[CCWG-ACCT] Board resolution on Enhancing Openness and Transparency – Board Deliberations

[Nigel Roberts]

Bruce

This is REALLY nice to see.

May I blow the ccTLDs collective trumpet a bit? And suggest that the 
ccNSO was and remains ahead of the Board in this particular game and 
there double your bet! ;=)

So maybe next opportunity you get, you could suggest that the Board 
might consider further enhancing ICANN accountability transparency in a 
manner similar to the Decision of ccNSO Council in April (reproduced 
below) in which we laid down that only specific and specified reasons 
for closed proceedings should apply, and only for the duration necessary.

Just a thought . . .


Nigel


PS: This specificity-based approach with reasons required for /in 
camera/ meetings is modelled after a particular Private Member's Bill on 
openness and transparency in local government in the UK that was 
sponsored by Margaret Thatcher in the 1960s.


 > ccNSO Council Decision
 > debated by Council on 14.4.2016
 > adopted by 29.4.2016

> Transparency requires that, ICANN¹s constituent bodies operate in an open and transparent manner. This does not only imply that recordings, transcripts of meetings, if made, and notes and minutes are made publicly available after meetings, but also that face-to-face
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> meetings are open to observers, and will be listed as such.
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> However, some matters do justify confidentiality and excluding the public, such as (example list):
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> ·      Employment matters
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> ·      Discussion on persons
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> ·      Contractual matters
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> ·      Any proceedings of the Ombudsman
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> ·      Consideration of any legal advice that would involve a risk of waiver of privilege if the meeting were not closed
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> ·      Any item where there has been a request to deal with it in confidence and where that request is granted
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> Further, it is self-evident that for meetings of Council, WGs, Committees, only appointed members or others, listed as liaisons or other form of formal participant may actively contribute, but the presumption has to be, that all meetings, including Council prep, WG meetings, have to be open to observers i.e. to people who want to listen to and watch the proceedings of the meeting in real time, without participating.
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> Resolution
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> 1. All face-to ­ face ccNSO, ccNSO Council or ccNSO chartered Working group meetings shall be open to observers, unless a majority of the voting members present at the meeting resolve to close the meeting due to the confidential nature of the topic being dealt with.
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> If so, that part of the meeting shall only be closed to observers for the duration of the deliberations of the confidential item.
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> 2.  The ccNSO Guideline Review Committee is requested to update the relevant Guidelines accordingly, and submit them to Council for adoption.
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> 3. The chair of the Council is requested to inform the chairs of the ccNSO chartered WG’s of this Council decision.
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