Re: [icann-eu] Draft comments on Study Committee

["Jeanette Hofmann" <jeanette@medea.wz-berlin.de>]

Alexander, 

> There is another area of the staff proposal which requires 
> comment: Who pays the bill? From the staff proposal:
> 
>  [...] the Study Committee itself will still require 
>  significant resources. There are no funds in the current
>  ICANN budget for this purpose. The staff recommends that
>  the community be asked to make suggestions for how the 
>  Study Committee's work be funded in the comment period 
>  recommended below. In addition, we suggest that the 
>  Study Committee be required to include in its Melbourne 
>  report a recommended budget (and suggestions for the 
>  source of any funds not at that time already committed) 
>  for the completion of its work from that point.
> 
> I hope (but am by no means sure) that Markle Foundation 
> (USA), Bertelsmann Foundation (Germany) or similar 
> institutions might consider contributing to the effort. 
> But would (and should) they contribute funds which the 
> Study Committee controls, or should they contribute
> studies instead?

As far as I know, Bertelsmann won't get involved in the post election study. 
Unlike Bertelsmann, Markle is indeed considering to support a study. Laura 
Baylin from Markle was at the L.A. meeting. Some people from Common 
Cause, CDT, Oxford University,  the International University of Japan and 
others met several times during the meeting to discuss a potential outline of a 
study. Laura made quite clear that Markle likes to continue its cooperation with 
CDT and Common Cause. However, due to the criticism on its allegedly 
American-centered approach at the Cairo meeting, Markle now wants to 
extend its cooperation to the other regions. 
All in all, it is rather likely that Markle is going to fund a study. I would expect 
though that any funding will be bound to conditions more or less defined by 
Markle (possibly in cooperation with CDT and Common Cause). Btw, I would 
assume that any organization willing to support a study will claim some sort of 
control over its procedures and approaches. 
Did I ever mention on this list that I had asked about funding of the study at 
the last EC-Pop meeting? The EU Commission people's response was that it 
would take 6 months at least to evaluate an application...

regards, jeanette

> 
> Best regards,
> /// Alexander
>