* In this issue: Organization

There is much discussion currently about a new organizational framework for the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) due the plan of the US Government to eliminate its funding of the IANA within the next nine months.

The US Government has been very generous in funding the IANA service for many years.

The observation that the Internet is now dominated by commercial activity suggests that it is now more appropriate for the IANA service to be funded by the direct users of the service and by the Internet industry rather than by the government.

This has led to a plan to recast the IANA service as an independent non-profit organization funded by bottom up fees paid by the users of the IANA service and by contributions from the industry.

As part of this plan it is important that there be some sub elements of the organization focused on specific aspects of the activity.  One particular missing element is a or more likely several groups to represent the interests of the country code domain managers.

It is urgent that we follow up on the suggestion that i made in the "News ... #1" in October:

> For example, it might be helpful to have a time during the annual INET
> conference for those of us that can attend to get together.  However,
> meeting on a world wide basis may be too expensive, so regional
> groupings and meetings are also possible, and i encourage you to form
> regional groups, with mailing lists and meetings.

I think it would be good to have several regional (with 5 to 7 regions covering the world) groups organized to represent the interests of the contry code domain administrators.

An organization of this kind is already being formed in Europe.

I think it would be best if these groups were self orgainized, and set up their own mailing lists and meeting arrangements.  However, if it is useful for us at the IANA to initially set up some mailing lists we will be happy to do that.

Information about the country codes contacts may be found through the web pages at:

http://www.iana.org/countryA-F.html
http://www.iana.org/countryG-O.html
http://www.iana.org/countryP-Z.html

Thanks.

IANA