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GAC Advice

What does GAC Advice Mean?
GAC Communiqués & Applicant Responses
New gTLD Program Committee Resolutions and Scorecards
GAC Category 1 Advice & Applicant Advisory
GAC Category 2 Advice & Applicant Advisory
Archive

In relation to the New gTLD Program, GAC Advice is advice from the Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) to the ICANN Board regarding an application identified as being problematic, e.g., that potentially violates national law or raises sensitivities.

See GAC Advice issued, applicant responses, and related documentation below:

What Does GAC Advice Mean?

  • If GAC Advice is based on a consensus of the GAC, it will create a strong presumption that the application should not be approved. If the ICANN Board does not act in accordance with this type of advice, it must provide rationale for doing so.
  • If the GAC advises that there are concerns about a particular application, the ICANN Board is expected to enter into dialogue with the GAC to understand the scope of concerns and provide rationale for its decision.
  • If the GAC advises that an application should not proceed unless remediated, this will create a strong presumption that the application should not proceed unless there is a remediation method available in the Applicant Guidebook (such as securing the approval of one or more governments) that is implemented by the applicant. If the issue identified by the GAC is not remediated, the ICANN Board is expected to provide a rationale for its decision if it does not follow GAC advice.

GAC Communiqués & Applicant Responses

GAC Communiqués GAC Advice and Applicant Responses
GAC Dublin 54 Communiqué [PDF, 163 KB]
October 2015.		  
GAC Buenos Aires 53 Communiqué [PDF, 108 KB]
June 2015.		  
GAC Singapore 52 Communiqué [PDF, 123 KB]
February 2015.		 No response was submitted.
GAC Los Angeles Communiqué [PDF, 128 KB]
October 2014.		 Responses to GAC Los Angeles Communiqué
November 2014.
GAC London Communiqué [PDF, 138 KB]
June 2014.		 Responses to GAC London Communiqué
August 2014.
GAC Singapore Communiqué [PDF, 448 KB]
March 2014.		 Responses to GAC Singapore Communiqué
May 2014.
GAC Buenos Aires Communiqué [PDF, 97 KB]
November 2013.		 Responses to GAC Buenos Aires Communiqué
January 2014.
GAC Durban Communiqué [PDF, 110 KB]
July 2013.		 Responses to GAC Durban Communiqué
August 2013.
GAC Beijing Communiqué [PDF, 155 KB]
April 2013.		 Responses to GAC Beijing Communiqué
May 2013.

New gTLD Program Committee Resolutions and Scorecards

GAC Category 1 Advice & Applicant Advisory

GAC Category 2 Advice & Applicant Advisory

Archive

Timing of GAC Advice

  • The Applicant Guidebook states – To be considered by the ICANN Board during the evaluation process, GAC Advice must be submitted by the close of the Objection Filing Period.
  • The GAC has advised the ICANN Board that it "is considering the implications of providing any GAC advice on gTLD applications. These considerations are not expected to be finalized before the Beijing meeting in April 2013."
  • The timing of GAC Advice will not impact the processing of applications. Regardless of when GAC Advice is submitted to the Board, applicants will have 21 calendar days to submit a response to the ICANN Board.
  • GAC advice can be tracked via the GAC website at https://gacweb.icann.org/display/GACADV/GAC+Register+of+Advice.
  • See GAC Advice issued, applicant responses, and related documentation below.