Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development Process on Vertical Integration Between Registries and Registrars

Wed Mar 31 01:10:55 CEST 2010

> From: Glen de Saint Géry <Glen at icann.org>
> Date: March 30, 2010 3:02:50 PM PDT
> To: liaison6c <liaison6c at gnso.icann.org>
> Subject: [liaison6c] Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development  
> Process on Vertical Integration Between Registries and Registrars
>
> Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development Process on Vertical  
> Integration Between Registries and Registrars
>
> http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-29mar10-en.htm
> 29 March 2010
>
> The GNSO Council is seeking comments regarding the commencement of  
> a policy development process on the topic of vertical integration1  
> between registries and registrars. The public comment period ends  
> on 18 April 2010.
>
> Background
>
> The GNSO Council has commenced a policy development process (PDP)  
> on the topic of vertical integration between registrars and  
> registries. The GNSO Council formed a working group to evaluate  
> whether policy recommendations, if any, should be developed on the  
> topic of vertical integration between registrars and registries  
> affecting both new gTLDs and existing gTLDs. The working group  
> expects to define the range of restrictions on vertical separation  
> that are currently in effect, to serve as a baseline to evaluate  
> future proposals.
>
> ICANN is currently in the process of finalizing the implementation  
> details for the launch of new gTLDs. ICANN has posted three draft  
> applicant guidebooks and a series of topic papers for public  
> comment describing the manner in which ICANN proposes to implement  
> this program. These documents include proposals on the topic of  
> vertical integration- and whether cross-ownership restrictions or  
> other rules related to vertical integration should be adopted to  
> apply to the New gTLD Program.
>
> At Nairobi, the ICANN Board adopted a resolution recognizing the  
> importance of establishing a baseline approach to registry- 
> registrar separation for the new gTLD process to move ahead. Within  
> the context of the new gTLD process, the ICANN Board resolved that  
> there will be strict separation of entities offering registry  
> services and those acting as registrars. No co-ownership will be  
> allowed. The ICANN Board further resolved that if a policy becomes  
> available from the GNSO, and approved by the Board prior to the  
> launch of the new gTLD program, that policy will be considered by  
> the Board for adoption as part of the New gTLD Program.
>
> This public comment forum is an opportunity to comment on any  
> aspect related to the topic of vertical integration between  
> registries and registrars that you think should be taken into  
> account by the Working Group as part of its deliberations. For  
> example, comments may be submitted on: (i) recommended models for  
> the New gTLD Program, (ii) the economic analysis conducted by  
> economists retained by ICANN, including the CRA Report [PDF, 512  
> KB] as well as the one recently submitted by Salop and Wright [PDF,  
> 42 KB], (iii) the Board approved model proposed by the Board at the  
> ICANN Meeting in Nairobi on 12 March 2010, or (iv) whether the  
> restrictions currently applicable to existing gTLD registries  
> should be changed, or (v) additional work that should be performed  
> by the Working Group to recommend models for the New gTLD Program..
>
> Additional Information:
>
> To review the Issues Report on Vertical Integration Between  
> Registries and Registrars, please refer to http://gnso.icann.org/ 
> issues/vertical-integration/report-04dec09-en.pdf [PDF, 254 KB].
>
> The ICANN Board resolution on Vertical Integration is posted at  
> http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-12mar10-en.htm#5.
>
> To review the charter describing the policy work to be undertaken  
> by the Vertical Integration Working Group, please refer to: http:// 
> gnso.icann.org/issues/vertical-integration/vi-chartered- 
> objectives-10mar10-en.pdf [PDF, 41 KB].
>
> To participate in the GNSO working group for this policy  
> development process, please contact Glen de Saint Gery at  
> gnso.secretariat at gnso.icann.org by no later than 31 March 2010.
>
> For information on the details of the implementation planning  
> activities for new gTLDs, please refer to the documents posted at  
> http://icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm
>
> For additional resources on the topic of vertical integration  
> between registries and registrars, please refer to the documents  
> posted at: https://st.icann.org/vert-integration-pdp/index.cgi? 
> https_st_icann_org_vert_integration_pdp_index_cgi_vi_resources
>
> Staff responsible: Margie Milam
>
> Deadline and how to submit comments
>
> Comments are welcome via e-mail to pdp-vertical-integ at icann.org  
> until 18 April 2010.
>
> Access to the public comment forum from which comments can be  
> posted can be found at http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/ 
> public-comment-201004-en.htm#vi
>
> An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted at  
> http://forum.icann.org/lists/pdp-vertical-integration/
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 
> ----------
>
> 1 From the VI PDP WG Charter: ' "Vertical Integration" (VI) is  
> defined as a business structure in which there is no separation  
> between the Registry Operator and the registrar in relation to a  
> particular gTLD. They are either owned or controlled by the same  
> company or have another contractual affiliation that controls the  
> specific gTLD, and the Registry Operator is not required to provide  
> equivalent access and non-discriminatory access to non-affiliated  
> registrars to sell names under its gTLD.' Please note that this is  
> a working definition, which is subject to further development and  
> refinement.
>
> Glen de Saint Géry
> GNSO Secretariat
> gnso.secretariat at gnso.icann.org
> http://gnso.icann.org
>
>


IP JUSTICE
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