ICANN Announcements

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Implementing the Extended Process Similarity Review Panel in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process

5 November 2013

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On 27 June 2013, the ICANN Board approved the proposed amendments to implement a two-panel process for string similarity review in the Internationalized Domain Names (IDN) country code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) Fast Track Process.

Today, ICANN is publishing a revised version (in redline) of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Final Implementation Plan [PDF, 1.07 MB] that includes the changes required for the implementation of the two-panel string similarity review process as approved by the ICANN Board on 27 June 2013.

In addition, ICANN is publishing the Guidelines for the Extended Process Similarity Review Panel (EPSRP) [PDF, 107 KB]. The EPSRP is the second panel of the two-panel process for string similarity review in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process.

The two-panel process for string similarity evaluation in the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process will be effective once the appointment of EPSRP panelists is announced by ICANN. Until the appointment of this second panel is announced, the community should take note that requests under the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Process will continue to be processed according to the version of the IDN ccTLD Fast Track Final Implementation Plan [PDF, 887 KB] published on 4 June 2012.