Minutes 43rd Executive Board Meeting

Author: Paul Rendek
Date: 22 June 2004

Revision No.: 1.1

Attendees:
Frode Greisen, ICANN Liaison
Manfredo Miserocchi, Member
Kees Neggers, Chairman
Nigel Titley, Secretary
János Zsakó, Treasurer

Axel Pawlik, Managing Director, RIPE NCC
Sabine Mader, Executive Assistant, RIPE NCC
Jochem de Ruig, CFO, RIPE NCC
Paul Rendek, Head of Member Services & Comms., RIPE NCC

Guest:
Rob Blokzijl, RIPE Chairman

AGENDA

1. Agenda / Comments
   1.1. Apologies, New Agenda Points
   1.2. Approval of Previous Minutes, #42
   1.3. Date of Next Meetings
2. Outstanding Actions
3. Report from the RIPE NCC
4. Auditor's Management Letter
5. External Relations
   5.1. RIPE
   5.1.1. RIPE Meeting Cost
   5.2. ICANN
   5.3. NRO
6. Activity Plan 2005, Focus and Strategy
7. General Meeting, Formal Requirements
8. Membership Growth Scenarios
9. AOB
   9.1. RIPE NCC Personnel Fund liabilities

Kees Neggers, RIPE NCC Executive Board Chair opened the meeting at 13:00.

1. Agenda / Comments

The Chair asked if there were any comments to the agenda. The meeting agreed to swap the order of agenda points 4 and 5. No further comments were brought forward.

1.1. Apologies, New Agenda Points

No new agenda points were brought forward.

1.2. Approval of Previous Minutes, #42

The Executive Board approved the minutes of the 42nd RIPE NCC Executive Board Meeting.

1.3. Date of Next Meetings

EB# 44, Thursday, 23 September 2004 at 17:30. The meeting will take place at the RIPE Meeting in Manchester, UK.

2. Outstanding Actions

The status of outstanding actions and new action items are attached at the end of this document.

3. Report from the RIPE NCC

Axel provided a report from the RIPE NCC to the Executive Board.

Questions:

The question was raised as to the future direction of the RIPE NCC training courses. It was mentioned that the RIPE NCC should not provide courses that are in competition with its members or the commercial community that provides courses.

Axel stated that the RIPE NCC Training would be working to introduce other formats of Training that would also help the RIPE NCC with its outreach efforts.

The Board discussed the current issues with regard to IANA services given to the RIPE NCC and urged Axel to continue his efforts to receive a satisfactory service.

A progress report on the set-up of AfriNIC as an RIR was given to the Board.

No further questions were brought forward.

4. Auditor's Management Letter

Axel reported that the RIPE NCC management would have an appointment with the auditors after which the auditors will send a Management letter to the RIPE NCC Executive Board.

5. External Relations (Rob Blokzijl was present for this point)

The Board discussed its plans with regards to External Relations. There was discussion about the management of the unallocated IPv4 and IPv6 address space.

5.1. RIPE
(Rob Blokzijl was present for this point)

Rob Blozijl, RIPE Chair, provided an update on the workings within RIPE. He explained that two RIPE meetings would take place in 2005.

He mentioned that the Policy Development Process was being reviewed by the community. A group has been set-up to move this process forward and draft a document of the Policy Development Process.

Rob mentioned that work was ongoing to support the RIPE Working Group Chairs. He also noted that WG Chair meetings were planned for 2005 between the scheduled RIPE Meetings.

He also stated that the presentations introducing RIPE and the RIPE NCC used both for RIPE meetings and other forums has been revised and streamlined. He reported that he was happy with the current set of material.

5.1.1. RIPE Meeting Cost
(Rob Blokzijl was present for this point)

Jochem de Ruig presented the RIPE 47 Meeting Statement of Income and Expenditure to the Board.

The meeting discussed the financial figures of the RIPE 47 Meeting. Concern was expressed that these are still inadequate to enable accurate analysis of the costs of the RIPE Meeting.

It was mentioned that some services offered by the RIPE NCC to the RIPE meeting needed to be listed as a cost to the RIPE Meeting.

The figures will be reviewed by further Jochem de Ruig, Rob Blokzijl, János Zsakó, and Nigel Titley.

5.2. ICANN

Axel reported that the RIR CEOs have asked ICANN for a detailed breakdown of budget of the ICANN/IANA for the budget lines the RIRs are asked to pay. Expenditure for both the IANA function and the ICANN function were requested.

The Board discussed the proposed budget of ICANN with respect to its scope of services. It was agreed that areas of ICANN operation in the budget that do not benefit the RIRs should not be paid by the RIRs.

It is expected that the ICANN ASO MoU will be signed soon after which a service contract should be drafted between ICANN and the NRO with the co-operation of the RIR Boards. It is expected to make the services required by ICANN/IANA very limited, well specified and defined by policy.

5.3. NRO

The Board discussed the current issues being undertaken by the NRO. The need to incorporate the NRO was discussed. The Board agreed that there was not a pressing need to incorporate the NRO at this time.

6. Activity Plan 2005, Focus and Strategy

The Board discussed the publication of the RIPE NCC Activity Plan 2005 and the strategy and focus of the activities.

Axel provided the Board with the list of new activities planned for 2005. He stated that this list was presented at the RIPE NCC General Meeting in May 2004.

The Board agreed that the RIPE NCC should publish a document that outlines the changes that will take place for the 2005 operating year prior to the General Meeting to be held in September 2005. The Board will approve a final Activity Plan and Budget before the end of the year.

A plan was worked out for the production of the Activity Plan and Budget 2005. The action plan is as follows:

• Publication of a change document outlining new RIPE NCC activities for 2005 within 2 weeks of the 43rd Board meeting.
• Incorporation of comments received
• Proposal of fee schedule to the Executive Board prior to the end of July.
• Executive Board approval of fee schedule and publication prior to the end of August.
• Publication of the Draft Activity Plan and Budget 2005 prior to the General Meeting in September 2004 (target end of August)

The meeting discussed options regarding the fee structure for 2005.

7. General Meeting, Formal Requirements

The Board discussed the ‘admin-c' and ‘tech-c' and their legal ability to represent their LIR at General Meetings. The Board agreed that according to legal advice the ‘admin-c' can be accepted by the RIPE NCC as the respective member representative at General Meetings.

8. Membership Growth Scenarios

Jochem de Ruig presented the Board with membership growth scenarios. There was discussion about the various scenarios brought forward.

9. AOB

The Chaired asked if there was any other business. Agenda point 9.1. 'RIPE NCC Personnel Fund liabilities' was added.

No other items were brought forward

9.1. RIPE NCC Personnel Fund liabilities

Jochem de Ruig presented the Personnel Fund liabilities to the Board. A discussion took place about the necessity of the fund. After discussions the Board felt that the RIPE NCC should do away with the Personnel Fund as it appears to be no longer needed now that the RIPE NCC has considerable reserves.

The Chairman closed the meeting at 16:30.

Outstanding Actions

EB98 14/01/04 / AP (supersedes EB70)
To continue to work with Rob Blokzijl and Jochem de Ruig on principles of RIPE meeting cost accounting
Status: 22/06/04 Ongoing, input will be provided by Nigel Titley and János Zsakó and the results will be reported to the Board.

EB101 17/03/04 / AP (supersedes EB99)
To continue scenario development according to EB99.
Status: 22/06/2004 DONE

EB103 05/05/04 / AP
The RIPE NCC is tasked to split the current reserves of the RIPE NCC into two accounts at different banks with the same or higher credit rating.
Status: 22/06/2004 Ongoing, Axel stated that the RIPE NCC was currently busy with this action point and will keep the Board informed.