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November 2025
- 12 participants
- 26 discussions
Fwd: [ALAC] Latin Diacritics: Where we are, how we got here and what's next
by Lance Hinds Nov. 4, 2025
by Lance Hinds Nov. 4, 2025
Nov. 4, 2025
Good Morning Colleagues. Please see below the latest on the issue of Latin
Script Diacritics in the 2026 Guidebook.
For your information and guidance
Lance
---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Jonathan Zuck via ALAC <alac(a)icann.org>
Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2025 at 10:14 AM
Subject: [ALAC] Latin Diacritics: Where we are, how we got here and what's
next
To: Satish Babu via ALAC <alac(a)icann.org>
Dear ALAC colleagues,
You will no doubt be aware of the disaffection expressed during ICANN84
regarding the lack of treatment for Latin script diacritics in the 2026
Applicant Guidebook (“the Issue”). Here are some background facts on the
Issue and next steps proposed to be taken to address the Issue.
*Background Facts*
The GNSO EPDP on IDNs (Phase 1, which started in May 2023) was tasked with
developing policy on the treatment of gTLD variants at the top level; where
variants is simply defined as two or more labels being considered by script
panels as the same (word) - the best example of this is the traditional
version and simplified version of the same Chinese word.
In the case of the Latin Script, the Latin Script Label Generation Panel
(managed by ICANN org) determined that a Latin ASCII label (i.e. without
diacritics, eg. Quebec) and a Diacritic version of that label (i.e. Québec)
were NOT to be considered as variants of each other, based on an ‘analysis’
of the standard method of writing the languages of Western and Central
Europe, most of sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and Oceania, as well as
many languages in other parts of the world. This meant that the matter of a
Latin ASCII label and a Diacritic version of that label being considered as
the same word was out of scope for the EPDP on IDNs (which only dealt with
policy for variants).
Knowing that this was the case, as ALAC Chair, I had, as far back as June
2023, written
<https://gnso.icann.org/sites/default/files/policy/2023/correspondence/zuck-…>
to
the then GNSO Chair, Sebastien Ducos, drawing attention to the issue and
requesting for action to resolve the issue. This was on the counsel of
Justine Chew, who was then the Vice-Chair of the GNSO EPDP on IDNs, and
ALAC Liaison to the GNSO.
The GNSO Council subsequently set a path - albeit a long one and with the
understanding that the outcome not be a prerequisite for the Next Round -
for the Latin Diacritics PDP to be initiated to develop an exception by
considering a single issue: *In circumstances where a base ASCII gTLD and
the Latin script diacritic version of the gTLD are NOT variants of each
other, what mechanism is needed in order to allow a single registry
operator to simultaneously operate both gTLDs?*
The GNSO adopts a detailed process for PDP
<https://gnso.icann.org/en/basics/consensus-policy/pdp>s which is
consistently adhered to for completeness, but at times, the GNSO Council
may agree to drop steps which it deems unnecessary (normally only limited
to a call for an Issue Report). Where the GNSO is developing policy for an
issue, the ICANN Board will only act when the GNSO Council-approved PDP
Final Report is submitted for the Board’s consideration. Adoption by the
ICANN Board of GNSO policy recommendations is required for ICANN org to
implement the same. As it currently stands, the revised timeline for the
public comment on the PDP’s initial recommendations is December 2025 -
January 2026, with submission of its Final Report to the GNSO Council
targeted for August 2026 (as opposed to the original estimate of Nov 2026).
[image: image.png]
ALAC Leadership also raised this Issue with the GAC during the ICANN84
ALAC-GAC Bilateral and understood that the GAC will include a response in
its ICANN84 GAC Communique.
Alan Barrett, ICANN Board member and Board liaison to the Latin Diacritics
PDP has, in response to Sergio Salinas Porto and Bill Jouris’ comments
during ICANN84 public sessions, lamented the omission of Latin diacritics
treatment in the 2026 Applicant Guidebook, but is hopeful that something
could be done to rectify this omission.
“*Unfortunately, with the timing of this work I think it is probably too
late for it to be included but ICANN Org staff will try to see if something
is possible. We can't commit to anything, but we can try*.”
“*I very much agree that it is important but on the other hand we do have
to follow our process. **We have not received policy or guidance from the
GNSO Council on what to do and maybe the GNSO Council would like to make a
request to the Board to put in some kind of placeholder. **Personally, I
would very much welcome that, but it has not happened and for now I think
our hands are tied.”*
This hope was confirmed during Justine’s and my very brief conversation
with Leon Sanchez and Alan Barrett right before the ICANN Board meeting on
30 October 2025.
Accordingly, on 30 October 2025, the ICANN Board adopted the draft 2026
Applicant Guidebook for the Next Round, without any reference to Latin
script diacritics. I am informed that immediately after that ICANN Board
meeting and based on Alan Barrett’s remarks, Justine had brief words with
Sebastien Ducos (currently the GNSO Liaison to the GAC) on a possible GNSO
Council request to the ICANN Board for a solution to this issue, even if a
temporary one to tie us over until such time that the ICANN Board adopts
the Latin Diacritics Final Report well after August 2026. She also alerted
incoming GNSO Chair, Susan Payne, to expect a GAC intervention on the same
issue.
(see: https://gac.icann.org/contentMigrated/icann84-dublin-communique, item
IV.1(c) on page 6)
*Proposed Next Steps*
That a letter from the ALAC Chair to the GNSO Chair be prepared and sent to
inquire after and to support such a GNSO Council request, which could
include “*some kind of placeholder*” in the 2026 Applicant Guidebook, for
the ICANN Board’s consideration and adoption. Then follow up on further
action, as needed.
Ultimately, the quicker the Final Report of Latin Diacritics PDP reaches
the ICANN Board for consideration and adoption, the better it is for all
concerned.
Jonathan Zuck
ALAC Chair
Jonathan Zuck
*Director, Future of Work Project*
Innovators Network Foundation
*www.InnovatorsNetwork.org <http://www.InnovatorsNetwork.org>*
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