Notes from Feb 17 NCSG Policy Meeting

[Wendy Seltzer]

Here are my rough notes from the Feb. 17 NCSG policy discussion.  Please
excuse any errors or misinterpretations.

<http://ncdnhc.org/events/ncsg-monthly-policy-meeting>, in advance of
the GNSO Council's Feb 18
<http://gnso.icann.org/meetings/agenda-18feb10-en.htm>

Agenda-bashing, preliminaries.  Avri, Brenden (and volunteers welcome)
will look for long-term web options to make transcripts available to
members.

Affirmation of Commitments (AoC) Review Teams.  Bill described the
process the Council will use to select nominees to endorse for the
Accountability and Transparency review as a one-time process, because
this review is on very short deadlines. [Council adopted this process
<http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/gnso-endorsement-nominees-process-proposal-10feb10-en.pdf>
at its Feb. 18 meeting, setting one slot for each stakeholder group and
2 for unaffiliated/general pool.]   Bill will serve as NCSG rep on the
Evaluation Team to evaluate nominees.

NCSG ACTION:
 We need to find people (from inside or outside the SG) who would be
good members of the Accountability and Transparency Review Team and
recommend that they apply by March 7. They must apply through ICANN and
then we can endorse 1 from NCSG and 2 unaffiliated (together with the
rest of the GNSO Council).
<http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-03feb10-en.htm>

Consider looking for people with ICANN experience, non-commercial
perspective, and/or expertise in government, transparency, institutional
accountability metrics.


Vertical Integration: the group is engaged in drafting a charter.
<http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-vi-feb10/>
Among the items in play are the scope for changes to existing TLDs,
timing of the policy development process, and the outcomes if the PDP
breaks down -- what happens if it doesn't reach the required thresholds
of support from both houses?  Will the Council be forced to evaluate how
new structure and old processes fit or don't?


Constituencies and Interest Groups.  Public comment closed on
second-round consideration of the proposed consumer constituency.
Concern that the proposal does not reach the broad range of consumer
interests already participating in NCSG/NCUC.  It would be great if
consumer groups (those currently in NCUC and new ones) organized as an
NCSG interest group.

ACTION: Outreach to consumer groups who are on the periphery or
currently outside ICANN activities.  If you know groups who should be
involved, now's a great time to get in touch.


Nairobi meeting.  It's still on.  If fewer people attend, even better
opportunity for those who do to focus attention on non-commercial
concerns and interests.  Civil society dinner planned for Monday, March
8, to include members of the local Internet community and possible new
constituents.


Registry Accreditation Agreement (RAA) working groups need more NCSG
attention.  Wendy will look into the current status.


NCSG Charter out for review, includes guide for interest group
formation, executive committee operation, voting.