RIR Governance Matrix
The five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) operate within robust governance frameworks that ensure effectiveness of their corporate structures, transparency of processes, and accountability to members and communities. These frameworks vary across the five RIRs, according to legal requirements and regional policies, but all are transparently accessible and publicly documented.
This matrix provides a comparative overview of the governance frameworks of the RIRs, and serves as a reference for the global Internet community. It provides a structured view of various aspects of RIR governance, with links to source documents on the respective websites of the RIRs.
This is a public document that will be reviewed and revised annually, or as needed.
- RIR Bylaws and Operational Documents
- Regional Policy Development Processes
- RIR Boards Structure
- Contractual Relationship with Members
- Terms and Conditions for Internet Number Resources
- Terms and Conditions for Historical Resources
- Due Diligence and Resource Maintenance
- Auditing of Internet Number Resource Registration Records
- Number Resource Dispute Resolution
- Deregistration of Internet Number Resources
- Use of the Database (WHOIS) and Privacy Issues
- Handling Requests for Information by Law Enforcement Authorities
- Security Management and External Auditing
- Budget and Activity Planning
- Decision-making Process for Operational Documents – Budget – Activity Plan – Fees
1. RIR Bylaws and Operational Documents
2. Regional Policy Development Processes (PDP)
3. RIR Board Structures
4. Contractual Relationship with Members
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | For Resource Members: AFRINIC Service Agreement For Associate Members: AFRINIC Associate Member Agreement |
| APNIC | Standard APNIC Membership Agreement |
| ARIN | Registration Services (RSA) Legacy Registration Services Agreement (LRSA) |
| LACNIC | General Information about LACNIC´s Membership How to become a member of LACNIC? Membership Categories Membership Costs Benefits of becoming a member |
| RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Standard Service Agreement |
5. Terms and Conditions for Internet Number Resources
| RIR | Resource Recipient |
Document |
|---|---|---|
| AFRINIC | AFRINIC Members | AFRINIC Service Agreement |
| APNIC | APNIC Members | Standard APNIC Membership Agreement APNIC Member Fee Schedule |
| APNIC Non-Members | Standard APNIC Non-Member Agreement APNIC Non-Member Fee Schedule |
|
| ARIN | ARIN Members/ARIN Non-Members | Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA)Registration Services (RSA) |
| LACNIC | LACNIC Members | Documents for the Registration Service |
| RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Members | Standard Service Agreement |
| Non RIPE NCC members (End Users) through a RIPE NCC member (sponsoring LIRs) | Requirements: End User Assignment Agreement |
6. Terms and Conditions for Historical Resources
| RIR | Relationship of Resource Holder with the RIR | Document |
|---|---|---|
| AFRINIC | Legacy Internet Number Resource Holders have no contract with AFRINIC | N/A |
| APNIC | Direct non-membership agreement between Legacy Resource Holders and APNIC | APNIC Non-Members Agreement |
| ARIN | Legacy Internet Number Resource Holder that has elected to enter into a contract with ARIN | Legacy Registration Services Agreement |
| LACNIC | Internet Number Resource Holder is a LACNIC Member | Resource holders – Registration Service Agreement |
| Internet Number Resource Holder has a contract with a member of LACNIC | N/A | |
| Direct non-membership agreement between the Legacy Resources Internet number Resource Holder and LACNIC | Legacy Resources | |
| RIPE NCC | Legacy Internet Resource Holder is a RIPE NCC Member | RIPE NCC Services for Legacy Internet Resources of RIPE NCC Members Terms and Conditions |
| Legacy Internet Resource Holder has a contract with a RIPE NCC Member (sponsoring LIR) | Terms and conditions required for RIPE NCC Services for Legacy Internet Resources Agreement with a Sponsoring LIR | |
| Direct non-membership agreement between the Legacy Internet Resource Holder and the RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Services for Legacy Internet Resources Agreement (Legacy Agreement) |
7. Due Diligence and Resource Maintenance
| RIR | Type of Resource | Document |
|---|---|---|
| AFRINIC | All Internet Number Resources | Eligibility for resources request Mergers, Acquisitions, Takeovers and Closures of LIR/End-User |
| APNIC | All Internet Number Resources | Becoming a Member – FAQ |
| Legacy Internet Number Resources | Maintenance of Historical Internet Resources Transfer of Historical Internet Resources |
|
| ARIN | All Internet Number Resources | Transfer Resources Mergers & Acquisition Transfer Resources Specified Recipient Officer Attestation Org Recovery Name Change |
| LACNIC | All Internet Number Resources | Documents for the Registration Service Transfer of Resources |
| RIPE NCC | All Internet Number Resources – Due diligence checks to organisations or natural persons before the registration of the resources | Due Diligence for the Quality of the RIPE NCC Registration Data |
| All Internet Number Resources – Due diligence checks to organisations or natural persons to reflect changes in the registration of the resources | Transfers of Internet Number Resources and Change of a Member’s Official Legal Name | |
| Internet Number Resources distributed to End Users through a sponsoring LIR – contractual relationship changes | Independent Internet Number Resources – Contractual Relationship Changes Between Sponsoring LIR and End Users | |
| Legacy Internet Number Resources with a contract through a sponsoring LIR – contractual relationship changes | Legacy Internet Resources – Contractual Relationship Changes Between Sponsoring LIR and Legacy Internet Resource Holder |
8. Auditing of Internet Number Resource Registration Records
9. Number Resource Dispute Resolution
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | AFRINIC Service Agreement (Art. 13) |
| APNIC | Dispute Resolution Process (as set out in clauses 73-81 of the APNIC By-Laws) |
| ARIN | ARIN Appeal Process Dispute Resolution Process in Registration Services Agreement and Legacy Registration Services Agreement |
| LACNIC | See article 11 at LACNIC Registration Service Agreement |
| RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Conflict Arbitration Procedure (excluding resources held by End Users through a sponsoring LIR) |
10. Deregistration of Internet Number Resources
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | AFRINIC Service Agreement (Art. 11.e) (Art. 5.c) |
| APNIC | Standard APNIC Membership Agreement (section 2.2b) |
| ARIN | Revocation and Reinstatement Process Reclamation of resources (see Fraud Reporting above) |
| LACNIC | Revocation of LACNIC Number Resources |
| RIPE NCC | RIPE NCC Closure of Member, Deregistration of Internet Number Resources, and Legacy Internet Number Resources |
11. Use of the (Whois) Database and Privacy Issues
12. Handling Requests for Information by Law Enforcement Authorities
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | Handling requests for information from LEAs (under approval) |
| APNIC | Handling requests for information from LEAs |
| ARIN | Announcement regarding Unauthorized Changes and engagement of Law Enforcement Agencies |
| LACNIC | Request for information by Law Enforcement Authorities are responded after a contact for abuse Projects directed to Law Enforcement Authorities among others |
| RIPE NCC | Handling Requests for Information, Orders and Investigations from Law Enforcement Agencies Transparency Report |
13. Security Management and External Auditing
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | External Audit Report for 2013 |
| APNIC | APNIC ISO 9001 Certification External Audit Report for 2013 |
| ARIN | Registration Services Audit ReportsAnnual Reports |
| LACNIC | Annual Reports (including independent audits) ISO9001 Certificate |
| RIPE NCC | Financial Reports – for 2016 in the Annual Report 2016 Responsible disclosure policy |
14. Budget and Activity Planning
| RIR | Document |
|---|---|
| AFRINIC | Annual Reports AFRINIC Budgeting Key Steps |
| APNIC | APNIC Annual Reports Budget and Activity Plan |
| ARIN | Annual Reports Current Budget |
| LACNIC | Annual Reports Annual Budgets |
| RIPE NCC | Annual Reports Budget and Activity Plan |
15. Decision-making Process for Operational Documents: Budget, Activity Plan, Fees.
| RIR | Resource Recipient |
Document |
|---|---|---|
| AFRINIC | AFRINIC Budgeting Key Steps | AFRINIC Budgeting Key Steps |
| Funding | Funding | |
| APNIC | Budget – Activity Plan | About the APNIC Executive Council > Budget and Activity Plan Approval |
| ARIN | Planning – Budgeting | Annual Strategic Planning and Budgeting |
| LACNIC | Decision Making | Process and Requirements for Board elections |
| RIPE NCC | Operational Documents | Adoption Process for the RIPE NCC Governance Documents |
| Budget – Activity Plan | Budget and Activity Plan Approval | |
| Fees | Charging Scheme Approval |
Last modified on 28/12/2022