ccNSO Assistance Group: Preliminary Recommendation on ccNSO Structure

28 January 2003

ccNSO Assistance Group
Preliminary Recommendation on ccNSO Structure
(For Comment and Feedback)
28 January 2003

Consistent with the 29 October 2002 ccNSO Assistance Group Communiqué, the Assistance Group has prepared its preliminary recommendation on the ccNSO Structure. The Assistance Group requests feedback within the coming two weeks (until 11 February 2003) for comments to be given utmost consideration. The preliminary recommendation on ccNSO Structure can be found in Annex A. The ccNSO Assistance Group will consider feedback received on this preliminary recommendation and its effect on other recommendations.

The posting of the preliminary recommendation on ccNSO Structure is the fifth and final preliminary recommendation for the five issue areas that make up the Assistance Group's work-plan (i.e. to come up with recommendations on five category areas identified out of the Blueprint, namely scope of the ccNSO as a global policy-development body; process of policy development in the ccNSO; ccNSO membership; structure of the ccNSO; ccNSO Council).

The preliminary thinking on Scope was posted on 22 October 2002, and the ccNSO Assistance Group met with the ccTLD constituency on 28 October 2002 to receive input on its thinking. The Assistance Group received general support for its proposed methodology for defining scope and based on this it will solidify its recommendation.
The Assistance Group's preliminary recommendation on the Policy Development Process was posted on 11 November, with a clarification posted on 29 November. The preliminary recommendations on Membership were posted on 10 December, and the preliminary recommendations on the ccNSO Council were posted 24 December.

As stated in its Communiqué, after the ccNSO Assistance Group has issued and received feedback on all of its preliminary recommendations, it will, following consideration of comments and their effect on other recommendations, compile the recommendations into one set, post them for comment and provide them to the ERC. The ccNSO Assistance Group is extremely conscious of ensuring that it provides its recommendations in a prudent, timely, and efficient manner. In the very near future, the ccNSO will post the anticipated schedule for finalizing its work prior to the next ICANN meeting, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Annex A
Preliminary Recommendation on ccNSO Structure

Issues addressed under structure reflect how to transition into the new structure, and items that may not have been addressed but the ccNSO Assistance Group believes important to address with its recommendations.

With regard to transition, the ccNSO Assistance Group recommends that there be a Transition Committee, which has the responsibility to formalize the arrangements for the ccNSO, liaise with the ccTLD community and ICANN regarding this, and to organize the election for the first ccNSO Council. The Transition Committee would also accept applications from ccTLDs for membership of the ccNSO, with members of the ccNSO able to vote for the Council.

Membership during this period would comprise of a ccTLD manager providing a letter recognizing the role of the ccNSO within the ICANN structure, its policy development process and agreeing to adhere to the rules for membership and fees.

The Transition Committee should be drawn from the ccNSO AG and comprise ten (10) ccTLD managers.

The general logistics of the elections for the Council should be left to the Transition Committee to formulate. However, the ccNSO Assistance Group recommends that the whole Council should be elected at once following a nomination period, with three members per region elected for a one, two and three year term respectively. The elections should be organized within 120 days of the adoption of the bylaws.

The Transition Committee would have no power other than formalization of the start-up of the ccNSO pursuant to the ICANN bylaws and to organize and run the election of the Council. As soon as the first Council is elected, the Transition Committee's work will end.

The ccNSO Council, once elected, will need to address issues such as: working procedures for the Council; options for a secretariat; working procedures to address issues that do not go through the Policy Development Process; and the possibility of exchange of observers between the GNSO and the ccNSO Councils.

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