[ga] the gTLD selection process

[DannyYounger@cs.com]

Bruce,

Having listened to the recent Names Council session, I have to wonder whether 
the Council is being diverted from more important considerations:

1.  At some point in the immediate future ICANN will be putting forth 
requests for proposals for sponsored TLDs.  While I applaud any effort that 
furthers the goal of expanding the utility of the namespace, I remain 
concerned that (as the DoC has previously stated), "ICANN has not yet defined 
the processes, procedures, and standards for ensuring predictability and 
transparency in the gTLD selection process long-term (including the timeframe 
within which new gTLDs would be made available)."  

2.  I understand that taxonomic considerations are part of the overall 
debate, and that the Council is responding to the Board's request "to provide 
a recommendation... on whether to structure the evolution of the generic top 
level namespace and, if so, how to do so", however, if the Council fails to 
also act to provide policy guidance on these other matters attendant to the 
gTLD selection process then we will soon find ourselves in the quagmire of 
charges and countercharges with respect to the fairness of the overall 
process as the upcoming new TLD selections are pulled out of the basket.

3.  As specified in the DoC Statement that accompanied the extension of the 
MOU, "ICANN needs to proceed with adopting a standardized mechanism for 
implementing new gTLDs that includes a public articulation of the process, 
selection criteria, and the rationale for selection decisions (ICANN Task 
8)."  I would ask:  what is the Council doing to ensure that policy guidance 
is being provided to the Board on such matters?

4.  We are also told in the DoC Statement that "In developing this mechanism 
and implementing new TLDs, ICANN has agreed to consider recommendations from 
expert advisory panels, bodies, agencies, or organizations regarding relevant 
economic, competition, trademark, and intellectual property issues." Can you 
comment on what steps the Council is taking to ensure that such expert 
commentary will be forthcoming and therafter utilized in your deliberations?

Best regards,
Danny
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