ICANN community asked to review new process for reversing adopted GNSO policies
The proposal introduces updates to the PDP and GGP Manuals to address a procedural gap, highlighted during the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures process when the Board needed to revisit an adopted recommendation without a formal path to do so.
The Generic Names Supporting Organization (GNSO) Council has launched a public consultation on a proposed mechanism that would allow the ICANN Board to reverse a previously adopted GNSO policy recommendation. The initiative aims to fill a procedural gap in ICANN’s current governance framework, where no formal process exists for reconsidering an adopted GNSO policy.
The proposal consists of updates to the GNSO Operating Procedures, specifically the Policy Development Process (PDP) Manual and the GNSO Guidance Process (GGP) Manual. These updates are meant to give both the Board and the GNSO Council greater clarity about how reversals should occur, while maintaining the Board’s ability to act under its fiduciary duties. The GNSO is now seeking community input to determine whether the proposed language provides appropriate flexibility without undermining existing accountability safeguards.
The effort began after the New gTLD Subsequent Procedures PDP revealed a case in which the ICANN Board needed to reconsider an adopted recommendation due to new circumstances. Faced with Recommendation 20.6 on joint ventures, the Board determined that the recommendation it had previously accepted was no longer in the best interest of the organisation or the community. Because no formal reversal mechanism existed, the Board communicated its intention to reverse adoption, and the GNSO Council signalled that it would not object. In doing so, the Council also highlighted the need to establish a documented and predictable process for any future reversals.
Under the current proposal, the GNSO outlines how the Board could initiate such a reversal, how the Council would be notified, and what guardrails apply. The consultation invites the community to review the draft updates to the PDP and GGP Manuals to ensure that the approach is workable, transparent, and consistent with ICANN’s multistakeholder model.
Public comments are open until 7 January 2026, after which the GNSO Council will consider the feedback before voting on whether to adopt the revised procedures.
