ICANN Contractual Compliance Report 24dec09 En

Contractual Compliance Semi-Annual Report – December 2009

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Contractual ComplianceSemi-Annual Report

December 2009

Contractual Compliance Semi-Annual Report – December 2009

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I. Executive Summary

1. Audits1.1 Deletion and Renewal Consensus Policy Audit1.2 Fees for Recovering Domains in Redemption Grace Period (RGP)2. Additional Contractual Compliance Activities2.1 UDRP Best Practices Workshop2.2 Whois Data Problem Reporting System2.3 Whois Accuracy Study2.4 Study of Domain Names Registered Using a Privacy or Proxy Service

II. Summary of Activities

1. Deletion and Renewal Consensus Policy Audit2. Fees for Recovering Domains in Redemption Grace Period (RGP)3. Whois Data Problem Reporting System4. Staff Additions5. Escalated Compliance Actions

III. Detailed Information Regarding Audit Findings and Compliance Activities

1. Registrars’ Deletion and Auto-Renewal Policy Audit1.1 Executive Summary1.2 Audit Objectives1.3 Methodology1.4 Follow-up Actions2. Fees to Recover Domain Names in the Redemption Grace Period Audit2.1 Executive Summary2.2 Audit Objectives2.3 Methodology2.4 Findings2.5 Follow-up Actions3. Whois Data Problem Reporting System3.1 Objective3.2 Recent History of the WDPRS3.3 Key Features of WDPRS Redesign3.4 Statistical Overview and Key Trends of Redesigned WDPRS System3.5 Escalated Compliance Activities3.5.1 Termination Notices3.5.2 Nonrenewals3.5.3 Breach Notices3.6 Consumer Complaints

IV. Conclusion

Contractual Compliance Semi-Annual Report – December 2009

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Welcome to the December 2009 edition of theSemi-Annual Contractual Compliance Report.In this edition, you’ll find updated information onICANN’s relationships with our contracted parties(e.g., registrars and registries). Now more thanever, it is critical that ICANN, registrars andregistries comply with the terms of theagreements between the parties to ensure thestability, security and integrity of the DomainName System.The Contractual Compliance Team is workinghard to help ICANN and its contracted partiesbuild and maintain a strong values-based, self-governing global Internet culture of integritythrough contractual compliance. This culture ofintegrity relies on a fundamental rules-basedapproach to make the agreements withcontracted parties work for everybody. ICANN’songoing and consistent enforcement of the ruleswe negotiate with contracted parties helps bindus all together as a global Internet community.We believe the future of the Internet rests on theidea of governing through a common culture ofintegrity. Contractual compliance has animportant role to play in ensuring this future.We’re continuing to work hard to producemeasurable contractual complianceimprovements for the global community weserve. Please let us know how we’re doing. Wewelcome your feedback.

I.

Executive Summary

As of the closing of the reporting period coveredin this report, January through November 2009,the number of ICANN-accredited registrarsstands at 938. During this time period, ICANNprocessed 10,709 consumer complaints.ICANN’s Contractual Compliance enforcementactivity was as follows: 4290 enforcementcompliance and breached contract noticeswere sent to registrars, ten registrars had theiraccreditation terminated, and eight wereunable to renew their accreditation.

1. Audits

1.1 Deletion and Renewal Consensus PolicyAudit

ICANN followed up with registrars that were notcomplaint with the requirement to provideinformation to registered name holders aboutthe registrar's deletion and renewal policy. Tofurther clarify the intent of the EDDP for twononcompliant registrars, Staff sent a copy of theEDDP, along with the Advisory concerning therequirement to post fees for expired domainnames, to the two registrars for rapidimplementation and posting. Staff will reviewthese registrar’s websites in early January to seeif the content has been modified, based on theadditional guidance, and will pursueenforcement action if required.

1.2 Fees for Recovering Domains inRedemption Grace Period (RGP)

All registrars are required to post actual feescharged to registered name holders on theirwebsite in order to recover their domain name ifand when the name has entered theredemption grace period. Many ICANN-accredited registrars that were activelysponsoring domain names failed to displayspecific fee information on their website,suggesting the language contained in theExpired Domain Deletion Policy (EDDP), asadopted on 21 December 2004, could beclarified. Therefore, an advisory was sent toregistrars to clarify the intent of that provision inthe EDDP. After six months from the date of thisreport, ICANN will perform an audit of deficientregistrars and take enforcement action wherenecessary.