[council] Status of PDP process as it applies to WHOIS

[Bruce Tonkin]

Hello All,

Just a reminder of the PDP process:
http://www.icann.org/general/bylaws.htm#AnnexA

With respect to WHOIS, we have had the Staff Manager produce an issues
report which contains around 20 issues.  This was completed on 13 May
2003:
http://www.icann.org/gnso/issue-reports/whois-privacy-report-13may03.htm


The Council at its meeting on 22 May 2003:
http://www.dnso.org/dnso/notes/20030522.GNSOteleconf-minutes.html

"Decided to form  a Steering Group
- to take the Issues Report
- to take the outcome of the Montreal ICANN workshop
- to develop a set up terms of reference for one or more task forces on
the critical issues 
- to make recommendations to the GNSO Council"

The output of that Steering Group will be available for discussion at
the GNSO Council meeting in Carthage.


I believe that we are now decisions points 3 and 4 of the policy
development process.


3. Initiation of PDP

The Council shall initiate the PDP as follows:

a. Issue Raised by the Board. If the Board directs the Council to
initiate the PDP, then the Council shall meet and do so within fifteen
(15) calendar days after receipt of the Issue Report, with no
intermediate vote of the Council.

b. Issue Raised by Other than by the Board. If a policy issue is
presented to the Council for consideration via an Issue Report, then the
Council shall meet within fifteen (15) calendar days after receipt of
such Report to vote on whether to initiate the PDP. Such meeting may be
convened in any manner deemed appropriate by the Council, including in
person, via conference call or via electronic mail.

c. Vote of the Council. A vote of more than 33% of the Council members
present in favor of initiating the PDP will suffice to initiate the PDP;
unless the Staff Recommendation stated that the issue is not properly
within the scope of the ICANN policy process or the GNSO, in which case
a Supermajority Vote of the Council members present in favor of
initiating the PDP will be required to initiate the PDP.


4. Commencement of the PDP

At the meeting of the Council initiating the PDP, the Council shall
decide, by a majority vote of members present at the meeting, whether to
appoint a task force to address the issue. If the Council votes:

a. In favor of convening a task force, it shall do so in accordance with
the provisions of Item 7 below.

b. Against convening a task force, then it will collect information on
the policy issue in accordance with the provisions of Item 8 below.



Regards,
Bruce Tonkin