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Assignment: Change of Control of Registry Operator

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A direct or indirect change of control of a Registry Operator is one type of assignment identified in the Registry Agreement and will be referred to as a "Change of Control" assignment. Additional information regarding Change of Control assignments (also known as and referred to on icann.org as a Registry Transition Process with Proposed Successor) can be found on the Registry Transition Process webpage.

If a Registry Operator is contemplating both a Change of Control AND a Material Subcontracting Arrangement, the Registry Operator should begin working with ICANN early on, and prior to completing their transaction. Note, only the currently contracted Registry Operator may formally request a Change of Control of Registry Operator. However, both the existing and proposed Registry Operators are strongly encouraged to work collaboratively with ICANN to process the assignments.

Note that when evaluating a Change of Control assignment, ICANN may refer the proposed Registry Operator to external evaluation panels to conduct an independent review and analysis. If ICANN determines that an external evaluation is required, the Registry Operator would be expected to cooperate with any request for information made by the panel. Registry Operator would be responsible for fees incurred.

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