RIR Governance Document Version 3: Summary of Differences and Rationale for Changes

The Number Resource Organization Number Council (NRO NC) handed over the third version of the draft RIR Governance Document to the NRO Executive Council in July 2026. This summary provides an overview of the major differences between versions 2 and 3 of the document and explains the rationale for those changes.

Version 3 reflects the feedback received through the RIR consultation and ICANN Public Comment process held from 28 August to 7 November 2025, as well as subsequent drafting workshops and discussions. Following an in-person workshop in Montevideo, Uruguay, the NRO NC continued developing the draft, met during ICANN 85 in Mumbai in March 2026, and held a final workshop in Seville during ICANN 86 in June 2026 to review and finalize the document. Throughout this process, the inventory of issues identified by the community was presented and progress on their resolution was reported through meeting and webinar presentations, as well as two published status reports.

The key changes in version 3 include:

• Clearer definitions and decision-making provisions, including new or amended definitions for Audit, Compliance Review, Rehabilitation Plan, Temporary Emergency Continuity Arrangement, Temporary Emergency Operator, and Transition Plan.

• A restructured Recognition process, with more detailed proposal and review requirements, a two-thirds RIR support threshold, conflict-of-interest disclosure, clearer ICANN responsibilities, and greater transparency through the publication of assessments and rationales.

• Clarifications to Service Region, Coordination Limitation, and Community Consultation provisions to improve readability and explain how consultation may occur during Recognition or Derecognition processes.

• A revised audit and compliance framework, including a five-year regular audit cycle, a distinct Compliance Review process with safeguards against misuse, and clearer outcomes and follow-up through Rehabilitation Plans where needed.

• Updated emergency continuity provisions, including terminology changes, the ability for an affected RIR to initiate a Temporary Emergency Continuity Arrangement for its own services, a lowered initiation threshold involving ICANN and two-thirds of the RIRs, a retained 90-day limit, and additional transparency safeguards.

• A more detailed Derecognition process that emphasizes rehabilitation as the preferred path, aligns key steps with the Recognition process, clarifies ICANN’s review and decision-making role, requires publication of decisions and supporting documents, and applies a two-thirds RIR support threshold excluding the subject RIR.

• New amendment safeguards that prevent the document from being amended during a Temporary Emergency Continuity Arrangement or while a proposal for Derecognition is pending.

By setting out these changes and the accompanying reasons, the NRO NC hopes to help readers understand the major considerations weighed in developing version 3 and how the draft seeks to address the main community concerns during the feedback process. This Summary also explains why certain suggestions, while thoughtful and valuable, were not incorporated into this draft.

Sincerely,
The NRO NC

Changes and Rationale Document

Last modified on 01/09/2026