RIPE Resource Transfer Policies

Summary of Proposal

The goal of this proposal is to create a single document with all relevant information regarding the transfer of Internet number resources. 

Removing all transfer-related policy text from the allocation and assignment policies and keeping this in one document will make it easier for people to find the information they are looking for. This will also make it easier to maintain the various policies in future.

The following policy documents currently have text relating to transfers:

• "IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region"
• "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy"
• "Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies"
• "Policy for Inter-RIR Transfers of Internet Resources"

The final transfer document will aim to generalise the policy text as much as possible. It will explain specific restrictions or exceptions relating to the various types of Internet number resources as required.

The proposal covers changes of holdership via transfers as well as mergers and acquisitions. Both categories will have the same 24-month holding period. The proposal also adds mergers and acquisitions to the statistics that the RIPE NCC publishes.  

Policy Text

[The following policy will replace:

- Sections 5.5 and 6.4 in ripe-649, "IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region"
- Section 4.0 in ripe-638, "Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies"
- Section 8. in ripe-650, "IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy"
- ripe-644, "Policy for Inter-RIR Transfers of Internet Resources"

Accordingly, these sections or policy documents will be deleted.]

Content

1.0 Scope
2.0 Transfers within the RIPE NCC Service Region
2.1 Transfer Requirements
2.2 Transfer Restrictions
3.0 Inter-RIR Transfers
3.1 General
3.2 Transferring Internet Number Resources to the RIPE NCC Service Region
3.3 Transferring Internet Number Resources from the RIPE NCC Service Region
4.0 Transfer Statistics
5.0 Attribution

1.0 Scope

This policy outlines:

• The rules for Internet number resource transfers within the RIPE NCC services region
• The rules for Internet number resource transfers (including legacy resources) to and from the RIPE NCC service region (often referred to as inter-RIR transfers)

2.0 Transfers within the RIPE NCC Service Region

Any legitimate resource holder is allowed to transfer complete or partial blocks of address space or number resources (IPv4, IPv6 and AS Numbers) that were previously allocated or assigned to them by the RIPE NCC or otherwise through the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system. Resources are excluded from transfers when RIPE Policies mandate their return to the RIPE NCC.  

Resources may only be transferred to an entity that has a contractual relationship with the RIPE NCC or with a RIPE NCC member.

2.1 Transfer Requirements

Transfers must be reflected in the RIPE Database. Transfers can be on a permanent or non-permanent basis.

The original resource holder remains responsible for an Internet number resource until the transfer to the receiving party is completed. In the case of a temporary transfer, the original resource holder re-assumes responsibility when the resource is returned. The current resource holder must ensure that all relevant policies are applied.

Transferred resources are no different from allocations or assignments made directly by the RIPE NCC and so must be used by the receiving party in accordance with the respective policy documents.

To complete the transfer, the RIPE NCC will update the registration records of the Internet number resource to reflect the change in holdership.

2.2 Transfer Restrictions

Scarce resources, which are understood as those resources that are allocated or assigned by the RIPE NCC on a restricted basis (such as IPv4 or 16-bit ASNs), cannot be transferred by the resource holder within 24 months from the date the resource was received.

3.0 Inter-RIR Transfers

3.1 General

Any type of Internet number resource can be transferred to or from the RIPE NCC service region. This includes legacy resources, in spite of the fact there are no specific rules for legacy resource transfers within the RIPE NCC service region.

Resources are excluded from transfers when RIPE Policies mandate their return to the RIPE NCC.

RIPE Policies will apply while the transfer is in process, for as long as the Internet number resources are registered within the RIPE NCC service region.

3.2 Transferring Internet Number Resources to the RIPE NCC Service Region

The RIPE NCC shall accept all transfers of Internet number resources to its service region, provided they comply with the policies relating to transfers within its service region. 

For transfers from RIR service regions that require the receiving region to have needs-based policies, recipients must provide a plan to the RIPE NCC for the use of at least 50% of the transferred resources within five years.

3.3 Transferring Internet Number Resources from the RIPE NCC Service Region

When transferring Internet number resources to another RIR, the RIPE NCC will follow the transfer policies that apply within its own service region. The RIPE NCC will also comply with any commitments imposed by the receiving RIR in order to facilitate the transfer.

4.0 Transfer Statistics

The RIPE NCC will publish a list of all holdership changes. This publication shall occur on monthly basis or more frequently if the RIPE NCC so chooses.

This list will contain information about approved changes. The following information will be published:

• The name of the offering party
• The resource originally held by the offering party
• The name(s) of the receiving party or parties
• Each subdivided prefix (each partial block derived from that original block) or resource received
• The date each resource changed holder in the registry.
• Whether it was a transfer or merger/acquisition

5.0 Attribution

This document is developed by the RIPE community.

The following people actively contributed by making proposals through the RIPE Policy Development Process:

Erik Bais

Rationale

a. Arguments supporting the proposal

• The goal of this proposal is to reduce the amount of documents where various parts of a transfer policy can be found, based on the type of number resource.  When the initial transfer policies were written, it was already intended to move the new policy text to a dedicated transfer policy document.
• To improve transparency, the transfer statistics now include insight into all holdership changes under the policy.

b. Arguments opposing the proposal

• The document implements a couple of slight wording changes into the documents to make the writing more generic.
• The document proposes to include the transfer restrictions to mergers and acquisitions. This is done to make the policy more in line with the intention of the transfer policy restrictions when proposed.