ICANN|ARCHIVES

Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers

Proposed Resolution Referring .org Issues to DNSO

Whereas, on 25 May 2001 ICANN entered into a new registry agreement with VeriSign, Inc. for the .org top-level domain;

Whereas, under that agreement VeriSign's operation of the .org top-level domain will terminate on 31 December 2002, at which time the operation will be turned over to a non-profit entity designated by ICANN;

Whereas, under Subsection 5.1.4 of that agreement VeriSign must contribute a US$5,000,000 endowment to be used to fund future operating costs of the non-profit entity designated by ICANN as successor operator;

Whereas, before the transition to operation of the .org top-level domain by the new entity can occur, it will be necessary to designate or establish an appropriate non-profit organization, to fashion its legal relationship with ICANN, to develop any necessary policies for the entity's operation, and to allow the entity to set up its business operations;

Whereas, it is the Board's goal that these activities be completed in an orderly manner and in time to permit transfer of operational responsibilities for .org on the contracted schedule;

Whereas, meeting this goal will require early planning and policy development;

Resolved [01.xx] that the Board refers to the a Names Council for its consideration the issues raised by the need to transition the operation of the .org top-level domain from VeriSign to a new, non-profit entity, including at least:

(a) whether to designate an existing non-profit entity to succeed VeriSign as responsible for operation of the .org TLD, or to create a new non-profit entity;

(b) the characteristics of the entity to be selected or established;

(c) selection criteria for the entity or its organizers;

(d) principles governing its relationship with ICANN (sponsored or unsponsored TLD, term of operation, etc.); and

(e) policies for the entity's operation of the .org top-level domain (to the extent they are not to be established by the entity).

Further resolved [01.xx] that the Names Council is requested to provide a report on its progress on the issues referred by resolution 01.xx, including any policy recommendations it has developed, no later than 12 October 2001; and

Further resolved [01.xx] that the report will then be posted for public comment in advance of ICANN's third annual meeting in November 2001.