closed ccNSO PDP4 Initial Report on the (de-)selection of IDNccTLDs

Outcome

In total four (4) submissions were received: two (2) from community groups, one (1) from an individual, and one (1) from ICANN org.

The comments are categorized as general observations and specific issues. This Public Comment summary report includes the ICANN org staff summary of the comments and observations on the topics raised by the submitters in relation to the scope of the policy recommendations.

The working group will review the comments in more detail and where needed adjust the recommended policy. The review will be included in the working groups final report.

What We Received Input On

The ccNSO Policy Development Process (PDP) 4 Working Group seeks community input and comments on the proposed policy. The proposals focus on four (4) stages with respect to Internationalized Domain Name country code Top Level Domains (IDNccTLDs):

1. the selection of the IDNccTLD string and related variants;
2. the validation of the selected IDNccTLD string and its variants;
3. the delegation, transfer, and revocation of the IDNccTLD string and its variants and, the retirement of the IDNccTLD string and its variants, and finally,
4. the potential review of specific decisions pertaining to the delegation, transfer, revocation and retirement of an IDNccTLD strings and its related variants.

The proposals do not amend nor change current policies for the delegation, transfer, revocation, and retirement of ccTLDs including IDNccTLDs, rather they build on these policies. However, it is recognized that due to the nature of an IDNccTLD and related to the nature of variants additional, specific provisions had to be provided are for IDNccTLDs only, which may deviate from current policies.

Background

In September 2013, the ccNSO submitted the IDN country code policy development process (ccPDP2) Board Report to the ICANN Board of Directors. The recommended policy ccPDP2 contains two parts:

1. High-level proposals for the criteria and requirements for the IDNccTLD string selection; and activities, roles, and responsibilities of the actors involved in the string selection and string evaluation processes and procedures.
2. Proposals to enable the inclusion of IDNccTLDs in the ccNSO.

By mutual understanding between the ccNSO and the ICANN Board, the Board did not consider the first part of the proposed policy to allow further evolution of the Fast Track Process, i.e. to test and gain more experience with the policy aspects pertaining to the introduction of IDNccTLDs. The latest step in the evolution of the Fast Track Process was the introduction of the Risk Mitigation Panel and related procedures in 2018. The second part of 2013 proposed policy – on the inclusion of IDNccTLDs in the ccNSO – was implemented in June 2022 by ICANN through the requested change of the ICANN Bylaws.

In March 2019, the ccNSO Council tasked a team (Preliminary Review Team or PRT) to review ccPDP2 in light of the impact of the following related processes on the recommended policies:

• The evolved Fast Track Process,
• The request of the ICANN Board of Directors with respect to IDN Variants, and
• Other relevant developments such as retirement of the (IDN) ccTLDs and introduction of a review mechanism

Based on its high-level analysis, the PRT identified various issues with the recommended policy for the selection of IDN ccTLD strings and advised the Council to launch a ccNSO Policy Development Process (ccPDP4) to address these issues, including the de-selection of IDN ccTLD strings.

In January 2020, the ccNSO Council requested an Issue Report, which was submitted In May 2020, and after adoption in the same month, the ccNSO Council initiated ccPDP4 to develop policy for the (de-) selection of IDN ccTLD strings. The ccPDP4 working group started its work in September 2020.

In developing the policy and at the request of the ICANN Board of Directors, the Variant TLD Recommendations developed by ICANN and as adopted by the Board should be considered. In addition, and at the request of the Board to ensure a consistent solution, based on the Variant TLD Recommendations, for IDN variant ccTLDs and IDN variant gTLDs, the work under ccPDP4 must be coordinated with the GNSO by mutually informing each other on the progress with respect to the selection of IDN TLD variants. 

Finally, in July 2022, the ccPDP4 was tasked to look at the need for further clarification of the ICANN Bylaws Sections 4.2(d)(i) and 4.3(c)(ii) (exclusion of the Independent Revies Process and Reconsideration), and, if in their view clarification is needed, make a recommendation to that effect.

Supporting Information