[council] How to Apply for a New Generic Top-Level Domain
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http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-23oct08-en.htm
How to Apply for a New Generic Top-Level Domain
Draft Applicant Guidebook Now Available for Comment
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm
A newly formatted New gTLD program page, that includes a full version of the
Guidebook, links to explanatory memos and additional resources. These include
the pre-production algorithm, updated FAQ's, and a map of all the documents
posted;
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-comments-en.htm
The New gTLD Applicant Guidebook public comment forum. This page includes a
matrix of a user-friendly version of the Guidebook that is organised by module,
the associated explanatory memos, and a separate comment forum associated to
each module.
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-2-23oct08-en.htm
How to Apply for a New Generic Top-Level Domain
Draft Applicant Guidebook Now Available for Comment
New Names will Change the Face of the Internet through Innovation, Choice and
Diversity
23 October 2008 Marina del Rey, CA
A draft 'Applicant Guidebook' for new generic top-level domains (gTLDs), is now
available for review and comment at
http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-comments-en.htm. The draft Guidebook
provides information for those interested in applying for new generic top-level
domains.
"Since ICANN was founded 10 years ago, one of the foundational principles has
been to support competition and consumer choice in generic top-level domains.
That competition is meant to promote innovation and enhance user choice and
satisfaction" said Dr Paul Twomey, ICANN's President and Chief Executive
Officer.
"The Internet has produced great openness and innovation that has led to
changes few of us imagined. The effect of opening up the top-level of the
domain system will enable more innovation and entrepreneurial applications" he
said.
"One huge area of potential innovation will be applications for names that are
in non-Roman characters, or Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs). Currently
there are only 21 generic top-level names and they are all in characters that
look like English. There are 1.5 billion Internet users and many non-English
speakers will have the opportunity to express the whole of a domain name in
characters that look like their language," Dr Twomey said.
The draft Applicant Guidebook and accompanying material will be made available
in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish according to ICANN's
translation policy. The modules contain information on the evaluation fee, the
application process and evaluation criteria, as well as background material.
Designed to accompany the draft Applicant Guidebook is a set of Explanatory
Memoranda that are intended to assist understanding of the implementation work
for new gTLDs. In addition, two new papers: "Cost Considerations of the new
gTLDs Program" and "Summary of Changes to Base Agreement for New gTLDs" are
also being released and complete the explanatory memoranda.
Amongst the 6 modules and over 200 pages of the draft Guidebook and Memoranda,
some key areas of interest are:
How contested strings (or names) will be determined;
How applications for geographic names will be considered;
Technical requirements for new names that encompass internationalized domain
names;
The rights of intellectual property holders;
How morality and public order objections can be raised;
The cost of the evaluation process and how it is constructed.
There will be two comment periods of 45 days each. Every Government in the
world is being sent a letter to draw their attention to the draft and the draft
Guidebook remains subject to further consultation and revision.
"There has already been robust discussion and consultation regarding many
phases of the new gTLD implementation plan, but this is the first opportunity
to consider the application and evaluation processes as a whole," Dr Twomey
said. "There's been a lot of thought involved in producing the draft Guidebook
and we've used best practice and outside experts to assist us in developing the
application process. Now is the time for close scrutiny, questions and input
that will shape the end result and make it stronger," he said.
Media Contacts:
Jason Keenan
Media Advisor, ICANN
P: +1 310 382 4004
E: jason.keenan@xxxxxxxxx
Detailed Information on some key issues:
Evaluation Fee
The Evaluation Fee is designed to make the new gTLD program self-funding only.
This was a recommendation of the Generic names Supporting Organization (GNSO).
A detailed costing methodology - including historical program development
costs, and predictable and uncertain costs associated with processing new gTLD
applications through to delegation in the root zone - estimates a per applicant
fee of $US185,000. This is the estimated cost per evaluation in the first
application round.
The total fee per applicant takes into account close to $US13 million invested
by ICANN since October 2007 to put the design of the implementation program in
place. It includes allocated staff time, direct consulting expenses and other
fixed costs. This cost will be allocated across the new gTLD applications until
it is reclaimed and amounts to $US26,000.
The fee also includes $US100,000 per applicant relating to both fixed and
variable costs of processing each application.
A final element of the evaluation fee is a provision for risks related to
non-standard processing of applications, or the application and evaluation
process. An analysis of these and other risk elements performed by independent
specialist, Willis Inc, the world's third largest insurance broker and risk
consultant. This analysis identified approximately $US60, 000 to be allocated
to each application.
It is possible ICANN will over-collect or under-collect for the first round of
applications. If fee collection exceeds ICANN expenses, the community will be
consulted as to how that excess is to be used.
A detailed outline of the Evaluation Fee and other financial consideration are
detailed in the Explanatory Memoranda paper: "Cost Considerations for New
Top-Level Domains" [PDF, 517K].
Protection of Rights Holders in new gTLDs
The introduction of New gTLDs is consistent with protecting the rights of
trademark holders, communities and other rights holders against abusive
registration tactics and infringement. ICANN has sought input from numerous
businesses, governments and the intellectual property community to devise an
approach to protecting the rights of third parties.
The plan outlined in the Applicant Guidebook (and corresponding Explanatory
Memoranda) addresses rights protection issues at both the top-level and the
second-level of the domain name space.
At the top-level, ICANN is implementing an objection-based process for dispute
resolution where rights holders can assert that proposed gTLD strings would
infringe their legal rights based upon generally accepted and internationally
recognized principles of law. This process is also being developed with the
understanding that it is also not unusual to have a trademark in the same word
or phrase for different products or services or registered in different
jurisdictions.
At the second-level, ICANN is implementing a process where new gTLD applicants
are required to describe their Rights Protection Mechanism (RPM) within their
applications. These RPMs will be published to the community at the time
applications are also made public. All new gTLDs will be subject to ICANN's
existing and successful Uniform Dispute Resolution Policy
(http://www.icann.org/en/udrp/#udrp).
Dispute Resolution Providers
To resolve disputes in a timely and independent fashion ICANN has established
relationships with internationally recognized dispute resolution providers to
administrate the dispute resolution processes called for as part of ICANN's
evaluation of new gTLD applications. Three providers have been selected to
provide expertise to ICANN relating to the evaluation of the applications: The
Arbitration and Mediation Center of the World Intellectual Property
Organization; The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC); and, the
International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR).
The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has agreed in principle to
administer disputes brought pursuant to Morality and Public Order Objections
and Community Objections. The ICC is a world-renowned dispute resolution
provider based in Paris, France.
The Arbitration and Mediation Center of the World Intellectual Property
Organization has agreed in principle to administer disputes brought pursuant to
Legal Rights Objections. The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, based in
Geneva, Switzerland, was established in 1994 to offer Alternative Dispute
Resolution (ADR) options for the resolution of international commercial
disputes between private parties.
Finally, the International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) has agreed in
principle to administer disputes relating to String Confusion Objections. The
ICDR, based in New York, NY, United States, has many cooperative agreements
with arbitral institutions around the world for facilitating the administration
of its international cases.
New gTLDs and the Internet - Openness. Change. Innovation.
After years of discussion and thought, new generic top-level domains (gTLDs)
are being expanded. They will allow for more innovation, choice and change to a
global Internet presently served by only 21 generic top-level domain names.
As a not for profit corporation dedicated to coordinating the Internet's
addressing system, ICANN is not doing this to add to its revenue. An
implementation plan is being developed with opportunities for public comment.
There will be processes for objections. There has also been detailed technical
scrutiny to ensure the Internet's stability and security. There will be an
evaluation fee but it will recover costs only (expenses so far, application
processing and anticipated legal costs). Many thousands of people representing
organizations as diverse as domain name registries and registrars, businesses,
engineers, scientists, governments, user, academics, and the legal fraternity
have contributed.
Promoting competition and choice is one of the principles upon which ICANN was
founded. In a world with 1.5 billion Internet users (and growing), diversity,
choice and innovation are key. The Internet has supported huge increases in
choice, innovation and the competition of ideas. Expanding new gTLDs provides
further opportunities.
Find out detail at: http://www.icann.org/en/topics/new-gtld-program.htm
Openness. Change. Innovation.
Glen de Saint Géry
GNSO Secretariat
gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://gnso.icann.org