APNIC Policy Development Process
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APNIC Document identity
Title: APNIC policy development process
Short title: policy-development
Document ref: APNIC-111
Version: 001
Date of original publication: 19 February 2004
Date of current version: 19 February 2004
Review scheduled: n/a
Obsoletes: n/a
Status: Active
Comments: n/a
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APNIC policy development process
Table of contents
-----------------
1 Introduction
2 Scope
3 Definitions
3.1 Policy proposal
4 Proposal process
Step 1: Discussion before the OPM
Step 2: Consensus at the OPM
Step 3: Discussion after the OPM
Step 4: Confirming consensus
Step 5: Endorsement from the EC
1 Introduction
--------------------
This document describes the process through which policy proposals
are
to be submitted, considered and adopted by APNIC. Policies are
developed by the membership and the broader Internet community
through
a bottom-up process of consultation and consensus.
The forums for policy development are twice-yearly APNIC Open Policy
Meetings (OPMs) and discussions on Special Interest Group (SIG)
mailing lists.
Anyone may attend the meetings and participate in discussions and
the
decision making.
2 Scope
-------------
This document describes the process through which policy-related
proposals may be submitted, considered, and adopted by the APNIC
community, including a step-by-step explanation of the process.
This process will be followed in the creation of any new policy, as
well as any substantial or significant changes to existing policy.
3 Definitions
-------------------
3.1 Policy proposal
Policy proposals are proposals which have been officially submitted
for
the consideration of the APNIC community, and which propose either
a
new policy or a change to an existing policy. Upon adoption, these
policies will apply to the operation of APNIC, the APNIC
Secretariat,
and the APNIC membership.
4 Proposal process
------------------------
A policy proposal must go through the following chronological steps
in
order to be adopted by APNIC.
Step 1. Discussion before the OPM
A formal proposal paper must be submitted to the SIG mailing list
and
to the SIG Chair four weeks before the start of the OPM.
The proposal must be in text which clearly expresses the proposal,
with explicit mention of any changes being proposed to existing
policies and the reasons for those changes.
The APNIC Secretariat will recommend a preferred proposal format.
If the four-week deadline is not met, proposals may still be
submitted
and presented for discussion at the meeting; however, no decision
may
be made by the meeting regarding the proposal. The proposal will
need
to be resubmitted in time for the following meeting if the author
wishes to pursue the proposal.
Step 2. Consensus at the OPM
Consensus is defined as "general agreement" as observed by the Chair
of
the meeting.
Consensus must be reached first at the SIG session and afterwards at
the Member Meeting for the process to continue. If there is no
consensus on a proposal at either of these forums, the SIG (either
on
the mailing list or at a future OPM) will discuss whether to amend
the
proposal or to withdraw it.
Step 3. Discussion after the OPM
Proposals that have reached consensus at the OPM will be circulated
on
the appropriate SIG mailing list for a period of eight weeks. This
is
known as the "comment period".
Step 4. Confirming consensus
Consensus is assumed to continue unless there are substantial
objections raised during the "comment period". When the
"comment period" has expired, the appropriate SIG Chair (and Co-
chairs)
will decide whether the discussions on the mailing list represent
continued consensus.
If the Chair (and Co-chairs) observe that there are no "substantial
objections" to the proposed policy, consensus is confirmed and the
process continues as outlined below in Step 5.
If it is observed that there have been "substantial objections"
raised
to the proposed policy, consensus is not confirmed and the proposal
will not be implemented.
The SIG will then discuss (either on the mailing list or in the SIG)
whether to pursue the proposal or withdraw it.
Step 5. Endorsement from the EC
The EC, in their capacity as representatives of the membership, will
be
asked to endorse the consensus proposals arising from the OPM and
the
SIG mailing lists for implementation at the next EC meeting. In
reviewing the proposals for implementation, the EC may refer
proposals
back to the SIG for further discussion with clearly stated reasons.
As per the APNIC By-laws, the EC may, at its discretion, refer the
endorsement to a formal vote of adoption by the APNIC members.
