<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0cm;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
@page WordSection1
{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt 72.0pt;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
/* List Definitions */
@list l0
{mso-list-id:487945628;
mso-list-template-ids:1825858832;}
ol
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
ul
{margin-bottom:0cm;}
--></style>
</head>
<body lang="en-BE" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Sending on behalf of the Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies small team<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Dear Councilors,</span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Following several conversations by the small team that was formed to review the Modifying gTLD Consensus Policies paper</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">
(see <a href="https://community.icann.org/x/qAWlCg">https://community.icann.org/x/qAWlCg</a>)</span><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">, the small team would like to recommend that the Council requests a dialogue with ICANN
org and interested Board members on this topic. The small team is of the view that this would result in a more constructive engagement than sending redline edits and/or comments back. If the Council agrees, the small team suggests that the letter below is
sent to ICANN org. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">If there are any comments or concerns about this proposed approach, maybe these can be considered during the upcoming Council meeting as an AOB item?
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Best regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Marika</span><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid black 1.0pt;padding:0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="border:none;padding:0cm"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Dear Theresa,</span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">As you are aware, in response to your email of 23 October 2021, the GNSO Council formed a small team consisting of Council members as well as interested SG/C representatives
to review the discussion draft and propose to the GNSO Council how to proceed. The Council and the small team appreciate the engagement with ICANN org on some of the procedural questions and welcomes the invitation to engage on this important topic. However,
instead of sending papers and letters back and forth, the Council is of the view that this topic may benefit from a dialogue between Council, interested SG/C representatives, ICANN org as well as interested Board members. As such, we would like to propose
to schedule a meeting, or a series of them, during which we can go into further details on topics and questions such as:</span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0cm" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Ensuring a common understanding of the problem we trying to fix; <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">Is the “fixing” expected to require changes to existing procedures or do existing procedures provide for sufficient flexibility to address the problem should it arise again? <o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">A common understanding of the urgency of the problem so we can decide how to prioritize this effort and ensure that community resources are available to work on this topic jointly;<o:p></o:p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="color:black;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;vertical-align:baseline">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">[<span style="background:yellow">other themes/questions</span>]<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">The GNSO Council does wants to emphasize that it fully supports the notion that any modifications to existing gTLD Consensus Policies need to be clear and should be identified
as part of any policy recommendations that are submitted to the GNSO Council and subsequently the ICANN Board. The Council realizes that because of the time constraints under which it and the ICANN Board operated in the context of the EPDP Phase 1, this clarity
may not have been provided in all cases which resulted in delays and questions around the intended impact on some existing Consensus Policies. Fortunately, we have been able to resolve these issues through our existing processes and procedures, but obviously,
we would have saved substantial time and frustration if we would not have found ourselves in this position. </span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-GB">If you are supportive of this approach, we would suggest that you work with the GNSO Secretariat to identify a time / date that works for all those that should be part
of this conversation. </span><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-fareast-language:EN-GB"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>