* In February, 2011, [[Phil Corwin]] of the ICA addressed a letter to the U.S. [[DOC|Department of Commerce]] and sent copies to [[Rod Beckstrom]] and other [[ICANN]] executives; the letter urged those involved to not allow [[ICANN]]'s [[GAC]] to become more than an advisory body, and consequently not to allow it to sidetrack progress on new [[gTLD]] issues and other initiatives that the GAC opposed and/or wants greater control over. The letter was sent prior to a special consultation of the [[ICANN Board]] with the GAC in Brussels, and also ahead of the [[ICANN 40|40th ICANN meeting]] held in March, 2011 in San Francisco. The ICA thought that if the ICANN Board acquiesced to the GAC, they would not only be compromising the new [[gTLD]] process but the entire multi-stakeholder model. It also was weary of the GAC's moves to override recommendations made by ICANN working groups on [[Intellectual Property|intellectual property]] issues.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/02/25/ica-tells-icann-dont-fold-under-government-pressure/ ICAN Tells ICANN Not To Fold Under Government Pressure - TheDomains.com]</ref> | * In February, 2011, [[Phil Corwin]] of the ICA addressed a letter to the U.S. [[DOC|Department of Commerce]] and sent copies to [[Rod Beckstrom]] and other [[ICANN]] executives; the letter urged those involved to not allow [[ICANN]]'s [[GAC]] to become more than an advisory body, and consequently not to allow it to sidetrack progress on new [[gTLD]] issues and other initiatives that the GAC opposed and/or wants greater control over. The letter was sent prior to a special consultation of the [[ICANN Board]] with the GAC in Brussels, and also ahead of the [[ICANN 40|40th ICANN meeting]] held in March, 2011 in San Francisco. The ICA thought that if the ICANN Board acquiesced to the GAC, they would not only be compromising the new [[gTLD]] process but the entire multi-stakeholder model. It also was weary of the GAC's moves to override recommendations made by ICANN working groups on [[Intellectual Property|intellectual property]] issues.<ref>[http://www.thedomains.com/2011/02/25/ica-tells-icann-dont-fold-under-government-pressure/ ICAN Tells ICANN Not To Fold Under Government Pressure - TheDomains.com]</ref> |