The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and the U.S. Department of Commerce have signed a new agreement for managing the Internet’s system of centrally coordinated identifiers, including the systems of domain names and numeric addresses that are used to reach computers on the Internet. ICANN calls the agreement “a dramatic step forward.”
“ICANN has secured an agreement that recognizes it as being responsible for the management of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers on an ongoing basis,” ICANN President and Chief Executive Officer Paul Twomey said. “It means ICANN is more autonomous.
“The United States Department of Commerce has clearly signaled that multi-stakeholder management of the Internet’s system of unique identifiers is the way ahead, and ICANN is the obvious organization to take that responsibility,” Twomey added.
Previously, ICANN and the DOC operated under a Memorandum of Understanding. The MOU expires Sept. 30.
According to ICANN, the new agreement represents several gains for the organization:
ICANN will no longer have its work prescribed for it. How it works and what it works on are up to ICANN and its community.
ICANN is not required to report every six months as it has been under the MOU. It will provide an annual report that will address the whole Internet community.
There is no requirement to report regularly to the DOC. Instead, the DOC will meet with senior ICANN staff from time to time.
“The ICANN model of multi-stakeholder consultation is working, and this agreement endorses it,” Twomey said. “Our community makes it work, and we are constantly evolving and improving through their advice and support.
“This is a great achievement for the ICANN community,” he continued. “Our community is made up of very committed, highly skilled individuals—most of whom are volunteers and take their responsibilities very seriously. This result is a tribute to their efforts.”
