View source for CcNSO Policy Development Process - IDN Strings

{{ICANN Working Group
|Type= ccNSO
|Status= In Progress
|Issue Areas= deselection of IDN ccTLDs
|Date Established= May 21, 2020
|Charter= https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/138969190/Draft%20Charter%20ccPDP4%20WG.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1592141220000&api=v2
|Workspace= https://community.icann.org/display/ccnsowkspc/Policy+Development+Process+%28ccPDP4%29+-+%28de-%29selection+of+IDN+ccTLD+Strings
}}

The '''ccNSO Policy Development Process - (de-) selection of IDN ccTLD Strings (PDP-IDN)''' working group's goal is to report on and recommend a policy process for the "retirement" (de-selection) of [[Internationalized Domain Name|IDN strings]] associated with country code top-level domains, and to establish a policy for management of variant TLD strings in non-ASCII character sets.<ref name="ccnso">[https://ccnso.icann.org/en/workinggroups/idn-cctld-strings.htm ccNSO - PDP-IDN homepage]</ref>

==History==
The [[IDN Fast Track]] process was developed to enable ccTLD managers to apply for [[Internationalized Domain Name|internationalized]] versions of their country TLD using non-ASCII character sets. The program launched in 2009.<ref name="letter">[https://ccnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/field-attached/sataki-to-chalaby-04sep19-en.pdf ccNSO Council Letter to Cherine Chalaby], September 4, 2019.</ref> In 2013, the ccNSO delivered a final report regarding a policy development process on IDNs.<ref>[https://ccnso.icann.org/en/workinggroups/ipwg2.htm ccNSO - IDN Working Group 2]</ref><ref>[https://ccnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_41859/idn-ccpdp-board-26sep13-en.pdf Final Report, ccNSO PDP 2], September 26, 2013</ref> ICANN and the ccNSO both agreed to continue to monitor and evolve the Fast Track program with the mutual understanding that an updated ccNSO policy development process would eventually ensue.<ref name="issuerep">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/138969190/ISSUE%20report%20ccPDP%204%20version%20final%20-%2014%20May.pdf PDP-IDN Issue Report], May 14, 2020</ref>

In September 2019, the ccNSO Council notified the ICANN Board that they intended to launch the new policy development process for IDN ccTLD strings, and requested that no further evolution of the Fast Track process be implemented.<ref name="letter" /> Via letter back to the Council, the Board acknowledged confirmed this request in October 2019.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/en/system/files/correspondence/chalaby-to-sataki-31oct19-en.pdf ICANN Board Letter to Katrina Sataki], October 31, 2019</ref> In the spring of 2020, the ccNSO launched PDP-IDN and sent out a call for members.<ref>[https://community.icann.org/display/ccnsowkspc/Basic+Schedule+and+Timeline ccNSO PDP-IDN - Basic Schedule and Timeline]</ref> <ref>[https://ccnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/filefield_10976/resolutions-initiation-idn-ccpdp-07apr09.pdf Resolutions of the ccNSO Council - PDP-IDN], April 7 2019</ref>

==Issues==
The working group charter describes two central issues to be addressed:
#The management of variant IDN strings; and
#De-selection procedures (comparable to [[ccNSO Policy Development Process - Retirement|retirement]] of normal ccTLDs).<ref name="charter">[https://community.icann.org/download/attachments/138969202/Draft%20Charter%20ccPDP4%20WG.pdf PDP-IDN Charter], ccNSO Working Group wiki</ref>

Variants of TLD strings are possible within certain character sets such as Arabic or Han. The ICANN Board, in the interests of the stability of the DNS, has issued guidance regarding how and when variant strings will be accepted.<ref>[https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/idn-variant-tld-implementation-2018-07-26-en ICANN.org - Variant TLD Implementation], July 26, 1028</ref>

De-selection of IDN strings would, in theory, occur in similar circumstances as retirement of ASCII two-letter ccTLDs; either because of removal of a specific country code from the [[ISO-3166|ISO 3166-1]] list, or alterations to a country code not currently on the ISO-3166-1 list (i.e. an exceptionally reserved code such as UK).<ref name="charter" />


==References==
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