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Nov 3, 2025
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Add Respec version of Council Report template #282

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576a0e8
create a respec council template
reidmore-online Aug 15, 2025
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fix file name
reidmore-online Aug 15, 2025
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fix heading for appendix b
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156 changes: 156 additions & 0 deletions council-templates/council-report-template-respec.html
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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>W3C Council Report on the Formal Objection[s] Against [Identify the Decision]</title>
<script src="https://www.w3.org/Tools/respec/respec-w3c" class="remove" defer></script>
<script class="remove">
var respecConfig = {
specStatus: "COUNCIL-REPORT",
github: "w3c/council-[repo-name]",
shortname: "[Short Name]",
group: "Council",
noRecTrack: true,
}
</script>
<style>
.todo { background: yellow; }
q { font-style: italic; }
.pack { columns: 10em; }
.pack li { break-inside: avoid; }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<section id="instructions">
<h2>Instructions (Do not include in final report)</h2>

<p>This template can be used to create a W3C Council report on formal objections. Replace the placeholders with the relevant information. You can use either Markdown or HTML for the content.</p>

<blockquote>
Blocks like this are quotes from the Process, included to help understand what various sections need to cover. Delete them before publishing the report.
</blockquote>

<p><em>Italicized sentences like this give instructions or comments to the writer of the report. Delete them before publishing the report.</em></p>

<p>Text between square brackets `[]` is meant to become part of the report, but needs adjustments or completion before publishing, or deletion in cases where it is not applicable.</p>

<p>You can use `class="todo"` to mark items that need to be completed before the report is published, make sure to remove all instances before publishing the report.</p>

<p>The source of this document is available in ReSpec format at <a href="https://github.com/w3c/AB-public/tree/main/council-templates">https://github.com/w3c/AB-public/tree/main/council-templates</a>.</p>
</section>

<section id="introduction">
<h2>Introduction</h2>

<p>A detailed exposition of this case may be found in the <span class="todo">[report](URL)</span> prepared by the W3C Team.</p>

<p><em>Summarise the situation, clearly identify the decision that is being formally objected to, list the objections raised, indicate if any were resolved by consensus (and therefore don't need to be ruled on by the council), to make clear exactly what the Council considers it is being asked to rule on. If practical, and summarize the (not yet resolved) objections to make this report easier to read standalone. However, if the objections are long, raise numerous points, or are hard to summarize, linking may be more prudent than rephrasing.</em></p>

<p>A Council was then formed to rule on <span class="todo">[this | these]</span> objection[s]. This <a href="https://w3.org/policies/process/#council-report">Council Report</a> documents the conclusions of this Council.</p>
</section>

<section id="decision">
<h2>Decision</h2>

<p>The Council resolved to <span class="todo">[insert one of the options below or write a similar short sentence summarizing the decision]</span></p>

<ul class="todo">
<li>accept the Team's recommendation to overrule the objection</li>
<li>accept the Team's recommendation to sustain the objection</li>
<li>sustain the objection</li>
<li>overrule the objection</li>
</ul>

<p><em>Include the consequences of the decision when appropriate.</em></p>

<ul class="todo">
<li>The charter may proceed.</li>
<li>The charter, as proposed, is rejected.</li>
<li>The specification may proceed to Recommendation.</li>
<li>The specification, as proposed, cannot proceed to Recommendation.</li>
</ul>

<p><em>If any post-AC review changes got consensus and were integrated into the proposed charter/spec/etc, especially if that was necessary to resolve some of the formal objections, and if the remaining formal objections were overruled, for the avoidance of doubt, it's usually good to clarify that the document that is cleared for advancement is the one with those changes integrated. A link to <a href="https://www.w3.org/policies/process/#ACReviewAfter">the section of the Process that explains how such changes are integrated</a> is welcome too.</em></p>
</section>

<section id="rationale">
<h2>Rationale</h2>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>must</strong> provide a rationale supporting the decision, which **should** address each argument raised in the Formal Objection(s).</p>

<p>The W3C Council may overrule the Formal Objection even if it agrees with **some** of the supportive arguments.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>Delete the following paragraph if not applicable:</em></p>

<p><em>Some additional <a href="https://www.w3.org/2021/Process-20211102/#Member-only">Member-only</a> remarks were made in connection with the objection[s]. These were taken into account in the Council's conclusion. To respect confidentiality, they cannot be discussed in this report, but are covered in a <a href="council-supplemental-report-template.html">Supplemental Member-only Council Report</a>.</em></p>
</section>

<section id="recommendations">
<h2>Recommendations</h2>

<blockquote>
<p><strong>must</strong> include any recommendation decided by the Council.</p>

<p>When upholding an objection, it <strong>should</strong> recommend a way forward.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>If the Council has some suggestions to give, write them here. This could be, in the case of objections overruled despite some concerns, advice on what to do in order to avoid further potentially sustainable objections at a later stage; alternatively, in the case of sustained objections, suggestions of what the originating group can do to try and overcome the disagreements. None of this, however, is binding.</em></p>
</section>

<section id="mitigations">
<h2>Mitigations</h2>

<blockquote>
<p>If an overturned decision has already had consequences (e.g., if the objection concerns material already in a published document) the Council should suggest how these consequences might be mitigated. The Team is responsible for making sure that adequate mitigations are enacted in a timely fashion; and the Formal Objection is not considered fully addressed until then.</p>

<p>Note: This does not create new powers for the Team, such as the ability to “unpublish” documents. The Team's role is to ensure the responsible parties enact adequate mitigations, by whatever means they already have at their disposal.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>If the objections were overruled, delete this section.</em></p>
</section>

<section id="participation" class="appendix">
<h2>Appendix A: Council Participation</h2>

<p><em>Information on participation, as <a href="https://www.w3.org/policies/process/#council-decision" required>required</a> by Process on Councils; this section needs to be filled out.</em></p>

<p>The Council was formed on <span class="todo">[DATE]</span> from the members of the TAG and the AB, plus <span class=todo>[the Team delegate chosen by]</span> the CEO. <span class=todo>[X, Y, and Z | no-one]</span> <a href="https://www.w3.org/policies/process/#renounce">renounced</a> their seat[s] on the Council; <span class=todo>[X, Y, and Z | no-one]</span> <span class=todo>[was | were]</span> <a href="https://www.w3.org/policies/process/#dismissed">dismissed</a>. Therefore, the actual membership of this council was:</p>

<ul class="pack">
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
</ul>

<p><span class=todo>[NAME]</span> was appointed as chair.</p>

<p>Of those qualified to serve, the following participated in the final decision:</p>

<ul class="pack">
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
<li>[...]</li>
</ul>

<p><em>Pick among the following two paragraphs, as appropriate, and delete the other one.</em></p>

<p>The decision was made by consensus.</p>

<p>The decision was made by vote, with <span class=todo>[x]</span> in favor, <span class=todo>[y]</span> against, and <span class=todo>[z]</span> abstaining<span class=todo>[, with the chair breaking the tie]</span>.</p>
</section>

<section id="minority" class="appendix">
<h2>Appendix B: Minority Report</h2>

<blockquote>
<p>In the case of non-unanimous decisions, members of a W3C Council who disagree with the decision may write a Minority Opinion explaining the reason for their disagreement.</p>
</blockquote>

<p><em>If the decision was taken by consensus, or those who lost the vote do not wish to explain their views, delete this section.</em></p>
</section>
</body>
</html>