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The first 2013 Roundtable Meeting was held in Brussels on 19 March, adjacent to the European Commission's High Level Group on Internet Governance. The event attracted around 40 participants from governments, regulators and industry. These meetings, which are held twice a year, are a major element in the RIPE NCC's efforts to stimulate dialogue and enhance understanding between the public sector and the RIPE community. They also provide an opportunity to identify areas of cooperation between the public sector and the RIPE NCC.
In the period since the last Roundtable Meeting (held in September 2012 during the RIPE 65 Meeting in Amsterdam), there have been a number of significant developments of interest to governments, including the ITU's World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) and the emergence of a trade in IPv4 address blocks.
The agenda of this week's Roundtable Meeting reflected those developments. RIPE NCC Registration Services Manager, Andrea Cima, led a discussion of IPv4 address management in the RIPE NCC service region. Feedback from participants focused on issues including:
Discussion also centered around developments in the IP address registry system, with RIPE NCC Director of External Relations, Paul Rendek, reporting on the RIPE NCC's engagement with the ITU and discussions around the establishment of an "Arab RIR". Participants were able to provide some important feedback and perspectives, such as:
Finally, Emile Aben, System Architect with the RIPE NCC Research & Development Group, showcased some of the statistical and analytical tools being developed by the RIPE NCC, and their relevance for policy makers. Subsequent discussion demonstrated the public sector's strong interest in this work, particularly in tools that can be used for comparative analysis of Internet trends.
The feedback and discussions that the RIPE NCC Roundtable Meetings facilitate are an important factor in shaping the RIPE NCC's strategy in Internet governance, and are a valuable opportunity for public sector representatives to inform their own decision-making. They can also inspire discussion in more open community venues, including the RIPE Cooperation Working Group, which will meet at RIPE 66 in Dublin this May.
If you would like more information about upcoming RIPE NCC Roundtable Meetings, please contact us at [email protected].