The feedback period for the draft ‘Governance Document for the Recognition, Maintenance, and Derecognition of Regional Internet Registries’ (‘RIR Governance Document’), which updates the Internet Coordination Policy 2 (ICP-2), has now concluded.
On behalf of APNIC, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to join discussions, attend webinars, and share feedback on this important document.
Why was a review necessary?
ICP-2, originally adopted in 2001, sets out the criteria for recognizing and evaluating new Regional Internet Registries (RIRs). However, the Internet has changed significantly since then. The updated draft RIR Governance Document aims to reflect the Internet we have today, ensuring the principles for recognizing and governing RIRs remain clear, relevant, and effective.
This review is not about the daily operations of RIRs, but rather the broader governance principles that support a stable, transparent, and community-led Internet number registry system.
To ensure the revised document reflects current realities and community expectations, all five RIRs and ICANN undertook consultation processes to support the Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC), who were tasked by the NRO Executive Council (EC) to establish and manage a process to update ICP-2.
Engagement activities
During the consultation period held from 14 April to 27 May 2025, APNIC facilitated broad engagement across the region, including:
- Webinars: Two public webinars and a dedicated session for National Internet Registries (NIRs) were held. A total of 59 participants attended and provided valuable feedback and questions.
- Community events:
- The ICP-2 topic was presented and discussed at the following community events: NZNOG 2025, TWNOG 6, IXP/RPKI Workshop Pakistan, PITA AGM and Business Forum, ICANN APAC DNS Forum, ICANN APAC GAC, as well as INNOG 8. Roopinder Singh Perhar, APNIC EC Secretary, participated as panellist in the INNOG 8 session, which was moderated by Amrita Choudhury.
- Nicole Chan, the NRO NC representative for the APNIC region, hosted a session for the local Taiwan community on the evolution of the global Internet governance framework and the redefinition of ICP-2. APNIC EC Chair, Kenny Huang, participated on the panel, which was moderated by Joy Chan, Chair of the APNIC Cooperation SIG.
- Nicole also chaired an ICP-2 session at the ICANN-TWNIC Engagement Forum.
- Outreach: Throughout the consultation, APNIC Members and the wider community were actively encouraged to provide their feedback via mailing lists, blog posts, and social media channels. There were 17 comments on the dedicated Orbit mailing list (now closed to comments), over 600 views of the two blog posts about the RIR Governance Document, and close to 10,000 views of relevant social media posts on APNIC platforms.
What’s next?
The NRO NC will now review all feedback received during the RIR consultations and ICANN’s public comment period. Based on this input, any necessary revisions will be made to the draft document. The updated version will then be shared with the community for further review in the coming months.
We encourage you to subscribe to the Orbit mailing list to stay updated on this process.
We sincerely thank all those who participated in the consultation. Your feedback and engagement are vital to maintaining the bottom-up, community-driven governance model that underpins the Internet number registry system.
Watch Jia Rong’s ICP-2 update from INNOG 8.
The views expressed by the authors of this blog are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of APNIC. Please note a Code of Conduct applies to this blog.