Jul, 2000 : ICANN Concludes Board Meeting in Yokohama

Adopts Policies to Add New TopLevel Domains, Elect At Large Members for the Board of Directorsand Enhance the Stability and Security of the Root-Server System

Yokohama, Japan (July 16, 2000) - Today,the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
held a regular meeting of its Board of Directors. Items on theagenda included:

• Addition of New Top Level Domains (TLDs)
• At Large Membership and Election
• Root Server System Enhancements
• Administrative and Other Matters

Complete archives of the meeting are availableat http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/icann/yokohama//and the text of the final resolutions are posted at https://www.icann.org/minutes/prelim-report-16jul00.htm.

Highlights of the resolutions adopted bythe Board:

New Top Level Domains - The Board unanimously adopted the followingschedule for the addition of new TLDs in a measured and responsiblemanner as recommended by the Domain Name Supporting Organization(DNSO) and public comment.

• August 1, 2000 - ICANN to issue a formalcall for proposals by those seeking to sponsor or operate a newTLD
• October 1, 2000 - Deadline for receiptof proposals
• October 15, 2000 - Deadline for publiccomments on proposals
• November 20, 2000 - ICANN to announceselections
• December 31, 2000 - Target date for completionof contract negotiations with those selected

Data elements to be included in proposals:

• full information about the technical,business, management, and financial capabilities of the proposedoperator of the registry;
• a detailed description of the policiescontemplated to promote orderly registration of names in theinitial phases of introduction of the TLD;
• full details concerning arrangements proposedto protect users in the event of registry failure; and
• measures proposed for minimizing use ofthe TLD to carry out infringements or other abuses of intellectualproperty rights.

Guidelines to be considered in assessingproposals for selection:

• The need to maintain the Internet's stability,and especially the protection of domain-name holders from theeffects of registry or registration-system failure.
• The extent to which selection of the proposalwould lead to an effective "proof of concept" concerningthe introduction of top-level domains in the future, includingthe diversity the proposal would bring to the program, such asfully open top level domains, restricted and chartered domainswith limited scope, noncommercial domains, and personal domains;and a variety of business models and geographic locations.
• The enhancement of competition for registrationservices at the registry and registrar level.
• The enhancement of the utility of theDNS.
• The evaluation of delegation of policy-formulationfunctions for special-purpose TLDs to appropriate organizations.
• The extent to which the proposal wouldmeet previously unmet types of needs.
• The importance of appropriate protectionsof rights of others, including intellectual property rights,in connection with the operation of the TLD, especially duringthe start-up phases.

The Board established an application feeof $50,000 USD. The fee is intended to cover the likely costsof the evaluation and approval process, and to ensure that theremainder of the ICANN community is not required to subsidizethe new TLD application process.

This action is the culmination of a processthat has extended for more than five years and is intended totest the feasibility of the addition of new TLDs while maintainingthe stability and integrity of the Internet.

At Large Membership & Elections

The Board finalized the process for initialselection of five Directors by its At Large Membership. ThoseDirectors should be seated in time for ICANN's annual meetingin Los Angeles on November 13-14, 2000. Following is the electionschedule adopted by the Board:

• Determination of the ballot (now - August31)
• Nominations by the Nominating Committee(now - July 31)
• Member-nomination process (August 1 -August 31)
• Voter education/dialogue phase (September1 - September 30)
• Online vote (October 1 - October 10)

Root Server System Enhancements

The ICANN Board accepted the recommendationof its Root Server System Advisory Committee to submit, no laterthan the end of August 2000, a proposal to the United StatesDepartment of Commerce for the transition of the current rootserver system architecture to an enhanced architecture basedon the use of a dedicated primary nameserver operated by ICANN.In addition the Board authorized the negotiation of agreementsbetween ICANN and U.S. Department of Commerce for ICANN to assumeresponsibility for the maintenance and operation of various aspectsof the root zone files.

Administrative and Other Matters

The Board adopted resolutions to:

• Appoint auditors
• Establish criteria for the specific allocationof countries among ICANN's five geographic regions
• Revise its bylaws to publicize actionstaken by the Board more quickly than was required in the past;in general actions taken by the Board shall be made availableon a publicly accessible Internet World Wide Web site no laterthan five days after each meeting

ABOUT ICANN

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Namesand Numbers (ICANN) is a technical coordination body for theInternet. Created in October 1998 by a broad coalition of theInternet's business, technical, academic, and user communities,ICANN is assuming responsibility for a set of technical functionspreviously performed under U.S. government contract by IANA andother groups.

Specifically, ICANN coordinates the assignmentof the following identifiers that must be globally unique forthe Internet to function:

• Internet domain names
• IP address numbers
• protocol parameter and port numbers

In addition, ICANN coordinates the stableoperation of the Internet's root server system.

As a non-profit, private-sector corporation,ICANN is dedicated to preserving the operational stability ofthe Internet; to promoting competition; to achieving broad representationof global Internet communities; and to developing policy throughprivate-sector, bottom-up, consensus-based means. ICANN welcomesthe participation of any interested Internet user, business,or organization. See <http://www.icann.org>.