Global internet community invited to comment on draft RIR governance framework
The Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC) has opened a public consultation on a draft document that will redefine how Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) are recognised, maintained, and possibly derecognised. The proposal aims to update the long-standing Internet Coordination Policy 2 (ICP-2), a key governance document that has guided Internet number resource management since the early 2000s.
On 14 April 2025, the Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC) launched a global consultation on the draft ‘Governance Document for the Recognition, Maintenance, and Derecognition of Regional Internet Registries.‘The draft serves as a proposed update to ICP-2: Criteria for the Establishment of New Regional Internet Registries, an early internet governance policy that defined the process by which new RIRs are created and recognised within the global system of internet number resource management.
ICP-2 has remained largely unchanged for more than two decades. The new draft seeks to modernise governance arrangements and clarify responsibilities among the five RIRs, AFRINIC, APNIC, ARIN, LACNIC, and RIPE NCC — as well as their relationship with ICANN and the broader multistakeholder community.
The RIPE community, which covers Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia, has been invited to contribute feedback through several channels before 27 May 2025.
Participants can:
- Join the RIPE Discussion List to share written feedback;
- Attend the RIPE NCC Open House: Updating ICP-2 session on 29 April 2025;
- Take part in a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session on the ICP-2 review during RIPE 90 (12–16 May 2025).
All engagement sessions and updates will be listed on the NRO website, where recordings and summaries will also be archived for transparency. The NRO encourages participation from all regional Internet communities to ensure broad and balanced input.
In parallel, ICANN has launched a Public Comment proceeding to gather feedback from its global stakeholder community. This dual-track consultation reflects the cooperative nature of Internet governance, where both RIRs and ICANN jointly uphold the policies governing IP address and Autonomous System Number distribution.
Key dates in the consultation timeline
- 14 April 2025: Draft RIR Governance Document published and consultation opens
- 29 April 2025: RIPE NCC Open House – Updating ICP-2
- 12–16 May 2025: BoF on ICP-2 review at RIPE 90
- 27 May 2025: Consultation closes
- 9–12 June 2025: NRO NC reviews input during ICANN 83
Significance of the proposed update
The RIR system underpins the technical and administrative stability of the internet by coordinating the allocation of IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers. Updating ICP-2 is considered vital to maintaining accountability, transparency, and consistency within that system, especially as internet governance evolves and regional contexts change.
The new governance framework seeks to clearly define:
- The process for recognising new RIRs if future regional needs emerge;
- The criteria and mechanisms for ensuring ongoing compliance with global policies; and
- The procedures for derecognition in case of persistent non-compliance or structural failure.
By opening this revision to public comment, the NRO NC aims to preserve the bottom-up, multistakeholder approach that has long been central to the Internet’s governance model.
Next steps
Following the consultation period, the NRO NC will review all feedback and refine the draft during ICANN 83 (June 2025). A final version of the document will then be circulated for community endorsement and formal adoption.
