ICANN Open Meeting
DNSO General Assembly May 25, 1999
Hotel Adlon, Berlin, Germany
DNSO Constituency Report Archive
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DNSO General Assembly

Reports from the Constituency Groups


I.  CcTLDs (Dennis Jennings)

   A.   Use CENTR general assembly document
       1.   Set of principles to guide the discussion
   B.   Rough consensus reached, will generate new version of document shortly
   C.   Single transferable vote (proportional representation) would likely lead to geographic diversity
       1.   Waive bylaw requirement of geographic diversity
       2.   One ccTLD, one vote
   D.   Advisory council - each regional group gets a member on the council
       1.   Each group can be created by any ten or more ccTLDs
   E.   Consensus that openness or closedness of ccTLDs not relevant

II.  gTLDs (Don Telage)

   A.   Will be submitting a plan with three nominations.
   B.   Geographic diversity requirements don't make sense in this case, asks that the board therefore waive them.
   C.   Until there are more gTLDs, the single gTLD member elects all three representatives.
       1.   Concern that this is too much representation for NSI. One understanding coming out of Singapore was that no single company would have more than one seat on Names Council.
       2.   Dyson: NSI would nominate no more than one of its employees.
   D.   Five participants: Two NSI employees, Richard Sexton, Joe Sims, and Joe Gorup eNom.

III.   Business Constituency (Javier Sola)

   A.   Q: Must not give special rights to "founding members," can't have election based on members designated before the constituency recognized by ICANN. A: Agreed that they shouldn't have special rights. But how else to do elections?
   B.   Q: Concern of insufficient geographic diversity. A: Would like greater diversity, some groups just have not yet submitted delegates. Proposed geographic diversity regulations are adequate.
   C.   Q: Nomination period. A: Two weeks long, closed on May 12.

IV.   ISPs and Connectivity Providers (Barb Dooley)

   A.   Original draft put together with five associations
       1.   Revisions made
       2.   Now twenty-two diverse signers on current draft, including associations, ISPs and connectivity providers, a web hosting company.
   B.   Interim officers selected (for next three months), will be initial representatives to Names Council
       1.   Michael Schneider, EuroISPA
       2.   Tony Harris, CABASE
       3.   Siegfried Langenbach

V.  Non-Commercial Domain Name Holders (Milton Mueller, David Maher, Michael Sondow)

   A.   Eligibility: Organizations must be incorporated as non-profits (or unincorporated), primary purpose must be non-commercial.
   B.   Exclusion with respect to other constituencies: An organization can't join the Non-Commercial constituency if also in another constituency.
   C.   Voting: A representative of large organizations, one of small organizations, a weighted vote balancing the two.
       1.   Nominations to begin August 1, representatives elected in time for Santiago
   D.   Interim committee to handle the details - resolution between the two major factions
       1.   Committee: Gaetano, Heath, Mueller, Sondow
   E.   Joop Teernstra: www.democracy.org.nz/idno/

VI.  Registrars (Mike Palage)

   A.   Who can be a member?
       1.   Before 90 days after end of testbed period: registrars accredited by ICANN and currently participating in testbed, conditionally approved registrars, NSI.
       2.   After 90 days after end of testbed period: only registrars accredited by ICANN.
   B.   Nomination
       1.   Self-nominations OK
       2.   Conducted online - email
   C.   Should membership be broader?
       1.   ccTLD registrars not included
       2.   A subcommittee to be established to consider the question further.
       3.   Opinions and comments welcome from everyone interested.
       4.   Dyson: purpose of constituencies is to represent all points of view. If a group is left out, either it must be let into an existing constituency or it must get its own constituency. Don't want too many constituencies (dilution), but want to assure everyone's voice is heard.

VII.   Trademark and IP (Jonathan Cohen, FICPI)

   A.   There will be a single proposal. Amended document will be submitted today or tomorrow.
       1.   Mikki Barry notes that the DNRC board has not seen or signed onto a compromise.
   B.   Proposal reached after three consultations: Toronto, Wellington, New York City. Representation from most parts of the world, numerous invitations to attend.
   C.   Have elected three representatives. Will ask ICANN board to waive requirement of geographic diversity because little diversity in nominations. (Representatives from other geographic areas did not nominate themselves.) Representatives come from international organizations.
       1.   Jonathan Cohen
       2.   Susan Anthony (INTA)
       3.   Todd Cohen (Motion Picture Association of America)
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