[members-discuss] Proposed 2012 Charging scheme, Board comments

Dear Nigel,

thank you first of all for your update about the charing scheme. Some 
point we can confirm but not all of them as the charging scheme for 2012 
looks like as a billing of ip-addresses as there are a lot of "XS" 
categories.

Otherwise - as we told time before - why the smaller LIR must have to 
pay a lot more instead of the big player who will crunch IPv4 ??

The calculated scheme means for us that we will increase from category 
"SMALL" to "L" which means a increase of our costs from 1800 EUR to 3000 
EUR per year or +70% more costs which can bring a lot of members in 
trouble as they don't have a budget for that high increase equal which 
category they will have for 2012 !!!

As revewed the change matrix it means that like all membres will 
increase one or two categories in the charging scheme. Only a very small 
amount will decrease. This guess to us that the budget will increase a 
lot too ?? Why RIPE NCC will need a so high budget for 2012 instead of 
2011 ??

Other stuff is that many companies have a PI assigment but will pay only 
50 EUR as a 3XS member must pay 250 EUR which means 5 times more. It 
should be better to ask for PI space instead of PA space as the costs 
are much lower !!!

Only think we know is that we will VOTE contra this charging scheme.

thx
    Alexander Schoberl
      SPEEDNIC S.R.L.




Am 30.09.2011 03:53, schrieb Nigel Titley:
> Dear all,
>
> I would like to update you about the RIPE NCC Executive Board
> deliberations regarding the draft charging scheme for 2012.
>
> We presented you with two draft schemes, in early summer, to gather
> feedback from you. We did this as we wanted to hear your opinions on
> measures we want to take which are designed to keep the RIPE NCC
> financially stable and capable of serving its members as it should.
>
> You engaged in a lively discussion on this mailing list, and even ran a
> mini-survey. We followed the exchanges closely and as result asked
> RIPE NCC staff to provide the board with another charging scheme option,
> based on a sliding scale scheme that eliminated the membership
> categories we currently use.
>
> During the board meeting of last Friday, 23 September, we discussed the
> merits as well as some of the issues of that model. Obviously a sliding
> scale model as its main benefit does away with the fee jumps of the
> category based model. We were pleased with the model that we developed
> with the NCC staff and felt that it addressed many of the issues raised
> by you, the members.
>
> However, in consultation with our tax lawyers we have had to think
> again. Because it brings a "fee-per-address" flavour to the charging
> model of the RIPE NCC it fundamentally alters the tax scheme under which
> we operate. The current "category" model allows us to argue that we are
> a membership association with different categories  of membership. This
> brings substantial tax advantages.
>
> As you know, for a long time the RIPE NCC tax situation has been
> extremely favourable, as we don't have to pay corporation tax, based on
> an agreement made with the Dutch tax authorities many years ago. We are
> advised that the envisaged change in the charging scheme would lead to a
> re-assessment of that agreement, with the likely outcome that the
> association's surplus would have to be taxed, leading to a significant
> financial liability, with an obvious knock-on effect to the member fees.
>
> In the light of this, the board members have agreed not to expose our
> organisation to that risk, staying with a category based system. We have
> however noted your preference for reduced "fee jumps" between
> categories, and have instructed NCC staff to produce a charging scheme
> model based on 10 categories, doubling the current category number.
> Category divisions will be based on a count of address space held.
>
> This revised Charging Scheme 2012 we will publish, as usual, prior to
> the General Meeting in November, for approval by the members during the
> General Meeting. We can advise you already that we are opening up the
> voting mechanism for all resolutions to include electronic voting, so
> that all members of the association have a good opportunity to take a
> full part in the proceedings.
>
> At this time, I would like to thank you all, on behalf of the RIPE NCC
> Executive Board, for participating in the discussion. I look forward to
> seeing as many of you as possible at the next General Meeting.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Nigel Titley
> Chairman
> RIPE NCC Executive Board
>
>
>
>
>
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