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--></style></head><body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Dear WT4 Members,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I have received a note from Sarmad Hussain, ICANN’s IDN Program Director, seeking to draw our attention to a public comment announcement:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>“The Internationalized Domain Name (IDN) Implementation Guidelines relate to the IDN registration policies and practices, designed to minimize the risk of cybersquatting and consumer confusion, to cater to the interests of communities using local languages and scripts. These guidelines are applicable to gTLD registries and registrars offering IDNs at the second level, and recommended for IDN ccTLDs.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Following the <a href="https://www.icann.org/news/announcement-2015-07-20-en">Call for Community Experts</a>, a Working Group (WG) was formed in Oct. 2015 to review the current version (<a href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/idn-guidelines-2011-09-02-en">3.0</a>) of the <a href="https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/implementation-guidelines-2012-02-25-en">IDN Implementation Guidelines</a>, last updated in 2011. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The WG has finalized its work and solicits feedback of the community on the <a href="https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/files/draft-idn-guidelines-03mar17-en.pdf">IDN Implementation Guidelines 4.0</a>, the proposed update to the current Guidelines. The direct link to the public comment is <a href="https://www.icann.org/public-comments/idn-guidelines-2017-03-03-en">https://www.icann.org/public-comments/idn-guidelines-2017-03-03-en</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>The WG has also organized a detailed session on these guidelines at ICANN 58: see <a href="https://schedule.icann.org/event/9nmh/icann-gdd-idn-implementation-guidelines-wg-update">https://schedule.icann.org/event/9nmh/icann-gdd-idn-implementation-guidelines-wg-update</a>.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>While these guidelines are certainly relevant to existing registry operators that offer, or intend to offer, IDNs, staff and leadership thought it may also be relevant to WT4. These guidelines have been in development for some time now and we encourage you to review version 4.0.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Best,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Steve<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Steven Chan</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"MS Mincho"'>
</span></b><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Sr. Policy Manager</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"MS Mincho"'>
</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>ICANN<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>12025 Waterfront Drive, Suite 300<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Los Angeles, CA 90094-2536</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"MS Mincho"'>
</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="mailto:steve.chan@icann.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>steve.chan@icann.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>mobile: +1.310.339.4410<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>office tel: +1.310.301.5800<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>office fax: +1.310.823.8649<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Find out more about the GNSO by taking our i<a href="applewebdata://310CAD3E-E244-4690-A938-C2655DD44BDE/learn.icann.org/courses/gnso"><span style='color:#0563C1'>nteractive courses</span></a> and visiting the <a href="http://gnso.icann.org/sites/gnso.icann.org/files/gnso/presentations/policy-efforts.htm#newcomers"><span style='color:#0563C1'>GNSO Newcomer pages</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Follow @GNSO on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/ICANN_GNSO"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://twitter.com/ICANN_GNSO</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Follow the GNSO on Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/icanngnso/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>https://www.facebook.com/icanngnso/</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><a href="http://gnso.icann.org/en/"><span style='color:#0563C1'>http://gnso.icann.org/en/</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>