The Business Constituency Newsletter

	WELCOME

	Welcome to Bizconst News, the Business Constituency newsletter. This issue of Bizconst News provides a summary of the main issues concerning the Business Constituency. The issues have been updated following the ICANN meetings in Los Angeles. I hope you find the newsletter useful and will be please to receive your comments or suggestions for future issues. With all best wishes of the season and a happy New Year! Best wishes Gary

	GNSO Reform

	Philip Sheppard writes: There was much discussion in Los Angeles on the Board Governance Committee's proposals for GNSO reform. The proposals go beyond the outcomes of two earlier consultant's studies and radically proposed a Council re-structuring of 4 registries, 4 registrars, 4 commercial, 4 non-commercial and 3 nominating committee. There would be no weighted voting. In this the BC would be merged with the IPC and the ISPs. Overall the share of vote for the commercial users would fall from our current one third to one fifth. The BC is opposing this change and suggesting that any structural change is premature given the forthcoming reviews of the At-Large and the Nominating Committee. There are some Board members who agree. The BC is supporting changes which seek to improve process, outreach and efficiency. The BC is supporting an increased emphasis on broad working groups of all those interested for larger policy issues. However, we are asking for greater flexibility, in choosing the right type of group depending on the issue, than we see in the current recommendation. In parallel Council has put together a short paper of the recommendations that all of Council can accept. This is limited to process and efficiency changes.

	New TLDs

	Mike Rodenbaugh writes: The GNSO Council has finalized its report and submitted it to the ICANN Board. The report can be found here: http://gnso.icann.org/issues/new-gtlds/council-report-to-board-pdp-new-gtlds-11sep07.pdf ICANN Board are expected to approve this report and staff are working on implementation details for public review. There remains ongoing policy development regarding IDN TLDs, when they will launch and which ones will launch as ccTLDs vs. gTLDs. New TLDs are expected live in the root zone in the first quarter of 2009.

	WHOIS

	An ICANN Staff Report on the WHOIS study has been published. This report was written at the request of the GNSO Council. The report can be seen here: http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/whois-study-overview-gnso-council-04oct07.pdf ICANN staff have produced an overview of GNSO WHOIS activity. The overview can be seen here: http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/icann-staff-overview-of-whois11oct07.pdf

	Domain Tasting

	Mike Rodenbaugh writes: The GNSO Council has approved a Policy Development Process for Domain Tasting, following an Issues Report: http://gnso.icann.org/issues/domain-tasting/gnso-domain-tasting-report-14jun07.pdf and an Outcomes Report: http://www.gnso.icann.org/drafts/gnso-domain-tasting-adhoc-outcomes-report-final.pdf ICANN staff’s Initial Report, including Constituency Impact Statements and previous reports, are expected 20 December 2007. GNSO Council then will deliberate towards a Final Report to submit to ICANN Board.

	Inter-registrar Transfer Policy

	Mike Rodenbaugh writes: The GNSO Council has approved a Policy Development Process based upon a Staff Issues Report: http://www.icann.org/transfers/transfer-report-14apr05.pdf Constituency Impact Statements are due by 25 December, which will then will be compiled into an Initial Report for Council's deliberation. --------------------------------------------------- Mike O'Connor (BC Rapporteur) writes: The working group has put the 19 issues in priority sequence and that list is soon to be put to the Council for approval. - the ranking process developed the order that the proposals will be considered by the working group, but all of them will be considered before the working-group is done - my assessment is that the proposals fell into three "clumps" - Registrar-accountability and registrant-protection - Process and quality-improvements - Technical implementation issues - an impact statement from our constituency is due by late December and I'm taking the lead in the drafting. I can use help! Any ideas or opinions would be most appreciated. --------------------------------------------------- The transcript of the GNSO working session in LA can be seen here: http://gnso.icann.org/meetings/transcripts-gnso-council-transfers27oct07.pdf

	Internationalised Domain Names (IDNs)

	Bilal Berim writes: ICANN launched 11 TLDs for test purposes to gauge the security and stability of these TLDs in eleven languages. The aim to get users’ feedback was also sought. These example tests are a first step towards implementing IDNs. Implementing IDN ccTLDs is on a fast track for implementation. A new Working Group has been formed to address the issues related to IDN ccTLDs. The Working Group will start its work by formulating a GNSO response to the issues report on IDN ccTLD. A full IDN status report can be found here: www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-28oct07.htm The ICANN board has not yet approved the full GNSO policy recommendations for the introduction of new gTLDs. However, staff are expected to start implement major recommendations of the policy.

	Members Matters

	Closure of Secretariat office The office will be closed on the following inclusive dates: 24 - 27 December 2007 1 and 2 January 2008

	ICANN NEWS

	New Chair for ICANN Peter Dengate Thrush has been elected unanimously as the new Chairman of the Board of ICANN. See the full story here: www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-3-02nov07.htm ------------------------------------------------------------ ICANN Jobs ICANN is currently filling a number of staff vacancies: www.icann.org/general/jobs.htm

DATES FOR YOUR DIARIES

ICANN meetings, New Delhi, India	10-15 February 2008

ICANN meetings, Paris, France	22-27 June 2008