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<P><FONT size=+2>ICANN Carthage Meeting Topic:<BR>gTLD Registrar
Domain-Name Deletion Policy </FONT>
<P>Posted: 6 October 2003<FONT size=+1><B><BR></B></FONT></P></TD></TR>
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<P align=center><FONT size=+1><STRONG>ICANN Carthage Meeting Topic: gTLD
Registrar Domain-Name Deletion Policy</STRONG></FONT></P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=+1>Introduction</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P>One of the topics scheduled for ICANN Board discussion and possible
action in Carthage, Tunisia (27-31 October 2003) is the <A
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/deletes/report-final-17jun03.shtml">Final
Report of the GNSO Council's Deletes Task Force</A>. The Deletes Task
Force report recommends ICANN adopt a new uniform policy concerning gTLD
registrar procedures for handling expiration of domain registrations. </P>
<P>At its meeting in Montréal, Canada, the GNSO Council voted unanimously
to accept the Final Report of the Deletes Task Force and to forward it to
the ICANN Board as a consensus-policy recommendation. The report will be
discussed at the ICANN Public Forum session to be held on Thursday, 30
October 2003, and will be considered by the ICANN Board at its meeting on
Friday, 31 October 2003. Both the Public Forum and the Board meeting will
be held in Carthage, Tunisia.</P>
<P>The Deletes Task Force's recommendations are limited to two areas: a
uniform delete practice after domain name expiry by registrars, and
recommendations specific to the handling of expired names subject to a
pending UDRP dispute (section numbering below per the task force's
report).</P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=+1>Recommend New Consensus
Policies</FONT></STRONG></P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>[3.1] Uniform deletion practice after domain name expiry by
registrars</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>[3.1.1] At the conclusion of the registration period, failure by or
on behalf of the Registered Name Holder to consent that the
registration be renewed within the time specified in a second notice
or reminder shall, in the absence of extenuating circumstances, result
in cancellation of the registration by the end of the auto-renew grace
period (although registrars may choose to cancel the name earlier). As
a mechanism for enforcing this requirement, registries may elect to
delete names for which an explicit renew command has not been received
prior to the expiration of the grace period.</P>
<P>Extenuating circumstances are defined as:</P>
<UL>
<LI>UDRP action
<LI>valid court order
<LI>failure of a registrars renewal process (which does not include
failure of a registrant to respond)
<LI>the domain name is used by a nameserver that provides DNS
service to third parties (additional time may be required to migrate
the records managed by the nameserver)
<LI>the registrant is subject to bankruptcy proceedings
<LI>payment dispute (where a registrant claims to have paid for a
renewal, or a discrepancy in the amount paid)
<LI>billing dispute (where a registrant disputes the amount on a
bill)
<LI>domain name subject to litigation in a court of competent
jurisdiction
<LI>other circumstance as approved specifically by ICANN </LI></UL>
<P>Where a registrar chooses, under extenuating circumstances, to
renew a domain name without the explicit consent of the registrant,
the registrar must maintain a record of the extenuating circumstances
associated with renewing that specific domain name for inspection by
ICANN consistent with clauses 3.4.2 and 3.4.3 of the registrar
accreditation agreement.</P>
<P>[3.1.2] In the absence of extenuating circumstances (as definited
in Section 3.1.1), a domain name must be deleted within 45 days of
either the registrar or the registrant terminating a registration
agreement.</P>
<P>[3.1.3] These requirements retroactively apply to all existing
domain name registrations beginning 180 days after the implementation
of the policy.</P>
<P>[3.1.4] Registrars shall provide notice to each new registrant
describing the details of their deletion and auto-renewal policy
including the expected time at which a non-renewed domain name would
be deleted relative to the domain’s expiration date, or a date range
not to exceed ten days in length.</P>
<P>If a registrar makes any material changes to its deletion policy
during the period of the registration agreement, it must make at least
the same effort to inform the registrant of the changes as it would to
inform the registrant of other material changes to the registration
agreement (as defined in clause 3.7.7 of the registrars accreditation
agreement)." </P>
<P>[3.1.5] If a registrar operates a website for domain name
registration or renewal, details of its deletion and auto-renewal
policies must be clearly displayed on the website.</P>
<P>[3.1.6] If a registrar operates a website for domain registration
or renewal, it should state, both at the time of registration and in a
clear place on its website, any fee charged for the recovery of a
domain name during the Redemption Grace Period.</P></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>[3.2] Registrar deletion practice after domain name expiry for domain
names subject to a pending UDRP dispute</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE>
<P>[3.2.1] In the event that a domain which is the subject of a UDRP
dispute is deleted or expires during the course of the dispute, a
complainant in the UDRP dispute will have the option to renew or
restore the name under the same commercial terms as the registrant. If
the complainant renews or restores the name, the name will be placed
in Registrar HOLD and Registrar LOCK status, the WHOIS contact
information for the registrant will be removed, and the WHOIS entry
will indicate that the name is subject to dispute. If the complaint is
terminated, or the UDRP dispute finds against the complainant, the
name will be deleted within 45 days. The registrant retains the right
under the existing redemption grace period provisions to recover the
name at any time during the Redemption Grace Period, and retains the
right to renew the name before it is
deleted.</P></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=+1>Board Actions</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P>The task force's Final Report contains the two "Consensus Policies"
copied above concerning gTLD registrar procedures for handling expiration
of domain registrations. </P>
<P>Because the report was supported by a Supermajority Vote of the GNSO
Council, the provision of item 13 of the GNSO-PDP applies. That provision
states that "the Board shall adopt the policy according to the Council
Supermajority Vote recommendation unless by a vote of more than sixty-six
(66%) percent of the Board determines that such policy is not in the best
interests of the ICANN community or ICANN." In the event that the Board
determines not to approve the recommendations, it must return to the GNSO
Council a "Board Statement" articulating the reasons for its
determination. The GNSO-PDP then establishes a process for consultation
between the Board and GNSO Council to resolve any differences.</P>
<P>In the event that the recommendations are adopted by the Board as
policy, the Board will give ICANN staff appropriate direction for
implementation.</P>
<P><STRONG><FONT size=+1>Public Comment Invited</FONT></STRONG></P>
<P>Comments are invited from all concerned on the <A
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/deletes/report-final-17jun03.shtml">Final
Report of the GNSO Council's Deletes Task Force</A> and on the actions
that the Board should take. Comments may be submitted electronically until
Tuesday, 28 October 2003, by sending them to <<A
href="mailto:deletes-comments@icann.org">deletes-comments@icann.org</A>>.
Submissions will be archived at <<A
href="http://forum.icann.org/deletes-comments/">http://forum.icann.org/deletes-comments/</A>>.</P>
<P>In addition, a portion of the ICANN Public Forum on Thursday, 30
October 2003, in Carthage, Tunisia, will be devoted to public discussion
of the deletes issues.</P>
<P> </P>
<TABLE width="80%" align=center border=1>
<TBODY>
<TR>
<TD align=middle bgColor=#00ffff height=30><B><A
href="http://gnso.icann.org/issues/deletes/report-final-17jun03.shtml">Click
here to read the Final Report of the GNSO Council Deletes Task
Force.</A></B></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle bgColor=#ffcc66 height=30><B><A
href="/carthage/index.html#30October">Click here for information
about the ICANN Public Forum in Carthage.</A></B></TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD align=middle bgColor=#ffff00 height=30>
<P><B><A href="mailto:deletes-comments@icann.org">Click here to make
an e-mail comment regarding this topic.</A></B><BR><FONT
color=#ff0000><B>Comments will be most useful if they are made by 28
October 2003.</B></FONT></P></TD></TR><!--
<tr>
<td align="center" bgcolor="#99FF66" height="30"><b><a href="http://forum.icann.org/">Click
here to read comments made regarding this topic.</a></b></td>
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