Public Comment
Operating Standards for ICANN's Specific Reviews
Open Date
17 October 2017 23:59 UTC
Close Date
2 February 2018 23:59 UTC
Staff Report Due
16 February 2018 23:59 UTC
Brief Overview
Purpose: The purpose of this public comment is to solicit feedback on:
- The underlying principles that are reflected in the draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB], especially: for the community to agree on the review scope prior to the review team being selected; to assure selected review teams have the necessary skill set and diversity to conduct a successful review.
- The specific proposals and content that are contained in the draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB], including but not limited to the proposal on scope setting and review team selection.
Current Status:
The current draft has been compiled by ICANN's Multistakeholder Strategy and Strategic Initiatives team, with community input solicited throughout ICANN57, ICANN58, and a webinar in February 2017. Most procedures detailed in the draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB] are either based on existing best practices, or on processes that have been adapted from comparable procedures already in existence elsewhere within ICANN.
Next Steps: This extended public comment will remain open for 90 days. Concurrently, a webinar will be held on Thursday, 19 October, and a cross-community session on the Operating Standards is scheduled for ICANN60. Input received from this public comment, and all other feedback received through the aforementioned webinar and cross-community session will inform the next steps.
Section I: Description and Explanation
The Operating Standards are subject to the relevant provisions in the ICANN Bylaws, see Article IV, Section 4.6. Their purpose is to provide for a transparent and consistent review process by documenting rules and procedures. Please note, most procedures detailed in the draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB] are either based on existing best practices, or on processes that have been adapted from comparable procedures already in existence elsewhere within ICANN.
The draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB] address, among other things:
- Scope setting for specific reviews
- Review team selection
- Roles and responsibilities of Review Team members
- Review team working methods
- Use of independent experts
- Review output
- Amending the Operating Standards
Section II: Background
The purpose of Operating Standards, once adopted, is to provide consistency, clarity, and transparency around ICANN's four specific reviews: Competition, Consumer Trust and Consumer Choice Review, the Security, Stability, and Resiliency of the DNS Review, the Accountability and Transparency Review, and the Registration Directory Service Review.
ICANN Bylaws call for Operating Standards for Specific Reviews that "shall be developed through community consultation" (Section 4.6). To facilitate and promote community consultation on the Operating Standards, the ICANN organization held sessions for community input during ICANN57, ICANN58, and organized a webinar in February 2017.
Section III: Relevant Resources
- Draft Operating Standards [PDF, 303 KB] out for public comment
- Issues regarding Specific Reviews, identified and discussed by ICANN's Organizational Effectiveness Committee
- Cross-community session during ICANN60
- October 2017 webinar on the current draft of the Operating Standards
- Outreach session during ICANN58
- Outreach session during ICANN57
- February 2017 webinar to solicit community input
- For a genesis of the Operating Standards, please see Annex 9, Recommendation #9 [PDF, 535 KB] of the CCWG Accountability
Comments Closed
Report of Public Comments