European TLD Group Sets Up Fund to Improve ICANN Management of IANA Services
Members of the Council of European National Top Level Domain Registries (CENTR) have established a Internet Infrastructure Support Account to assist ICANN in carrying out its Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) functions. CENTR also notes that their goals include: intensifying "the communication between CENTR members and ICANN on the management of IANA and ICANN's role as a forum for information exchange" and providing financial stability to "promote the accuracy of the IANA database." Of note, the fund operates through a two-step mechanism. First, CENTR members, at their discretion, contribute money to the fund. Second, at their discretion, members write to CENTR and authorize a payment to ICANN. Account members have indicated that they would provide financial support to ICANN, "if a stable, reliable and appropriate functioning of the IANA database management is provided." The CENTR also notes that 10 ccTLDs have contributed to the funding scheme. CENTR stresses that the organization and the fund members are determined to work with ICANN in a positive fashion to ensure that "the management of the IANA database will be an efficient and responsive service." It appears clear that a number of ccTLDs: 1) are willing to provide financial support to ICANN to achieve improved management of IANA functions; and 2) do not think that simply contributing funds directly to ICANN is the best way of achieving needed improvements.