Since when registars can takeover expired domains?

[pozmu]

Hi

Since when registrars can takeover expired domains they way it's outlined here: http://www.icann.org/meetings/lisbon/transcript-tutorial-expiring-25mar07.htm ?
And second questions, do you know how it happened... I mean, what changed so they are allowed to do that? Verisign policy for registrars or ICANN policy for Verisign???
Thanks in advance for answer...