Changes

On September 30th, 2009, the US government declared that ICANN would be governed by international parties. From then onwards, ICANN has been subject to independent review panels appointed by ICANN's [[Governmental Advisory Committee]] (GAC) and not solely to the review of [[DOC|US Department of Commerce]] (DOC). [[Viviane Reding]], the EU's Commissioner for Information Society and Media, welcomed the US administration’s decision, and said that "Internet users around the world can now anticipate ICANN’s decision as more independent and accountable."<ref>[http://www.eurunion.org/eu/2009-News-Rrleases/EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-WELCOMES-UNITED-STATES-MOVE-TO-MORE-INDEPENDENT-ACCOUNTABLE-INTERNATIONAL-INTERNET-GOVERNANCE.html eurunion.org]</ref>

On September 30th, 2009, the US government declared that ICANN would be governed by international parties. From then onwards, ICANN has been subject to independent review panels appointed by ICANN's [[Governmental Advisory Committee]] (GAC) and not solely to the review of [[DOC|US Department of Commerce]] (DOC). [[Viviane Reding]], the EU's Commissioner for Information Society and Media, welcomed the US administration’s decision, and said that "Internet users around the world can now anticipate ICANN’s decision as more independent and accountable."<ref>[http://www.eurunion.org/eu/2009-News-Rrleases/EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-WELCOMES-UNITED-STATES-MOVE-TO-MORE-INDEPENDENT-ACCOUNTABLE-INTERNATIONAL-INTERNET-GOVERNANCE.html eurunion.org]</ref>

In 2009, when ICANN's [[Independent Review Panel]] found that it had violated its own rules by denying [[ICM Registry]]'s proposal for management of the [[.xxx]] [[sTLD]], the EC, under the leadership of [[Neelie Kroes]], asked the U.S. government to effectively break its contract with ICANN by refusing to enter the extension into the [[Root Zone|root zone]].<ref>[http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/9/2/4891821.html InternetGovernance.org/blog]</ref> They later asked the US Government's authority over the [[Root Zone|root]], the [[National Telecommunications and Information Administration]], to delay implementation of the .xxx in the root after it was approved by the board at [[ICANN 40]] in San Francisco. The letter was sent by Neelie Kroes to the US Secretary of Commerce before it was leaked into [[domaining]] news circles.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/europe-did-ask-the-us-to-delay-xxx/ Europe asks US to delay .xxx, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

In 2009, when ICANN's [[Independent Review Panel]] found that it had violated its own rules by denying [[ICM Registry]]'s proposal for management of the [[.xxx]] [[sTLD]], the EC, under the leadership of [[Neelie Kroes]], asked the U.S. government to effectively break its contract with ICANN by refusing to enter the extension into the [[Root Zone|root zone]].<ref>[http://blog.internetgovernance.org/blog/_archives/2011/9/2/4891821.html InternetGovernance.org/blog]</ref> They asked the US Government's authority over the [[Root Zone|root]], the [[National Telecommunications and Information Administration]], to delay implementation of the .xxx in the root after it was approved by the board at [[ICANN 40]] in San Francisco. The letter was sent by Neelie Kroes to the US Secretary of Commerce before it was leaked into [[domaining]] news circles.<ref>[http://domainincite.com/europe-did-ask-the-us-to-delay-xxx/ Europe asks US to delay .xxx, DomainIncite.com]</ref>

In 2011, Following advances by the [[ICANN Board]] on the issue of introducing new [[gTLD]]s, the Vice President of the EC, [[Neelie Kroes]], issued a statement criticizing the organization for advancing despite objections by the EC and the [[GAC]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/kroes-slams-icann-new-gtld-approval/ Kroes slams ICANN new gTLD approval, DomainIncite.com]</ref> In a speech to [[EuroDIG]] in 2011, Ms. Kroes paradoxically supported the multi-stakeholder model of ICANN, but also lamented the fact that ICANN was able to proceed with [[.xxx]], and the new gTLD program despite objections from the GAC. She seems to want to put the GAC in a position of privilege with regards to other members of the multi-stakeholder ICANN process.<ref>[http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/419&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en Kroes Sppech, europa.eu]</ref>

In 2011, Following advances by the [[ICANN Board]] on the issue of introducing new [[gTLD]]s, the Vice President of the EC, [[Neelie Kroes]], issued a statement criticizing the organization for advancing despite objections by the EC and the [[GAC]].<ref>[http://domainincite.com/kroes-slams-icann-new-gtld-approval/ Kroes slams ICANN new gTLD approval, DomainIncite.com]</ref> In a speech to [[EuroDIG]] in 2011, Ms. Kroes paradoxically supported the multi-stakeholder model of ICANN, but also lamented the fact that ICANN was able to proceed with [[.xxx]], and the new gTLD program despite objections from the GAC. She seems to want to put the GAC in a position of privilege with regards to other members of the multi-stakeholder ICANN process.<ref>[http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=SPEECH/11/419&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en Kroes Sppech, europa.eu]</ref>