<div dir="ltr">Thanks Kurt. I also think the leadership draft contains a subtle underlying policy recommendation in favor of accepting new Closed Generic applications in the next round in the absence of developed policy on evaluating those applications. This is problematic in the face of standing GAC Consensus Advice not yet rejected by the Board. I don't think the Sub Pro WG discussed this particular policy issue presented by the current scenario. (Please see my note in response to Greg's email.) <div><br></div><div>I'm a bit concerned that Council sending the letter to the Board will result in a request from the Board to Council to at least develop policy on that issue alone (accepting closed generic applications), if not a request to "go back to the drawing Board" to develop overall Closed Generics policy though an established GNSO policy-making mechanism such as EPDP. </div><div><br></div><div>Perhaps Council should simply advise the Board that (1) Based on public comment, the Facilitated Dialogue process proved unsuccessful in this instance and (2) Council does not believe a further policy process would result in a consensus and therefore, the Board should decide the issues, including whether or not to accept Closed Generic applications in the next round.</div><div><br></div><div>Not sure that approach would succeed but it would avoid deciding the policy issue on accepting applications when that topic was not specifically addressed (in the present scenario) by the Sub Pro WG.</div><div><br></div><div>Anne<br><div><br></div><div>Anne</div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div>Anne Aikman-Scalese</div>GNSO Councilor<div>NomCom Non-Voting 2022-2024</div><div><a href="mailto:anneicanngnso@gmail.com" target="_blank">anneicanngnso@gmail.com</a></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Sun, Aug 13, 2023 at 7:54 PM kurt <a href="http://kjpritz.com">kjpritz.com</a> <<a href="mailto:kurt@kjpritz.com">kurt@kjpritz.com</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div style="overflow-wrap: break-word;">
Replying to Paul (Hi Paul):
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As pointed out by Anne (and Rubens in a parallel email exchange), the question of status quo is not settled. That is the reason the SubPro working group specifically asked the Board to settle the question. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The Board essentially created a new, temporary policy when it introduced an additional restriction into the criteria for delegating new TLDs. (I say temporary because the restriction was time-limited in a way.)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The SubPro final report does not recommend an extension of that restriction by way of a “pause,” the report specifically recommends something else. By recommending a pause, the SO/AC leadership would be amending the final report recommendation. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>I wish I could be clearer. That somehow eludes me at the moment. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Kurt</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><br>
<div><br>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>On 11 Aug 2023, at 3:37 am, Anne ICANN <<a href="mailto:anneicanngnso@gmail.com" target="_blank">anneicanngnso@gmail.com</a>> wrote:</div>
<br>
<div>
<div dir="ltr">Hi Kurt and Paul,
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As I see it, the issue has come back to what constitutes the "status quo". This issue was hotly debated in the Sub Pro Working Group. Some maintained that there was no prohibition on the applications for Closed Generics because none was contained
in the 2012 AGB. Others maintained that due to the GAC Advice and Board direction to "pause" pending policy development, the "status quo" is actually a "pause" which would be continued at the start of the next round. The risk I see for the ICANN Board in
the latter situation is that those existing applications for Closed Generics (which are on hold) as well as any future applications to be taken in the next round (not prohibited by this recommendation) would build a case for Request for Reconsideration if
the Board does not allow those applications to move forward. For example, the grounds might be Applicant Freedom of Expression under the Human Rights Core Value and the underlying principle of Applicant Freedom of Expression that has been affirmed by subsequent
PDP work and is now being confirmed in the Sub Pro IRT process. </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Another factor is that the Board has consistently declined to make policy. And I'm not certain that the GNSO Council actually has the authority to direct the Board to make a Closed Generic policy. Are you gentlemen certain that this is kosher?</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Certainly I agree this issue should not hold up the next round but of course there is a year to go. If the Board is willing to take a decision on this, that is one scenario. If the Board is not willing to take a decision on this and/or is concerned
about the risk of expensive litigation over a possible ban, then that is another scenario. Has anyone spoken with our Sub Pro Board reps about this approach? (They are copied here.)</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Thank you,</div>
<div>Anne</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div>
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature">
<div dir="ltr">
<div>Anne Aikman-Scalese</div>
GNSO Councilor
<div>NomCom Non-Voting 2022-2024</div>
<div><a href="mailto:anneicanngnso@gmail.com" target="_blank">anneicanngnso@gmail.com</a></div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
<br>
<div class="gmail_quote">
<div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Aug 10, 2023 at 10:15 AM Paul McGrady via council <<a href="mailto:council@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">council@gnso.icann.org</a>> wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
<div>
<div lang="EN-US">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hi Kurt,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks for this. I’m not sure I am understanding your concern. One of the basic tenants that everyone in the SubPro PDP agreed to was that, absent any changes captured in the Recommendations, that the status quo would prevail. All the
letter does is ask for that. I feel better about sticking with the WG’s inability to change the status quo than I do asking the Board to write a policy when the community couldn’t agree to anything, even after two valiant efforts. We tried in the WG, we
couldn’t get there, the status quo should prevail. We tried again at the request of the Board at the SO/AC level, we couldn’t get there, the status quo should prevail. The letter leaves open the possibility of future community work on this but notes there
is no bandwidth or appetite to do so and we don’t want the next round held up. Help me understand you concern about asking the Board to maintain the status quo until/if the community comes up with a policy on these.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best,<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Paul<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div style="border-right:none;border-bottom:none;border-left:none;border-top:1pt solid rgb(225,225,225);padding:3pt 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> council <<a href="mailto:council-bounces@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">council-bounces@gnso.icann.org</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>kurt <a href="http://kjpritz.com/" target="_blank">
kjpritz.com</a> via council<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, August 10, 2023 3:45 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> John McElwaine <<a href="mailto:john.mcelwaine@nelsonmullins.com" target="_blank">john.mcelwaine@nelsonmullins.com</a>><br>
<b>Cc:</b> GNSO Council <<a href="mailto:council@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">council@gnso.icann.org</a>><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [council] Update on Closed Generics<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">Hi John: <br>
<br>
Thanks for taking time to make this detailed report, and also thanks to the well-intentioned people that participated in the effort, in particular, our GNSO representatives. I am not surprised by the outcome. <br>
<br>
I am surprised by the recommendation to pause any release of closed generics to a future round. Such an action would turn the consensus-based policy development process on its head.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">1. I don’t understand how the SO/AC leaders have the authority to revise the PDP final report recommendation. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">The PDP final report (approved by each of the Councillors) stated that the closed generic decision should be left up to the ICANN Board. The final report did not recommend
the conflicting direction that the closed generics ban be continued until a future round.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">The Board made an attempt to (re)involve the community by inviting the GAC and GNSO to develop a solution. With that effort closed, we should revert back to the final report
recommendations. We should not change the consensus position developed. Do we think the PDP team would have approved a recommendation to pause closed generics for an additional round? (No.) </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">We have thoroughly discussed the conditions under which a Council approved final report can be changed (e.g., GGP), and this is not one of them. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">2. Continuing the ban on closed generics effectively abandons the consensus policy model of decision making.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">The new gTLD policy developments, in 2007-8 and 2016-21 have asked the questions: (1) should there be a round of TLDs and, if yes, (2) what restrictions / conditions should
be in place to address SSR, IP, and competition concerns.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">Restrictions and conditions enjoying consensus support were implemented in the program. (An illustrative example is the RPM IRT, whose recommendations were ratified by the
community STI.)</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">During discussions on closed generics, there were people for barring them, allowing them, and allowing them with restrictions. Pausing any introduction of closed generics
essentially creates a policy advocated by a minority (and in any case not enjoying consensus support). The final report indicated as much.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">This result provides an incentive to avoid compromise. Going forward, those wanting to implement an unsupported policy can refuse to compromise through a PDP and subsequent
ad-hoc discussions with the hope that leadership will “give up” and implement unsupported restrictions.<br>
<br>
</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12pt"><span style="font-size:10pt">3. The decision to ban closed generics for an additional round contradicts the one step the Board took.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">The Board direction to the GAC-GNSO team established guardrails, prohibiting a model that would either ban or provide for the unrestricted release of closed generics. We cannot be sure this is where
the Board will land absent input from the GAC-GNSO effort, but we should not erase the chance that the Board would develop a balanced decision.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt">Two additional points:</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"><br>
1. I do not believe that deferring the issue to the Board will delay the next round, despite the recent GAC-GNSO detour. The Board has more than a year to make a call. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-left:30pt;margin-right:0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"><br>
2. I do not believe the Board is exceeding their authority in making the call. The GNSO specifically assigned the task to the Board as part of their policy management responsibility. In any event, the Board established that authority when it paused closed
generics in 2012, contradicting the Council-approved policy. </span><u></u><u></u></p>
</blockquote>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"><br>
If given the opportunity to participate in a discussion on this issue, I would oppose the recommendation that the issue should be paused, and closed generics banned for the reasons stated above. I would support the final report recommendation that the issue
be decided by the Board. </span> <u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt"> <br>
Sincerely,<br>
<br>
Kurt</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br>
<br>
<u></u><u></u></p>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5pt;margin-bottom:5pt">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On 10 Aug 2023, at 7:33 am, John McElwaine via council <<a href="mailto:council@gnso.icann.org" target="_blank">council@gnso.icann.org</a>> wrote:<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Councilors,<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">As GNSO Council liaison to the ALAC-GAC-GNSO Facilitated Dialogue on Closed Generic gTLDs, I wanted to update you on the latest developments on this project. On 7 July 2023, after discussions amongst themselves that I also participated
in, Sebastien (in his capacity as GNSO Chair), Jonathan Zuck (ALAC Chair) and Nico Caballero (GAC Chair) sent the attached letter to the participants in the dialogue. For reasons set out in the letter, and in response to questions that the dialogue participants
had referred to them (also noted in the letter), the three Chairs have collectively decided that it will be neither necessary to continue with the dialogue to develop a final framework nor initiate further policy development work on this topic.<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">The dialogue participants have discussed the Chairs’ joint letter and agreed to conclude their work as requested, including producing an outcomes report to ensure that the work to date is thoroughly documented. Participants also agreed
to forward the Chairs’ letter to all the commenters that submitted input on the draft framework (viz., Tucows, RySG, BC, ISPCPC, ALAC and GAC), and have invited those commenters that wish to engage with the group to join their next call to clarify any significant
concerns they raised in the feedback they provided.<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">The staff team that is supporting the dialogue is currently preparing a draft outcomes report for the group to review. The group intends for the outcomes report to serve as an introduction and summary of their work, including expressly
clarifying that the draft framework the group published in June 2023 does not reflect agreed outcomes but, rather, was a product of compromise that was reached in the interests of soliciting community feedback on the various elements and points included in
the draft framework. The outcomes report will also include all the community feedback that were submitted in full, links to the group’s community wiki space and other relevant documentation, and the participants’ feedback on the consensus building techniques
and approaches that were used for the dialogue.<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">The group hopes to wrap up its work by September, in line with its previous plan to conclude the dialogue and final framework by end-Q3 2023. I understand that Sebastien, Nico and Jonathan will also be sending a separate communication to
the ICANN Board that reflects the decision they took and, as stated in the letter, expressing the collective view that:<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">(1) closed generic gTLDs should not be viewed as a dependency for the next round;<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">(2) until there is community-developed policy, the Board should maintain the position from the 2012 round (i.e., any applications seeking to impose exclusive registry access for "generic strings" to a single person or entity and/or that
person's or entity's Affiliates (as defined in Section 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement) should not proceed<b>;</b><span> </span>and<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">(3) should the community decide in the future to resume the policy discussions, this should be based on the good work that has been done to date in the facilitated dialogue.<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sebastien and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have on the letter, the Chairs’ decision and the proposed next steps. You may also wish to check in with the representatives that each of your Stakeholder Groups appointed to
the dialogue for further information.<span> </span><span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Finally, I am sure I speak for all of us when I say that we are very grateful to the dialogue participants and the staff support team for all the hard work and consensus building that resulted in a detailed and substantive, if preliminary,
draft framework. I also hope that the participants’ feedback on the methods and techniques used in the dialogue, as well as other lessons learned from the experience, will provide the GNSO Council and community with useful information that we can put into
practice in future policy discussions.<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Best regards,<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">John<span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <span style="font-size:10pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-variant-caps:normal;text-align:start;word-spacing:0px">
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