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Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) Final Report

16 June 2020

Open Date: 16 June 2020 Close Date: 31 July 2020
Originating Organization: ICANN Organization – Multistakeholder Strategy and Strategic Initiatives (MSSI)
Categories/Tags: Reviews/Improvements, Accountability/Transparency
Brief Overview:

On 1 June 2020, the third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) submitted its final report to the ICANN Board.

The report is now issued for Public Comment to inform Board action on the ATRT3's final recommendations.

Per the Bylaws (Section 4.6(a)(vii)(C)) the Board shall consider the final report within six months of receipt, i.e. by 1 December 2020. The Board will consider a feasibility analysis and impact assessment of the implementation of recommendations, which will take into account initial cost and resource estimates and dependencies with other ongoing efforts within the community, and the report of the Public Comment submissions received. The Board will then direct implementation of the recommendations that were approved and provide written rationale for the decision if any recommendations are not approved.

The ATRT3 Final Report contains five recommendations with regard to ICANN accountability and transparency in the following areas:

  • Prioritization of review and Cross-Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability, Work Stream 2 (WS2) recommendations
  • Amending Specific and Organizational Reviews
  • Accountability and transparency relating to Strategic and Operational Plans, including accountability indicators
  • Public input
  • Assessment of the implementation of ATRT2 recommendations

The ATRT3 makes a further suggestion in its 1 June 2020 letter to the ICANN Board, on which the Board welcomes community feedback during this Public Comment proceeding:

"Given the recommendation in Section 8 of its report ATRT3 is proposing significant changes to Organizational Reviews and Specific Reviews. ATRT3 strongly suggests that the ICANN Board implement a moratorium on launching any new Organizational and Specific Reviews until it has made a decision on this recommendation."

The Accountability and Transparency Review is mandated by ICANN's Bylaws (Article 4, Section 4.6), which require the review of "ICANN's execution of its commitment to maintain and improve robust mechanisms for public input, accountability, and transparency so as to ensure that the outcomes of its decision-making reflect the public interest and are accountable to the Internet community."

Link: https://www.icann.org/public-comments/atrt3-final-report-2020-06-16-en