closed Recommendations for the (de-)selection of IDNccTLDs and related variants

Outcome

• In total two (2) submission were received: one from AFRALO and the other from the Pan African Youth Ambassadors for Internet Governance
• This Public Comment summary report includes ICANN org staff summary of the comments and observations on the topic in relation to the recommended policy and earlier comments received and responses.
• All comments that were received, along with this summary, will be transmitted to the ICANN Board for its consideration.

What We Received Input On

ICANN org seeks community input and comments on the ccNSO proposed policy pertaining to the (de-)selection and validation of Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) country code Top Level Domains (IDNccTLDs), including the (de-)selection and management of variants of the IDNccTLD (Part A of the Board Report).

The proposed policy focuses on four (4) stages with respect to the selection of IDNccTLDs and related variants: (i) the selection of the IDNccTLD string and related variants; (ii) the validation of the selected IDNccTLD string and its variants; (iii) the delegation, transfer, revocation of the IDNccTLD string and its variants, and, the retirement of the IDNccTLD string and its variants. Finally , (iv) 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 pertaining to the delegation, transfer, revocation, and retirement of ccTLDs, rather, they build on these policies. However, due to the nature of an IDNccTLD and related variants, additional, specific provisions related to IDNccTLDs and variants had to be provided, 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.

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

Following the high-level analysis various issues were identified by the PRT and the ccNSO Council was advised to launch a ccNSO Policy Development Process (ccPDP4) to address these issues, including the de-selection of IDN ccTLD strings and related variants.

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. In July 2022, the ccPDP4 working group was additionally 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 Review Process and Reconsideration), and, if in their view clarification is needed, make a recommendation to that effect.

The ccPDP4 working group started its work in September 2020 and concluded its deliberations in February 2024. The ccNSO Council adopted the recommendations in March 2024, and the ccNSO members’ vote on support concluded in May 2024, after which the ccNSO submitted the recommended policy to the Board in June 2024.

Supporting Information