[ripe-list] LAST CALL EXTENDED to 18 Feb: Draft Document: RIPE Task Forces - Definition and Guidelines

Dear RIPE Chair team,

> > Based on experiences and feedback received from existing Task Forces and
> > other community members, we put together a document describing what a
> > RIPE Task Force is and how it usually operates:
> > 
> > https://www.ripe.net/publications/docs/ripe-documents/other-documents/ripe-task-forces-definition-and-guidelines/

as a member of previous RIPE Task Forces I believe that this document
captures the description of Task Forces - as evolved over time - very well.

The section on Consensus building

	In contrast to RIPE policies, consensus is not needed on a RIPE task force report. The community reviews the task force’s recommendations separately from the report and it can choose to amend or reject them. However, if the final output required is a new community document, a consensus call is made by the RIPE Chair.

might benefit from a few clarifications, though.  I think what it tries to say is
that the task force report does not necessarily reflect RIPE consensus (but should
reflect TF consensus, in whatever roughness, up to the respective TF to determine
and document) and also that it is not binding in the sense that it cannot constitute
policy in and of itself.  The reports have usually been published as RIPE documents
and those would not be subject to a consensus call.
So, TF output most of the time was input to further processing.

I do think that exceptions to this should remain exceptions and thus not
prescribed in more detail.

Best,
  Peter