On behalf of the ICANN Business Constituency (BC), dedicated to the interests of business users of the Internet and the future of business growth on the Internet, welcome to Barcelona and ICANN63!

As 2018 closes, our work has continued to focus on the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and its impact on WHOIS. The BC continues to work tirelessly around a possible “accreditation model” for interested third parties, security researchers, and companies to access to the WHOIS register. To this end, the BC holds internal, weekly discussion calls on the EPDP, a community effort to develop a long-term solution.  Of course, this is not the only topic to be discussed in Barcelona. Other critical issues and priorities include: New “GTLD Subsequent Procedures”; “curative rights”; and the FY20 ICANN Operating Plan and Budget. 

ICANN63 is the Annual General Meeting (AGM), where the community will come together to celebrate ICANN’s 20^th Anniversary.  Thus, in addition to our policy work, we will use this opportunity to focus on outreach and engagement to the local and regional business community. To this end, the BC will be hosting a networking event on Monday night for local businesses and invited guests to attend and learn more about our Constituency and our work. 

The BC welcomes all business and commercial users to join us in Barcelona to learn more about what the BC does, how business can benefit from the BC representation, and how members in the BC positively engage in the community. Further, the BC is committed to geographical diversity and involvement of women in the community!

The BC continues to play its part to make sure the ICANN Organization and Community are more transparent and accountable every day. The BC remains committed to helping strengthen the multi-stakeholder model that has helped build the successful, global, and business-friendly Internet community we have today. And we look forward to more and deeper engagement of new potential members in different regions of the world: from Barcelona to Kobe, where the next ICANN meetings will be held.

Sincerely,
Claudia Selli, BC Chair