Standardization projects always take time. That’s normal: in the email ecosystem, every evolution must be carefully designed, debated, and validated collectively. But here’s the good news: the Expires: header is progressing toward standardization. This milestone will be key to boosting the adoption of expiration dates.
A Well-Advanced Path
At the IETF 122 meeting in Bangkok (March 2025), the decision was made to move the Expires: header forward toward standardization (official minutes). A few months later, at the IETF 123 meeting in Madrid (July 2025), John R. Levine was tasked with producing one final revision of the draft before publication (official minutes).
The result: a new draft version was published at the end of August (draft-ietf-mailmaint-expires-01).
What’s New in This Version?
Let’s be clear: most of the changes are minor reorganizations, without substantive modifications. But one symbolic update stands out: the document now cites zerocarbon.email, showcasing the implementations that already exist. Proof that the project is already alive within the ecosystem!
Expires: Today, Expires-Because: Tomorrow?
Some stakeholders would like to enrich the header with an Expires-Because: extension, which would explain why a message expired. But the current consensus is clear: let’s finalize Expires: first, and if needed, open a new discussion later. The priority is not to slow down the ongoing standardization.
Why This Is a Key Step
The future standardization of Expires: is expected to pave the way for:
- broader adoption by email routers and ESPs,
- progressive support from mailbox providers,
- better handling of expired emails in email clients.
In practice, this means less unnecessary storage, an improved user experience, and of course a positive environmental impact, fully aligned with the mission of Zerocarbonemail.
What’s Next?
Even though the road ahead is still long, we’re making progress. The recognition of Expires: as an IETF standard would be a turning point. To all email industry stakeholders: test it, implement it, share your feedback. Each step brings us closer to a more responsible way of managing email—for the benefit of both users and the planet.
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