines 6a, 11, 12, 13, 18 in version 4.0 as they overlapped with ongoing work in the IDN Expedited Policy Development Process. The ICANN Board then directed ICANN org to publish the non-deferred guidelines in 4.0 as version 4.1. For more information, please visit the IDN Implementation Guidelines page.