IANA Transition: ICANN Accountability CCWG Timeline Going Forward

UPDATES: 1. Interview with ICANN CEO and 2. Article by 2 CCWG participants says Congress Should Reject ICANN Transition Proposal unless changes are made--

Above: NPR Interview with ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade (December 21, 2015)
U.S. Prepares To Relinquish Oversight Of Internet To International Body : NPR: "Do you think this will really happen next year? Your group had a meeting in Dublin this fall and came away with some questions about whether this is really on track. ICANN CEO Fadi Chehade: "We are on track, and it seems like we will deliver the final proposal to the U.S. government in January of 2016.""

But see Congress Should Reject ICANN Transition Proposal Unless Significant Changes Are Made (by CCWG-Accountability participants Brett Schaefer & Paul Rosenzweig), December 22, 2015: ".... The NTIA has emphasized over and over again, the U.S. government “has not set any deadline for the transition.” This is the correct perspective. ICANN accountability and insulation from undue government influence is critically important to the future vitality, stability, and openness of the Internet. It is far better to get this process done right than it is to get it done on time."

CCWG-Accountability "Potential" Timeline

Will the ICANN Board be able to forward to the US government (NTIA) a proposal for the IANA Stewardship Transition by the target date January 22, 2016? It appears doubtful based on the status of the work of the Cross Community Working Group on Enhancing ICANN Accountability (CCWG-Accountability).

ICANN's CCWG-Accountability met Tuesday, December 22, 2015, following the close of the comment period on the Third Draft Proposal. Notes, Transcript, and Recording of the meeting are (or will be) posted here.

Here are the highlights:

80 comments to the Third Draft Proposal. Download page here.
4 Chartering Organizations sent in comments (GAC, ALAC, ASO, SSAC). GNSO "aims to have a
consolidated position statement by the middle of January. The GNSO Council will have 2 calls in early January and plans to have a motion by January 14. Most GNSO SGs and Cs have submitted direct comments, but these will be consolidated in early January."

CCWG work going foward:

• Issues will require substance discussions to identify common way forward
• We will focus on easy-to-fix issues as a priority and then focus on complex issues. Draft analysis will help us structure our work. 
• Per our Charter - we will need to consider whether supplemental draft, public comment needed. 
• We should not wait for January 14 (foreseen GNSO submission) to conduct assessment. We already have received a number of submissions from GNSO constituencies. 
• Unrealistic to expect that potential supplemental report will be published by January 7. We will need to consider whether there is a need to increase frequency of calls or need to set up subgroups to address topics.

Action Items/Notes:

• ICANN staff to provide geographic statistics (as to comments made)
• Remind Bruce Tonkin (ICANN Board) of request (re GPI - Global Public Interest) and provide an assessment of Board comments
• Mission, Commitments & Core Values: "we have fundamental divide about potential unintended consequences." ... Different camps: 1) ICANN should not engage in any activity related to content regulation; 2) ICANN must be in a position to do so. How can we reconcile these differences? Suggestion to consider attempt mitigation friction by adding language that limits risk of ICANN exercising monopoly. Where contractory voluntary offers limits. 
• Co-Chairs/Becky Burr to discuss with external counsel whether there are ways to use competition law in trying to mitigate friction.
• Becky Burr to send update to group next week
• Request Advisors' input on GPI
• Add GPI rationale to report
• Steve del Bianco to follow up (Stress Test 18)

Documents:

Milestones.pdf
CCWG Draft Proposal_Annex05_Nov.30.2015.pdf
Stress Test 18.pdf

CCWG Timeline:

• 21 December: Public comment officially closed

• 24 December: Staff to send comments spreadsheet to Co-Chairs

• 26-30 December: Staff to prepare Draft Analysis Report of public comments

• 3 January: Staff to send Draft Analysis Report to Co-Chairs

• 5 January: Staff to obtain Co-Chairs comments and to make final edits to Draft Analysis

• 7 January (probably a later date per CoChair see above) : CoChairs/Rapporteurs to post Draft Analysis Report for CCWG-ACCT review

Next CCWG meeting: Tuesday, 5 January 19:00 - 21:00 UTC | meeting schedule here | online via Adobe Connect (open to silent "observers") icann.adobeconnect.com/accountability/

See also on Domain Mondo: 

• ICANN Accountability, What Is The Global Public Interest (GPI)?
• ICANN Webinars Dec 2, CCWG-Accountability Draft Proposal (slides)
• Caveat ICANN: FIFA Bans Blatter and Platini For Conflict of Interest (video)
• What ICANN CEO Chehade Has Been Up To: WSIS, Wuzhen Initiative

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