The .uk policy process puts stakeholders at the centre of the process and focuses on issues, which are dealt with in specially convened Issue Groups.

Issue Groups

Any stakeholder can raise a concern directly with us, through the Secretariat or the Stakeholder Committee. The Secretariat will then help interested stakeholders set up an Issue Group to develop ideas further. 

The Issue Groups should be balanced, bringing in a range of views and expertise, and try to work by consensus or (at least) to explain why consensus has not been possible: their recommendations will be passed to the Nominet Board.  The Board's decision in response to the advice of an Issue Group will be informed by the way the Issue Group carried out its work: whether it brought together all relevant interests and whether there was a good degree of consensus. 

The process will be supported by a Secretariat provided by Nominet and an appointed Stakeholder Committee.

Secretariat

The Secretariat supports the policy development process and the operation of the Issue Groups, in particular it:

1. Develops outreach and brings relevant stakeholders into Issue Groups
2. Helps Issue Group chairs, and provides support in addressing concerns or difficulties;  and
3. Commissions research and collects evidence to help in preparing impact assessments.
   

Stakeholder Committee

The Stakeholder Committee will support and help enable the process.  The committee will have eight to ten members who will be appointed, with some Nominet members chosen for their understanding of particular aspects of the domain name industry and others drawn from the wider stakeholder community.  

We are currently in the process of identifying suitable representatives to appoint to the committee. The role of the Stakeholder Committee will be reassessed after two years.

A major role of the Stakeholder Committee will be to contribute to the planning of an annual .uk Policy Forum which will take place in the spring.

Background

This policy came into effect in 2010 following a review of the policy process and consultation.  The full Board decision is available here.