Dear RIPE NCC members, At its meeting on 14-15 September 2026, the RIPE NCC Executive Board unanimously resolved to temporarily restrict members’ ability to acquire additional LIR accounts. This includes additional accounts acquired through changes in two or more members’ business structures, such as a merger or acquisition. The resolution also temporarily suspends all existing, ongoing or pending requests to open additional LIR accounts. The RIPE NCC’s Chief Registry Officer, Gabor de Wit, explains the background to the decision, its practical implications for members and the next steps in his RIPE Labs article: https://labs.ripe.net/author/Gabor/restricting-the-acquisition-of-additional... Multiple LIR accounts are held by only around 2% of members, but supporting this arrangement creates considerable overhead for the organisation. The RIPE NCC is effectively managing systems and processes to cater for both members and LIR accounts. Both the number of additional accounts and demand for new ones are declining. At a time when we need to be particularly conscious of costs, we believe it is important to reassess this arrangement rather than continue adding complexity. This decision allows time for the RIPE community to consider the related IPv4 allocation policy questions, including whether existing members should be eligible for further allocations from the IPv4 Waiting List. These questions must be addressed through the RIPE Policy Development Process, and the RIPE NCC will raise this topic at the upcoming RIPE Meeting. The Board’s resolution does not change the allocation policy or predetermine the outcome of those discussions. This change does not require members to close or consolidate LIR accounts they already hold, and the Board may revisit its decision at any time. We realise that members may hold multiple LIR accounts to allow them to carry out their business in ways that suit their business models. The RIPE NCC will contact all holders of multiple LIR accounts in order to determine the reasons why they maintain multiple accounts and whether alternative arrangements can be made that will accommodate their needs. The draft minutes of the 195th Executive Board Meeting, including the full resolution, are available at: https://www.ripe.net/about-us/executive-board/minutes/executive-board-minute... We will explain and discuss the decision in the Board report to members at the upcoming General Meeting. We welcome your feedback, both at the meeting and on the Members Discuss mailing list. Regards, Ondřej Filip RIPE NCC Executive Board Chair