InternetNZ Country Code Top Level Domains to Change Relationship
New Zealand (".nz") delegates voted in favour of changing the current relationship Country Code Top Level Domains (ccTLD's) have with ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers), the global body charged with the technical management of the Internet. At the latest meeting of ICANN held from June 1-4 in Stockholm, the 41 ccTLD's in attendance voted unanimously to move away from the current structure which has all ccTLD's as one of seven 'constituencies' within the Domain Name Supporting Organisation (DNSO). This withdrawal is seen as the next step in the process of forming a new stand-alone Supporting Organisation tentatively named the Country Code Supporting Organisation (ccSO). This decision results from over eighteen months of work by the ccTLD Constituency, with ISOCNZ Chair Peter Dengate Thrush, having played a key role in the process.
ICANN is intended as a 'bottom up' organisation which currently has
three Supporting Organisations, namely the PSO (Protocol Supporting
Organisation), ASO (Address Supporting Organisation) and the DNSO
(Domain Name Supporting Organisation). The three SO's are mandated with
providing advice to the elected Board of ICANN on policy areas within
their area of expertise. The DNSO has seven constituencies: the
Intellectual Property, Business, ISPCP (Internet Service Providers and
Connection Providers), Registries (for generic or global top level
domains - gTLD's), Registrars, Non-commercial Domain Nameholders, and
ccTLD 's.
The ccTLD Constituency has struggled for the past two years within
this structure as the DNSO focus has been on gTLD issues largely
irrelevant to ccTLD concerns. At the same time the ccTLD Constituency
has been expected to contribute one third of the ICANN Budget
(approximately $US 1.5 million) with little ICANN attention being
focused on ccTLD issues and no ccTLD representation on the ICANN Board.
In a Communique to the ICANN Board on June 1 2001 from Stockholm
http://www.isocnz.org.nz/international/icann-ccTLD-communique-Stockholm-01026.html
the ccTLD Constituency noted that "The decision acknowledges that a
Supporting Organisation structure will better serve our local Internet
communities, as well as the global Internet community, within the ICANN
process. The proposed Country Code Supporting Organisation (ccSO), with
its concentrated focus on ccTLD issues, will join with the PSO, the
ASO, and the DNSO in equal partnership to support the work of ICANN.
In their reports to the ICANN Board representatives of the Business,
Intellectual Property, ISPCP and Registrar Constituencies voiced their
support for the formation of the new ccSO, and a process for ongoing
communication was established.
The next step involves continuing the discussions with the other
Constituencies in the DNSO, the ICANN Board and Staff, and our own
members.
In other developments the ccTLD's also endorsed the final version of a Best Practiceshttp://www.isocnz.org.nz/international/icann-BestPractice010601.html
document for the running of ccTLD's. The Best Practices document
will form part of the Contract for Services with ICANN. A Permanent
Secretariat for the ccTLD's was also approved. The Secretariat, headed
by Executive Director Dr B K Kim of Korea, is jointly hosted by Korea
and Thailand.
Ends
For further information please contact:
Sue Leader, ISOCNZ ph (04) 472 1600 or (021) 673-300
© 2001 The Internet Society of New Zealand
Last updated 20 September 2001
