ccTLD Constituency of the DNSO

Draft Version 4.0 - 25 May 1999
 

Principles

The following are the guiding principles for the organisation of the ccTLD Constituency. This document is based on the principles of openness, geographic diversity, inclusivity and simplicity, as expressed during the discussions at the initial ccTLD Constituency meeting held in Berlin.

1.  The ccTLD Constituency

1.1.  The ccTLD Constituency of the Domain Name Supporting Organisation, ('DNSO') is one of the initial constituencies of the DNSO.

2.1 .  Members of the ccTLD Constituency are those recorded managers of an ISO 3166 country code Top Level Domain Registry in the register maintained by IANA/ICANN. Managers may decline to join the ccTLD Constituency.

2.2.  Members are represented by an individual, preferably at a senior level, duly authorised by the ccTLD manager,.

3.  The ccTLD Administration Committee

3.1.  An Administration Committee shall manage the affairs of the ccTLD Constituency.

3.2.  The initial Administration Committee shall consist of representatives of the ccTLD regional organisations.

3.3.  In addition, any grouping of 10 or more ccTLD members may self organise and nominate a representative to the Administration Committee.

4.  Consensus

4.1.  The ccTLD Constituency shall operate on the principle that decisions shall be made on the basis of consensus.

4.2.  The consensus process shall be managed by the ccTLD Administration Committee.

5.  The ccTLD Names Council Members

5.1.  Two members may nominate (i.e. propose and second) an individual as a candidate for election to the Names Council. Candidates may accept or decline such nomination.

5.2.  Each member shall have one (1) vote for the election of the Names Council.

5.3.  The Single Transferable Voting system of Proportional Representation shall be used to elect the three Names Council members.
(N.B. This method of election from a slate of candidates nominated from around the world, and selected by an electorate from every country in the world, has the inherent advantage that the outcome is most likely to produce a geographically diverse set of Names Council members).

5.4.  Names Council members shall serve for one year and elections shall be held annually.

5.5.  The above voting procedures shall be reviewed prior to the second election.
(N.B. A particular concern is that the election procedures shall result in the election of excellent candidates who reflect the geographical diversity of ccTLD Constituency).

6.  Work of the ccTLD Constituency

6.1.  The work of the ccTLD Constituency shall proceed following the rules of procedure to be established by the Constituency and managed by the Administration Committee.

6.2.  Where resolutions or recommendations require a poll of the membership, each ccTLD Constituency member shall have one (1) vote.

7.  Funding the ccTLD Constituency

7.1.  The ccTLD Constituency members may arrange any necessary funding for the constituency in a manner to be agreed by the Constituency.

8.  Funding the DNSO

8.1.  The ccTLD Constituency may share in the funding of the DNSO in a manner to be agreed by the Names Council and accepted by the ccTLD Constituency.

9.  Participation in the DNSO General Assembly

9.1.  The ccTLD Constituency members will participate in the DNSO General Assembly.

10.  Open Transparent Processes

10.1.  The ccTLD Constituency processes shall adhere to the principles of openness and transparency.

10.2.  Meetings of the ccTLD Constituency shall, as far as practicable, be open to the public.

11.   Electronic Participation

11.1.  The ccTLD Constituency shall operate using whatever electronic means are available for discussion and communication to ensure, as far as practicable, that neither location nor inability to travel disenfranchises any ccTLD.

11.2.  The ccTLD Constituency voting procedures shall require that all resolutions be confirmed by a secure (and where necessary confidential) electronic vote of the members.

12.  Amendments

12.1.  These ccTLD Constituency principles may be amended by a two-thirds majority of a vote of the ccTLD Constituency members.

12.2.  Upon a petition by at least 10% of the membership, the ccTLD Administration Committee shall put any matter to a vote of the whole Constituency.