As noted in the ICANN/IANA document entitled Internet Domain Name System Structure and Delegation (ccTLD Administration and Delegation) of May 1999, "The IANA is the overall authority for day-to-day administration of the Internet Domain Name System (DNS). IANA staff carry out administrative responsibilities for the assignment of IP Addresses, Autonomous System Numbers, Top Level Domains (TLDs), and other unique parameters of the DNS and its protocols..."

To help in this work, at its meeting of 26 June 2003, ICANN adopted bylaws for the new Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO).

As described on the ccNSO web page: "The Country Code Names Supporting Organization (ccNSO) of ICANN is the policy development body for a narrow range of global [country-code top level domain] ccTLD issues within the ICANN structure.... It is responsible for developing and recommending to the Board global policies relating to country-code top-level domains, nurturing consensus across the ccNSO's community, including the name-related activities of ccTLDs, and coordinating with other ICANN Supporting Organizations, committees, and constituencies under ICANN."