At Vote: Repeal "National Economic Freedoms" [Complete] [Complete]

The World Assembly,

Acting in the course of its duty to continue reviewing its passed Resolutions for areas of conflict and concern,

Wishing to retain only those Resolutions that are necessary and practical for the furtherment of world progress,

Seeking to strike out those Resolutions whose past merits no longer justify their present effects,

and,

Hoping to clarify the burden of compliance of international law and restrictions for prospective sponsors of international law,

does hereby:

Take note of the promise enshrined in WA Resolution #68, "National Economic Freedoms", that national governments be allowed "to regulate commerce within their jurisdiction";

Observe that numerous subsequent Resolutions have ignored or restricted this promise by denying national governments their rights to regulate commerce within their jurisdiction, such as "International Postal Union", "Universal Clinical Trials Act", "Responsible Offshore Drilling", "Clean Water Act", "Nuclear Waste Safety Act", "Reducing Problem Gambling", "Essential Medication Act", "Concerning Financial Fraud", "Freedom to Contract", "Reducing Automobile Emissions", "Stopping Invasive Species", "Uranium Mining Standards Act", and "Cultural Site Preservation";

Consider the requirement of "National Economic Freedoms" that "no commerce be generally restricted by the WA unless ... [t]he enterprise causes an extreme hazard to national populations"

Document that numerous subsequent Resolutions have in fact imposed restrictions on commerce without a justification in terms of extreme hazard to national population, such as "The General Patent Charter", "Medical Research Ethics Act", "The Gem Trading Accord", "Against Conflict Minerals", "On Genetically Modified Foods", "Transboundary Water Use Act", "Ban Profits on Workers' Deaths", "Biological Warfare Convention", "Stopping Suicide Seeds", "Sensible Limits on Hunting", "Protecting Migratory Animals" and "Reducing Spills and Leaks";

Recall numerous other proposals considered by the WA that would have had the effect of regulating or restricting commerce and which were considered to be within the competency of the WA, rather than of individual nations;

Conclude that the guarantees of "National Economic Freedoms" have been rendered utterly worthless by virtue of revisionist reinterpretation of its mandates and that the Resolution in fact does nothing whatsoever to defend national rights to regulate commerce, nor to check the powers of the WA to restrict commerce;

Understand that the WA will undoubtedly continue to legislate on matters of commerce in the name of social justice, environmental protection, and other areas of legislation it deems worthy of consideration, while functionally ignoring the existence of "National Economic Freedoms";

Identify "National Economic Freedoms" as a Resolution whose noble intentions have proved completely ineffective in practice;

Recognise as undesirable the situation of a Resolution remaining on record while no longer having the legal effects intended at time of its passage;

Resolve the situation with this procedural Resolution, repealing WA Resolution #68, "National Economic Freedoms";

Reassure that a motion of repeal will in no way reduce national economic sovereignty, because it is not actually protected by the original Resolution.

For those that don't follow the World Assembly, this one might be confusing. For some context, GAR#68, National Economic Freedoms, was supposed to be a blocker on most resolutions that restricted commerce except for those that protected national populations from "extreme hazards." Our opinions on whether or not that's a good thing notwithstanding, the resolution is, for all intents and purposes, meaningless. Its intended effect has been ignored by both mods and players in most cases, as the repeal text documents. Dozens of resolutions have not only made it to vote, but have passed, without any justification in the text as to how they prevent "extreme hazards." GAR#68, therefore, has no purpose, and neither players nor the secretariat have any real interest in applying its restrictions more consistently. The repeal makes the argument that a resolution with no purpose or effect should not remain on the books, and I'm inclined to agree. Therefore, the Ministry recommends a vote in FAVOR.

Against For

FOR

For

Nay.

Against the repeal

against

Against.

I count 3-0-4 against, voted accordingly.

Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.

Voting on this resolution has ended.

Thanks to those nations who cast their votes. Your participation is a great help to the region.

This topic has been locked and sent to the Archives for safekeeping. If you would like this topic to be re-opened for further discussion, please contact the WA Delegate, a Global Moderator, or an Administrator for assistance. Thank you.