[Moleman1996]

Hi all,
As noted in my Secretary of State report, I have created this thread in order to add transparency to my work in the MUN on behalf of the MHoC. I shall be posting general responses that I give on behalf of this House to any given topic within the MUN, work within the EU, work within the Commonwealth, position papers, statements to this House, treaties submitted to the House and miscellaneous items that are of interest to this House.

I have also created this thread so that members may ask about any foreign policy/ MUN issues.


toronto353

Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

[Moleman1996]

Responses given by the Foreign Secretary on behalf of this House to the MUN

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(Original post by New Clashes as UN Team arrives in Syria)
The HoC is deeply concerned by these new clashes. We condemn the actions taken by the Assad regime and urge the regime to act according to the deal brokered. We will continue to work will our allies in the Security Council on this deeply disturbing development to ensure that we send the strongest message possible that these actions are not appropriate.

(Original post by Somalia bombing kills at least 12)
The HoC condemns these attacks in the strongest terms possible and extend our deepest condolences to all affected by these vicious and unprovoked attacks.

(Original post by Japan Offers $60bn in Fresh Loans to the International Monetry Fund)
The MHoC will not be contributing any additional funds to the IMF. We believe that the IMF should be no substitute for the Eurozone taking more action. We also believe that the IMF perpetuates the welfare state on a larger scale and leads to the loss of self determination for nations. The MHoC will only make private loans available to its trading partners where it is in the benefit of the MHoC to do so and will decide on a case by case basis.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/04 - Concerning the Situation in North Korea)
The HoC supports the above resolution and calls on North Korea to return to the negotiating table over this and many other issues.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/03 - Concerning the Situation in Syria)
The HoC supports this resolution and we thank the representatives for bringing this to the attention of the General Assembly and for taking a pro-active approach in attempting to stop this situation from deteriorating. The HoC will consider what further sanctions we can take in order to continue to put pressure upon the regime to abide by the ceasefire.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/05 - Readdressing the issue of chocolate)
The MHoC welcomes this resolution, but will refrain from supporting this resolution until the text explicitly states that this should be combined with a healthy lifestyle and exercise which can also increase people's happiness. Should said text appear within the resolution, then the MHoC will vote in favour of this resolution.

(Original post by Mali Tuareg Rebels enter Timbuktu after Troops Flee)
The MHoC is deeply concerned about the unfolding events in Mali. We will be monitoring the situation closely and have urged all British citizens to leave the country.

(Original post by US takes China 'at word' on N. Korea sanctions)
The MHoC believes thar China should abide by the sanctions placed upon North Korea by the Security Council and agreed upon with China's support and that any claims that these sanctions have been broken should be investigated by the UN. The MHoC urges North Korea to return to talks aimed at defusing the deeply alarming situation on the Korean peninsula. The MHoC is monitoring the situation carefully.

(Original post by Bashir says Sudan to teach South "final lesson by force")
The MHoC is deeply alarmed by the escalating situation in the Sudan region. We urge both sides to cease rhetoric which will only inflame the situation and begin talks aimed at defusing the tension.

(Original post by YPF Repsol: Spain says Argentina shot itself in foot)
The MHoC believes that Argentine rhetoric and their recent actions only serve to alienate those outside South America. Argentina should stop these inflammatory actions if it is to develop the ties and the bonds that are needed to help develop its economy.

(Original post by Egypt cancels Israeli gas contract)
The MHoC is concerned about increasing tensions in the region, but believes that this is a business deal and will intervene no further than to merely state its concern.

(Original post by China expresses confidence in North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un)
The MHoC believes that North Korea and its leadership should show that it is capable of responsible leadership before we express confidence in the new leader. We believe that China's comments are premature.

(Original post by India Launches IBM)
The MHoC welcomes the success of this missile test.

(Original post by UN Votes to Boost Syria Mission)
The MHoC welcomes this move and continues to be concerned about the developing situation in Syria.

(Original post by Syrian security forces 'kill dozens Hama')
The MHoC thanks the representative for Qatar for bringing this to the attention of the MUN. We urge the Syrian government to abide by the ceasefire negotiated by Mr. Annan and for a peaceful dialogue to occur between both sides aimed at resolving this crisis.

(Original post by Greek Unrest after Pensioner Suicide Outside Parliament)
The MHoC is concerned by these reports, but can not see how reducing the cuts or exiting the euro would help the economic situation. We hope that calm can be restored to Greece swiftly.

(Original post by Charles Taylor Convicted of War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity)
The MHoC is pleased to see that justice has been served in this case.

(Original post by Israel military chief says other nations readying their forces for potential strike)
The MHoC does not favour war as a means of solving the Iranian crisis and we hope to avoid war wherever possible. We will try every other solution, but it would be foolish to rule out war.

(Original post by Iran 'two-faced' over nuclear negotiations)
The MHoC backs this position, but notes that we must reward progress and try to solve this crisis in a calm and peaceful manner.

(Original post by Philippines-China Standoff Could Spin out of Hand)
The MHoC urges both sides to show restraint and to begin talks aimed at defusing the situation.

(Original post by Hama deaths prompt call for U.N. action)
The MHoC expresses its disgust at the actions and calls on President Assad to abide immediately by the UN peace plan.

(Original post by Bomb blasts hit Syrian city of Idlib)
The MHoC condemns this further, unnecessary bloodshed. We hope to present this issue formally to the MUN and to increase the amount of peacekeepers involved in Syria.

(Original post by UN calls for increased efforts to stop spread of foot & mouth disease in Middle East)
The MHoC thanks the representative for Qatar for raising this issue within the MUN. While we agree that action must be taken with this disease, we also would like to note that action should be taken with any disease when it threatens the world with devastating consequences.

(Original post by US, China to hold talks on rights)
The MHoC believes that human rights talks have the potential to be a great amount of benefit to the ordinary Chinese citizens. We do, however, note that these talks must be more than simply talking shops and we hope that these talks will lead to an improved situation in China regarding human rights.

(Original post by Dozen killed, 120 wounded in Russia's Caucasus by twin blasts)
The MHoC stands firm with our Russian allies in the wake of this deadly attack. We condemn these attacks outright and send our sympathy to the families and friends of those individuals who have sadly lost their lives.

(Original post by Russia Offers Pyramid Radar for Missile Defense)
The MHoC welcomes this news and hopes that it is a sign of further co-operation between Russia and NATO which is a positive step forward for the world and these organisations to take.

(Original post by W. Africa bloc threatens coup leaders in Mali, G. Bissau)
The MHoC is concerned about the state of affairs within Mali and Guinea-Bissau. We urge the coup leaders to listen to international demands and international pressure. We are advising our citizens to avoid all, but essential travel to these countries and to avoid all travel in some parts.

(Original post by Putin criticizes Euro 2012 boycott calls)
The MHoC is concerned about the situation in the Ukraine concerning Yulia Tymoshenko. We will be following Chancellor Merkel's lead in revealing our decision nearer the tournament in question, though I will not be attending this tournament due to my disinterest in football.

(Original post by Suicide bombing in northwest Pakistan kills at least 17)
The MHoC sends its deepest condolences to those affected by this tragedy. We condemn these attacks in the strongest terms possible.

(Original post by Iran dismisses Western demand to close nuclear bunker)
The MHoC condemns these comments and believes that Iran must listen to the international community with regards to its nuclear programme. It is isolating itself unnecessarily and should return to the negotiating table open to all ideas.

(Original post by Protests planned in Syria after university raid)
The MHoC continues to condemn the actions of President Assad. Universities should be places of independent and free thought and research and we condemn this latest attack.

(Original post by Bahrain warns Iran against meddling in its affairs)
The MHoC believes that both states must immediately end this war of words. The ever hostile exchange of words will not help the situation and we believe that it up to the citizens of Bahrain to decide their future.

(Original post by U.S. institute says sees "new activities" at Iran site)
The MHoC believes that Iran must be open and honest with regards to their nuclear ambitions and that they must cease immediately their nuclear programme. Allowing Iran to develop such a programme should not be permitted.

(Original post by Philippines seeks new markets amid sea dispute with China)
The MHoC believes that such moves should not be permitted under WTO rules. We urge both sides to come to a peaceful and sensible resolution however.

(Original post by Mladic trial hears Srebrenica evidence)
The MHoC welcomes the beginning of this trial. Justice will eventually be discovered no matter how long it takes for that to happen.

(Original post by Syria's Bashar al-Assad vows to display captured foreign mercenaries)
The MHoC believes that Assad must go. We welcome the latest EU talks aimed at resolving this crisis.

(Original post by UPDATE 1-Turkey says Israeli plane violates N.Cyprus airspace)
The MHoC urges a peaceful solution to this issue. Turkey and Israel must begin to improve relations.

(Original post by North Korea resumes work on nuclear reactor: Report)
The MHoC calls on North Korea to cease and desist with its nuclear programme. We urge North Korea to return to the negotiating table.

(Original post by Israeli tank fire hurts seven in Gaza: medics)
The MHoC is saddened by this unnecessary loss of life. Both sides must stop their indiscriminate attacks on one another.

(Original post by Despite concerns, Iraq making progress on path to stability)
The MHoC is encouraged by these signs and encourages Irag to continue on the path to prosperity and stability.

(Original post by Iran hangs 'Israel spy' over nuclear scientist killing)
The MHoC is staunchly against capital punishment and as such we condemn Iran's actions.

(Original post by Afghan family killed by Nato air strike)
The MHoC sends our condolences to the family. However, we are convinced that such tactics are crucial in our fight against global terrorism.

(Original post by Islamists declare north Mali an independent state governed by sharia)
The MHoC is watching the events in Mali closely.

(Original post by Iran and world powers meet hoping to silence 'drums of war' with nuclear talks)
The MHoC echoes the comments from the representative of the Czech Republic.

(Original post by Yemen on brink of food crisis, say aid groups)
The MHoC is monitoring the situation closely. We may provide food aid and other forms of aid, but we are currently discussing this option.

(Original post by The Houla massacre)
The MHoC is appalled by these attacks and we urge Assad to go.

(Original post by Syria expels British ambassador)
The MHoC condemns this latest act by the Syrian Government. In response, the MHoC has chosen to expel the Syrian ambassador.

(Original post by Two plane crashes hit West Africa, over 150 dead)
The MHoC offers its condolences to the families and the Nigerian people as a whole. The MHoC is watching the situation and is ready to support our Nigerian friends and allies.

(Original post by US drone 'kills four' in Pakistan's North Waziristan)
The MHoC supports the continuation of the drone raids. The removal of terrorists and the safety of innocent civilians must be the priority of any government and, while regrettable at times, the use of drone strikes is the only way to achieve this.

(Original post by UN health agency re-classifies diesel engine exhaust as ‘carcinogenic to humans’)
The MHoC will read the evidence accordingly before deciding upon our policy. We welcome the studies into this area though.

(Original post by Russia and China refuse to step up the pressure on Assad regime)
The MHoC believes that Russian and Chinese pressure is the only way to stop the bloodshed and we urge them to do more to step up that pressure. However, we do support their stance of not getting involved militarily.

(Original post by Tunisia's Ousted President Sentenced to Life in Prison)
The MHoC welcomes this development as a sign that the Tunisian people are moving forward in a positive manner from the years of their oppression.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/06: Concerning the refugee situation in Israel)
The MHoC supports this resolution, but would like to see the numbering corrected.

(Original post by Moscow returns fire by accusing US of arming Syria's rebel forces)
The MHoC calls upon both sides not to send weapons (if they have done already). Arming either side will only increase tensions.

(Original post by Iran Hardens Nuclear Stance)
The MHoC continues to urge Iran to cease from developing nuclear weapons. This latest development will only lead to Iran's increased isolation. We also back the response of our Czech friends with regards to the WFTZ.

(Original post by Libya: UN envoy calls on authorities to address root causes of recent conflicts)
The MHoC is concerned about the increasing amount of reports about violence in Libya. The Foreign Office is monitoring the situation closely and agree with the UN envoy that more must be done to tackle the issue. Simply stopping the violence won't solve the problem. Solving the underlying issues will. We thank Qatar for raising this issue and call upon the Arab League to issue a statement with regards to supporting the new regime and increasing social cohesion in what is a fractured country.

(Original post by Opposition cries for help as Syria forces pound Homs)
The MHoC continues to condemn the atrocities in Syria. We call upon Russia and China to stop supporting the regime and begin working with us towards a meaningful solution.

(Original post by U.N. Suspends Its Mission in Syria, Citing Rising Violence)
The MHoC believes that the suspension of its mission is indicative of the true state of affairs in Syria. We call on Assad to go.

(Original post by Egypt heading towards turmoil)
The MHoC is monitoring the situation. We call for calm in the country and for the citizens of Egypt to respect the ruling of the court.

(Original post by Risk of Democratic Deficit in Pakistan)
The MHoC believes that democracy must always be upheld in every state. We believe that the ruling is a step away from democracy and the will of the people.

(Original post by Nigeria: Dozens dead in church bombings and rioting)
The MHoC sends its condolences to the families of those tragically killed. We condemn all forms of terrorism. Terrorism has no place in this world.

(Original post by Ship 'carrying Russian attack helicopters to Syria' halted off Scotland)
The MHoC believes that this is a positive step in the campaign against Assad.

(Original post by Iran shrugs off EU oil embargo)
The MHoC believes that these sanctions will help to increase the pressure on Iran to negotiate properly and seriously about its nuclear ambitions. On this issue, we stand united in Europe.

(Original post by US drone kills six militants in Pakistan: official)
The MHoC supports the USA in the use of drone strikes. These are crippling terrorist organisations and we welcome that.

(Original post by Battle of Gao)
The MHoC is deeply concerned by these latest moves. We are monitoring the situation closely and hope for a peaceful resolution.

(Original post by Libya ex-PM Mahmoudi extradition from Tunisia 'illegal')
The MHoC hopes that the two states can work together to solve this issue. We believe that any trial is a matter for the Libyan people to decide.

(Original post by Turkey - Syria border tension escalation)
The MHoC is deeply concerned by these latest developments and we view them as a sign of the conflict escalating. We support our Turkish allies and will be consulting NATO about these latest developments.

(Original post by Talks Come Up With Plan for Syria, but Not for Assad’s Exit)
The MHoC calls for Assad to leave office. We welcome the latest plans, but they will come to nothing if Russia and other allies of Syria do not fully support them.

(Original post by Mauritania enlarges forces on the Mali border and prepares for engagement)
The MHoC calls for calm in the region. We are monitoring the situation very carefully and urge Mauritania to consider the implications of such a request.

(Original post by Iran threatens Israel; new EU sanctions take force)
The MHoC condemns these outrageous threats. We call on Iran to stop grandstanding and return to negotiations.

(Original post by Philippines may ask for U.S. spy planes over South China Sea)
The MHoC is alarmed by the worsening tensions in the region and we call on both sides to engage in constructive dialogue. The USA must resist calls to intervene, but facilitate talks between the two nations.

(Original post by Syria's Assad regrets shooting down Turkish warplane)
The MHoC believes that Assad's words are empty and meaningless. His actions have led to continuing tension within the region and we call on Assad to go now in order to prevent those tensions from worsening.

(Original post by Report Says Syria Built ‘Archipelago’ of Torture)
The MHoC is deeply troubled by these latest reports. We believe that these reports show that Assad must be removed. We call upon the Arab League to immediately adopt the measures presented during Saturday's summit.

(Original post by Palestinian dispute hits UN global arms treaty talks)
The MHoC believes that the presence of all nations at these talks is of the utmost importance for these talks to make any progress. Israel must put aside its animosity to Palestinian representation at these talks if they are to achieve anything.

(Original post by Iran reports launching long-range missiles in a war games exercise)
The MHoC is deeply concerned by these latest developments. Both sides need to avoid aggravating the other. This latest act of perceived aggravation is deeply troubling.

(Original post by Russia's Medvedev lands on disputed Far East island)
The MHoC hopes that a swift resolution to the issue can be found.

(Original post by Syria army pounds Homs, 7 killed nationwide)
The MHoC urges Assad to cease this mindless killing and to step aside. Assad must now go.

(Original post by Islamists destroy 15th-century Timbuktu mosque)
The MHoC is concerned by the situation in Mali and calls for calm in the region. We also would like to express our sadness at the loss of a great historical site.

(Original post by Defection of Assad Adviser Show Cracks in Syrian Regime)
The MHoC believes that this defection is a positive step in weakening the current regime. We urge all members of the regime to consider carefully their position and to defect if they believe that the path that the regime has taken is not the correct one. This is a huge blow to the regime. Assad must go.

(Original post by Kosovo-Serb handshake sparks fury)
The MHoC believes that this handshake is a positive step forward and shows that there are signs of reconciliation. We understand the concerns of some, but we believe that this is a positive step.

(Original post by Drone strike kills 19 ahead of US-Pakistan meeting in Tokyo)
The MHoC supports the US mission. It is regrettable that innocent lives are occasionally lost, but these strikes are having success in damaging terror networks.

(Original post by Syrian shells land in Lebanese village, killing two)
The MHoC is appalled by these latest acts of violence. We offer our condolences to Lebanon and condemn these latest shell attacks. Assad must go.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/07 - Concerning the naming dispute of the former Yugoslavia Republic)
The MHoC believes that this is an issue for Greece and FYROM to resolve and so we will resolve in the voting stage of this resolution.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/08 - Concerning the admission of the sovereign state of Taiwan)
The MHoC has positive relations with PRC and therefore we will not be supporting this resolution.

(Original post by Drones strike in North Waziristan)
The MHoC believes that drone strikes are an effective way of stopping militants and terrorists and so we support them.

(Original post by The mass graves of Kashmir)
The MHoC welcomes the representative's continuing efforts to bring these atrocities to light. We believe that India should co-operate with the UN on this issue.

(Original post by Senkaku/Diaoyutai Island Dispute)
The MHoC believes that this is an issue for the two nations to resolve between themselves.

(Original post by Defected Syrian envoy lashes out at Assad)
The MHoC hopes that this will be the first of many defections. Assad must go.

(Original post by U.N. observer patrol arrives at Syria massacre site)
The MHoC welcomes the presence of the latest observer mission, but we believe that China and Russia must change their position to allow more substantive and effective sanctions to be adopted against the regime. Assad must go.

(Original post by Suicide Bomber Kills 23 in Northern Afghanistan)
The MHoC condemns this latest atrocity and we send our condolences to the families of those killed. We firmly believe that this demonstrates why we must continue with our mission in Afghanistan.

(Original post by French avalanche: Memorial held for victims in Chamonix)
The MHoC expresses our condolences for all those who have died. We also wish those who are injured a speedy recovery. The MHoC has sent a diplomatic presence to the memorial.

(Original post by Resolution 2012/09 - The temporary suspension of the Syrian Arab Republic)
The MHoC opposes this motion for precisely the same reason as Denmark. We must use diplomacy to solve the growing crisis. Removing Syria from the MUN will not achieve this.

(Original post by At least seven dead in bulgaria blast targeting Israelis)
The MHoC condemns this atrocity in the strongest terms. We offer our condolences to those who have lost relatives in this attack and pray for those who have suffered wounds. We stand proudly with our Israeli allies in condemning this attack.

(Original post by S. Sudan cancels Sudan talks after 'air raid')
The MHoC urges both sides to continue with the meeting and we also advise restraint from both sides. We hope for a peaceful resolution to the ongoing problems in the area.

(Original post by Syrian forces battle rebels in Aleppo, families flee)
The MHoC welcomes the advances that the rebels are making in Syria - progress is slow, but it is happening. We condemn the heavy handed response from the Assad regime. Assad must go.

(Original post by Turkey closes Syrian border crossing after rebels plunder 30 trucks carrying food, medicine)
The MHoc understands the reaction from Turkey, but we believe that aid must be given to the rebels. It is not acceptable for them to plunder trucks though and we support Turkey's decision to close their border with Syria. Assad must go.

(Original post by US concerned over Syria's chemical weapons)
The MHoC is concerned by these latest developments and we welcome the USA's investigation into this development. We urge Syria's immediate neighbours to be cautious in light of this news. Assad must go.

(Original post by Batman cinema shooting: US mourns Aurora victims)
The MHoC is appalled by this attack. We offer our condolences to the families of those who have lost their lives and pray for those who are injured.

(Original post by UN votes to extend Syria observer mission)
The MHoC is pleased that the Security Council has voted to extend the mission, but we believe that it must be in conjunction with further action against the Assad regime. Assad must go.

(Original post by Pakistan blast 'kills nine' in Kurram at Nabi compound)
The MHoC condemns in the strongest terms this latest act of terrorism and offer our condolences to the families of those who have been killed and our prayers to those who have been injured.

(Original post by Cameron and Obama in Syria warning)
The MHoC urges Bashar Al-Assad not to use chemical weapons, and admits that its own stance may be reconsidered should chemical weapons be deployed.

[Moleman1996]

EU related work in the MUN

EU budget regulation Treaty

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Preamble:

In an age of austerity, the MHoC believes that the EU can not justify any significant increase in the EU budget. We believe that the EU budget should be frozen for five years and during any financial year and subsequent three to five years depending on the time required for a recovery to occur. This treaty also enshrines increases in the EU budget to be limited to the rate of inflation or less.

Treaty

Article 1: The budget of the EU from the financial year 2013/ 4 to 2017/ 8

1.1. The budget of the EU shall not rise from the amount designated for the financial year 2012/ 3 between the financial years 2013/ 4 and 2017/ 8.

Article 2: The budget of the EU after the financial year 2017/ 8

2.1. After the financial year 2017/ 8, the budget of the EU may rise in accordance with the average rate of inflation across the EU as a maximum.

Article 3: Exemptions to the increase in budget

3.1. The EU budget may not be increased from the previous financial year if the EU is deemed to have been in recession.
3.2. A recession is defined as two quarters of negative growth in the EU with each quarter’s growth being calculated as an average of the growth rates of the EU member states.
3.3. In cases where the second quarter of negative growth occurs in the first quarter of a new financial year when the budget of the EU for the new financial year has been agreed, the budget of the next financial year shall not rise.
3.4. After a recession has been declared for the EU using the definition in article 3.2., the budget of the EU may not rise for the subsequent three financial years after the recession has been declared over.

Article 4: Commencement, Short Title and Extent

4.1 This Treaty may be cited as the EU budget regulation Treaty
4.2. This Treaty shall extend to the European Union; and
4.3. Shall come into force on the 1st April 2013 following ratification by the national Parliament of each member state.

Statement from the President of the EU Bloc - 8th May - 1st June 2012

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Statement

Mr. Secretariat, with your permission, the HoC would like to make a short statement to the EU Bloc. The MHoC would like to begin by thanking all member states for their help and support in forming this Bloc. Without your support, this Bloc would just have been a position paper. We must ensure that this Bloc continues to go from strength to strength. Tonight we have submitted our first motion which should begin to stimulate debate and we hope that other members will follow our example.

The MHoC believes that an EU which interferes less in its citizens’ lives is the kind of EU which we should all aim to work towards. With that in mind, the MHoC would like to press for a series of reforms and changes to the EU which would allow member states a greater say over their own affairs. We would like to press for EU changes to allow member states to take control of their own welfare systems and to permit individual states to decide when to allow citizens from other EU member states to claim welfare payments from their new state. We would also like to press for greater relations with the Baltic Partnership as well as a response to the situation in the Ukraine with regards to Yulia Tymoshenko. Though all this is an ambitious programme, I trust that all member states will support the MHoC in their endeavours in the EU Bloc.

Motion on the situation regarding Yulia Tymoshenko

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Motion

This House believes that the Ukraine should act immediately to ensure that Yulia Tymoshenko is free from harm and receives a free and fair trial which is not affected by her political activities, beliefs and enemies. This House calls upon the Secretariat, once elected, to work with the Baltic Partnership to issue a statement on the behalf of both Blocs. We also call upon EU member states to boycott the Euros championship to highlight the plight of Yulia Tymoshenko to Europe and the world as a whole.

Motion on the budget of the EU

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Motion

This House believes that the European Union should seek to set the example to its member states with regards to austerity and believes that a treaty should be created which enshrines the following: either a freeze in the EU budget for the next five years or cuts of 5% per year from the previous year’s budget for the next five years and that the EU budget may only rise by the rate of inflation as a maximum rise.

[Moleman1996]

Commonwealth related work in the MUN

[Moleman1996]

Position Papers submitted to the MUN

Position Paper submitted to the MUN on 14th April 2012 on the subject of the formation of an EU Bloc:

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Position Paper on the formation of a European Union bloc within the Model United Nations

Position Paper on the formation of a European Union bloc within the Model United Nations

Submitted by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on behalf of the Government of the Model House of Commons

Introduction

It has long been an aim of mine, perhaps somewhat ironically, to establish a European Union (henceforth referred to as the EU) bloc within the Model United Nations (henceforth referred to as the MUN). In this paper, I will set out clearly the proposals for the formation of such a bloc. In this paper, I will examine the current blocs that exist within the MUN and assess the positive impact that they have had both in terms of community cohesion, but also on the debate within the MUN as well as examining the mechanics of said blocs. After this, I will set out my proposals for the mechanics and organisation of the proposed EU bloc. It is my belief that these proposals will add another dimension to the communities of the MUN and the MHoC that just is not present at the moment and that these proposals will boost the activity of both communities.


Current Blocs within the MUN

There is a precedent for the establishment of so called ‘MUN blocs’ within the MUN. There are currently two main blocs – the Baltic Partnership (referred to as BP) and the Arab League (referred to as AL). Since there is a precedent for these blocs, I will examine the structures and the features of both blocs in turn in order to better assess their features and to discover their successes as well as weaknesses so that we can learn from this with regards to an EU bloc.


The Baltic Partnership

Formed on 9th October 2011, the BP was the first bloc of its kind to appear within the MUN. The BP is easily the largest bloc within the MUN, but even so, it is considerably smaller than any potential MUN bloc would be. The structure of the bloc is divided into three categories – members, non-regional members and official partners (of which the MHoC is one).

While these are the structures of the members and perhaps this would not entirely be beneficial or relevant to the EU bloc, the structure of governance and administration is somewhat different and perhaps applicable to any EU bloc. Power is divided between a secretariat and the presidency. The presidency appears to have been little more than a ceremonial role at the moment being held for one month at a time, while the secretariat appears to run the day to day administration of the bloc both in publishing statements with regards to international issues as well as ensuring a smooth transition of the presidency. There appears to be little evidence of a Constitution of any kind and perhaps it would be worthwhile for any EU bloc to have some form of internal Constitution detailing the management of the bloc (perhaps comparable to that of the MHoC).

While the roles appear to be very undefined and the activity level low, there appears to be a few lessons that we can learn from the bloc and hence apply to the EU bloc. The first lesson is that the presidency must be more than simply ceremonial. Since the EU is a political bloc, it is possible that the presidency may wish to set the agenda for the month and the failure of this bloc in many ways is that it has not firmly established any kind of agenda and has commented on just one political affair. The secretariat role is to be praised and those fulfilling the role have certainly made a super-human effort in maintaining the bloc in the face of a lack of activity yet it should not be any one country fulfilling the role of the secretariat in the EU bloc (as this has led to problems in the BP), but the EU representative himself who fulfils this role.

The levels of membership may not need to be regional, non-regional and observer, but rather member, candidate member and applicant. The debate as to whether to allow those who do not yet possess full membership, may increase activity as well within the EU bloc.

This report praises the role of the BP within the MUN, but there is much more that the BP can do and certainly the EU bloc would look to do what the BP has not yet done. This report should not be seen as a condemnation of the BP since it has had its successes, but it is not aided a) by the lack of activity within said partnership and b) the fact that it has not had an agenda political or otherwise since its inception.


The Arab League

Formed on the 11th November 2011 by Moleman1996, the AL is yet another attempt at the bloc of countries within the MUN. The successes of this bloc have varied considerably. The AL consists of an inaugural council of three member states while other member states are able to comment on issues within the AL as a whole. The council is elected for a six month term in order to get the AL moving, but will allow a referendum six months after the formation of the AL on the issue of whether the leadership of the council should remain a permanent feature of the AL or not.

While one can understand the use of the inaugural council with regards to building up activity, it has been noted that there is almost a question mark as to what the other members can and cannot do with the AL. Many members have been shown to post within the main thread, but then have not followed up on this initial interest. This is by no means a condemnation of the leadership of the AL because the reasons for the leadership style are a) well thought out and b) well set out to all members, but this may also have the converse effect of inhibiting active membership until a later date.

The management of the council has been set up somewhat and the fact that some aspects of the leadership have been codified helps member states to know the features of the bloc. Debating policy especially with regards to current events as well as reacting to current events would help the AL to expand and increase its activity far more and this would also help the EU bloc.

The idea of a council is not particularly applicable to the EU, yet the presence of some kind of codified Constitution (albeit a proto-Constitution) would help to establish a firm management of the EU bloc. Lack of debate of any issue within both threads shows that the EU bloc may wish to debate issues in order to create activity within the EU bloc (though the EU bloc has the advantage of having the MHoC to help fuel activity). Equal membership from the start will also help to fuel activity and keep the momentum. A lack of equal membership via the introduction of the inaugural council has somewhat inhibited activity.


Conclusions

From both the BP and the AL, there are key lessons which we can learn with regards to the EU bloc. We can see that an inclusive membership rather than a select council will a) mirror more closely the EU in real life (RL) and b) will encourage all members to participate to the best of their ability. We can also see that a codified Constitution is also recommended and such a Constitution will be developed. A permanent secretariat, but a rotating presidency whereby the president also sets the political agenda for their term is also a beneficial model to follow.

However, we can also examine the effect on community cohesion. There are two, perhaps polar opposite, effects that can be seen from these two blocs. Even these effects vary between the two blocs. Within the blocs themselves, it can be seen that the AL has seen pledges of support, but due to the nature of the leadership and the fact that very few countries have got involved with the main thread, it can be seen that community cohesion is currently low. However, the change of leadership style may lead to greater community cohesion. The same can be seen of the BP. While there appears to be apathy due to low activity, the fact that there is a more equal membership means that there is potential for community cohesion to be great here. Given that the EU will effectively be like the BP with regards to the management and the structure of the bloc, it is likely that community cohesion within the EU will be great.

With regards to the general MUN, there is a risk that the EU may create a mini-MUN within the MUN, yet this is unlikely. The current MUN bloc members have contributed to both the bloc and the general MUN and so the concerns surrounding general community cohesion are likely to be unfounded.


The Mechanics and Organisation of the EU bloc

This report has so far concluded the following with regards to the structure of the EU bloc:
- There will be a general secretariat – that of the EU representative.
- There will be a rotating presidency. The term of each presidency shall be one month and the president will set the agenda of the term.
- The mechanics of the EU bloc.
- Membership will be divided between full members, candidate members and applicants for candidate membership/ European countries.
- There will be a codified Constitution of the EU bloc.

Within this section of the report, I shall examine each of the above in turn before setting out a general Constitution; suggestions for the administration of this bloc and lists of members.


The Secretariat

The role of the MUN representative (referred to as a rep) of the EU is limited indeed with this rep denied voting rights. It is not for this report to comment as to whether this policy is correct, yet the EU rep’s role could be expanded in order for the rep to take on the role of the secretariat. The role of the secretariat would be to administer votes and also to deal with the day-to-day running of the EU bloc. In places where the EU was united, the EU rep would also be allowed to issue a statement on behalf of or in addition to EU member states. While the EU rep would not be allowed to comment directly on issues within the EU bloc, but would be able to do so outside the bloc, the EU rep would be able to comment providing aspects on EU law where appropriate. Indeed the role of the EU rep would be comparable to the Secretary General of the MUN or the Speaker of the MHoC where the EU rep is effectively a facilitator of the business of the EU bloc.

In short the powers of the EU rep within the bloc would be as follows:
- Administering votes such as votes on treaties
- Dealing with the day to day running of the EU bloc
- Issuing statements where the EU was entirely united
- Not to comment in debates within the bloc except to clarify points of EU law


Presidency of the EU bloc

It is inconceivable that terms of the presidency should last for six months. With the 27 member states, this would mean that 13 and a half years would pass between each presidency. With this in mind, I propose that the term of each presidency be limited to one month. The presidency will rotate between member states in alphabetical order. Where a member state rep is not available, the presidency will pass onto the next individual. During their term, the president may bring any issue which they so desire to the agenda of the EU bloc. While other members may bring issues at any point during the presidency, the issues raised by the president must take precedent. The president role will largely be ceremonial barring the precedent of the issues that they raise. In the case of the MHoC, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs shall assume the presidency.

In short, the role of the president will be:
- Largely symbolic
- Any issue raised by the president will take precedent over any other raised by any other member state.


The Mechanics of the EU bloc

The EU bloc will run by the EU rep in his role as the Secretariat. However, the mechanics of the EU bloc will be split into three main areas - motions/ responses to issues raised by the MUN General Assembly, treaties and Eurozone/ financial meetings. Constitutional Amendments will be considered as treaties with the exception that only a 2/3 majority is required for Constitutional Amendments to change the Constitution of the EU bloc. The EU can also consider applications for membership and promotion of membership.

Any member state may send motions to the EU rep for the EU to debate. The EU rep will post one new motion per day on the thread for member states to debate. Where the president and others have sent motions, the president’s motion will take priority. Where member states alone have sent motions, one motion will be posted with subsequent motions being posted on subsequent days according to a first come first served basis. All motions will be posted within the EU bloc thread.

With regards to treaties and treaty negotiations, any member can open treaty negotiations at any time by PM’ing the EU rep to post a thread in the MUN thread detailing the treaty. Only one treaty may be negotiated at any one time and the negotiation period may only be considered expired when a treaty has been negotiated and agreed upon/ voted against or where there has been no new post in the treaty thread for 2 days. The voting period on any treaty shall be four days. With the exception of the MHoC, a ‘yes’ vote shall constitute both the agreement and the ratification of the treaty. Upon the MHoC voting yes, the treaty shall be considered ratified. Where the MHoC votes no, the treaty shall not be considered ratified. The EU rep must be notified of any veto in the first 24 hours of the vote. After this, the veto shall not be considered. All member states must agree with the treaty for it to become law as a treaty. A treaty will be renamed a pact where not all member states vote for the treaty and this pact shall apply only to member states which have agreed to it and only when the ratification procedure has taken place.

A Eurozone financial meeting may be held every financial quarter where Eurozone countries may discuss the Euro and any issues surrounding the Euro. This meeting is not bound to happen and all states are welcome to attend, though only Eurozone member states may vote on any Eurozone issues arising. The Eurozone meeting must be called by the president of the EU alone. The meetings will be held in a Eurozone meeting thread which the SG will close after each meeting has concluded. Each meeting will last 5 days.

Member states may also consider applications for membership from European states and promoting membership. In order to apply for membership, European states must PM the EU rep to inform them of this desire. Member states will then vote in a four day voting period as to whether to allow them to join as an applicant member. This vote can be posted in addition to motions. In order for an applicant/ candidate state’s membership to be upgraded, a member state must PM the EU rep to propose a motion of membership upgrading (a motion not counted towards the one motion a day limit) with another member state seconding. A 100% majority is required for membership to be upgraded.


Membership of the EU bloc

Membership of the EU bloc will be divided into three categories: member state, candidate member state and applicant membership. While only members will be able to debate treaty changes and vote on any treaty changes or Constitutional Amendments, other members are welcome to contribute to motion debates. Member states are the only members which may suggest promoting any of the other two membership classes. The following are considered to be full members:

Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Irish Republic
Italy
Latvia
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Model House of Commons
The Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
UK

Each of above member states may hold the presidency for one month. They are also entitled to vote on any motion or treaty. The below members are considered to be candidate members and they may only debate motions brought before the EU. They are not able to vote on motions or treaties or debate treaties:

Croatia
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Iceland
Montenegro
Serbia
Turkey

The below are applicant countries/ European states. Both are welcome to debate motions. European states must formally request that their membership be considered and once this has been considered and voted upon with a 100% majority, their status will change from European state to applicant country:

Albania
Andorra
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Georgia
Liechtenstein
Moldova
Monaco
Norway
Russia
San Marino
Switzerland
Ukraine
Vatican City State


Constitution of the EU bloc

With the above sections in mind, it is suggested that the following be adapted as the Constitution of the EU bloc.

1. The Secretariat of the EU bloc

i) The EU representative of the MUN shall be the Secretariat of the EU bloc
ii) The Secretariat shall be responsible for posting motions in the EU bloc thread at a rate of one per day. In the event that more than one motion is received, the motion of the President of the EU shall take precedent over other motions. If not, then motions will be submitted one per day in the order that they have been received
iii) The Secretariat shall post treaties when he has received notification of them from a member state and hold a vote on any treated negotiated.
iv) The Secretariat may not post in debates except to post the motion or treaty and to clarify points of EU law
v) The Secretariat may issue statements on behalf of the EU when the opinion of EU member states is united. EU member states may supplement these statements.
vi) The Secretariat shall chair, but not participate in Eurozone debates
vii) The Secretariat shall post membership upgrade motions, but may not debate in them.
viii) The Secretariat may still post in his role as EU rep in any discussion, but may provide an additional ‘official’ statement as set out in Section 7 of this Constitution.

2. The President of the EU

i) The President of the EU shall be a rotating presidency with each member state serving a term of one month at a time.
ii) The Presidency shall be allotted in turn each month to countries based on alphabetical order. Where a country has no representative, the presidency shall pass onto the next country on the list.
iii) The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the MHoC shall be the president when the MHoC holds the presidency.
iv) Motions submitted by the President take precedent over all other motions.

3. Members of the EU

i) Membership of the EU bloc shall be divided into four categories: member state, candidate state, applicant state, European state.
ii) A member state is defined as a state which is a member of the EU. A member state may participate in any and all activities and votes of the EU except in the case where a member state is not a member of the Eurozone in which case they may only debate and not vote in Eurozone meetings
iii) A candidate state is a state which has candidate status in the EU. A candidate state may debate motions only. They have no other powers.
iv) An applicant state is a state which has applied to join the EU. An applicant state may debate motions only. They have no other powers
v) A European state is a state which has no affiliation with membership of the EU. They may debate motions only. They have no other powers.
vi) A candidate state or applicant state may have their membership upgraded when a member state proposes that they be upgraded with a second member state seconding this proposal. A vote will be held for a period of 4 days. A 100% majority on the vote will allow the state to upgrade their status.
vii) A European state may seek applicant status within the EU by PMing the Secretariat. The Secretariat will post a vote for a period of 4 days and 100% majority will allow the European’s membership status to be upgraded.

4. Motions

i) The Secretariat will post motions at a rate of one per day in the EU bloc thread. Where more than one motion has been submitted, the President’s motion of the EU shall take precedent. If there is no Presidential motion, then the Secretariat will post motions at a rate of one per day on the basis of when the motion has been received.
ii) All members of the EU bloc may debate motions. Only member states may vote on motions.
iii) A vote shall be posted in the MUN by the Secretariat and last for a period of four days.

5. Treaties

i) Any member state may initiate a treaty debate by notifying the Secretariat. The Secretariat will then post a treaty discussion thread in the MUN.
ii) Only one treaty may debated at a time.
iii) Only member states may debate or vote on treaties.
iv) If a treaty is negotiated, the Secretariat shall set up a vote lasting four days. Member states must PM the Secretariat with their veto on the first day of the four day voting period. Should the treaty be vetoed, the vote may proceed with the treaty regarded as a pact and not a treaty.
v) The treaty negotiations are considered to have ended if there has been no discussion for more than two days or where the proposer has moved that the thread be closed.
vi) All votes for the treaty are taken as both approval and ratification except in the case of the MHoC where the vote will only count as approval with the MHoC to ratify the document via the channels set out in the MHoC Constitution ad Guidance Document.
vii) Treaties regarding the Eurozone may debated by all member states, but voted upon by Eurozone countries.
viii) For a treaty to remain a treaty and not a pact all member states must vote for the treaty. A majority of 100% is required for the treaty to be passed as a treated and not a pact. A pact may still be signed provided that two or more countries approve it.

6. Eurozone Meetings

i) A Eurozone meeting may be called once every three months by the President of the EU and held in the Eurozone meeting thread.
ii) Any subject relating to the Eurozone may be debated by the Eurozone meeting.
iii) Any motion or treaty resulting from a Eurozone meeting may be debated by all member states and voted upon by only the Eurozone member states with the same rules as in sections 4 and 5.
iv) Any motion resulting from the Eurozone meeting will not count towards the one motion a day limit and will be posted in the Eurozone meeting thread.
v) The Secretary General of the MUN shall close the Eurozone meeting thread between Eurozone meetings.

7. Secretariat Statements

i) Where all member states are agreed, the Secretariat may post a statement in any thread to provide an ‘official EU opinion’.
ii) All states which are participating in the EU bloc may still post their own statements in any thread.

8. Constitutional Amendments

i) Any state of the EU bloc may suggest a Constitutional Amendment by PM’ing the Secretariat with their Amendment and details of any Seconders. Three Seconders are required for an Amendment to be submitted.
ii) All states may vote on Constitutional Amendments. The Secretariat will post a vote lasting 4 days detailing the Amendment. A 2/3 majority is required to pass the Amendment.
iii) The Amendment does not count towards the motion limit of one motion per day.

This Constitution is not exhaustive, but may be useful in forming the EU bloc.


Conclusions

It has been shown that the role of these blocs within the MUN has been great indeed, but that there is much more that these blocs can do. By learning from the two blocs in existence, I believe that we can achieve a much more successful EU bloc within the MUN. I have shown how the EU bloc could function within the MUN and how the MHoC would fit into this bloc. This position paper will hopefully precipitate an amendment to the charter of the MUN and the Constitution of the MHoC, but I am more than confident that this EU bloc will be a benefit to both the MUN and the MHoC.

I welcome feedback on what I realise is a rather long and detailed position paper, but hopefully we can set up an EU bloc and allow the MHoC to begin policy negotiations. I look forward to reading your replies and hopefully this will be the first, successful step to a successful EU bloc.

Position Paper on the Formation of a Commonwealth Bloc

Text found in this post of this thread.

[Moleman1996]

Statements made to the House on Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth issues

Secretary of State Report

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Report from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

Introduction

Mr Speaker, this report aims, as stated in the Guidance Document, to provide the House with information about the policies which my department aims to undertake under my stewardship. This Government is not afraid of taking the bold action that is needed in the sphere of foreign affairs and this statement shows that we are committed to doing so. My main policy aims will be: structural reform within the (M)UN in order to ensure that the policies set out in this and other reports by future Governments can actually be achieved instead of simply being thrown by the wayside; negotiations with the EU to repatriate powers back the HoC Government either through direct negotiations or through strengthening the Canon Amendment in order to effectively block EU law in areas where we feel that UK law should take precedent and strengthening the Commonwealth and establishing a free trading zone.


Structural Reform within the (M)UN

Since my amendment to remove the role of the MUN, there has been little activity from any Foreign Secretary bar myself within the MUN. While this ought to be decried, it is important that we examine the causes of this lack of involvement. The main reason, in my opinion, is that the Foreign Secretary lacks the ability to actually implement policy within the MUN and therefore I am proposing structural change to establish the following groupings:

- An European Union grouping focussed on negotiating on EU law and shaping the opinions of the EU rep within the MUN

- A Commonwealth grouping allowing negotiations with the Commonwealth so that we can discuss policy changes affecting the Commonwealth and so that we can add an extra dimension to the House in the form of opinions from the Commonwealth on Commonwealth issue.

The above groupings will have a positive impact upon this House. They will allow more tangible results to be achieved via the policies and the legislations enacted by this House. This House will also be able to know the opinions of these groupings on policy. For example, should one seek to challenge EU policy in any given area, rather than the House simply dismissing policy because ‘our European counterparts may not like’, we can firmer opinions and therefore dismiss this concern.

Yet we can go further. We can begin to seek international treaties and agreements on issues and hence actually debate these types of Bills as well within the House. These structural reforms will increase activity in both the HoC (through giving us more to debate) and the MUN (through there being more to discuss there and also through new aspects to the MUN).

In the coming weeks, I intend to write a position paper setting out the HoC’s position on this matter before drafting amendments to the MUN charter. Following the successful implementation of these amendments, I will then seek to amend the HoC Constitution to take into account the House’s membership of these blocs and also to factor in the new aspects and opinions on policy and how these will be conveyed to the House.


Negotiations with the European Union with regards to the repatriation of powers

Once the above structural reforms have been passed, we aim to begin to repatriate powers back from the EU to the HoC Government. We will seek to do so either through the channels of negotiation or through amending the Canon amendment. Our priority will be negotiations, but should this not work, we will then do so through amending the Canon amendment.

This Government will seek to return powers from Brussels in areas where we feel that the EU should have no say. We will seek to regain control of our waters by reforming the Common Fisheries policy. We will also re-negotiate on security and justice powers. This Government is determined to ensure that this Parliament holds the powers that it wants to hold regardless of the EU. We will also seek to reform CAP to ensure that it is a fairer system. This Government will also slash red tape from Brussels and negotiate to ensure that European regulation does not strangle our businesses and our recovery.

While we are committed to negotiations where appropriate, the Government could also strengthen the Canon amendment to ensure that we regain these powers. We will amend this amendment so that EU Law shall be considered the lowest priority of law and that, in places where there are both Acts of Parliament and EU Laws, this House shall choose for Acts of the UK Parliament to be the only laws that apply to this HoC.

We do not seek confrontation, but peaceful negotiations. That said, we have other means of ensuring that this Government can achieve these policy aims.


Development of the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth is an invaluable partnership that this country has with its counterparts, yet Parliament after Parliament, this House has neglected its partners. This Government will seek to end this decline. Following structural reforms in the (M)UN, we will work with our Commonwealth partners to establish a free trade zone. I would like to remind members who effectively rejected this Bill the first time around that, through the successful passage of the Canon Amendment, this law would take priority over EU Law and therefore such a zone would not be in any way illegal. This free trade zone would allow us to reduce the amount of aid which is spent on Commonwealth countries and allow the private sector to trade without tariffs. Such a zone would be of immense value to all parties involved and would help to fuel the recovery.

It has been suggested that we extend the Commonwealth into some kind of free migration zone (perhaps comparable to the Schengen zone). This Government has no plans to do anything of the sort for this Parliament and indeed the fact that some members of the Schengen Agreement are now seeking to remove themselves from the zone suggests that this is not a policy that we should seek to emulate any time soon. Ideas about a two tier Commonwealth is another policy that this Government will not be adopting. In seeking closer ties, we must not divide the Commonwealth.


Further Policies

It is my intention to continue to be actively involved in the MUN as well as within the House. I will establish a thread in the House where I will post the responses of the Government to the various issues raised by representatives. This will help to foster debate as well as increase the transparency of this Government. I also hope that this thread will serve as a question thread for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.


Concluding Remarks

Mr Speaker, as the House can see, this Government is embarking on the bold reform which will allow the role of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to become far greater and will help to provide tangible results, activity and an extra dimension to debates which this House needs. I welcome questions from all sides of the House. I commend this statement to the House.

[Moleman1996]

Treaties submitted to this House

EU Bloc Guidance Document Treaty

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European Union Bloc Guidance Document Treaty Ratification

1. Approval of the European Union Guidance Document
(1) The Guidance Document of the European Union Bloc as presented in the notes section of this Treaty shall henceforth be ratified.
(2) Upon approval of the Guidance Document of the European Union Bloc, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs shall take his seat in the EU Bloc

2. Commencement, short title and extent
(1) This Treaty may be cited as the EU Guidance Bloc Treaty.
(2) This Treaty shall extend to the United Kingdom.

Notes

1. The Secretariat of the EU bloc

i) The EU representative of the MUN shall be the Secretariat of the EU bloc
ii) The Secretariat shall be responsible for posting motions in the EU bloc thread at a rate of one per day. In the event that more than one motion is received, the motion of the President of the EU shall take precedent over other motions. If not, then motions will be submitted one per day in the order that they have been received
iii) The Secretariat shall post treaties when he has received notification of them from a member state and hold a vote on any treated negotiated.
iv) The Secretariat may not post in debates except to post the motion or treaty and to clarify points of EU law
v) The Secretariat may issue statements on behalf of the EU when the opinion of EU member states is united. EU member states may supplement these statements.
vi) The Secretariat shall chair, but not participate in Eurozone debates
vii) The Secretariat shall post membership upgrade motions, but may not debate in them.
viii) The Secretariat may still post in his role as EU rep in any discussion, but may provide an additional ‘official’ statement as set out in Section 7 of this Guidance Document.
ix) The Secretariat shall be elected from any of the 27 EU member states in the process as detailed in section 9 of this Guidance Document.
x) The Secretariat may be subject to a vote of no confidence as detailed in section 10.
xi) The Secretariat may dual represent the EU and their own member state, but must ensure that they act in the role of EU rep when dealing with any EU business.


2. The President of the EU

i) The President of the EU shall be a rotating presidency with each member state serving a term of one month at a time.
ii) The Presidency shall be allotted in turn each month to countries based on alphabetical order. Where a country has no representative, the presidency shall pass onto the next country on the list.
iii) The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the MHoC shall be the president when the MHoC holds the presidency.
iv) Motions submitted by the President take precedent over all other motions.

3. Members of the EU

i) Membership of the EU bloc shall be divided into four categories: member state, candidate state, applicant state, European state.
ii) A member state is defined as a state which is a member of the EU. A member state may participate in any and all activities and votes of the EU except in the case where a member state is not a member of the Eurozone in which case they may only debate and not vote in Eurozone meetings
iii) A candidate state is a state which has candidate status in the EU. A candidate state may debate motions only. They have no other powers.
iv) An applicant state is a state which has applied to join the EU. An applicant state may debate motions only. They have no other powers
v) A European state is a state which has no affiliation with membership of the EU. They may debate motions only. They have no other powers.
vi) A candidate state or applicant state may have their membership upgraded when a member state proposes that they be upgraded with a second member state seconding this proposal. A vote will be held for a period of 4 days. A 100% majority on the vote will allow the state to upgrade their status.
vii) A European state may seek applicant status within the EU by PMing the Secretariat. The Secretariat will post a vote for a period of 4 days and 100% majority will allow the European’s membership status to be upgraded.

4. Motions

i) The Secretariat will post motions at a rate of one per day in the EU bloc thread. Where more than one motion has been submitted, the President’s motion of the EU shall take precedent. If there is no Presidential motion, then the Secretariat will post motions at a rate of one per day on the basis of when the motion has been received.
ii) All members of the EU bloc may debate motions. Only member states may vote on motions.
iii) A vote shall be posted in the MUN by the Secretariat and last for a period of four days.

5. Treaties

i) Any member state may initiate a treaty debate by notifying the Secretariat. The Secretariat will then post a treaty discussion thread in the MUN.
ii) Only one treaty may debated at a time.
iii) Only member states may debate or vote on treaties.
iv) If a treaty is negotiated, the Secretariat shall set up a vote lasting four days. Member states must PM the Secretariat with their veto on the first day of the four day voting period. Should the treaty be vetoed, the vote may proceed with the treaty regarded as a pact and not a treaty.
v) The treaty negotiations are considered to have ended if there has been no discussion for more than two days or where the proposer has moved that the thread be closed.
vi) All votes for the treaty are taken as both approval and ratification except in the case of the MHoC where the vote will only count as approval with the MHoC to ratify the document via the channels set out in the MHoC Constitution and Guidance Document.
vii) Treaties regarding the Eurozone may debated by all member states, but voted upon by Eurozone countries.
viii) For a treaty to remain a treaty and not a pact all member states must vote for the treaty. A majority of 100% is required for the treaty to be passed as a treated and not a pact. A pact may still be signed provided that two or more countries approve it.

6. Eurozone Meetings

i) A Eurozone meeting may be called once every three months by the President of the EU and held in the Eurozone meeting thread.
ii) Any subject relating to the Eurozone may be debated by the Eurozone meeting.
iii) Any motion or treaty resulting from a Eurozone meeting may be debated by all member states and voted upon by only the Eurozone member states with the same rules as in sections 4 and 5.
iv) Any motion resulting from the Eurozone meeting will not count towards the one motion a day limit and will be posted in the Eurozone meeting thread.
v) The Secretary General of the MUN shall close the Eurozone meeting thread between Eurozone meetings.

7. Secretariat Statements

i) Where all member states are agreed, the Secretariat may post a statement in any thread to provide an ‘official EU opinion’.
ii) All states which are participating in the EU bloc may still post their own statements in any thread.

8. Guidance Document Amendments

i) Any state of the EU bloc may suggest a Guidance Document Amendment by PM’ing the Secretariat with their Amendment and details of any Seconders. Three Seconders are required for an Amendment to be submitted.
ii) All states may vote on Guidance Document Amendments. The Secretariat will post a vote lasting 4 days detailing the Amendment. A 2/3 majority is required to pass the Amendment.
iii) The Amendment does not count towards the motion limit of one motion per day.


9. Election of the Secretariat/ EU rep

i) The EU rep/ Secretariat shall be elected from any of the 27 EU member states. Any EU member state representative is free to stand in this election.
ii) Any EU member state standing in the election must submit a manifesto to the Secretary General of the MUN (who will run all elections) of no more than 250 words as to why they personally are suited to the role of EU rep/ Secretariat.
iii) Only EU member states are eligible to vote in this election
iv) The timetable for electing the EU rep/ Secretariat is as below:
i) Day 0: Secretary General announces election
ii) Day 3: Deadline for manifestos being submitted. The Secretary General shall post all manifestos in an election thread and Q&A period opens.
iii) Day 6: Voting opens.
iv) Day 10: The candidate with 50% or more of the votes shall be elected EU rep and Secretariat of the bloc. If no candidate has 50% of the vote, then the lowest scoring candidate shall be eliminated and those who voted for the lowest scoring candidate have two days to change their vote. If, after two days, no candidate has 50% of the vote, then the above process will occur again until a candidate has 50% of the vote.
v) The Secretariat should face re-election using the above procedure every six months, but should still complete their other duties during the vote.


10. Vote of No Confidence in the Secretariat

i) Any EU member state may call a vote of no confidence in the Secretariat if seconded by two other member states. Only EU member states may vote on the motion.
ii) The process for holding a vote of no confidence is as follows:
i) Day 0: The Secretary General of the MUN shall post the motion of no confidence and begin a vote lasting four days.
ii) Day 4: If more than 50% of the member states vote for the motion, then the Secretariat will face a full election as detailed in section 9 of the Guidance Document. If less than 50% of the member states vote for the motion, then the Secretariat shall continue their duties.


This Guidance Document is not exhaustive, but may be useful in forming the EU bloc.

EU Carbon Tax Treaty

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EU Carbon Tax Treaty proposed by the Czech Republic

Article 1: The minimum price

1.1. - "Beginning on the 1st April 2014, all EU governments must introduce the European Minimum Carbon Tax (EMCT) at a rate of 15 Euros per ton of CO2 emitted"
1.2 - " The EMCT rate shall rise by 1 Euro every year after 2014, until it reaches 30 Euros"
1.3 - "The EMCT will apply only to energy producers and companies that emit more than 50 tons of CO2 a year"
1.4 Individual governments have the right to control to rate of carbon tax in their own country, providing that the rate is equal to or higher than the EMCT
1.5 Individual governments have the right to extend their own carbon tax to sectors not covered by 1.3

Article 2: Usage of the money

2.1. A new ‘Green Investment Fund’ (GIF) shall be set up
2.2 The GIF shall invest money to profit making and environmentally friendly projects, including but not limited to green energy
2.3 All member states must contribute a minimum of 5% of their carbon tax revenue to the GIF
2.4 The 5% in 2.3 only applies to money raised by levying the EMCT; if individual governments have a higher carbon tax rate than the EMCT, then the extra money raised is exempt from 2.3
2.5 The remaining money belongs to the individual government in whose country the tax was collected

Article 3: Exemptions

3.1. Countries which currently produce more than 75% of their energy from coal shall be exempt from the EMCT until 2030
3.2. Countries which currently produce between 50 to 75% of their energy from coal shall be exempt from the EMCT until 2024
3.3. The MHoC is fully exempt from this Treaty, but may opt into any section of the Treaty by notifying the Secretariat.

Article 4: Commencement, Short Title and Extent

4.1 This Treaty may be cited as the Carbon Tax Treaty
4.2. This Treaty shall extend to the European Union; and
4.3. Shall come into force on the 1st April 2014 following ratification by the national Parliament of each member state.

EU Budget 2013/ 4 Treaty

Spoiler:

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EU Budget 2013/ 4 treaty

EU Budget 2013/4
The Czech Republic

Section 1: The total budget of the EU in the financial year 2013/4

1.1. The total spending commitments of the EU in the financial year 2013/4 shall be €147.2 billion
1.2 The rise in commitments is in accordance with the guidance document of the EU, and does not exceed 5%

Section 2: The specific spending commitments of the EU budget in the financial year 2013/4

2 In accordance with the definitions used by the European union here, the following changes will be made:

2.1. The total spending commitments on ‘administration’ shall fall by €0.8 billion
2.2 The total spending commitments on ‘preservation and management of natural reasources’ shall fall by €6.8 billion
2.2.1 (Note: The EU is committed to increasing food aid programs by 0.5 billion)
2.3 The total spending commitments on ‘citizenship, freedom, security and justice’ shall fall by €0.1 billion
2.4 The total spending commitments on ‘EU as a global player’ shall rise by €0.2 billion
2.5 The total spending commitments on ‘cohesion for growth and employment’ shall rise by €4.2 billion
2.6 The total spending commitments on ‘competitiveness for growth and employment’ shall rise by €3.3 billion

Section 3: Commencement, Short Title and Extent

3.1 This Budget may be cited as the EU budget 2013/4
3.2. This Treaty shall extend to the European Union; and
3.3. Shall come into force on the 1st April 2013 following ratification by the national Parliament of each member state.

Notes

See here for some more information on the budget. The figures used are commitments, which are not equivalent to the actual amount spent (the actual amount spent is always lower)

Costings:

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Total commitments: 147.2 billion euro (+ 0 billion)

Administration: 7.5 billion (-0.8 billion, 9.6% cut)
Preservation and management of natural resources: 53.2 billion (-6.8 billion, 11% cut)
Citizenship, freedom, security and justice: 2.0 billion (-0.1 billion, 4.7% cut)
EU as a global player: 9.6 billion (+0.2 billion, 2.2% rise)
Cohesion for growth and employment 56.9 billion (+4.2 billion, 8% rise)
Competitiveness for growth and employment: 18 billion (+3.3 billion, 22% rise)

[Moleman1996]

Miscellaneous Items

The MHoC has become an official partner of the Baltic Partnership. We look forward to working with our Baltic allies for the benefit of all concerned:

The Partnership gladly welcomes the Model House of Commons as an Official Partner of the Partnership. We look forward to British Members of the lower chamber to brief us on the developments of their Parliament and the opinions of MP's regarding international events or specifically Baltic/Nordic issues.

The MHoC has become an observer of the Arab League. We look forward to helping the League develop - especially with regards to policy towards Syria:

I'm admitting you to the league as an observer member. As of now, you can consider the MHoC an observer member.

[Morgsie]

Good that you have done this. I am surprised that someone advocating repatriation of powers from the EU wants to establish a EU Bloc within the MUN.

You have been a productive Foreign Secretary so far.

[ByronicHero]

Would you eat a pot of mustard for 20 quid and a kiss from Zooey Deschanel?

[DebatingGreg]

I am glad to see the approving of the two resolutions in question. They both aim to tackle a worthy cause (not that I wrote them or anything ). The report on the EU bloc is thorough and appreciated. We shall be looking on hopefully ay how the situation evolves over the next few weeks, as does our relations with pther blocs and independent states.

May I suggest for the sake of clarity that you post any positions the MHoC has gained in the MUN i.e. member of the Baltic Partnership etc.

Also, perhaps posting a link in this thread to any resolution being submitted to the MUN. It'll give an idea to non-MUN members of what resolutions are going on, and may even encourage a little debate, as people encourage the Foreign Secretary to vote one way or another. Equally, anything else that may be of interest to the House would be most appreciated.

[Morgsie]

I would like to ask for some Clarification, Is this House voting on the proposed EU Bloc aswell as the MUN?

[toronto353]

(Original post by Morgsie)
I would like to ask for some Clarification, Is this House voting on the proposed EU Bloc aswell as the MUN?

The House will not be voting on the formation of the EU Bloc. The House will vote on whether to sign up to the EU Bloc and whether it ratifies the treaty which will be put before this House.

(Original post by DebatingGreg)
I am glad to see the approving of the two resolutions in question. They both aim to tackle a worthy cause (not that I wrote them or anything ). The report on the EU bloc is thorough and appreciated. We shall be looking on hopefully ay how the situation evolves over the next few weeks, as does our relations with pther blocs and independent states.

May I suggest for the sake of clarity that you post any positions the MHoC has gained in the MUN i.e. member of the Baltic Partnership etc.

Also, perhaps posting a link in this thread to any resolution being submitted to the MUN. It'll give an idea to non-MUN members of what resolutions are going on, and may even encourage a little debate, as people encourage the Foreign Secretary to vote one way or another. Equally, anything else that may be of interest to the House would be most appreciated.

I agree with my Right Honourable Friend and will certainly take on board both his suggestions which are appreciated and are helpful as well.

[toronto353]

(Original post by Morgsie)
Good that you have done this. I am surprised that someone advocating repatriation of powers from the EU wants to establish a EU Bloc within the MUN.

You have been a productive Foreign Secretary so far.

I thank my Right Honourable Friend for his kind words of support. I would note that we can't properly repatriate powers from the EU if we don't have any EU bloc to repatriate them from. It was a case of needs must on this occasion.

(Original post by paddy__power)
Would you eat a pot of mustard for 20 quid and a kiss from Zooey Deschanel?

I'd do it for the kiss alone really

[thunder_chunky]

(Original post by toronto353)
QFA

You haven't posted your statement on the resolution on chocolate

[Kiss]

OOC: Just incase I haven't mentioned already, I think the MUN members list needs updating, as I no longer represent the Czech Republic.

[thunder_chunky]

(Original post by Kiss)
OOC: Just incase I haven't mentioned already, I think the MUN members list needs updating, as I no longer represent the Czech Republic.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention

[toronto353]

(Original post by thunder_chunky)
You haven't posted your statement on the resolution on chocolate

I have. See the second post.

[thunder_chunky]

(Original post by toronto353)
I have. See the second post.

I stand corrected

[stanlas]

(Original post by toronto353)
I have also created this thread so that members may ask about any foreign policy/ MUN issues.

I would like to know if you are currently negotiating any free trade/tarrif reduction treaties with other countries? Free trade yields enormous benefits to the economy as a whole, and a crucial part of the MUN representative's job should be to negotiate new treaties.