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The '''Registrar Accreditation Agreement''' ('''RAA''') was one of several agreements between [[ICANN]], the United States Department of Commerce ([[DOC]]), and [[Network Solutions]], with the intent of enhancing and solidifying the competition between [[.com]], [[.net]], and [[.org]] [[TLD]] [[registrar]]s. These agreements were tentatively announced on September 28, 1999, and, after oral and written public comments, were revised and then adopted by ICANN on November 4, 1999.  

The '''Registrar Accreditation Agreement''' ('''RAA''') is, simply stated, the contract that governs the relationship between ICANN and its accredited registrars.  

The RAA is, simply stated, the contract that governs the relationship between ICANN and its accredited registrars. At the time, registrars were allowed to take up the new agreement in place of their old agreement.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/nsi/icann-raa-04nov99.htm RAA, November 4, 1999]</ref>

The RAA was originally one of several agreements between [[ICANN]], the United States Department of Commerce ([[DOC]]), and [[Network Solutions]], with the intent of enhancing and solidifying the competition between [[.com]], [[.net]], and [[.org]] [[TLD]] [[registrar]]s. These agreements were tentatively announced on September 28, 1999, and, after oral and written public comments, were revised and then adopted by ICANN on November 4, 1999. At the time, registrars were allowed to take up the new agreement in place of their old agreement.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/nsi/icann-raa-04nov99.htm RAA, November 4, 1999]</ref>

On May 21, 2009, ICANN approved revisions to the RAA, which were intended to clarify the responsibilities of the registrars and the rights of the registrants. These revisions came about in response to market development and the significant growth in the number of accredited registrars and domain name registrations, as per the suggestion of a comprehensive review of the RAA and the Accreditation process called for in March 2007 by then-ICANN CEO [[Paul Twomey]]. This new RAA applies to all the new registrars, registrars that voluntarily adopt the contract prior the renewal date and to registrars that renew after the approval date.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/topics/raa/ Revised RAA]</ref>

On May 21, 2009, ICANN approved revisions to the RAA, which were intended to clarify the responsibilities of the registrars and the rights of the registrants. These revisions came about in response to market development and the significant growth in the number of accredited registrars and domain name registrations, as per the suggestion of a comprehensive review of the RAA and the Accreditation process called for in March 2007 by then-ICANN CEO [[Paul Twomey]]. This new RAA applies to all the new registrars, registrars that voluntarily adopt the contract prior the renewal date and to registrars that renew after the approval date.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/topics/raa/ Revised RAA]</ref> But, following this revision, there were still those who thought the RAA did not do enough to address public concerns. Thus the [[RAA-DT]] was formed, made up of members of the [[GNSO]] and the [[At-Large]] Community, to propose further revisions.

== Contents of RAA ==

 

==Contents of RAA==

'''General Obligations of ICANN:'''  

'''General Obligations of ICANN:'''