Netnod supports the RIR Governance Document

On 7 November 2025, Netnod provided feedback on the Second Draft RIR Governance Document. See below for the full response.

We are firmly committed to the multi-stakeholder governance model outlined in the document, believing the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) system should be self-governed. However, we stress the importance of having externally verifiable accountability structures to prevent malicious interference with the Internet's numbering systems. 

The longevity of any governance structure for core Internet functions, like Internet Number Resources, depends on its acceptance by the wider global community. While the document commits to openness and transparency, the accountability mechanisms must also clearly reassure external observers, including political and corporate actors who are not direct constituents of the RIRs, that the system functions effectively. We observe that increasing demands from nation-states and large corporations pose a threat to the Internet's open nature. Transparency regarding operational requirements is essential to manage perceived risks from these external global influences.

We believe the mechanisms  to prevent capture and disproportionate control detailed in the document are relevant and balanced. However, the required rectification process must ensure new obligations harmonise with the fundamental values of the Internet, such as unique number- and namespaces, and should avoid creating overly onerous administrative burdens. Netnod concludes by urging continued attention to protecting the technical coordination of naming and numbering—the fundamental common identifiers of the Internet—from external political and commercial pressures, thereby ensuring the Internet remains an architecture coordinated through multi-stakeholder mechanisms.