Independent Internet Number Resources – Contractual Relationship Changes Between Sponsoring LIR and End User

The RIPE NCC assigns independent Internet number resources to End Users provided they have signed a contract with a sponsoring LIR or with the RIPE NCC.

This document describes the modifications that might be made to a contractual relationship between a sponsoring LIR and an End User of independent Internet number resources for various reasons, including the case of a complete or partial transfer of these independent Internet number resource records, as well as the possible consequences of such changes or of failure to communicate these changes to the RIPE NCC. This document does not describe the procedure to be followed in the case of a transfer of Independent Internet number resources from the RIPE NCC service region to the service region of another RIR or vice versa. This procedure is described in the RIPE NCC procedural document, “Inter-RIR Transfer of Internet Number Resources”.

This document does not describe any procedures applicable to contractual relationship changes for users of independent Internet number resources who have a contractual relationship directly with the RIPE NCC. Nor does it describe the deregistration of independent Internet number resources for any reason other than contractual relationship changes. For information on deregistration of independent resources for any other reason, please see the RIPE NCC procedural document, “Closure of Members, Deregistration of Internet Number Resources and Legacy Internet Resources”.

1. Change in End User's Business Structure

When the End User and the sponsoring LIR initially sign a contract, the sponsoring LIR must submit to the RIPE NCC an extract from the Commercial Trade Register or an equivalent document proving the registration of the End User's business with the relevant national authorities (see also the RIPE NCC procedural document, "Due Diligence for the Quality of the RIPE NCC Registration Data").

If the End User is a natural person, the sponsoring LIR must submit the identification papers of the End User. This can be a passport, driving license or other official document proving the identity of the individual (see also the RIPE NCC procedural document, "Due Diligence for the Quality of the RIPE NCC Registration Data").

If there is any change in the End User's business structure after signing the contract with the sponsoring LIR (for example, the End User has merged with another company or has changed name), and, because of this change, the information held by the RIPE NCC on the End User is not up-to-date, then the sponsoring LIR is obliged to submit the updated/new registration papers of the End User to the RIPE NCC, as well as any documents verifying this change.

Procedure

The sponsoring LIR must send an email to lir-help@ripe.net informing the RIPE NCC of the End User's business change. This email must include new registration papers from the national authority and the official legal documents supporting this change.

The RIPE NCC will update all RIPE Database objects maintained by the RIPE NCC that are affected by this change. End Users must update all RIPE Database objects that they maintain themselves that are affected by this change.

If the sponsoring LIR does not submit the aforementioned documents within 10 working days of the RIPE NCC requesting them, the RIPE NCC will send a reminder to the sponsoring LIR's contact email addresses and to the End User's contact email addresses as listed in the relevant RIPE Database object, asking the sponsoring LIR to submit the requested documents within 10 working days of the day of the reminder.

If the RIPE NCC has not received the requested documents 10 working days from the date of the reminder, the RIPE NCC will begin deregistering the Independent Internet number resources according to the procedure described in section B.2.2 of the RIPE NCC procedural document, “Closure of Members, Deregistration of Internet Number Resources and Legacy Internet Resources”.

2. Termination of Contractual Relationship

An End User of independent Internet number resources must have a contractual relationship with a sponsoring LIR at all times. If the contractual relationship between the End User and the sponsoring LIR is terminated for any reason, the RIPE NCC must be notified. The End User must at that point enter into a contractual relationship with a different sponsoring LIR or with the RIPE NCC directly.

Procedure

Preferably, for registration purposes, the RIPE NCC must be notified before the contractual relationship terminates. It is the responsibility of the sponsoring LIR to submit this notification to the RIPE NCC prior to termination.

If the RIPE NCC has not been notified prior to the termination and the End User has already entered into a new contractual relationship with a different sponsoring LIR, this new sponsoring LIR must notify the RIPE NCC and submit the new contract they signed with the End User. The RIPE NCC will notify the previous sponsoring LIR of this change. Should the previous LIR object to the termination of their contract with the End User, the RIPE NCC will only accept the contract of the sponsoring LIR that submits a confirmation signed by the End User. This confirmation must clearly state that the End User has or has not terminated the contractual agreement with the previous sponsoring LIR.

The End User may also enter into a contractual relationship directly with the RIPE NCC. For more information, please see the notes on Requesting Independent Resources.

If the RIPE NCC is informed of the termination of the contractual relationship between the sponsoring LIR and the End User and, after 10 working days, no new contractual relationship has been established between the End User and a different sponsoring LIR or the RIPE NCC, the RIPE NCC will send a notification to the End User's contact email addresses, as listed in the relevant RIPE Database object, asking the End User to sign a new contractual agreement with another sponsoring LIR within 10 working days from the date of the notification or to sign an agreement directly with the RIPE NCC.

If the RIPE NCC has not received a new contractual agreement 10 working days from the date of the notification, the RIPE NCC will start deregistering the independent Internet number resources according to the procedure described in section B.2.2 of the RIPE NCC procedural document, “Closure of Members, Deregistration of Internet Number Resources and Legacy Internet Resources”.

3. Closure of Sponsoring LIR

If the sponsoring LIR has their RIPE NCC Standard Service Agreement terminated, the RIPE NCC will send a notification to the End User's contact email addresses, as listed in the relevant RIPE Database object, asking the End User to sign a new contractual agreement with another sponsoring LIR or with the RIPE NCC within 10 working days of the notification.

If the End User does not submit a new contractual agreement with another sponsoring LIR within 10 working days of the RIPE NCC requesting this, the RIPE NCC will send a reminder to the End User's contact email addresses as listed in the relevant RIPE Database object, asking the sponsoring LIR to submit the requested documents within 10 working days of the day of the reminder”.

If the RIPE NCC has not received a new contractual agreement 10 working days from the date of the reminder, the RIPE NCC will begin deregistering the independent resources according to the procedure described in section B.2.2 of the RIPE NCC procedural document, “Closure of Members, Deregistration of Internet Number Resources and Legacy Internet Resources”.

4. Transfer of the Assigned Independent Internet Number Resources

If an End User wants to transfer (parts of) the independent Internet number resources assigned to them by the RIPE NCC to a third party in accordance with RIPE Policies (Section 6.4 of “IPv4 Address Allocation and Assignment Policies for the RIPE NCC Service Region”, Section 8.0 of “IPv6 Address Allocation and Assignment Policy” and Section 4.0 of “Autonomous System (AS) Number Assignment Policies”), this must be communicated to the RIPE NCC.

Procedure

Both parties must have a contractual relationship with either the RIPE NCC or a sponsoring LIR. One of the parties involved must submit a request by sending an email to lir-help@ripe.net via their sponsoring LIR, if they have one.

The RIPE NCC will ask for the following information:

i. Information regarding the parties involved, including:

• The full official legal names of all parties involved
• Which party will transfer the independent Internet number resources and which party will receive them
• Recent registration papers from national authorities for all involved parties

If the current official legal name of the End User is different from the one the RIPE NCC has on record, the procedure described under Section 1 must be followed prior to the transfer of the assigned independent Internet number resources. If this update refers to a transferring End User who wants to transfer all of their assigned independent Internet number resources, then a relevant update of the RIPE Database object, as described under Section 1, may be disregarded.

ii. A list of the assigned independent Internet number resources for which a transfer is being requested

iii. The correct contact details of all parties involved

The RIPE NCC may ask the parties involved to confirm the correctness of their contact details or to update them.

iv. A Transfer Agreement signed by both parties or by their legal successors

The RIPE NCC will make a template of the Transfer Agreement available. Either party may submit the Transfer Agreement to the RIPE NCC, signed by authorised persons for both parties. The RIPE NCC may ask the other party/parties to confirm their agreement to the transfer. The confirmation must be authorised (signed or sent) by a contact person or authorised person.

If the transferring party no longer exists by the time the RIPE NCC has been informed, the receiving party must send both of the following:

• An official document (issued by a national authority) confirming the closure of the transferring party.
• A copy of an older signed agreement between the relevant parties mentioning the transfer of the assigned independent Internet number resources. If such an agreement is not available, the RIPE NCC may accept a confirmation of the transfer to the RIPE NCC signed by an authorised person (e.g. senior manager, legal successor) of the receiving party. The RIPE NCC reserves the right to reverse the transfer should another party object to this transfer and provide an agreement that proves that the provider independent address records should have been transferred to them.

The RIPE NCC will update all RIPE Database objects maintained by the RIPE NCC that are affected by this change. The parties involved must update all RIPE Database objects that they maintain themselves that are affected by this change.