Hi

On the one hand, they refer to the charter as transitional.  On the other, they want approval of the CC in the near future, which very well may lock us into it.

To the extent that SIC seems set on doing it, it might not be productive in terms of our larger agenda to spend scarce political capital arguing against a CC as a matter of principle.  But we clearly should continue to press the points that a) it should be delayed until the charter issue has been resolved, and b) it should only comprise non-commercial actors.  On the latter, in a discussion on the ALAC list, Roberto argued that "if the objective is ultimately to build a consumer constituency, the president of the largest consumer organization worldwide could be a good starting point" (?!).  Again, INTUG has long acted as a leading business lobby for major transnational corporations, although it now comprises national associations that include noncommercial orgs too http://intug.org/members/our-members.  Click through the membership lists for those associations and you will find a lot of entities that should be in the CSG, not the NCSG.  It would be entirely reasonable to insist on that should the issue arise.

Bill


On Oct 13, 2009, at 3:55 AM, Robin Gross wrote:

Some info on what ICANN has planned for Internet users is finally out - the 30 Sept. Board meeting notes finally published:  
  http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/prelim-report-30sep09.htm

Staff plans for the board to approve the so-called consumer constituency soon.
  1. b) Status on Charters of New Constituencies ... The Board received an update from Staff on the continued work with the Proposed Constituencies with petitions pending, as directed by the Board on 30 July 2009. Staff reports that at least one of the petitions is ready for Board action in the near future.

Finally we hear some news as to what staff/board have planned for a NCSG Executive Committee.  They intend for the 3 board-appointed reps to serve on the NCSG Executive Committee and also to create new constituencies.  We've been wondering what the board/staff had planned for the Exec. Cmte.  They haven't answered my emails asking about the Exec. Cmte, but I guess these public minutes give us a clue how they plan to marginalize non-commercial users further.

[...]

B 1.  From the Structural Improvements Committee - Appointment of three NCSG GNSO Council Members

The Board discussed the process followed by the SIC in recommending the appointment of the three NCSG GNSO Council Members, including the evaluation of inputs with the Non-Commercial Users Constituency and considerations of geographic diversity.

The Board then took the following action:

Whereas, the Board approved the creation of four new GNSO Stakeholder Group charters, and ICANN Bylaws amendments, to implement the Board's GNSO Improvements Report and seat the new GNSO Council at the 2009 ICANN annual meeting in Seoul, Korea;

Whereas, the Board-approved transitional charter for the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group (NCSG) grants the Board responsibility to appoint three (3) GNSO Councilors of the six (6) Councilors reserved for the NCSG to provide time and support for creating a globally diverse and representative NCSG;

Whereas, ICANN solicited and received statements of interest from candidates from diverse backgrounds and geographic regions interested in serving on the GNSO Council and expanding non-commercial participation and diversity in the GNSO;

Whereas, the Board's Structural Improvements Committee has carefully evaluated the expertise and qualifications of each of these candidates and has recommended three appointees for Board approval;

Whereas, the Board acknowledges that the NCSG Transitional Charter calls for geographic diversity, to the maximum extent possible, in the selection of NCSG Councilors and the Board has taken this requirement into account in selecting these candidates;

Whereas, that upon Board approval, each of these appointees shall serve as a GNSO Councilor from the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group, and shall be expected to provide leadership and guidance within the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group and encourage the creation of broad, diverse and representative new constituencies advancing global non-commercial interests, including in such areas as consumer interests, research and academia, registrants, and philanthropic interests;

Resolved (2009.09.30.09), that the Board appoints the following candidates to serve as GNSO Councilors for a term of two years: Rosemary Sinclair, Debra Hughes, and Mohamed Rafik Dammak.

Resolved further (2009.09.30.10), that upon Board approval, and if the Non-Commercial Stakeholder Group establishes an Executive Committee under the NCSG transition charter, these appointees will serve as members of the NCSG Executive Committee, if they so choose, during their term as GNSO Councilors;

Resolved further (2009.09.30.11), that the Board has reviewed and acknowledges the GNSO Restructure Implementation Plan developed by the GNSO and [expected to be] approved by the GNSO at its 24 September 2009 Council meeting;

Resolved further (2009.09.30.12), that pursuant to Article XX, Section 5(4) of the Bylaws, and the proposed GNSO Restructure Implementation Plan, the Structural Improvements Committee recommends that the effective date of the transition to the new GNSO Council shall be Wednesday, 28 October, 2009;

Resolved further (2009.09.30.13), that ICANN Staff is instructed to take all actions necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the intent of these resolutions in order to facilitate the seating of the new GNSO Council on 28 October 2009.

All Board members in attendance unanimously approved of this resolution.

[...]






IP JUSTICE
Robin Gross, Executive Director
1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA  94117  USA
p: +1-415-553-6261    f: +1-415-462-6451




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William J. Drake
Senior Associate
Centre for International Governance
Graduate Institute of International and
 Development Studies
Geneva, Switzerland
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