These suggestions will be taken up and some of them are requesting things that are already being prepared. Other suggestions were made to improve the web site which is already in progress. In general there is a positive perception of the RIPE NCC amongst its membership base as well as a high level of satisfaction with the services and support provided. Management presented preliminary results for 1998. Audited accounts are expected to become available during February.
Revenues are slightly higher than budgeted due to membership demographics.
Also the database re-implementation project did not make use of external consultants because no appropriate consultants could be retained. A provision of ECU 456k was taken in July for bad debts also including outstanding amounts of previous years. This may turn out to be too conservative as the more serious sanctions being phased in result in unexpected recovery of outstanding amounts. This will be further discussed with the auditors. Over the second six months of 1998 time of invoices outstanding has been significantly reduced by formal procedures and more serious sanctions.