GAC Strategic Planning
The role of the GAC, as provided in the ICANN Bylaws, has traditionally led to the GAC adopting a generally reactive posture, conducting its work and providing advice or policy input in reaction to developments in various ICANN processes.
In some instances, such a posture has led to unsatisfactory outcomes for governments, for participants in the ICANN community or for the ICANN Board. This was particularly the case during the preparation and launch of the 2012 round of New gTLDs. Based on this experience, and in connection with governments’ concerns regarding priority ICANN issues such as New gTLDs, Registration Data and DNS Abuse Mitigation, GAC leaders and volunteers have adopted a more proactive stance, aiming to drive and align ICANN policy outcomes with the public policy interests of governments.
Building on this evolution, the GAC Leadership is seeking to cement a level of proactivity in GAC activities, in a more systematic fashion, with a view to increasing the Committee's readiness to provide timely and effective advice and policy input. To this end, as part of a planning process initiatied in December 2023, the GAC Chair has invited GAC Topic Leads, GAC Working Group leaders and representatives of the GAC in various ICANN processes to consider, in their respective areas of expertise, what should be the strategic priorities and objectives of the Committee for the foreseeable future, as well as concrete outcomes to expect on an annual basis.