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GAC Advice: Category 2 Safeguards and Applicant Responses

Understanding GAC Category 2 Advice
Additional Resources
Application Status Overview
Applicant Responses
Archive

Understanding GAC Category 2 Safeguard Advice

In its Beijing Communiqué, the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) issued advice to the ICANN Board of Directors regarding "safeguards" for New gTLDs. In the Category 2 Safeguard Advice, section 2 (GAC Category 2.2 Safeguard Advice), the GAC advised that, "For strings representing generic terms, exclusive registry access should serve a public interest goal." The GAC Beijing Communiqué also included a list of strings that the GAC considered to be generic, where the applicant was, at the time, proposing to provide exclusive registry access.

A "Generic String" means a string consisting of a word or term that denominates or describes a general class of goods, services, groups, organizations or things, as opposed to distinguishing a specific brand of goods, services, groups, organizations or things from those of others (as defined in Specification 11, 3(d) of the Registry Agreement). Under Section 3(d) of Specification 11, a Registry Operator of a "Generic String" TLD may not impose eligibility criteria for registering names in the TLD that limit registrations exclusively to a single person or entity and/or that person's or entity's "Affiliates" (as defined in Section 2.9(c) of the Registry Agreement).

On 19 August 2013, ICANN solicited responses from applicants of the 186 applications representing the strings identified in Category 2 of the Beijing Communiqué regarding whether they planned to operate the applied-for TLDs as exclusive access registries. View applicant responses to GAC Category 2 Advice below.

On 21 June 2015, the NGPC adopted a resolution to address GAC's Category 2.2 Safeguard Advice and created a path forward for the remaining applicants in this round of the New gTLD Program who propose to provide exclusive registry access for a generic string ("Exclusive Generic Applicants"). The NGPC directed ICANN to proceed with initiating other New gTLD Program processes for Exclusive Generic Applicants, and Exclusive Generic Applicants for non-contended strings or prevailing in contention resolution must elect to either:

  • submit a change request to no longer be an exclusive generic TLD, and sign the current form of the Registry Agreement;
  • maintain their plan to operate an exclusive generic TLD. As a result, their application will be deferred to the next round of the New gTLD Program; or
  • withdraw their application.

Additional Resources

Application Status Overview

Updated 3 April 2019

Total Applications Subject to GAC Category 2 Advice: 186
Cleared to Proceed: 185
Change Requests Required: 1

Applicant Responses

Responses published 9 October 2013 unless otherwise noted

Download All Original Responses [PDF, 5.52 MB]

Prioritization Number Application ID String Applicant Response GAC Category 2 Status
2 1-1318-83013 ストア Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
12 1-1318-40887 ファッション Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
53 1-1318-69604 クラウド Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
59 1-1318-15593 通販 Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
70 1-1318-83264 食品 Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
95 1-1318-52278 書籍 Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
97 1-1318-54339 家電 Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
107 1-1318-75179 セール Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
117 1-1326-50608[2] FOOD Lifestyle Domain Holdings, Inc.

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (21 September 2015)

Resolved
177 1-1618-18834 SALON Outer Orchard, LLC View Document Resolved
191 1-1661-34613 BLOG Personals TLD Inc. View Document Resolved
195 1-1035-75923 INSURANCE fTLD Registry Services LLC View Document Resolved
209 1-868-39920 APP Afilias Limited View Document Resolved
217 1-909-89547 YACHTS DERYachts, LLC View Document Resolved
219 1-1910-48133 CPA American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

View Document

Updated Response (20 March 2019)

Resolved
237 1-1458-34042 FLOWERS Fern Willow, LLC View Document Resolved
241 1-1059-97519 HOTEL DotHotel Inc. View Document Resolved
256 1-1013-7451 APP .APP REGISTRY INC. View Document Resolved
276 1-1315-79670 CLOUD Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
280 1-1156-50969 BABY Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. View Document Resolved
281 1-875-79821 NEWS Merchant Law Group LLP View Document Resolved
291 1-1038-7319 BOOK Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
295 1-845-37810 CARS Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
297 1-1063-32835 INSURANCE Dotfresh Inc. View Document Resolved
299 1-939-82184 SALON DaySmart Software View Document Resolved
315 1-1566-85057 MOBILE Pixie North, LLC View Document Resolved
327 1-1027-19707 CLOUD Symantec Corporation View Document Resolved
330 1-1138-86970 CPA Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
340 1-1016-75482 HOTELS Booking.com B.V.

View Document

Updated Response (28 January 2016)

Resolved
358 1-927-96975 BLOG Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
359 1-1189-31055 GROCERY Safeway Inc. View Document Resolved
371 1-1573-27315 NEWS Hidden Bloom, LLC View Document Resolved
374 1-1641-67063 THEATER Blue Tigers, LLC View Document Resolved
388 1-1605-75916 DATA Romeo Birch, LLC View Document Resolved
403 1-1038-40570 CPA Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
410 1-890-65213 SHOP GMO Registry, Inc. View Document Resolved
413 1-1028-58177 SALON Aesthetics Practitioners Advisory Network Pty Ltd View Document Resolved
438 1-1316-26110 NEWS Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
448 1-1115-14110 MUSIC DotMusic / CGR E-Commerce Ltd View Document Resolved
450 1-1058-25065 MUSIC DotMusic Inc. View Document Resolved
458 1-1660-73645 GAME Beijing Gamease Age Digital Technology Co., Ltd.

Response

Updated Response (16 January 2014)

Resolved
481 1-1039-50712 FLOWERS Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
494 1-889-24496 SHOP BEIJING JINGDONG 360 DU E-COMMERCE LTD View Document Resolved
514 1-1138-34539 GAME Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
536 1-1038-9346 CLOUD Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
605 1-1302-1511 MAKEUP L'Oréal View Document Resolved
623 1-1803-2593 MOVIE Motion Picture Domain Registry Pty Ltd View Document Resolved
627 1-1198-18833 TENNIS dot Tennis Limited View Document Resolved
628 1-1317-53837 SONG Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
643 1-855-53391 VIDEO Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
646 1-1500-16803 HOTEL Spring McCook, LLC View Document Resolved
649 1-1830-1672 SHOP Commercial Connect LLC View Document Resolved
670 1-1326-97308 THEATER KBE gTLD Holding Inc

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (21 October 2014)

Resolved
676 1-1099-17190 CLOUD Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
685 1-1316-7998 GAME Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (12 May 2014)

Resolved
690 1-1110-26809 STORE Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
701 1-1691-43949 CRUISE Viking River Cruises (Bermuda) Ltd.

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (15 June 2015)

Resolved
713 1-1358-79189 BLOG Corn Shadow, LLC View Document Resolved
739 1-1013-74175 BLOG Afilias Domains No. 1 Limited View Document Resolved
744 1-1343-89689 APP Lone Maple, LLC View Document Resolved
747 1-1417-47872 SHOW Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
749 1-994-99764 MUSIC Entertainment Names Inc. View Document Resolved
762 1-2039-18233 APP TRI Ventures, Inc. View Document Resolved
769 1-1099-17603 BOOK Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
774 1-1417-16218 BABY Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
776 1-1633-36635 SHOW Snow Beach, LLC View Document Resolved
781 1-1138-33325 APP Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
819 1-1316-17384 MAIL Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
838 1-1316-18029 MUSIC Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
846 1-1520-93221 JEWELRY Wild Bloom, LLC View Document Resolved
855 1-1302-58142 SALON L'Oréal View Document Resolved
860 1-1645-45928 TIRES Dog Edge, LLC View Document Resolved
867 1-2064-74519 GROCERY Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (4 September 2015)

Updated Response (28 October 2015)

Resolved
872 1-927-8340 BABY Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
874 1-1181-77853 HOTEL dot Hotel Limited View Document Resolved
890 1-1315-44051 BOOK Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
891 1-875-12119 BLOG Merchant Law Group LLP View Document Resolved
895 1-1316-44615 MOVIE Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
902 1-909-56431 MOTORCYCLES DERMotorcycles, LLC View Document Resolved
911 1-1548-63140 MAIL Victor Dale, LLC View Document Resolved
918 1-927-15180 APP Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
921 1-927-73627 DATA Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
942 1-1317-52877 SHOW Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
945 1-1255-71670 MAP United TLD Holdco Ltd. View Document Resolved
954 1-1327-45933 COURSES OPEN UNIVERSITIES AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

View Document

Updated Response (16 October 2014)

Resolved
955 1-1249-36568 HOTEL Despegar Online SRL View Document Resolved
967 1-1570-42842 MOVIE New Frostbite, LLC View Document Resolved
968 1-1052-82517 STORE DotStore Inc. View Document Resolved
974 1-1911-56672 CPA American Institute of Certified Public Accountants View Document Change Request Required
981 1-1723-69677 TENNIS TENNIS AUSTRALIA LTD View Document Resolved
982 1-890-53570 MAIL GMO Registry, Inc. View Document Resolved
989 1-1975-66983 FOOD Dot Food, LLC View Document Resolved
996 1-1020-75316 BOOK R.R. Bowker LLC View Document Resolved
1004 1-2012-89566 MOBILE Dish DBS Corporation

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (9 January 2015)

Updated Response (15 June 2015)

Resolved
1011 1-1302-98299 HAIR L'Oréal View Document Resolved
1015 1-1356-74155 BEAUTY Romeo Corner View Document Resolved
1037 1-845-21975 FLOWERS Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
1041 1-1789-97294[1] STORE Dot Store Group LLC View Document Resolved
1042 1-1480-90854 VIDEO Lone Tigers, LLC View Document Resolved
1075 1-1906-88399 MAIL WhitePages TLD LLC View Document Resolved
1124 1-909-45636 CARS DERCars, LLC View Document Resolved
1141 1-1462-36448 FOOD Wild Orchard, LLC View Document Resolved
1152 1-1377-8759 CARS Koko Castle, LLC View Document Resolved
1153 1-1013-6634 BLOG Xserver, Inc. View Document Resolved
1164 1-927-46801 BEAUTY Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
1168 1-1332-82635 BROKER IG Group Holdings PLC

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (10 November 2014)

Resolved
1179 1-1626-61742 SEARCH Bitter McCook, LLC View Document Resolved
1191 1-1138-5993 SHOP Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1202 1-1411-59458 CPA Trixy Canyon View Document Resolved
1215 1-927-25198 HOTEL Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
1235 1-1302-76087 BEAUTY L'Oréal View Document Resolved
1240 1-1316-5335 MAP Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1256 1-1315-63009 APP Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (18 April 2014)

Resolved
1271 1-866-43988 SHOW Zodiac Aries Limited View Document Resolved
1281 1-1747-41841 CLOUD CloudNames AS View Document Resolved
1285 1-1680-47770 BLOG Charleston Road Registry Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (14 May 2014)

Resolved
1299 1-1609-60839 STORE Sand Dale, LLC View Document Resolved
1305 1-1317-13549 SEARCH Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1318 1-1512-20834 INSURANCE Auburn Park, LLC View Document Resolved
1324 1-1352-18081 BABY Auburn Beach, LLC View Document Resolved
1326 1-2036-18560 TENNIS Washington Team Tennis, LLC View Document Resolved
1355 1-2000-89466 DVR Hughes Satellite Systems Corporation

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (6 August 2015)

Updated Response (3 December 2015)

Resolved
1413 1-855-17500 GAME Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
1417 1-1640-29241 TENNIS Cotton Bloom, LLC View Document Resolved
1429 1-2009-38008 DATA Dish DBS Corporation

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (6 August 2015)

Updated Response (5 November 2015)

Resolved
1434 1-1417-46480 MAP Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1445 1-1393-18458 CLOUD Dash Cedar, LLC View Document Resolved
1448 1-1317-24947 STORE Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1450 1-1317-30761 TUNES Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1459 1-1815-5857 APP DotApp Inc. View Document Resolved
1461 1-1013-46158 HAIR E&L Management Ltd View Document Resolved
1466 1-1110-29042 VIDEO Top Level Domain Holdings Limited View Document Resolved
1473 1-1364-8001 BROKER Spring North, LLC View Document Resolved
1476 1-1057-44086 NEWS DotNews Inc. View Document Resolved
1477 1-1317-52344 VIDEO Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1478 1-1681-60225 STORE Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1482 1-1296-33564 APP NU DOT CO LLC View Document Resolved
1493 1-1846-66020 FINANCIALAID Rezolve Group, Inc. View Document Resolved
1506 1-1054-95858 BABY DotBaby Inc. View Document Resolved
1520 1-1027-34295 ANTIVIRUS Symantec Corporation View Document Resolved
1538 1-1582-80831 PHONE Wild Frostbite, LLC View Document Resolved
1546 1-1361-60591 BOOK Double Bloom, LLC View Document Resolved
1553 1-855-18880 STORE Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
1556 1-1317-37897 SHOP Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1557 1-959-51046 MUSIC .music LLC View Document Resolved
1566 1-875-87230 APP Merchant Law Group LLP View Document Resolved
1576 1-1289-59445 APP Webera Inc. View Document Resolved
1581 1-1852-14467 CRUISE Cruise Lines International Association Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (16 April 2014)

Resolved
1586 1-1326-3558 THEATRE KBE gTLD Holding Inc

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (21 October 2014)

Resolved
1588 1-1913-57874 HOTEL Fegistry, LLC View Document Resolved
1593 1-890-52063 SHOP GMO Registry, Inc. View Document Resolved
1607 1-1086-2781 BLOG Top Level Design, LLC View Document Resolved
1609 1-1744-1971 CPA CPA AUSTRALIA LTD View Document Resolved
1633 1-1051-32260 SHOP DotShop Inc. View Document Resolved
1634 1-1571-12951 MUSIC Victor Cross View Document Resolved
1639 1-1632-57390 SHOP Sugar Maple, LLC View Document Resolved
1659 1-855-42105 NEWS Uniregistry, Corp. View Document Resolved
1699 1-1316-6133 MOBILE Amazon EU S.à r.l.

View Document

Updated Response (13 May 2014)

Resolved
1715 1-1534-89307 FLOWERS Piper Ventures, LLC View Document Resolved
1751 1-1032-95136 HOTEL HOTEL Top-Level-Domain S.a.r.l View Document Resolved
1758 1-2029-6966 BOOK DotBook, LLC View Document Resolved
1761 1-1302-80853 SKIN L'Oréal View Document Resolved
1764 1-2011-80942 PHONE Dish DBS Corporation

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Updated Response (10 September 2015)

Updated Response (2 October 2015)

Resolved
1770 1-1253-73407 手表 Richemont DNS Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (25 February 2014)

Resolved
1773 1-1253-4621 珠宝 Richemont DNS Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (25 February 2014)

Resolved
1787 1-1141-82929 MAIL Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1799 1-1182-25681 APP dot App Limited View Document Resolved
1800 1-1669-75338 CLOUD ARUBA S.p.A. View Document Resolved
1807 1-1141-50966 SEARCH Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1811 1-1977-49078 WEATHER The Weather Channel LLC View Document Resolved
1820 1-917-1259 BLOG PRIMER NIVEL S.A. View Document Resolved
1830 1-1175-68062 MUSIC dot Music Limited View Document Resolved
1834 1-1177-24251 GAME Dot Game Limited View Document Resolved
1835 1-1172-3099 NEWS dot News Limited View Document Resolved
1837 1-1176-45062 SHOP Dot Shop Limited View Document Resolved
1848 1-1253-13044 WATCHES Richemont DNS Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (25 February 2014)

Resolved
1849 1-2123-56973[3] TIRES Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, LLC

View Document

Additional Response (17 March 2014)

Application Withdrawn prior to Resolving GAC Advice
1859 1-1180-29599 MOVIE dot Movie Limited View Document Resolved
1865 1-1209-16177 SEARCH dot Now Limited View Document Resolved
1870 1-1253-11362 JEWELRY Richemont DNS Inc.

View Document

Updated Response (25 February 2014)

Resolved
1873 1-1884-1217 TIRES The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company

Response

Additional Response (28 January 2014)

Application Withdrawn to Resolving GAC Advice
1876 1-917-11894 NEWS PRIMER NIVEL S.A. View Document Resolved
1878 1-1217-96477 BOOK Bronze Registry Limited View Document Resolved
1903 1-1216-75929 BABY Compact Registry Limited View Document Resolved
1907 1-1680-18593 MUSIC Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved
1908 1-1140-55599 MOVIE Charleston Road Registry Inc. View Document Resolved

1 Published 25 October 2013

2 Published 30 October 2013

3 Published 18 February 2014

Archive

Additional Responses from Applicants That Have Expressed Intent to Operate Exclusive Access Registries (Published 28 January 2014)

ICANN solicited responses from applicants that indicated that they intend to operate the proposed TLD as an exclusive access registry in their response to GAC Category 2 Advice. Applicants were requested to explain how exclusive access registry for the applied-for TLD would serve a public interest goal. Responses submitted to ICANN by 17 January 2014 will be provided to the New gTLD Program Committee of the ICANN Board (NGPC) for its consideration. Additionally, ICANN plans on inviting the public to comment on these responses in the coming weeks.

Applications with Expressed Intent to Operate As an Exclusive Access TLD:

  • BROKER (1-1332-82635) [PDF, 66 KB]
  • CRUISE (1-1691-43949) [PDF, 56 KB]
  • DATA (1-2009-38008) [PDF, 754 KB]
  • DVR (1-2000-89466) [PDF, 472 KB]
  • FOOD (1-1326-50608) [PDF, 1.21 MB]
  • GROCERY (1-2064-74519) [PDF, 333 KB]
  • MOBILE (1-2012-89566) [PDF, 754 KB]
  • PHONE (1-2011-80942) [PDF, 754 KB]
  • THEATER (1-1326-97308) [PDF, 76 KB]
  • THEATRE (1-1326-3558) [PDF, 87 KB]
  • TIRES (1-1884-1217) [PDF, 62 KB]
  • TIRES (1-2123-56973) [PDF, 1.41 MB]

Download All Responses [PDF, 5.81 MB]

Additional Responses (25 October 2013)

The responses that were provided to ICANN before the 28 September 2013 meeting of New gTLD Program Committee of the ICANN Board (NGPC) were provided to the NGPC for its consideration. For more information, view the announcement.

In cases where responses are submitted or modified after the initial publication of the responses, ICANN will update the table below to reflect any changes. Footnotes provide information on additional response publish dates.

Applicant Responses to GAC Category 2 Advice (9 October 2013)

ICANN solicited responses from applicants for the strings identified by the GAC regarding whether they planned to operate the applied-for TLDs as exclusive access registries (defined as a registry restricted to a single person or entity and/or that person's or entity's Affiliates" (as defined in Section 2.9c of the Registry Agreement)). The responses were submitted to the New gTLD Program Committee (NGPC) of the ICANN Board. On 28 September 2013, the NGPC adopted a Resolution on GAC Category 2 Advice allowing applicants that do not plan to operate as exclusive access registries, and that are prepared to enter the Registry Agreement as approved, to move forward to Contracting.