Introduction

RIPE NCC members currently pay a uniform annual fee that is independent of organisation size, resource footprint, or operational load. Following successive budget increases and the publication of the Charging Scheme Task Force (CSTF) draft report on 22 April 2025, questions around the equity and sustainability of this flat‑rate model have intensified.¹

Status

• CSTF draft report: Published and open for community feedback until Q3 2025. The draft sets out guiding principles (cost reflectiveness, fairness, simplicity, stability, and transparency) for any future fee model.¹
• General Meeting May 2025: Members adopted the RIPE NCC Charging Scheme 2026, while noting that the scheme does not yet incorporate the CSTF principles.²
• Next steps: The CSTF is expected to deliver its final report after analysing member feedback. There is cautious optimism, yet some members fear the RIPE NCC Executive Board may dilute or ignore the recommendations.

Ideas for discussion

• Usage‑based charging tied to IPv4/IPv6 allocations, ASNs, and PI assignments.
• Scaled fees linked to the declared turnover or staff headcount of the LIR.
• Differential pricing based on measured service utilisation (ticket volume, RPKI objects, database updates).
• Penalties for hoarding unused resources.
• Surcharges for resource brokers treating address space as a tradable asset.
• Voluntary “supporter” tiers funding community projects.
• Treatment of legacy space holders, especially non‑contracted entities.
• Incentives or discounts for IPv6‑only operations.
• Alignment with CSTF principles and timeline; contingency plans if the Executive Board overrides or postpones implementation.