Policy Development Process

Before the conference

Proposals to change APNIC policy are posted to the Policy SIG mailing list at least four weeks before the meeting at which they will be considered. This allows all interested community members to discuss the proposal.

It is important for people who cannot attend the meeting to have their say. This discussion period also gives the proposer an opportunity to refine the proposal based on community feedback.

This mailing list discussion is taken into account by the Chair(s) when the proposal is considered for consensus.

At the Open Policy Meeting

Two times a year, at the APNIC Conference, the Policy SIG convenes an Open Policy Meeting (OPM). The proposed policy changes are presented [template (300.3 KB)] and the community discusses the proposal in person, or via remote participation.

At the end of the period allotted to discuss the proposal, the SIG Chair(s) decide if the community has reached a consensus. If the SIG accepts the proposal, the Chair reports that decision at the APNIC Member Meeting (AMM). The APNIC membership is then asked to reach consensus on the proposal.

After the conference

If the proposal reaches consensus among the SIG participants and among the APNIC Membership, the proposal is sent to the mailing list for a final comment period.

If any changes were made to the proposal during the OPM, the comment period gives the community the opportunity to comment on the modified proposal.

If the consensus is maintained during the comment period, the SIG Chair will ask the APNIC Executive Council (EC) to endorse the proposal.

After the APNIC EC endorses the policy proposal, the APNIC Secretariat implements the policy. This usually occurs a minimum of three months after EC endorsement.