International ...

[Andreas the Wise]

Hearing from Jonas that the Dutch sector has one major economic system between a number of countries, it makes me think again that it would be nice if our sector had some international institutions (apart from MCS, obviously). Not to swamp individual creativity and force all of micronationalism into a box of standards - but for those things that are international, get some clear international assent to a single system. And the Small Commonwealth would be the place to do it.

The two things that come to mind are economies and recwar, both of which happen on a rather ad-hoc basis currently. While officially Anunia is the only recwar system around ... there are few nations which seem to take Anunia, as Anunia, seriously. For example, who's actually written up an Existing National Defence document except Novatainia?
Likewise, economies would work better if there were a broad international system and a lot of people involved.

Is anyone else interested in international cooperation, or is the YAMO forever gone and I flogging a dead horse?

[Kaiser Agni I]

I am interested. That's why I've pushed so much for this thing to work. I think the structure of the Small Commonwealth is perfect for such things.

[Rai Avon-El]

Although I'm no representative to the Commonwealth, please allow me to come with an idea.

Why don't we establish a Commonwealth Court, whose jurisdiction would extend to:

a) making sure that member states follow the treaties they have ratified;
b) being a court of arbitration between countries who cannot agree on settling their disputes among themselves;
c) being a court of justice for those countries who have no legal system of their own.

[Andreas the Wise]

You mean ... international law?

That would make sense, actually. People would have to agree by treaty to abide by the court, but it should work ...

[Harvey Steffke]

I approve of this idea and the general direction it seems to stand for regarding the Commonwealth.

[Kaiser Agni I]

I also support it.

But, how do we enforce judgements. Or do we bother?

[Rai Avon-El]

Hm, good question.

I imagine it being like this.

1. There will be a treaty with three different types of jurisdiction of the Court in it.

a) treaty violations and interpretations
b) arbitration
c) criminal, civil and constitutional court of a particular State

Each state chooses which type of jurisdiction it will have on itself

2. There will in this treaty be different sanctions when found ghuilty of violations. In (a), we grant the Commonwealth legal personality, so its decisions will be binding. So on territortial disputes, we communicate the decision to the MCS for example.

Other types of sanctions would be like:

freezing the country from the community of nations (in gross violations)
removing the country's vote for a while

we have to think of more.

in type (c), the country's own laws would decide.

[Kaiser Agni I]

3 judicial seats(different nations) should be enough I would tnk. Maybe give the Assembly an override on rulings? 3/4th majority.

[Jess]

I agree with Erik on this one.

Andreas, I like your idea, but how will you go about constructing it?

[Andreas the Wise]

Well, for a start there would need to be more regular dialogue between countries. Perhaps a Small Conference re Economics or re Recwar. To be honest, I'm not sure if there are many people who care too much about Anunia any more. Attached to the points system, sure, but Anunia has become a lot more than the points system (and, I would argue, is starting to totally betray the points system but I can't seem to explain that to some people so I gave up .... ). But there's always the chance we could look at QUARREL more ...

[Kaiser Agni I]

We really do need to open up dialogue between nations. Get more in the Commonwealth.

[Jonas]

Batavia is debating about a proposal of an economic treaty.

[Prince Ísur-Ai]

Looking through old documents, I found a draft treaty for a commonwealth court of justice:

I realize that more work is needed, of course, so help me out, if you still care for the idea.


1.The Court of Justice of the Commonwealth (“Court”) is hereby established as a permanent international institution associated with the Small Commonwealth. The Court is independent from the Assembly of the Commonwealth and political pressure from the SC member States.

2.The Seat of the Court shall be in the city of ___, in ___. This shall not hinder the Court from sitting elsewhere, should it be necessary or desirable of the Court to do so.

3.There shall be three types of jurisdiction of the Court, each one different. Each State Party to this Convention shall in its instrument of ratification establish which type or types of jurisdiction it adopts.

4.The first type of jurisdiction of the Court (“type 1”) refers to treaty violations. There shall be a Commonwealth Inquisitor established to which State Parties or citizens thereof may find justice when it comes to the following treaties:
---The Conventions and Treaties of the Small Commonwealth, including this Convention
---Bilateral Treaties between the State Parties to this division of the Court

5.The second type of the jurisdiction of the Court (“type 2”) is the competence of settling disputes between State Parties or between States not associated with the Court who by treaty grant the Court jurisdiction over a particular dispute.

6.The third type of jurisdiction of the Court (“type 3”) is the shared competence between the Court and a State Party, in which the Court shall act as a civil, criminal or constitutional court of justice of the State Party, all in accordance with the law of the State Party in question and the rules of order of the Court.

7.The Court shall adopt its own rules of order.

8.Membership of the Court shall be a panel of three persons, of which one shall be the Court's president, each one individually elected by State Parties for a term of 180 days.

[Jonas]

I thought about something as an election of the Primate by the people. It could be interesting when candidates need to travel between the different member states while they inform the citizens about their (and those of the SC) goals. After a period in which they try to get as many votes as possible, every state organises elections in which the people chose one of the candidates. The winner of these local elections gets the vote of that nation in the Assembly.
It's not an attempt to create a confederation or something, but it would be a good way to inform and connect the people a bit with the Commonwealth.

[Kaiseress Anandja I]

I smell democracy...

[Erik Mortis]

I think we should keep voting between the reps only. Otherwise it becomes to large and unwieldy.

Strike 2. completely. It'll just set the stage for problems we don't need.

[Andreas the Wise]

I would agree with striking 2. The rest looks fine (particuarly choosing which parts you allow the court to do).