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Working Together Through The Last Mile

3 September 2015
By Steve Crocker

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I'd like to thank everyone who has participated in both the CCWG briefing to the ICANN Board, and the CCWG and ICANN board dialogue. All of our dialogues over the past months have been illuminating, challenging and in my opinion, an important and true testament to the multistakeholder model as we work toward the IANA Stewardship Transition.

We support the important improvements for ICANN's accountability contained in the CCWG-Accountability's 2nd Draft Proposal. We endorse the goal of enforceability of these accountability mechanisms, and we believe that it is possible to implement the key elements of the proposal. We want to work together to achieve the elements of the proposal within the community's timeline while meeting the NTIA requirements.

As we enter the final days of the Public Comment period, the Board wants to be completely clear on our position. We are in agreement on key concepts set forward in the CCWG's proposal, for example:

  • Fundamental bylaws.
  • Specific requirements for empowering the community into the bylaws adoption process.
  • IRP enhancements.
  • Board and director removal.
  • ICANN's mission and core values.
  • Strengthening requirements for empowering the community in the budget, operational and strategic planning process.
  • The incorporation of the Affirmation of Commitments Reviews into ICANN bylaws.
  • Community ability to enforce the accountability mechanisms in the bylaws.

We have suggestions on how these could be operationalized. With regards to the mechanisms for community enforceability, where the current proposal still warrants much detail that may not be achievable we have a suggestion on how to deliver on it in a stable way, as increased enforceability must not open up questions of, for example, capture or diminishing of checks and balances.

Let's work together on operationalizing the above principles on which we agree. Once again, we are committed to providing more detail on how these ideas can be operationalized in a way that they can be implemented within the community identified time frame for the transition, as well as have sufficient tested grounds to not result in unintended consequences.

During last night's discussion we shared this feedback. It was a lot of information to digest in a call (notes around opening remarks, notes around 10 points), and we appreciate everyone giving our advice consideration. We are committed to submitting our comments into the Public Comment process in the next few days, and we look forward to the working with the community on further details.

It is critical that we work together to build enhanced accountability for ICANN and continue to refine and flesh out details of the impressive work already done by the community and complete the IANA Stewardship Transition.

Authors

Steve Crocker

Former ICANN Board Chair