World Wide Alliance of Top Level Domain-names

ICANN ccNSO startup - ccNSO Launching Group

ICANN 2: ccNSO startup - ccNSO Launching Group

13 Aug 2003: ccNSO LG 1st teleconference

Cc: cctld-discuss@wwtld.org, Theresa Swinehart swinehart@icann.org

To: board@aptld.org, members@aptld.org

From: Peter Dengate Thrush barrister@chambers.gen.nz

Subject: [cctld-discuss] First meeting of SO launching group

Dear Board and members,

as the APTLD-nominated rep to the ccNSO launching group, I propose to write up a short note after each call, to share progress reports with you. These will not be "minutes", but a personal summary.

A reminder - the ICANN board adopted a series of resolution at its Montreal 26 June meeting ( see http://icann.org/minutes/minutes-appa-26jun03.htm ) at which it requested the 9 cctld members of the Assistance Group to call for an additional six members, to form a "Launching Group" for the SO. The members of the Launching Group are:

1. Bart Boswinkel
2. Chris Disppain
3. Demi Getschko
4. Alf Hansen
5. Hiro Hotta
6. Pierre Ouedraogo
7. Patricio Poblete
8. Oscar Robles
9. Bernard Turcotte
10. Peter Dengate Thrush
11. Olivier Guillard
12. Jeff Neuman
13. Dotty de Blanc
14. Yann Kwok
15. Dr Paulos B Nyirenda

The tasks of the Launching Group are to

• (1) solicit additional cctld managers to get the 30 members needed before the SO can be constituted, and
• (2) devise a schedule and procedures for he selection of the Initial SO Council.

Solicitation

We agreed that we would prepare a short information paper on the SO, and the merits in joining up. This would be circulated on various cctld lists, and be sent by fax or mail in those cases where communication with the currently listed manager required it.

A very simple form of Application for Membership was approved in draft, and a final version will be discussed by the LG shortly. This will accompany the information paper. It is expected that this will be sent after completion to ICANN by either post or email, with a publicly accessible page on the ICANN website listing applications received. There will also be a web based template available for direct completion.

Membership

There was some discussion about who members of the SO actually were, and what would happen in the case of where there was a difference between the IANA database listing and reality. The bylaws limit membership to those listed in the IANA database as the "Sponsoring Organisation" (or the equivalent if this term gets later changed...:-))

It was agreed that efforts would continue to solicit membership, and provided there were more than 30 applicants who were so listed, the SO could begin. It would be open to the first members and the initial council to, for example, treat any applicants not currently listed in the database as members, ( except for voting rights) until either they complied with the bylaw, or the bylaw was changed. ( note that non-members can become Councillors, if elected by members)

Schedule for Election

Achieving 30 members, with at least 4 from each region, was the trigger for having an election. An election process however, should be prepared in advance, in anticipation of this being achieved. We agreed that completing the election about one week prior to the ICANN meeting in Carthage ( 27 to 31 October) was desirable.

There seems two possible approaches to elections.

1. One would be to allow those members in a particular region who have signed an application form to determine for themselves how they propose to elect their 3 representatives on council. Some regions might want to adopt a proportional representation system, or a transferrable vote system, others may want a first-past-the-post system. Some regions might ask their Regional Association, or some other trusted party to conduct the balloting for them. ( In any region where only 3 are nominated, no election is required) Because the LG has responsibility for this first election, it would have to approve the process for each region.
2. A second would be to adopt a single set of rules, the same for each region, and to have one trusted body conduct the 5 elections for the reps from each region, at the same time.

Members' input is sought on the best way forward. Clearly, the second way is simpler, so if there is agreement on the method of election, and agreement that there is a trusted party capable of running the separate elections, this approach might have merit.

Conflicts of Interest

There was some discussion recognising the need for the election to be conducted by persons or entities not connected with members of the Launching Group, who might wish to stand for election to council.

There was also discussion about whether the election process could protect against other types of conflict of interest, particularly that involving councillors who were also officers of other ICANN "components". There are some existing prohibitions for example, against ICANN directors also serving on any Council ( in any capacity, including as a liaison), against government officials holding office, against Nominating Committee members serving on Councils. The recent Non.Com.Users Constituency has a new charter which denies membership to "Organizations that provide services under contract or MoU with ICANN, or are represented in ICANN through another Supporting Organization"

Member's input is also sought on this issue: are there any conflicts of interest between having as members of the Council people who are (1) members of other SO's, (ii) elected representatives of other constituencies, (iii) councillors from other SO's ( iv) other?

Finally, a lightweight approach to bureaucracy in the LG has been agreed upon - there is no "chair" and no schedule of meetings. After input on the issues above, another meeting will be scheduled.

Happy to answer questions, or to take any new issues forward....

regards

Peter Dengate Thrush
Senior Vice Chair
APTLD
+64 4 499 8959
+64 21 499 888