[Comments-cwg-uctn-interim-paper-24feb17] Comments regarding Interim Paper Cross-Community Working Group on Use of Names of Countries and Territories as Top Level Domains

[Storm, Ørnulf]

Norway has been engaged in the discussions on the use of countries and territories as top level domain throughout the whole process regarding new gTLDs.

The discussion on the use of geographical names, including meaningful representations and abbreviations, have shown to be very controversial in the Communety discussions. In this context, the current applicant guidebook section 2.2.1.4.1 is a result of long discussions and should be recognized as a compromise and a baseline for the future treatment of country and territory names as new gTLDs.

ISO 3166-1 3-letter codes have strong associations with the country or territory they represent, sometimes even stronger than their 2-letter equivalent. Norway has the view that any further discussions on country or territory names, including meaningful representations and abbreviation as TLDs should be a community wide process in form of a cross-community working party where at least the ccNSO and the GAC, apart from interested parties from the GNSO, would need to participate.

We recall standing GAC advice on this matter, in particular:


-       "GAC principles regarding  new gTLDs" from  March 2007", that refers to the sensitivities regarding terms with national, cultural, geographical and religious significance,



https://gacweb.icann.org/display/GACADV/2007-03-28-gTLD-3?preview=/28278820/41943560/gac-principles-regarding-new-gtlds-28mar07-en.pdf



-       "GAC advice from the Nairobi Communiqué 2010", annex b, where the GAC underline that  strings that are a meaningful representation or abbreviation of a country or territory name should not be allowed in the gTLD space".



https://gacweb.icann.org/download/attachments/27131983/GAC_37_Nairobi_Communique.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1312226773000&api=v2



-       "GAC advice from the Helsinki Communique 2016", part IV, section 4, where the GAC gives direct advice to the use of 3-letter codes in the ISO-3166 list as gTLDs in future rounds.



https://gacweb.icann.org/display/GACADV/GAC+Communiques?preview=/27492514/43712817/20160630_GAC%20ICANN%2056%20Communique_FINAL%20%5B1%5D.pdf


Kind Regards,
Ørnulf Storm
GAC, Norway
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