The Number Resource Organization Executive Council (NRO EC) is pleased to announce that the Address Supporting Organization Address Council (ASO AC), which fulfils the role of the Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC), has completed its work on version 3 of the RIR Governance Document.
This work was undertaken by the ASO AC in response to the NRO EC’s request to review and update Internet Coordination Policy-2 (ICP-2): Criteria for Establishment of New Regional Internet Registries, and to support a strengthened governance framework for the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system.
The resulting document, titled the ASO AC Recommended Draft RIR Governance Document, represents the outcome of the ASO AC’s work under this mandate. The ASO AC has now formally delivered this draft to the NRO EC for its consideration and responsibility for the document has now transitioned to the NRO EC.
Background
The review of ICP-2 has followed a staged and iterative process, with opportunities for participation from across the RIR and ICANN communities. The process began with a review of the existing ICP-2 document and the development of proposed principles to guide the updated governance framework. Community input was then sought on those principles through a questionnaire, with an ICANN Public Comment process conducted in parallel.
Feedback from the principles phase informed the first draft of the RIR Governance Document, which was published for consultation in Apr-May 2025. That consultation included engagement through RIR community mailing lists, webinars and online sessions, RIR meetings, ICANN community engagement, and an ICANN Public Comment process. The feedback received informed the development of version 2 of the document, which was published with supporting materials, including a redline and summary rationale of changes. A second consultation on version 2 in Aug-Nov 2025 provided a further opportunity for the RIR and ICANN communities to review the revised draft and provide input. Following the second consultation, the ASO AC continued engagement with RIR and ICANN communities, including at ICANN 85 in Mar 2026. Feedback from these consultations and engagement activities, together with subsequent review and drafting work by the ASO AC, informed the ASO AC Recommended Draft now delivered to the NRO EC.
Next steps
The NRO EC will now review the ASO AC Recommended Draft RIR Governance Document and progress the next stages of the process, including coordination with ICANN and the RIRs, and the pathway toward a final version. An updated timeline will be published soon to guide these final stages.
The ASO AC Recommended Draft RIR Governance Document and supporting materials — including a rationale document summarising key changes from version 2, and a comparison/redline document showing changes from version 2 — will be published separately in accordance with this timeline. Any future opportunities for community input will be communicated by the NRO EC.
Further information on the next stages, including relevant timelines and processes, will be shared in due course.
Acknowledgement
The NRO EC thanks the ASO AC, including its Drafting Team, for its work in completing the ASO AC Recommended Draft RIR Governance Document.
The NRO EC also thanks the RIR and ICANN communities for their participation throughout the ICP-2 review process. Contributions through the principles questionnaire, community consultations, RIR and ICANN engagement sessions, mailing lists, webinars, and ICANN Public Comment processes have been important to the development of the document.
NRO Executive Council