Vetalia
21-05-2007, 06:27
Alright, the moment you've all been waiting for is here. The first draft of our constitution is ready to go. This thread will be an OOC thread for discussing any questions and making suggestions prior to the IC discussion where we'll discuss amendments and policy related to the organization.
NOTE: This is a rough draft, so there are probably still some kinks to work out. The UN wasn't built in a day, after all, so suggestions are both encouraged and welcomed. :)
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/shaddamIV/comecon-sd.jpg
Constitution of the Community for Common Economic and Strategic Development
Article 1: Purpose
The Community for Common Economic and Strategic Development, or COMECON-SD, is a strategic alliance that seeks to build economic and strategic ties between its member states with the intent of leveraging their common interests to prevent wars of aggression both between and against its members. In addition, its economic integration seeks to create a world of mutual economic cooperation that will enable all member states to reap the benefits of comparative advantage and free trade with other members.
Article 2: Membership Requirements
The requirements to join the organization are as follows:
1. No nation that wishes to join can be at war with an already established member of the organization. All conflicts that involve COMECON members must be resolved prior to admittance to the community.
2. All nations in the organization must remove barriers to trade on other COMECON states upon admittance. In cases where it is judged that this would cause undue economic hardship on the new member, the removal of trade barriers
3. All nations must supply information on their economic and military strength through the use of an economic calculator, preferably NSDossier or NSTracker. This will be used to determine if a nation qualifies for military or economic aid from the general fund.
Upon completion of these requirements, the applicant will be placed before the COMECON community at the next general meeting to vote on their admittance or rejection. Upon conclusion of the meeting, the candidate will be admitted or rejected from the COMECON. Any rejected nation must wait at least one week before reapplying for admittance.
Article 3: Member Requirements
1. If a nation admitted to the COMECON has a per-capita GDP of $20,000 or higher, that nation is required to make a contribution to the general fund. This amount is roughly equal to 0.0025% of GDP; for example, this would be $500 billion for a nation with a GDP of $200 trillion. This payment can be deferred over time if it is unable to immediately make payment. In addition, nations without a significant government can request permission to have their contribution come from private-sector sources; this is equally acceptable but requires the approval of the chairman.
2. All nations are strongly encouraged to attend and vote on issues before the council. This is not required, but failure to do so may prevent a nation from making changes to an issue that would have been beneficial to them.
3. All nations are required to follow the decisions of the council if and when they affect a member nation. Failure to do so may result in probation from the council or removal from the organization.
4. All nations must refrain from war or anything interpreted as hostile action by the chairman as part of their membership. Declaring war on another COMECON nation will result in immediate removal from the organization and possibly military action against the offender. Nations removed because of hostility will not be permitted to regain entry barring a 2/3 majority vote of the general council to overturn their permanent disbarrment.
5. A nation can be removed from the COMECON for any reason if a 2/3 vote is obtained to remove them. However, they will have the opportunity to defend themselves before the general council prior to the vote in order to ensure their removal is justified. This 2/3 vote will result in a temporary one-week disbarrment from the organization. If the offending nation is removed a second time, it will recieve another one-week disbarrment with another week of restricted voting privleges. If it is removed three times, it is permanently disbarred. Note that this does not apply to situations where the offending nation has declared war or another hostile action against a member state; in this case, immediate removal will be imposed.
Article 4: COMECON Structure
1. The General Council
The General Council is the legislative body of the COMECON. It is convened by the chairman regularly to ensure that the organiztion remains active and up to date. All non-security proposals are discussed here, including admittance of members to the organization and amendments to the constitution. Every COMECON state, upon admittance, will be allocated votes to use at meetings and are permitted to discuss the issues with fellow members. Voting allocation is calculated as follows:
(National population)/(total population of the COMECON) and is then rounded accordingly. All nations receive a minimum of one vote regardless of population.
In addition, each nation recieves 1 vote on issues designated "one nation, one vote" either by the chairman or the COMECON constitution. These issues are primarily related to reforms of the voting system or security-related issues so as to ensure that small nations can have equal say on matters that might be critical to their interests.
2. The Chairman
The chairman of the COMECON is the executive of the organization and has several important powers. The first is to convene general meetings of the community and to keep track of issues proposed before the community. The chairman is also responsible for ensuring that voting tallies are up to date and that the meeting goes as planned. They also have the power to make changes to the issues if requested by the nations sponsoring a given issue without a vote to approve the change. However, member nations are responsible for attending the meeting and will not be prompted by the chairman.
The chairman also has the power to veto decisions made by the organization if they feel the legislation does not reflect the best interests of the community. This veto can only be overturned by a 2/3 vote of the general council, but if overturned the issue will pass without the need for a second vote.
However, the chairman and the nation they come from are expected to follow the rules of the organization and to use their powers responsibly. If it is found that the chairman, or their sponsoring nation, are acting in a manner inconsistent with the principles of the COMECON, the general council has the power to call a vote of no confidence. If a 2/3 vote in favor is obtained, the offending nation will lose its chairman status and new elections will be convened. The offending nation will not be permitted to submit a candidate for this new election.
3. The Security Council
The Security Council is the branch of COMECON responsible for matters of organizational security. Every member nation of the COMECON is a member of the Security Council. Voting on the council follows the "one nation, one vote" model, but nations with a population of one billion or higher have the power to veto a decision made by the council. Like the chairman's veto, overturning a veto requires a 2/3 majority vote of the security council.
Convening the security council is done in the following manner: In the event of an event that a member state sees as a threat to its security or the security of the organization, that nation appeals the chairman (OOC: you TG the chairman nation, currently Vetalia) and they decide if convening the security council is advisable. If so, the security council is convened to discuss the matter brought before the chairman. The nation will then explain its situation before the council, explain what it feels is the best decision to solve the problem, and the council will vote on whether or not to take action.
In normal conditions, the security council is not active. Instead, a Security Advisory Council with members chosen by the chairman will serve as a source of international intelligence. The council will consist of three large nations (with population greater than 1 billion) and two small nations (with population less than 1 billion) and serve indefinite terms on the council. The membership of the council will be alternated at the chairman's discretion to ensure different nations have a say and a part in the process.
Article 5: The General Fund
The COMECON general fund is the money donated to the organization by economically developed members for the purpose of economic development in less developed nations.
Requesting money from the COMECON requires the nation to announce their request in the thread. For amounts less than $500 billion, the chairman alone will decide on whether or not to grant the request; for all amounts greater than this, it will require a simple majority vote of the general council. Repayment of economic aid is not required.
In emergency situations, nations may request COMECON funds for military aid. This follows the same requirements as economic aid, but with the added stipulation that it be repaid after the conflict is over. However, ability to repay will hinge on wartime damage and can be deferred or forgiven; this requires the nation to state its reasons for debt forgivene
Note that requesting economic aid and using it for military purchases will be considered theft and will result in a vote to remove the nation from the COMECON. The offender will not only have to repay the borrowed aid but will also be fined an amount equal to the amount stolen.
Article 6: Amending the Constitution
Amending the constitution or adding to it will follow the same process as the previous method of voting on issues. A nation will propose an issue, and the general council will vote on it to determine if it will be brought in to law. In order to pass, an amendment needs a simple majority vote; the same is true of repealing an amendment previously passed. The chairman reserves the right to veto an amendment in the same manner that they can veto any decision. Amendments will be listed accordingly in the "Amendments" section of the constitution.
Note that changes to the constitution are not retroactive. Any decisions or actions made prior to an amendment that violate it are grandfathered in and will not suffer penalization. However, all decisions and actions after passage are affected by the new law.
There may be some things I have forgotten; since this is a rough draft, I'll leave it open to revision for the rest of the week, at least until Saturday or Sunday. Feel free to comment on it, suggest changes and all that stuff; the next formal meeting of the COMECON will be later this week, probably next Tuesday, and I'll be bringing it all together for that meeting. At that point, members can start suggesting amendments and changes, and we'll finally be a formal organization.
I'll also announce the members of the Security Council at that time, and we can get to work discussing some unresolved issues, including COMECON peacekeeping forces.
NOTE: This is a rough draft, so there are probably still some kinks to work out. The UN wasn't built in a day, after all, so suggestions are both encouraged and welcomed. :)
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a335/shaddamIV/comecon-sd.jpg
Constitution of the Community for Common Economic and Strategic Development
Article 1: Purpose
The Community for Common Economic and Strategic Development, or COMECON-SD, is a strategic alliance that seeks to build economic and strategic ties between its member states with the intent of leveraging their common interests to prevent wars of aggression both between and against its members. In addition, its economic integration seeks to create a world of mutual economic cooperation that will enable all member states to reap the benefits of comparative advantage and free trade with other members.
Article 2: Membership Requirements
The requirements to join the organization are as follows:
1. No nation that wishes to join can be at war with an already established member of the organization. All conflicts that involve COMECON members must be resolved prior to admittance to the community.
2. All nations in the organization must remove barriers to trade on other COMECON states upon admittance. In cases where it is judged that this would cause undue economic hardship on the new member, the removal of trade barriers
3. All nations must supply information on their economic and military strength through the use of an economic calculator, preferably NSDossier or NSTracker. This will be used to determine if a nation qualifies for military or economic aid from the general fund.
Upon completion of these requirements, the applicant will be placed before the COMECON community at the next general meeting to vote on their admittance or rejection. Upon conclusion of the meeting, the candidate will be admitted or rejected from the COMECON. Any rejected nation must wait at least one week before reapplying for admittance.
Article 3: Member Requirements
1. If a nation admitted to the COMECON has a per-capita GDP of $20,000 or higher, that nation is required to make a contribution to the general fund. This amount is roughly equal to 0.0025% of GDP; for example, this would be $500 billion for a nation with a GDP of $200 trillion. This payment can be deferred over time if it is unable to immediately make payment. In addition, nations without a significant government can request permission to have their contribution come from private-sector sources; this is equally acceptable but requires the approval of the chairman.
2. All nations are strongly encouraged to attend and vote on issues before the council. This is not required, but failure to do so may prevent a nation from making changes to an issue that would have been beneficial to them.
3. All nations are required to follow the decisions of the council if and when they affect a member nation. Failure to do so may result in probation from the council or removal from the organization.
4. All nations must refrain from war or anything interpreted as hostile action by the chairman as part of their membership. Declaring war on another COMECON nation will result in immediate removal from the organization and possibly military action against the offender. Nations removed because of hostility will not be permitted to regain entry barring a 2/3 majority vote of the general council to overturn their permanent disbarrment.
5. A nation can be removed from the COMECON for any reason if a 2/3 vote is obtained to remove them. However, they will have the opportunity to defend themselves before the general council prior to the vote in order to ensure their removal is justified. This 2/3 vote will result in a temporary one-week disbarrment from the organization. If the offending nation is removed a second time, it will recieve another one-week disbarrment with another week of restricted voting privleges. If it is removed three times, it is permanently disbarred. Note that this does not apply to situations where the offending nation has declared war or another hostile action against a member state; in this case, immediate removal will be imposed.
Article 4: COMECON Structure
1. The General Council
The General Council is the legislative body of the COMECON. It is convened by the chairman regularly to ensure that the organiztion remains active and up to date. All non-security proposals are discussed here, including admittance of members to the organization and amendments to the constitution. Every COMECON state, upon admittance, will be allocated votes to use at meetings and are permitted to discuss the issues with fellow members. Voting allocation is calculated as follows:
(National population)/(total population of the COMECON) and is then rounded accordingly. All nations receive a minimum of one vote regardless of population.
In addition, each nation recieves 1 vote on issues designated "one nation, one vote" either by the chairman or the COMECON constitution. These issues are primarily related to reforms of the voting system or security-related issues so as to ensure that small nations can have equal say on matters that might be critical to their interests.
2. The Chairman
The chairman of the COMECON is the executive of the organization and has several important powers. The first is to convene general meetings of the community and to keep track of issues proposed before the community. The chairman is also responsible for ensuring that voting tallies are up to date and that the meeting goes as planned. They also have the power to make changes to the issues if requested by the nations sponsoring a given issue without a vote to approve the change. However, member nations are responsible for attending the meeting and will not be prompted by the chairman.
The chairman also has the power to veto decisions made by the organization if they feel the legislation does not reflect the best interests of the community. This veto can only be overturned by a 2/3 vote of the general council, but if overturned the issue will pass without the need for a second vote.
However, the chairman and the nation they come from are expected to follow the rules of the organization and to use their powers responsibly. If it is found that the chairman, or their sponsoring nation, are acting in a manner inconsistent with the principles of the COMECON, the general council has the power to call a vote of no confidence. If a 2/3 vote in favor is obtained, the offending nation will lose its chairman status and new elections will be convened. The offending nation will not be permitted to submit a candidate for this new election.
3. The Security Council
The Security Council is the branch of COMECON responsible for matters of organizational security. Every member nation of the COMECON is a member of the Security Council. Voting on the council follows the "one nation, one vote" model, but nations with a population of one billion or higher have the power to veto a decision made by the council. Like the chairman's veto, overturning a veto requires a 2/3 majority vote of the security council.
Convening the security council is done in the following manner: In the event of an event that a member state sees as a threat to its security or the security of the organization, that nation appeals the chairman (OOC: you TG the chairman nation, currently Vetalia) and they decide if convening the security council is advisable. If so, the security council is convened to discuss the matter brought before the chairman. The nation will then explain its situation before the council, explain what it feels is the best decision to solve the problem, and the council will vote on whether or not to take action.
In normal conditions, the security council is not active. Instead, a Security Advisory Council with members chosen by the chairman will serve as a source of international intelligence. The council will consist of three large nations (with population greater than 1 billion) and two small nations (with population less than 1 billion) and serve indefinite terms on the council. The membership of the council will be alternated at the chairman's discretion to ensure different nations have a say and a part in the process.
Article 5: The General Fund
The COMECON general fund is the money donated to the organization by economically developed members for the purpose of economic development in less developed nations.
Requesting money from the COMECON requires the nation to announce their request in the thread. For amounts less than $500 billion, the chairman alone will decide on whether or not to grant the request; for all amounts greater than this, it will require a simple majority vote of the general council. Repayment of economic aid is not required.
In emergency situations, nations may request COMECON funds for military aid. This follows the same requirements as economic aid, but with the added stipulation that it be repaid after the conflict is over. However, ability to repay will hinge on wartime damage and can be deferred or forgiven; this requires the nation to state its reasons for debt forgivene
Note that requesting economic aid and using it for military purchases will be considered theft and will result in a vote to remove the nation from the COMECON. The offender will not only have to repay the borrowed aid but will also be fined an amount equal to the amount stolen.
Article 6: Amending the Constitution
Amending the constitution or adding to it will follow the same process as the previous method of voting on issues. A nation will propose an issue, and the general council will vote on it to determine if it will be brought in to law. In order to pass, an amendment needs a simple majority vote; the same is true of repealing an amendment previously passed. The chairman reserves the right to veto an amendment in the same manner that they can veto any decision. Amendments will be listed accordingly in the "Amendments" section of the constitution.
Note that changes to the constitution are not retroactive. Any decisions or actions made prior to an amendment that violate it are grandfathered in and will not suffer penalization. However, all decisions and actions after passage are affected by the new law.
There may be some things I have forgotten; since this is a rough draft, I'll leave it open to revision for the rest of the week, at least until Saturday or Sunday. Feel free to comment on it, suggest changes and all that stuff; the next formal meeting of the COMECON will be later this week, probably next Tuesday, and I'll be bringing it all together for that meeting. At that point, members can start suggesting amendments and changes, and we'll finally be a formal organization.
I'll also announce the members of the Security Council at that time, and we can get to work discussing some unresolved issues, including COMECON peacekeeping forces.