Governments Deliver Another Blow to Fresh Top Level Domain Timeline

GAC asks to postpone expressions of interest for fresh top level domain names.

The Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) is asking ICANN to delay a decision on the so-called “Expressions of Interest” process for fresh top level domain names.

In a letter dated January 26, GAC Chairman Janis Karklins states that the period of community feedback has been to short and more time is needed to deliberate and fully understand the implications of the EOI process. The chairman is also miffed that ICANN didn’t ask GAC for its opinion: “no request has been made for GAC’s opinion, despite the clear public policy implications of the proposal.”

GAC’s concerns are threefold: the process will aid ICANN insiders, it will allow a speculative market for EOI application slots, and that it will penalize developing country applicants and non-profits.

I suspect the later concern is over the $55,000 price tag for submitting an expression of interest. But I have to ask, if an entity can’t fork over $55,000 for an EOI, how will they come up with the other $130,000 necessary to apply, let alone the hundreds of thousands of dollars to run a registry?

GAC is asking ICANN to postpone making a decision until following the Nairobi meeting.