"Phase one: Implementing the policy" will include a new whois switch being introduced
This will break existing software that makes whois queries for IP's. When you run an IP for possible abuse you don't want one command for ARIN and a different command for RIPE. That is why this issue must be coordinated between different RIR's. Inconstant whois policies is cited as a problem in the latest ICANN whois report and comments: http://www.icann.org/en/news/public-comment/whois-rt-final-report-11may12-en... However, this proposal is premature as the legal issues involving the whois restrictions have not been fully analyzed or described. Also, the fundamental difference between different contacts as it relates to the privacy laws has also not been fully analyzed or describe. The reasons and methods RIPE uses to implement these policies has also not been fully analyzed or described. The undisclosed issue is that some technical folks have this feeling that whois data should restricted even though the contacts agreed to make it public. They believe they can control how data is used once it is made public. Unfortunately none of these people can actually describe why they do it or the legal authority behind it and they don't want to admit the tactics they use to stop it don't work. It is just a feeling people get once their information gets into the hands of spammers. The result is that legitimate services get disrupted while spammers continue on essentially unabated.