Historical Resolution Tracking Feature » 2011-10-28 - Registrar Accrediation Agreement Amendments

Important note: The explanatory text provided through this database (including the summary, implementation actions, identification of related resolutions, and additional information) is an interpretation or an explanation that has no official authority and does not represent the purpose behind the Board actions, nor does any explanations or interpretations modify or override the Resolutions themselves. Resolutions can only be modified through further act of the ICANN Board.

2011-10-28 - Registrar Accrediation Agreement Amendments

Resolution of the ICANN Board
Topic: 
Registrar Accreditation Agreement
Summary: 

Board directs negotiations with gTLD Registrars to begin immediately, resolves that the subject of the negotiations should include law enforcement and GNSO working group recommendations, and directs the Board to create an Issue Report to undertake a GNSO policy development process.

Category: 
gTLDs
Meeting Date: 
Fri, 28 Oct 2011
Resolution Number: 
2011.10.28.31-2011.10.28.33
URL for Resolution: 
http://www.icann.org/en/minutes/resolutions-28oct11-en.htm#7
Status: 
Ongoing
Implementation Actions: 
  • Commence negotiations with gTLD registrars.
    • Responsible entity: Staff, Registrars
    • Due date: Immediately
    • Completion: November 2011
  • Provide proposed amendments for consideration
    • Responsible entity: Staff, Registrars
    • Due date: March 2012
    • Completion: Ongoing
  • Create Issue Report to undertake GNSO PDP.
    • Responsible entity: Policy staff
    • Due date: None provided
    • Completion: 12 December 2011
Resolution Text: 

Whereas the GNSO Council resolved on 4 March 2009 to support Registrar Accreditation Agreements (RAA) amendments as documented in http://gnso.icann.org/drafts/current-list-proposed-raa-amendments-16dec08.pdf[PDF, 10 KB], recommend to the Board that they be adopted, and to form a Drafting Team to discuss further amendments to the RAA and to identify those on which further action may be desirable.

Whereas the Council provided a report from that working group that prioritized recommendations for RAA amendment topics.

Whereas law enforcement representatives have met on several occasions to develop and deliver recommendations for Registrar Accreditation Agreement amendment topics and those recommendations have been endorsed by ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee.

Whereas the GNSO has extensively debated the process for developing and approving amendments to the RAA.

Whereas continuing to evolve the RAA is an important element in a program to protect registrants and safeguard the stability of a single interoperable Internet.

Whereas the gTLD registrars and ICANN are entering into negotiations to consider existing recommendations and deliver a proposed set of meaningful amendments in the global public interest with the twin goals of registrant protection and stability in mind.

Resolved (2011.10.28.31), the ICANN Board directs negotiations to commence immediately, resulting in proposed amendments to be provided for consideration at ICANN's meeting in Costa Rica in March 2012.

Resolved, (2011.10.28.32), the subject of the negotiations should include law enforcement and GNSO working group recommendations as well as other topics that would advance the twin goals of registrant protection and DNS stability.

Resolved (2011.10.28.33), the Board also requests the creation of an Issue Report to undertake a GNSO policy development process (PDP) as quickly as possible to address remaining items suited for a PDP.

Rationale for Resolution: 

The Board wishes to convey its sense of urgency on this issue. Law enforcement agencies and a GNSO working group have developed a list of specific recommendations for amending the RAA to provide greater protections for registrants and reduce abuses. Yet no action has been taken on these recommendations. The Board requires action. Direct negotiations between the contracted parties is seen as a way to rapidly develop a set of amendments for consideration.

For the benefit of the ICANN community, the Board is also requesting an issues report to explore the Policy alternatives for developing and making binding changes to the RAA. The Board also recognizes and accepts the GAC Communiqué statement that the ICANN Board to take the necessary steps to ensure that ICANN's multi-stakeholder process effectively addresses these GAC-endorsed proposals as a matter of extreme urgency.

This resolution will have no fiscal impact, nor will it have any impact on the security, stability and resiliency of the domain name system.

Other Related Resolutions: 
  • Other resolutions TBD.
Additional Information: