Common Economic Protocol

The Common Economic Protocol was designed to provide a common basis for interphyle operations within the Kingdom of Weyr, and contains most interphyle laws relevant to the Kingdom. Proposals to expand the CEP into the international scene have thus far been met with indifference.

Membership

• Joining
  • All entities may join the CEP.
• Departure
  • A signatory may quit the CEP at any time.
  • Treaties with CEP signatories will not be affected by departure from the CEP
• Removal
  • A signatory may be ejected from the CEP via a two thirds (2/3) vote of no confidence by all CEP signatories
    • The signatory in question will be excluded from voting in this procedure.
    • The signatory will be permitted to state his case before CEP signatories.
    • Call for a vote of no confidence will result in an immediate suspension of the signatory in question from the CEP Council.
      • The seat filled by the signatory in question will not be filled until proceedings for removal are completed.

CEP Council

• Purpose
  • The Common Economic Protocol Council (CEP Council) will gather and compile data on signatory commercial capabilities, and distribute said material among signatory members.
  • The CEP Council will act as a court to resolve disputes between signatory states.
    • Disputes include, but are not limited to, commercial, military, and diplomatic concerns.
• Membership
  • The CEP Council will consist of no less than seven and no more than thirteen members.
  • Members will be rotated on the CEP Council in order of signing the CEP.
• Limitations
  • The CEP Council will not create laws or regulations, or directly attempt to alter the CEP Charter.
  • The CEP Council will not presume to speak for all signatories to the CEP.

Commerce

• Trading Lanes
  • Trading columns shall be clearly designated by stationary navigation beacons.
  • Trading column exclusivity enforcement shall be the sole responsibility of the signatory claiming that exclusivity.
  • Seizure or dispute of trading columns should be brought before the CEP Council.
• Tariffs
  • Signatories will not be forced to alter their existing tariffs, or prevented from altering their tariffs.
  • Signatories are permitted to reflect foreign tariff laws.
• Ports
  • All station and port docking permissions should be clearly marked and submitted to the CEP Council.
  • All docking and communications protocols should be submitted to the CEP Council.
  • Port and station handling capabilities should be clearly marked and submitted to the CEP Council.
• System and Planetary Access
  • System and planetary access guidelines and protocols should be submitted to the CEP.
• Restricted Space
  • Signatories are strongly urged to implement warning system(s) around their respective restricted space(s).
    • Warning systems will be installed and maintained by their owners at their expense.
    • The purpose of warning systems shall be to ensure the least possible lost in materials and resources in the event of a mistake or misunderstanding on the part of the crew of the craft in question or the owners of said craft.
    • Loss of profits due to violation of restricted space shall be the sole responsibility of the owners of the items in question.
• Exclusive Economic Zones
  • Exclusive economic zone enforcement shall be the sole responsibility of the owner of said zone.
  • Regulations applicable to restricted space apply to EEZ space.

Standards

• Weights and Measures
  • All signatories will use the International System of Units to describe their products.
• Shipping
  • All signatories agree to use standard bulk containers for shipping.

Law Enforcement

• Enforcement
  • A breach of law in a signatory state shall be viewed as a breach of law in all states sharing that law.
• Repercussions
  • Signatories shall choose whether or not to permit extradition of prisoners.
• Extraterritoriality
  • States shall choose whether or not to permit extraterritoriality within their borders.

Mercenaries

• Definition
  • Mercenaries shall be defined as any organization consisting of one or more persons, unaffiliated with any state or government, offering military services for sale to entities outside the state within which it was founded
• Services
  • Services that can be offered by mercenary groups shall be military in nature.
• Responsibility
  • The state within which a mercenary group was founded will not be held responsible for any actions committed by that mercenary group.
  • The employer of a mercenary group shall be held fully responsible for all actions committed by that group under contract.
  • The mercenary group shall be held accountable for any actions committed by it without a contract.

Alterations

• Alterations shall spend at least ((TWO RL DAYS)) in debate before final vote count.
• Alterations to the CEP Charter require the approval of two thirds (2/3) of all signatories to the CEP.

Signatories

N/A