> From: Glen de Saint Géry <[log in to unmask]> > Date: March 30, 2010 3:02:50 PM PDT > To: liaison6c <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: [liaison6c] Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development > Process on Vertical Integration Between Registries and Registrars > > Public Comment: GNSO Policy Development Process on Vertical > Integration Between Registries and Registrars > > http://icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-3-29mar10-en.htm > 29 March 2010 > > The GNSO Council is seeking comments regarding the commencement of > a policy development process on the topic of vertical integration1 > between registries and registrars. The public comment period ends > on 18 April 2010. > > Background > > The GNSO Council has commenced a policy development process (PDP) > on the topic of vertical integration between registrars and > registries. The GNSO Council formed a working group to evaluate > whether policy recommendations, if any, should be developed on the > topic of vertical integration between registrars and registries > affecting both new gTLDs and existing gTLDs. The working group > expects to define the range of restrictions on vertical separation > that are currently in effect, to serve as a baseline to evaluate > future proposals. > > ICANN is currently in the process of finalizing the implementation > details for the launch of new gTLDs. ICANN has posted three draft > applicant guidebooks and a series of topic papers for public > comment describing the manner in which ICANN proposes to implement > this program. These documents include proposals on the topic of > vertical integration- and whether cross-ownership restrictions or > other rules related to vertical integration should be adopted to > apply to the New gTLD Program. > > At Nairobi, the ICANN Board adopted a resolution recognizing the > importance of establishing a baseline approach to registry- > registrar separation for the new gTLD process to move ahead. Within > the context of the new gTLD process, the ICANN Board resolved that > there will be strict separation of entities offering registry > services and those acting as registrars. No co-ownership will be > allowed. The ICANN Board further resolved that if a policy becomes > available from the GNSO, and approved by the Board prior to the > launch of the new gTLD program, that policy will be considered by > the Board for adoption as part of the New gTLD Program. > > This public comment forum is an opportunity to comment on any > aspect related to the topic of vertical integration between > registries and registrars that you think should be taken into > account by the Working Group as part of its deliberations. For > example, comments may be submitted on: (i) recommended models for > the New gTLD Program, (ii) the economic analysis conducted by > economists retained by ICANN, including the CRA Report [PDF, 512 > KB] as well as the one recently submitted by Salop and Wright [PDF, > 42 KB], (iii) the Board approved model proposed by the Board at the > ICANN Meeting in Nairobi on 12 March 2010, or (iv) whether the > restrictions currently applicable to existing gTLD registries > should be changed, or (v) additional work that should be performed > by the Working Group to recommend models for the New gTLD Program.. > > Additional Information: > > To review the Issues Report on Vertical Integration Between > Registries and Registrars, please refer to http://gnso.icann.org/ > issues/vertical-integration/report-04dec09-en.pdf [PDF, 254 KB]. > > The ICANN Board resolution on Vertical Integration is posted at > http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-12mar10-en.htm#5. > > To review the charter describing the policy work to be undertaken > by the Vertical Integration Working Group, please refer to: http:// > gnso.icann.org/issues/vertical-integration/vi-chartered- > objectives-10mar10-en.pdf [PDF, 41 KB]. > > To participate in the GNSO working group for this policy > development process, please contact Glen de Saint Gery at > [log in to unmask] by no later than 31 March 2010. > > For information on the details of the implementation planning > activities for new gTLDs, please refer to the documents posted at > http://icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm > > For additional resources on the topic of vertical integration > between registries and registrars, please refer to the documents > posted at: https://st.icann.org/vert-integration-pdp/index.cgi? > https_st_icann_org_vert_integration_pdp_index_cgi_vi_resources > > Staff responsible: Margie Milam > > Deadline and how to submit comments > > Comments are welcome via e-mail to [log in to unmask] > until 18 April 2010. > > Access to the public comment forum from which comments can be > posted can be found at http://www.icann.org/en/public-comment/ > public-comment-201004-en.htm#vi > > An archive of all comments received will be publicly posted at > http://forum.icann.org/lists/pdp-vertical-integration/ > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---------- > > 1 From the VI PDP WG Charter: ' "Vertical Integration" (VI) is > defined as a business structure in which there is no separation > between the Registry Operator and the registrar in relation to a > particular gTLD. They are either owned or controlled by the same > company or have another contractual affiliation that controls the > specific gTLD, and the Registry Operator is not required to provide > equivalent access and non-discriminatory access to non-affiliated > registrars to sell names under its gTLD.' Please note that this is > a working definition, which is subject to further development and > refinement. > > Glen de Saint Géry > GNSO Secretariat > [log in to unmask] > http://gnso.icann.org > > IP JUSTICE Robin Gross, Executive Director 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451 w: http://www.ipjustice.org e: [log in to unmask]