The Dutch language

[Arviður]

Now, with most NEVO states drawing nearer the Commonwealth, I suggest that we should come up with certain Dutch terms and translations of important documents, treaties and styles.

Dutch will after all become an important language of the Commonwealth, and its treaties will need to be translated to the legislatures of the Dutch-speaking states. It is desirable that each State uses the same terminology and the same translations of the treaties and documents.

I move for the inclusion of instituting an official English-Dutch translator for short documents and resolutions, should it be necessary, as well as any major translation work be done collaboratively by the Dutch-speaking fraction.

[Jonas]

I applaud for this. It's a good idea, a translator would be nice. But will this person get payed? And by who?

[Maximilian]

I agree with this idea. All Dutch nations should have the same Dutch version of the same treaty.

[Malliki Tosha]

I applaud for this. It's a good idea, a translator would be nice. But will this person get payed? And by who?

By the member nations equally?

[Jonas]

By the member nations equally?

That sounds fair, but don't we need a separated account for the financial transactions then (it's the easiest, I think)? Batavia could host that account, as the money is meant for someone who translates it to Dutch and Batavia is the oldest Dutch-speaking member nation (I say this to avoid arguments that it's always done by Shireroth ).

[Malliki Tosha]

Why? Just decide on the fee for the translator and all nations transfer their share from their Treasury to zir account.

[Jonas]

Why?

Because I want to steal it.


Have it your way.

[Erik Mortis]

I like this. It makes sense.

[Harvey Steffke]

What about nations that are not part of the joint economy? They essentially get to free-load on this one, and any other similar services that we decide should be paid with funding.

[Jonas]

What about nations that are not part of the joint economy? They essentially get to free-load on this one, and any other similar services that we decide should be paid with funding.

Hhmm. Maybe, but expenses are more of an advantage in micronational economy. It gives your government a reason to ask for taxes.

[Erik Mortis]

The price of having an economy?

btw. I can pull a fast one on the bank system to create a "Commonwealth" country that can have an account linked to it. Then remove the country. The account will still register in that country, but you couldn't make more accounts in it.

[Malliki Tosha]

I really don't see a need for a separate Commonwealth account, at least not yet.

[Erik Mortis]

Commonwealth expenses? Then Shireroth doesn't have to be the only one paying for the bank software...?

[Arviður]

I believe a Commonwealth "country" should be instituted for commonwealth expenses.

The members of the SC will, after a certain formula, pay a membership fee... I think... of some kind, for use of this.

The Commonwealth Assembly should/could be able to make monetary awards, start foundations and funds to encourage participation in the common economy.

[Jonas]

Commonwealth expenses? Then Shireroth doesn't have to be the only one paying for the bank software...?

And you can get payed.

[Harvey Steffke]

It can't hurt to create the account by itself, but right now have no provisions agreed upon how we're going to actually pay money via the commonwealth.

[Erik Mortis]

I'll look into the trickery of making it some time soon.

[Andreas the Wise]

What about nations that are not part of the joint economy? They essentially get to free-load on this one, and any other similar services that we decide should be paid with funding.

Hhmm. Maybe, but expenses are more of an advantage in micronational economy. It gives your government a reason to ask for taxes.

I don't know which country you've been looking at, but here in the SCUE we generally frown on taxes. It makes everything a lot easier if we don't have them ...

A membership fee could work, however.

[Jonas]

I don't know which country you've been looking at, but here in the SCUE we generally frown on taxes. It makes everything a lot easier if we don't have them ...

Batavia has them, so get used to it.

[Andreas the Wise]

When you get around the joining the SCUE, I'll try. But it'll be you who has to worry about tax evasion, not me.

[Jonas]

When you get around the joining the SCUE, I'll try. But it'll be you who has to worry about tax evasion, not me.

That's why we haven't joined yet, you know. The current treaty makes it hard to forbid tax evasion.

[Malliki Tosha]

So just make transfers out of Batavia over a certain amount or within a certain period of time before taxing illegal. Even macronations have problems with tax evasion. We have a vastly smaller economy though, so we should be able to handle it.

[Andreas the Wise]

When you get around the joining the SCUE, I'll try. But it'll be you who has to worry about tax evasion, not me.

That's why we haven't joined yet, you know. The current treaty makes it hard to forbid tax evasion.

If you're really worried about it, send me a translated copy of your tax system and I'll give it some thought. I've given the issue some thought before. Batavia has the advantage over most SC countries that, since most of its citizens speak Dutch, you have a monopoly on shops and services run in Dutch etc and they don't know other countries too well. Whereas if Shireroth were taxing, lots of people would just set up businesses in Nelaga or Gralus.

[Erik Mortis]

The bank software support taxing, easily. Just go to the Tax page, type in a percent and it'll remove that percent from ALL (most) accounts under your jurisdiction. (the type of account you have and what subdivision/country you are in)

[Andreas the Wise]

The bank software support taxing, easily. Just go to the Tax page, type in a percent and it'll remove that percent from ALL (most) accounts under your jurisdiction. (the type of account you have and what subdivision/country you are in)

Yes. The software works wonderfully*. It's the people who register accounts in countries that aren't Batavia in order to evade taxes that are the problem.

*On that note, now I have the code and a grasp of php, remind me to do up a page some time to calculate the GDP figures I did automatically.

[Arviður]

It's not that difficult.

If you have an account in Batavia, you have the obligation of paying Batavian taxes. You have the right to participate in the Batavian economy, receive payment for whatever you do in Batavia, etc. If your account is off-shore, you don't get the benefits.

Perhaps we could institute a kind of Tobin tax on cross-border transactions and make a rule that any one person cannot have more than one account himself.

[Andreas the Wise]

There you have it then, Jonas - your simplest option to avoid tax evasion is to give benefits to Batavians who have their accounts in Batavia. But you do have to do it in such a way as to not break part 3 of the treaty* (3. All signatories to this treaty have a unified currency, and share a unified bank. Any participant in the economy of a signatory nation may make economic transactions with participants of any other signatory nations without restrictions, fees or tariffs.)

Tariffs or taxes on cross border transactions is exactly what the SCUE is set up to avoid - essentially free trade because essentially its one economy.

*Actually, reminds me of a musing I had before - if you pay things like bounties from taxes; then you make it a rule that bounties can only be paid to people with accounts registered in Batavia. That or don't tax, just ask for donations (like I did in Nelaga when we bought JASO).

[Arviður]

Oh yes... That's true...

[Jonas]

The problem is that we can't stop our citizens to open an account somewhere else (the Nederlanden for example) and move their money to it when it's tax time.
Of course we're all patriots, who proudly pay their taxes. But there are always people who don't want to.

A simple solution: limiting transactions to a foreign country. A limit of, for example, 2000 Kruys / month. It's the easiest to do. Those with more expenses can contact the minister, who can give approval of spending more.
This is easy to check.

Erik, the tax thingy works? Excellent (I saw it, but didn't know it worked)!

[Erik Mortis]

General rule with the bank. If you see it. It works.