Policy and PR problem

On Tue, 13 Feb 2001, Hans Petter Holen wrote:

> -"it is currently very difficult to get IP address space" and as a result of
> that we have to plan complex network solutions with a combination of private
> and public addresses.
> 
> This claim is very different from the one I tend to make: "you get the
> addresses you need as long as you can provide documentation that you realy
> need them".

I agree with that, although I use to have a hard time convincing my
manager to come up with copy's of invoice and all kinds of other
'strategic' information to proof to RIPE that we really needed the
IP-space that was required by that time.

I wonder what RIPE does with all this information? I trust they destroy
it, after the IP-request has been approved?

And how about returning IP-space? The procedures there are not very clear
to me (except for the case when the LIR does not pay its fee). Can
allocated address-blocks for example be transferred to another
party without mediation of RIPE after a merge of company's or something
of that kind?

Cheers, 

-- 
Marco