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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-GB link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>All,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Please see below for an update in response to our questions to ICANN.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><br>Jonathan & Lise<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'>From:</span></b><span lang=EN-US style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif";mso-fareast-language:EN-GB'> Theresa Swinehart [mailto:theresa.swinehart@icann.org] <br><b>Sent:</b> 09 June 2015 16:17<br><b>To:</b> Jonathan Robinson; Lise Fuhr<br><b>Cc:</b> Grace Abuhamad; Samantha Eisner; Xavier J. Calvez<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: A supplementary financial / legal question from the CWG<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Dear Jonathan and Lise, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Thank you for your communication and question, and my apologies for the delay in responding. We appreciate that the CWG is not seeking to change ICANN's tax exempt status and thus implementation of the recommendations should be handled with care and consideration, keeping this in mind. We recognize and respect the outcomes achieved by the CWG and CWG's proposal and, once approved through the process, look forward to implementing the recommendations to develop the PTI while preserving the tax exempt status of ICANN. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Kind regards, <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><br><br><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Theresa<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:black'>From: </span></b><span style='color:black'>Jonathan Robinson <<a href="mailto:jrobinson@afilias.info">jrobinson@afilias.info</a>><br><b>Organization: </b>Afilias<br><b>Reply-To: </b>Jonathan Robinson <<a href="mailto:jrobinson@afilias.info">jrobinson@afilias.info</a>><br><b>Date: </b>Tuesday, May 19, 2015 6:23 PM<br><b>To: </b>Xavier Calvez <<a href="mailto:xavier.calvez@icann.org">xavier.calvez@icann.org</a>>, Samantha Eisner <<a href="mailto:Samantha.Eisner@icann.org">Samantha.Eisner@icann.org</a>><br><b>Cc: </b>Theresa Swinehart <<a href="mailto:theresa.swinehart@icann.org">theresa.swinehart@icann.org</a>>, Grace Abuhamad <<a href="mailto:grace.abuhamad@icann.org">grace.abuhamad@icann.org</a>>, Lise Fuhr <<a href="mailto:lise.fuhr@difo.dk">lise.fuhr@difo.dk</a>><br><b>Subject: </b>A supplementary financial / legal question from the CWG<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Dear Xavier / Dear Sam,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>An additional question arising from the work of the CWG on IANA Stewardship Transition has arisen.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The CWG currently envisages that the post transition entity (PTI) will be a legally separate entity in the form of a Public Benefit Corporation.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>However, we have not ruled out the use of a Delaware LLC with many of the characteristics of a California public benefit corporation replicated.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The issue you which Sidley have been concerned about the CWG dealing with and using your input to do so relates to the tax exempt status of the entity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>We are advised that an LLC (subsidiary of ICANN) would simply benefit from ICANNs tax exempt status whereas PTI as a PBC would need to apply for tax exempt status in its own right. The inheritance of the tax exempt status by PTI as an LLC is a potentially valuable benefit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>The specific question for you relates to whether or not you can foresee any likelihood of a PTI making a taxable income and, in any event, is the tax exempt (or not) status of the PTI entity an issue of any materiality?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Put another way, is there already or is there any future likelihood of an income being generated within PTI and therefore, is the tax exempt status of the PTI entity an issue?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>If you are able to assist by providing an ICANN view on these matters that will help the CWG in assessing the options of California PBC versus Delaware LLC for the PTI entity.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>I trust the above is clear and look forward to any assistance or guidance you can provide.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Best wishes,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:black'>Jonathan Robinson<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div></body></html>