NCSG Policy Priority Topics for the upcoming year

[Kathy Kleiman]

*_My thoughts for the upcoming year: _*2025 is the year of Applicant 
Support. We will need to follow the program closely. We know the 
financial resources to be provided (greatly reduced costs for New gTLD 
applications).

We also need to work hard to help ICANN create "non-financial resources" 
to support noncommercial groups, indigenous peoples and tribes, small 
businesses and entrepreneurs. (Those who qualify for the Applicant 
Support Program (ASP) must then go on to prepare their their New gTLD 
applications -- a detailed document of legal, technical and business 
plans to create a sustainable New gTLD Registry. /These "non-financial 
resources" are ones ICANN has promised to provide, but as shared at our 
NCUC Issues Forum in Istanbul, ICANN Staff is still figuring out what 
these resources will be. Since these resources are key to successful New 
gTLD applications by ASP grantees, we'll have to continue our work and 
advocacy!
/

In 2025, we'll wrap up the last details and publish the *2025 New gTLD 
Applicant Guidebook *- the "rule book" to apply for New gTLDs with the 
sections of a new gTLD application, ICANN's Evaluation Project for 
Applications, and how ICANN will handle "conflicts" of new gTLDs and/or 
existing gTLDs (e.g., identical matches, confusing similarity, etc).  
NCSG was very involved in many of the policy discussions and compromises!

As we enter 2025, we'll need to make sure that the final policies are 
written down -- "implemented" -- in ways that match the spirit and 
intent of the policies. It's an exercise of involvement and diligence - 
/and watching to see that the final, detailed rules match our 
agreed-upon policies.  That's not easy!
/

Finally, in late 2025, ICANN's call for New gTLD Applications will 
finally come out (applications projected to be due Q2 2026). By then, 
we'll need to be ready to monitor the New gTLD applications and quickly 
comment on applications of concern!

My thoughts for our next year - and the need for great people in NCSG, 
NPOC and NCUC to do important work across ICANN!

Best, Kathy

On 12/10/2024 5:11 ApM, Rafik Dammak wrote:
> Hi Tomslin,
>
> Thanks for the email.
> The main goal is to go from being reactive to being more strategical 
> and planning ahead. In terms of policy topics, we can see what is 
> coming based on the GNSO ADR but there are also non policy topics like 
> holistic review or activities and open consultation initiated by ICANN 
> org and board. There are other places where we can identify the topics 
> such as ICANN strategic and operating plans for FY25-30, public 
> comments schedule and any communications from ICANN org.
>
> We need as a group to identify what are the top priority topics for 
> us, to have members who can lead it, track it, inform us and be able 
> to intervene when needed. Knowing what are our priority topic means we 
> can focus more effectively, know where to spend our efforts 
> effectively and more importantly what is aligned with our goals and 
> principles.
> It will also help to plan ahead such as having related webinars, 
> initiating discussion threads, setting meeting agenda with those 
> topics etc.  It will be a big change for us on how to operate and we 
> need everyone's support and involvement on the matter. It will also 
> give more visibility and help members to follow discussion more easily 
> and will give more structure.
>
> Best,
>
> Rafik
>
>
>
>
> On Tue, Dec 10, 2024, 09:58 Tomslin Samme-Nlar <mesumbeslin at gmail.com> 
> wrote:
>
>     Hi members,
>
>     For the upcoming policy year, we would like to have some level of
>     planning and strategy on potential topics of interest to NCSG,
>     with the hope that this would lead to NCSG being more proactive in
>     policy discussions than we are today. I acknowledge that we are
>     fuelled by volunteer sweat and blood, so time resources are very
>     limited. It is therefore not possible to work on every topic.
>     As a result, I would like to ask members to nominate topics they
>     see us prioritising for the coming year. Based on the input
>     received, the PC will prioritise and plan on each topic accordingly.
>
>     You can use the attached link
>     <https://community.icann.org/display/gnsocouncilmeetings/Action+Decision+Radar?preview=/150178775/395608084/GNSO_Council_Program_ADR_2021113_post.pdf>
>     of the Council Action Decision Radar (ADR) to get a sense of what
>     is coming up in the next couple of months.
>     https://community.icann.org/display/gnsocouncilmeetings/Action+Decision+Radar?preview=/150178775/395608084/GNSO_Council_Program_ADR_2021113_post.pdf
>
>     I am looking forward to you suggestions
>
>     Warmly,
>     Tomslin
>     NCSG Policy Committee Chair
>
-- 
Kathy Kleiman
Past President, Domain Name Rights Coalition
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