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| IN ACKNOWLEDGMENT of the fraternal spirit that binds our nations;
CONSCIOUS of our shared aspirations of prosperity, peace, and unity, and the yearning of our citizens for a shared destiny; BE IT RESOLVED that we the undersigned agree to adopt the following accords as a constitution thereby establishing the Wysterian Union. |
| THE VRNO ACCORD ON POWERS OF THE UNION |
| Sec. 1. Establishment of the Union
(a) Reflecting the will of member states to build a common future, these accords shall establish the Wysterian Union, to which member states shall confer authority to attain commonly held objectives and the competencies to achieve them. (b) The Union shall be open to other nations through a process of invitation by the Chancellor. Sec. 2. Objectives of the Union (a) The Union’s objective is to promote prosperity, peace, and unity amongst member states and its citizenry. (b) The Union shall offer a common area of freedom and justice without internal barriers and a common market with the free flow of labor and capital. (c) The Union shall promote economic and territorial cohesion. (d) In relations with the outside world, the Union shall uphold and promote its values and interests, while concurrently observing the rule of international law and the Wysterian Assembly. (1) These interests shall be pursued by appropriate means, dependent on the competencies attributed in these accords. Sec. 3. Fundamental Freedoms (a) Free movement of goods, capital, and labor shall henceforth be established upon ratification of this accord. (b) Application of this and subsequent accords shall be done so without prejudice based on nationality. Sec. 4. Relations between the Union, Member States, and their Citizens (a) The Union shall be respectful of its member states and their municipal and national governments. It shall be respectful of their essential state functions, such as those ensuring territorial integrity and internal security. (b) Citizens of signatory nations shall automatically become citizens of the Union. (1) Citizenship in the Union does not replace national citizenship, it is an addition to it. (c) Citizens of the Union shall have the following rights: (1) A right to move freely within the territory of the signatory states. (2) The right to vote for representation in the Wysterian Union Senate. Sec. 5. General Union Competencies (a) The authority of the Union is based on the competencies conferred to it by its signatory states. (b) Laws adopted by the Wysterian Union Senate shall have primacy over national laws. (1) Signatory states shall strive to ensure fulfillment of their obligations flowing from these accords, or amendments or appendices thereof. (c) When these accords confer areas of competency to the Union, only the Union shall have authority to legislate and adopt legally binding acts in regard to those areas of competency. (1) The Union shall in perpetuity hold authority of conferred areas of competency, unless a simple majority vote of the Wysterian Union cedes power back to national governments. (d) The Union shall have competence to define and implement a common foreign and security policy, including the framing of a common defense policy. (1) These competencies shall be further outlined in successive accords. (e) The Union shall have exclusive authority to regulate the following areas: (1) common commercial policy; and the (2) customs union. (f) The Union shall share authority with national governments in the following areas: (1) internal market; (2) freedom, security, and justice; (3) transport networks; (4) consumer protection; and (5) common safety and public health concerns resulting from free trade. (g) In the areas of science, technology, and space, the Union shall have authority to create and implement programs, but shall not prevent signatory states from developing and implementing their own such programs. (h) In the areas of humanitarian aid and foreign economic aid, the Union shall have authority to create and implement programs, but shall not prevent signatory states from developing and implementing their own such programs. (i) The Union shall adopt measures to ensure coordination of economic policies of its signatory states. (j) The Union’s competencies in foreign policy and collective defense shall cover all areas, excluding those ceded back to the member states by a vote of the Wysterian Union Senate. |
| Sec. 1. Purpose and Constitution of the Framework
(a) The Union shall adopt a framework that advances its objectives, promotes its values, and serves the interests of its signatory states and citizenry. (b) The institutional framework shall consist of the Wysterian Union Senate, the Wysterian Union Chancellor, and the Wysterian High Council. Sec. 2. The Wysterian Union Senate (a) The Wysterian Union Senate (hereafter, Senate) shall be elected directly by the rules of suffrage of signatory states. (b) The number of senators shall not exceed one-hundred in number. (c) The number of senators shall be apportioned to each signatory nation according to the size of its own population, not to include its colonies or dependancies, as a proportion to the total population of the Union. Each colonial possession of each member state shall be represented by one non-voting delegate to the Senate. Non-voting members shall not be counted against the total number of 100 senators. (d) The Senate shall elect the Chancellor and decide the competencies to be conferred unto that office, for a term not to exceed five OOC months. This office cannot be renewed to consecutive terms. (e) National votes in the Wysterian Union Senate shall be presented by the head of a nations delegation. (f) Decisions are made by the Wysterian Union Senate by a simple majority of a quorum. (g) A quorum shall be defined as 2/3 of the membership of the Senate, or 66 members. (h) Rules for proxy shall be defined by the Senate. (i) In the event of a fifty-fifty tie, the Chancellor of the Union shall have the tie-breaking vote. Sec. 3. The Chancellor of the Union (a) The Chancellor of the Union shall have broad authority as conferred to him by the Senate. (b) In such a capacity, the Chancellor is responsible for calling the Wysterian Union Senate to deliberate and decide on matters of critical importance. (c) The Chancellor shall ensure that legislation originating from the Senate is implemented throughout the Union. (d) The Chancellor shall become the Union’s top administrator and shall oversee the activities of the High Council of the Union. The Chancellor shall speak broadly for the Union, in conjunction with the High Minister for Foreign Affairs. (e) Removal of the Chancellor shall be undertaken according to the following provisions: (1) That the Chancellor has been found guilty of gross misconduct, ineptitude, or blatant misaction that causes injury, loss of life, or loss of public confidence; (2) That having been accused to transgressions in Sec. 3 (e) (1) that the Chancellor is subjected to trial in the Senate headed by the Grand Magistrate; (3) That upon hearing the evidence in support of removal of and against removal of the Chancellor, the Grand Magistrate submits a resolution of no-confidence to the WU Ballot Box. The national delegation from which the Chancellor hails shall not be allowed to vote. A two thirds vote of no confidence is needed to empower the Grand Magistrate to remove the Chancellor from office. (4) In the event that the Chancellor is removed, the High Minister for Foreign Affairs shall assume the Chancellory for the remainder of the term. He/she will not be allowed to run for a consecutive term. (f) The Chancellor shall have limited powers to call for a volunteer military force that does not fall under the terms of the Margaritaville Accord. However, the Chancellor shall submit to the WU Senate a request for a military mandate should the call-up for volunteers exceed four time units. (g) The Chancellor is expected to appoint the Grand Magistrate of the Union as well as the other members of the High Council to the WU Senate for confirmation. Sec. 4. The High Council of the Union (a) The High Council of the Union shall be comprised of top administrators (High Ministers) overseeing the activities of the Union in the following areas: (1) Trade and Commerce; (2) Foreign Policy; (3) Collective Defense; (4) Justice and Order; (5) and others as determined by the Union Senate (b) The High Council shall meet according to a timeline defined by the Chancellor, and shall advise that office as to their areas of authority. (c) Composition of the High Council shall be at the Chancellor’s pleasure. Sec. 5. High Ministries (a) High ministries shall be located in the cities of the first Chancellor's choosing. Changes thereof, shall be made by a simple majority vote of the Senate. The location of the Chancellory, the Senate, and the High Court of the Union, shall be decided at the initial congress of the Senate. |
| THE VINCENETTE ACCORD ON THE INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK OF THE UNION |
| THE MARGARITAVILLE ACCORD ON COLLECTIVE DEFENSE |
| Sec. 1. Basic Premises
(a) The signatories undertake as set forth by international law, to settle any dispute they may be engaged in by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security are not in peril, and to refrain from use of threat or force inconsistent with international law. (b) The signatories shall contribute to the further development of peaceful and friendly international relations by promoting conditions of stability and well-being. (c) In order to more effectively achieve the objectives of the Accord, the signatories agree to by means of continuous self-help and mutual aid, maintain their individual and collective capacity to resist attack. Sec. 2. Principles of Collective Defense (a) The signatories shall consult together, whenever in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence, or security of any of the signatories is threatened. (b) The signatories shall agree that an attack against any one of them, shall be considered an attack against them all. In such a case, each signatory reserve the right to mutual or self-defense, as commonly accepted in international law. If a signatory invokes this clause, that signatory, in concert with other signatories shall take action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of affected signatory states. (c) For the purposes of 2(b) an armed attack shall be defined as: (1) an attack against the territory of a signatory state within the physical boundaries of Wysteria; and (2) an attack against forces, vehicles, aircraft, or other property belonging to a signatory state in sovereign or neutral territory within the physical boundaries of Wysteria. Sec. 3. Decision Flow (a) In the event of an attack against its sovereign territory or property thereof, a signatory state shall appeal its case to the President of the Union. The Chancellor of the Union shall then ask the Union’s Magistrate General to conduct an expeditious review of the available evidence, and judge whether a signatory state’s call for invocation of Sec. 2(b) is of merit. If the invocation of Sec. 2(b) was merited, the President shall encourage mutual aid in restoring security of the affected signatory state. (b). Military operations of forces coordinated under the flag of the Union shall be conducted by the Supreme Commander of Union Forces (SCUF). SCUF shall answer to the Supreme Council for Union Defense (SCUD), and comprised of the Union President, the top military commanders of participating states. Sec. 4. Non-collective Defense Use of Force (a) If so desired by the Wysterian Senate, the Union Defense Force shall be deployed under its mandate for humanitarian purposes. These forces shall again be under the command of SCUF and SCUD. |
| THE XYLIA COVE ACCORD ON JUSTICE AND FREEDOM IN THE UNION |
| Sec. 1. Basic Premises
(a) This accord provides for the execution of justice and the continuance of freedoms in the Wysterian Union. The principles upon which this accord is based are based on the shared commonalities in values and laws amongst the Union signatory states. (b) Unless specifically stipulated by the Wysterian Union Senate, national law is sovereign in each signatory state. Sec. 2. Foundation of Law (a) The ratification of the Vrno Accord brings into force all subsequently ratified accords as the foundation of law in the Wysterian Union. (b) The interpretation of law shall be undertaken by a high court comprised of a number of judges to be determined by the Senate. There shall also be a first among equals, the Grand Magistrate of the Union, who shall be nominated by the Chancellor of the Union and ratified by the Senate. Their terms are to be in perpetuity, unless the following occur: (1) A high court judge is found to be incompetent and by a simple majority vote of the Wysterian Union is displaced; (2) A high court judge judges himself incapable of continuing in that capacity, and retires voluntarily. (c) The edicts of the high court of the Union overrule competing edicts of state-level courts, unless the Wysterian Union Senate, through a simple majority vote, decides that the state-level court edict shall supercede that of the High Court of the Union. (d) Conflicts between signatory states shall be heard by the High Court of the Union. (e) The Grand Magistrate of the Union shall be the counsel for the Union in all legal matters in which the Union is a party. (f) Matters not under the purview of the Union, as described in treatises, accords, or Senate resolutions, are to be handled by the judicial systems of the signatory states, free of interference by the court system of Union. Sec. 3. Maintenance of Order (a) The maintenance of order shall be handled by the police systems of the signatory states. (b) By ratifying this accord, the signatory states agree to a common extradition system, in which citizens of signatory states apprehended in another signatory state, shall be deported to a central processing facility in the city the High Court is based in. The state in which the act was committed shall process the offender and deliver them to the central processing facility. Recompense for processing and transport of the offender shall be provided by the High Court of the Union. (1) In such a case in which an offender committed a crime, and has fled to another member state and claimed asylum, that offender shall be submitted to the High Court of the Union for judgment for their application of asylum, under the theory of supremacy of Union law, in which Union citizenship supercedes state citizenship. The court shall then determine if the offender is legitimately applying for asylum (i.e., political oppression) or for other reasons. (c) By ratifying this accord, the signatory nations agree to share relevant data on international crime and other intelligence it deems necessary, through the High Court. Sec. 4. The High Court as Arbiter (a) The High Court of the Union shall act as an impartial arbiter in conflicts between member states; member states and the Union; and citizens against the Union. (b) The judgement of the High Court of the Union is final and binding. (c) The High Court shall decide whether a case merits arbitration by the Court. This is accomplished by a simple majority vote of the judges. This enables the High Court to discern between cases of greater and lesser importance. Sec. 5. Reaffirmation of Basic Rights and Against Discrimination (a) This accord reaffirms the right of citizens of the Union and its signatory states to the basic freedoms and rights of human existence, namely the rights of: (1) free speech; (2) freedom of the press; (3) freedom of religion; and, (4) other freedoms as decided by the Wysterian Union Senate. (b) This accord also reaffirms the stance of the signatory states against discrimination or bias against its citizens based on race, religion, national origin, political affiliation, gender, economic status, ability, or sexual orientation |
| THE CUTAE ACCORD ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A COMMON MARKET |
| Sec. 1. The Common Market and Union Values
(a) The Union is founded on the belief in free and open trade amongst its members, and the pursuit of freer trade outside of its membership. (b) The Union shall offer its members an area of free and fair trade and align external tariffs so that commodity prices are uniform throughout the free trade area. (c) The Union shall discourage barriers to fair trade such as monopolization and dumping. (d) The Union shall encourage freer trade, by working for region wide reductions in tariffs, export/import quotas, and subsidies. Sec. 2. The Free Movement of Goods, Labor, and Capital (a) The Union shall only have exclusive competence to establish rules necessary for the functioning of an internal market that allows the unhindered movement of goods, capital and labor. (b) The Union shall hold exclusive competence to establish external trade policies for the common market including, but not limited to, common external tariffs, import/export quotas, sanctions, and penalties. (c) Harmonization of governmental regulations, corporate, and commercial law which allow for the unhindered function of the free market. (d) Freedom for citizens of its member states to live and work anywhere within the Wysterian Union, provided they can support themselves. |
| Treaty has been ammended by acts of the Senate in LWU 01-06.12.04, LWU 02-06.04.05, and LWU 02-04.06.05. |
| SIGNATORIES |
| We, the undersigned nations and representatives thereof, pledge our fealty to this document and the spirt of the laws therein.
Vania Heckle, Guarantor of the Valorum, The United Principalities of Galicia-Volhynia, signed on August 5, 2004 Hansel Halych, Lord Retainer and Sovereign, The United Principalities of Galicia-Volhynia, signed on August 5, 2004 Helene Sophia Clark Halych, Regent, The Protectorate of Lodmeria, signed on August 5, 2004 Augustus Plunck, Chancellor of the Lindler, The United Kingdom of Samaru, signed on August 5, 2004 Selene Eudoxia Halych-Samaru, Queen and Sovereign, The United Kingdom of Samaru, signed on August 5, 2004 Ned Pistapoch, President, The Federal Republic of New Felix, signed on August 5, 2004 Tenero Palerna, Vice-Praetor, The United Republic of Daekerius, signed on August 5, 2004 Noris Ulmatar, President and Hetman, The Confederacy of the Steppe, signed on August 5, 2004 Heathcliffe De La Cruz, Prime Minister, The Royal Protectorate of Salasia, signed on August 5, 2004 Anakha Van-dorino, High Priest and Sovereign, The Venerable Theocracy of Melcelene, signed on August 6, 2004 Tomas de Medina, King and Sovereign, The Kingdom of Castile and Leon, signed on August 8, 2004 Kevin I, King and Sovereign, The Kingdom of Kosmania, signed on August 8, 2004 Mad Dog Marx, Megomaniacal Minister, The Paternalistic Protectorate of Guns n Whiskey, signed on August 24, 2004 Carl Monteverde, President, The Republic of Florenzia, signed on October 13, 2004 Olaf, King and Sovereign, The Kingdom of Besser, signed on December 7, 2004 Alagar, Elder and Member of the High Council, the People's Republic of Shindaro, signed on January 5, 2005 Hawkwind, Master of the Order of the Raptor and Member of the High Council, The People's Republic of Shindaro, signed on January 5, 2005 Triella, Empath and Member of the High Council, The People's Republic of Shindaro, signed on January 5, 2005 Xander Conti, Chancellor, The Free Land of Infinitus, signed on January 25, 2005 Raj Hans Raj, President, The Federation of Kamadhatu, signed on March 15, 2005 Sir Michael Thomasson, Dominion Ambassador to the Wysterian Union, Signing for the Queen and Prime Minister of the Harberian Empire, The Dominion of New Kandor, signed on June 22, 2005 Jamy Badancuh, President-elect, The Rekr Yhleahd Socdelym Naymsc of Amarius, signed on June 29, 2005 George Baker, Councilor of Defense, The Rekr Yhleahd Socdelym Naymsc of Amarius, signed on June 29, 2005 Cysyhdra Zuhac, Councilor of Foreign Affairs, The Rekr Yhleahd Socdelym Naymsc of Amarius, signed on June 29, 2005 John Frink, President, The Open Source of Liberal Technology, signed on July 2, 2005 Tyryte Tyrus XV, Emperor, The Industrialist Empire of Tyryte, signed on December 2, 2005 Cyrus, King and Lord Protector of the Caphtoriam, The Kingdom of Caphtoria, signed on January 30, 2006 Melantha Vanna, Prime Minister, The Kingdom of Caphtoria, signed on January 30, 2006 Claudius Fortunatus, Interim Great Consul, The Federation of 12 Carthages, March 3, 2007 Septimius Ulpianus, Consul, The Federation of 12 Carthages, March 3, 2007 Marcus Suetonius, Consul, The Federation of 12 Carthages, March 3, 2007 |
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