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Reviews are important accountability mechanisms that are required by ICANN Bylaws and critical to maintaining a healthy multistakeholder model. There are two categories of reviews: Specific Reviews address a range of specific topics such as Accountability and Transparency (ATRT), Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice (CCT), Security, Stability and Resiliency (SSR) and Registration Directory Service (RDS); Organizational Reviews assess ICANN's Supporting Organizations (SOs) and Advisory Committees (ACs), to determine how effectively they operate, how well they achieve their purpose and how accountable they are to the multistakeholder community. Reviews deliver findings and recommendations to help improve ICANN, its SOs and ACs.
Below, please find a status update for all active Specific and Organizational Reviews that are in the planning, execution, or implementation phase.
What is the Status of Currently Active Specific Reviews?
| Specific Reviews Currently Active | Status | Additional Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Accountability and Transparency (ATRT3) | On 30 November 2020, the Board took action on each of the 5 recommendations, as specified within the scorecard titled "ATRT3 Final Recommendations Board Action 30 November 2020". |
Latest news and updates:Wiki Workspace Historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables: Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
| Competition, Consumer Trust, and Consumer Choice (CCT) | On 1 March 2019, the Board took action on each of the 35 recommendations, as specified within the scorecard titled "Final CCT Recommendations: Board Action (1 March 2019)". |
Latest news and updates: Wiki Workspace Historical milestones, outputs, and deliverables: Review Home Page on ICANN.org Review data: Fact Sheet |
| Registration Directory Service Review formerly "WHOIS" (RDS-WHOIS2) | On 25 February 2020, the Board took action on each of the 22 recommendations issued within the RDS-WHOIS2-RT Final Report, as specified within the scorecard titled "Final RDS-WHOIS2 Recommendations – Board Action 25 February 2020". The Board resolved to approve 15 recommendations (in whole or in part), to put 4 recommendations in pending, to pass through 2 recommendations (in whole or in part), and to reject 2 recommendations. |
Latest news and updates: Wiki Workspace Historical milestones, outputs, and deliverables: Review Home Page on ICANN.org Review data: Fact Sheet
|
| Security, Stability, and Resiliency (SSR2) |
On 22 July 2021, the Board took action on all recommendations included in the SSR2 Final Report. Read about the Board action and next steps on the SSR2 Review in the 26 July 2021 blog by ICANN Board Chair Maarten Botterman. |
Latest news and updates: Wiki Workspace Historical milestones, outputs, and deliverables: Review Home Page on ICANN.org Review data: Fact Sheet |
What is the Status of Currently Active Organizational Reviews?
| Organizational Reviews currently active | Status | Additional Resources |
|---|---|---|
| Address Supporting Organization (ASO2) | The NRO is currently implementing the recommendations detailed in the Final Report of the independent examiner. The remaining items require updates to the AoU between NRO and ICANN. | Find essential milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the ASO Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
| At-Large (At-Large2) | Following Board acceptance of the final implementation report in September 2020 and the request for the ALAC to provide the OEC with progress updates on the two remaining issues, "Member Engagement and Criteria" and "Absence of Consistent Performance Metrics", by 31 December 2020, a status report was provided to the OEC on 18 December 2020. | Find latest news and progress updates on the At-Large/ALAC Review Wiki Workspace and historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the At-Large Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
| Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO2) |
On 17 June 2021, the ccNSO Council confirmed its agreement with the status of recommendations and the level of remaining implementation work, as compiled by ICANN org at the direction of the OEC, and based on the information in the ccNSO Review Work Party Feasibility Assessment and Initial Implementation Plan, and the ccNSO Council’s 26 February 2021 letter to the OEC. |
Find historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the ccNSO Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
| Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO3) |
On 21 June 2021 the Board resolved to defer the initiation of the third GNSO Review (GNSO3) until such time as the Board, community and ICANN org better understand the impact of the third Accountability and Transparency Review (ATRT3) recommendations on the next Organizational Review cycle, as well as in consideration of the current community workload. |
Visit the GNSO Review Home Page on ICANN.org for information about the GNSO1 and GNSO2 Reviews |
| Nominating Committee (NomCom2) | The NomComRIWG submitted its second six-monthly implementation progress report to the OEC on 21 December 2020. | Find latest news and progress updates on the NomCom Review Wiki Workspace and historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the NomCom Review Home page on ICANN.org. |
| Root Server System Advisory Committee (RSSAC2) |
The RSSAC2 Review Implementation Work Party (RIWP) has started implementation and submitted its second six-monthly implementation progress report to the OEC. |
Find latest news and progress updates on the RSSAC Review Wiki Workspace and historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the RSSAC Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
| Security and Stability Advisory Committee (SSAC2) | The Board accepted the Final Implementation Report of the second SSAC Review issued by the SSAC RWP approved by the SSAC, which marks the completion of this organizational review. The Board encouraged the SSAC to continue monitoring the impact of the implementation of the recommendations from the second Review of the SSAC as part of its continuous improvement process. | Find latest news and progress updates on the SSAC Review Wiki Workspace and historical milestones, outputs, and final deliverables on the SSAC Review Home Page on ICANN.org. |
Tools and Resources Available to You
The Specific Reviews Page and Organizational Reviews Page each provide an introduction to Specific and Organizational Reviews and the process that each follows. From these pages, you can also find links to detailed information on the individual reviews that make up each category. Information is broken into:
Review Home Pages that provide permanent files of essential milestones, outputs, and final deliverables for each review.
Review Wiki Workspaces that provide the latest information of the work of reviews teams including opportunities to participate.
If you are new to ICANN Reviews, we recommend visiting "Getting Started with Reviews" for a step-by-step guide to learn about reviews and the best practices for getting involved.
Timing of Specific Reviews
The Review Timeline provides a snapshot of the active Specific Reviews (in blue) and Organizational Reviews (in orange). The timeline is broken down into planning and execution phases (darker shade), and the implementation phase (lighter shade) for each review. For a more detailed overview of the review phases, visit the Process Flow infographics.
Review Cycle Overview
In November 2020, the Board approved recommendations from the Third Accountability and Transparency Review Team (ATRT3) - see Board resolution. One of the Board-approved recommendations will result in changes to the timing and nature of future reviews; however, the Board approved these recommendations subject to prioritization. The timing of the implementation work is not yet known and this information will be updated as the implementation work progresses.
(1) Board Resolution to defer Specific Reviews: click here.
(2) Public Comment on deferral of country code names supporting organization (ccNSO) Review: click here.
(3) ASO Memorandum of Understanding: click here. Under this agreement between ICANN and the Number Resource Organization (NRO), the NRO shall fulfill the role, responsibilities and functions of the ASO as defined within the ICANN Bylaws. With reference to the provisions of Article IV, Section 4 of the ICANN
Bylaws the NRO shall provide its own review mechanisms.
Review Timing and Triggers
ICANN Bylaws Section 4.6 mandate the triggers that cause Specific Reviews to commence:
(vi) The Accountability and Transparency Review shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years measured from the date the previous Accountability and Transparency Review Team was convened.
(v) The SSR Review shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years, measured from the date the previous SSR Review Team was convened.
(ii) After a New gTLD Round has been in operation for one year, the Board shall cause a competition, consumer trust and consumer choice review as specified in this Section 4.6(d) ("CCT Review").
(v) The Directory Service Review shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years, measured from the date the previous Directory Service Review Team was convened, except that the first Directory Service Review to be conducted after 1 October 2016 shall be deemed to be timely if the applicable Directory Service Review Team is convened on or before 31 October 2016.
ICANN Bylaws Article/Section 4.4 mandate the triggers that cause Organizational Reviews to commence:
Organizational Reviews: These periodic reviews shall be conducted no less frequently than every five years, based on feasibility as determined by the Board. Each five-year cycle will be computed from the moment of the reception by the Board of the final report of the relevant review Working Group.