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Public Comment

Public Comment is a vital part of our multistakeholder model. It provides a mechanism for stakeholders to have their opinions and recommendations formally and publicly documented. It is an opportunity for the ICANN community to effect change and improve policies and operations.

Protection of IGO and INGO Identifiers in All gTLDs (PDP) Recommendations for Board Consideration

Open Date

27 November 2013 23:59 UTC

Close Date

18 December 2013 23:59 UTC

Staff Report Due

8 January 2014 23:59 UTC
 
 
 
 

Comments Closed

Report of Public Comments

View Comments

Brief Overview

To obtain community input on the recommendations recently adopted by the GNSO Council concerning the Protection of IGO and INGO Identifiers in All gTLDs Policy Development Process prior to their consideration by the ICANN Board of Directors.

Section I: Description and Explanation

The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) unanimously approved at its meeting on 20 November 2013 the consensus recommendations of the IGO-INGO PDP Working Group, which are now pending Board action. The GNSO Council recommends that a series of identifier protections at the top and second level be granted to International Governmental Organizations (IGO), the Red Cross Red Crescent movement (RCRC), the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and other International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGO). The detailed recommendations can be found in the Final Report [PDF, 645 KB], with a summary provided within the GNSO Council motion. In short, the recommendations cover the following dimensions:

  • Application to existing gTLDs, the current round of new gTLDs, and future rounds of new gTLDs
  • The full name and acronym of the organizations seeking protection, specified in a limited list of identifiers
  • Translation of protected identifiers in a certain specified number of languages other than English
  • Top level reservation of full names denoted as "strings ineligible for delegation" with an exception procedure to be devised
  • Second level reservation of full names within Registry Agreements with an exception procedure to be devised
  • No reservations either at the top or second level for acronyms
  • Access to the Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH) for those full names and acronyms not reserved, for a 90-days claims notification process
  • IGO and INGO access to curative rights protection mechanisms such as the Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy and Uniform Rapid Suspension procedure to be examined through an Issue Report preceding a possible PDP
  • The formation of an Implementation Review Team to assist with implementation should the Board adopt the GNSO recommendations

Section II: Background

For a detailed background and history of the issue on whether to protect certain IGO and INGO identifiers (including the RCRC and IOC) prior to the initiation of this PDP, please see the Final GNSO Issue Report [PDF, 675 KB] on the Protection of International Organization Names in New gTLDs. The Issue Report was initiated as a result of a recommendation by the GNSO Drafting Team that was formed in October 2011 to provide recommendations to the GNSO Council in response to ICANN Board and Government Advisory Committee (GAC) requests concerning protection of IOC and RCRC names in new gTLDs. After community review, the scope of the Final GNSO Issue Report included a recommendation that the GNSO evaluate whether the names of IGOs and INGOs at both the top level and second levels should be protected in all gTLDs.

At its meeting in October 2012, the GNSO Council considered the Final GNSO Issue Report on the Protection of International Organization Names in New gTLDs, and approved a motion to initiate a Policy Development Process (PDP) for the protection of certain international organization names and acronyms in all gTLDs. The Working Group (WG) was formed on 31 October 2012 and the WG Charter approved by the GNSO Council on 15 November 2012. The GNSO Council also decided to subsume the issue regarding protection for RCRC and IOC identifiers into the new PDP WG discussions.

As part of its deliberations, the PDP WG was required under the WG Charter to consider the following questions:

  1. Whether there is a need for special protections at the top and second level in all existing and new gTLDs for the names and acronyms of the following types of international organizations: International Governmental Organizations (IGOs) protected by international law and multiple domestic statutes, International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) receiving protections under treaties and statutes under multiple jurisdictions, specifically including the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement (RCRC), and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In deliberating this issue, the WG should consider the following elements:

    • Quantifying the Entities to be Considered for Special Protection
    • Evaluating the Scope of Existing Protections under International Treaties/National Laws for IGO, RCRC and IOC Names
    • Establishing Qualification Criteria for Special Protection of International Organization Names
    • Distinguishing Any Substantive Differences Between the RCRC and IOC From Other International Organizations

  2. If there is a need for special protections at the top and second level in all existing and new gTLDs for certain international organization names and acronyms, the PDP WG is expected to develop policy recommendations for such protections. Specifically, the PDP WG should:

    • Determine whether the current special protections being provided to RCRC and IOC names at the top and second level of the initial round of new gTLDs should be made permanent for RCRC and IOC names in all gTLDs and if not, develop specific recommendations for the appropriate special protections for these names.
    • Develop specific recommendations for appropriate special protections for the names and acronyms of all other qualifying international organizations.

On 14 June 2013 the IGO-INGO PDP Working Group published its Initial Report [PDF, 609 KB] for public comment. On 20 September 2013 the Working Group published its draft Final Report [PDF, 676 KB] for public comment, incorporating feedback received in response to its Initial Report. On 10 November 2013 the Working Group published its Final Report [PDF, 644 KB] and sent it to the GNSO Council, incorporating feedback received in response to its draft Final Report. The Working Group's Final Report includes supplemental documentation in the form of Minority Statements from various Working Group members and their respective constituencies, including IGOs and INGOs who may be affected by the recommendations under consideration.

Section III: Relevant Resources

Section IV: Additional Information

N/A

Section V: Reports