I can see the wish to simplify the structure by merging all sorts of contracts "users that pay money for NCC services" into a single bin, labeled "paying members" (like dnsmon, etc) - and I would not object to that. RIPE DB NRTM mirrors(!) have been mentioned to fall under that category as well.
/* this is a bit of a $subject drift. but there are some large expensive non-NIC projects which are cross-subsidized and not directly charged. i am not sure about looking into each one and charging for it, as i fear that might lead to micro-management and stunt research. let me use atlas as an example. it is quite expensive. if we want decent atlas coverage in china, japan, thailand, ... (just examples), then atlas use has to be open to non-members. this damned internet thing is global. */ but, as i said, $subject drift. my point was NIC services, ip address management and publication of information about ip address management, not the ncc's research and other non-NIC initiatives. the NICs are here to serve the internet, not some small self-serving community. imiho, restricting information of basic NIC data, ip address information, is counter to the basic social contract of the internet. so, as i said, i suspect we may have some miscommunication here. randy