Question: What is your opinion regarding the invoices sent by ICANN to the registries of the ccTLDs? Should the fees depend on the number of domains supported by a ccTLD? References: http://www.centr.org/docs/press/20000605-icann.html and http://www.denic.de/doc/DENIC/presse/icannzahlung.html

Nominee Replies

Olivier Muron - posted on 2000-09-12 09:55:04 The basic principles concerning the contribution of ccTLDs should be: - the ccTLDs should contribute to the budget of ICANN, - the negotiations between ICANN and ccTLDs should prevail. What are the proposals? - a per domain fee is oversimplistic and might be seen as a tax, - a fee based on the cost to ICANN per ccTLD? This cost will be hard to evaluate but, I imagine, it would be more or less uniform per ccTLD, which is obviously unfair for small ccTLDs, I am confident that the ongoing discussions between ICANN and the ccTLDs will lead to a formula acceptable to all ccTLDs. In the mean time no invoices should be issued. Jeanette Hofmann - posted on 2000-09-11 14:33:40 As far as I remember, the number of Second Level Domains forms the basis for the financial share each registry is expected to take on. Due to its different structures, the various fees don't match the actual size (and financial ressources) of the ccTLDs. The members of CENTR have stressed their intention to develop their own model for distributing the funding among ccTLDs. I support this solution, not least because it reflects the Net's decentral structure and administration. Alf Hansen - posted on 2000-09-10 11:51:18 The ccTLDs are responsible for paying their share of the establishment and operations of ICANN. Agreements between ICANN and the ccTLDs should be negotiated, including agreement on funding arrangements. Until such agreements are reached, no invoices should be issued. In the mean time the ccTLDs should be encouraged to pay (donate) their share of the cost based on good will and responsibility. My understanding is that the ccTLDs have shown a considerabely will to donate enogh funds to cover what is needed for ICANN. The fee structure must be based on negotiations, and it is up to the parties to agree on the principles. My opinien is that the fees should not be revenue driven, but cost driven. Which means that a fee to ICANN pr. domain name is wrong (revenue driven). Instead there should be a fee based on the cost for ICANN to support each ccTLD (cost driven). Best regards, Alf H