Google AdSense Certified Publisher (GASCP) To End December 31, 2015

Google announced on Google+ that the Google AdSense Certified Publisher (GASCP) program will be closing down on December 31, 2015. Google AdSense Certified Publisher (GASCP) launched in October 2013.
Google is replacing GASCP with the Google Certified Publishing Partner program, which launched two years later in October 2015.
Google said:

The Google AdSense Certified Publisher (GASCP) program will be sunset on December 31, 2015. It will be replaced by the Google Certified Publishing Partner program. Partners accepted to our new program are trained experts on not only Google AdSense, but also DoubleClick Ad Exchange, and DoubleClick for Publishers.

According to the help page:
The Google AdSense Certified Publisher program will be sunset by Google on December 31, 2015. Google's Certified Publishing Partner program is now Google's new publisher solution. These partners are trained experts on not only Google AdSense, but also DoubleClick Ad Exchange, and DoubleClick for Publishers. You can continue to operate your AdSense account with your current AdSense Partner, who was previously certified under the Google AdSense Certified Partner (GASCP) program.
Forum discussion at Google+.