Talk:Articles of the Federation

Note: The following is a re-interpretation of the Articles of the Federation, as written by "ASmallDuck" and presented by the NascentNovice site. It is presented as a complete Federation Charter, to include the Fundamental Guarantees. It has successfully broken away from being a plagiarized version of the United Nations Charter and would have been included as SFC's version of the document if the original had not already been so heavily incorporated into the framework of the site. It is included here for reference and inspiration.

Charter Preamble

WE HAVE AGREED that our worlds hold these truths to be self-evident: that all intelligent life has inherent dignity and value and so is endowed with certain fundamental and inherent rights.

AND AS THE RECENT CONFLICT has proven the existence of threats to these rights, we have recognized that only through sharing the resources, knowledge and capabilities of our societies can we guarantee the enjoyment of life and liberty and self-actualization to ourselves and our posterity.

AND SO WE, THE INTELLIGENT BEINGS of Earth, Alpha Centauri, Vulcan, Andoria, and Tellar are resolved that henceforth our relations shall be those of worlds which, as sovereign equals, cooperate in friendly association to promote the common welfare, to ensure the rights and responsibilities of Federation citizenship, and therefore are desirous of concluding a federal union of our societies.

AND IN FURTHERANCE OF THIS UNION we have come together to formulate a general law to establish a common justice, to ensure tranquility founded upon the pursuit of peace and durable interstellar law, to unite our strengths in order to provide for common security, and to promote the general welfare and economic and social advancement of all lifeforms.

AND SO IT IS RESOLVED that the respective peoples, through their representatives holding such power, agree to these Fundamental Guarantees and Articles of Federation and do hereby establish an interstellar organization to be known as the UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the representatives of these societies so gathered and having valid authority to do so have signed these Articles of Federation.

DONE at the City of San Francisco, Earth on the date 2161 August 12.

Alpha Centauri Concordium

• Zella Cinear
• Jie Cong Li
• Lillian Hayes
• Nasrin Sloane
• Ugo Hadriese

Andorian Empire

• Samiterih Sh’Naazrin
• Anlenthoris Ch’Vendreni
• Ferrinesh Ch’Theru
• Thirjhamel Zh’Dhaven
• Hravishran Th'Zoarhi
• Symo Zh’Rhevoq
• Rol Ch’Therreq
• Athrorel Ch’Arhiavok

Confederacy of Vulcan

• T’Pau
• Soval
• Pekev T’Sri T’Maran
• Solkar
• L’Nel
• T’Imail
• Ugaya T’Pri L’Sprang
• Staam

United Planets of Tellar

• Gora Bim Gral
• Besh Chim Kar
• Coti Jav Granch
• Tishli Prann
• Canniv Bim Vagh
• Ligao Lulansh
• Vaash Bav Jashnoor

United Earth

• Lydia Littlejohn
• Nathan Samuels
• Haroun Al-Rashid
• Thomas Vanderbilt
• Sarah De Los Santos
• Ramya Bandara
• Claire Anthony
• Jonathan Archer

Observers

• Thimur Wross
• Mohammed Khan
• Qaletaqu

Fundamental Guarantees of Freedoms, Rights & Responsibilities

Guarantee 1: Guarantee of Self

• Every sentient being has the right to life, liberty, and security of individuality.

Guarantee 2: Guarantee of Federation citizenship

• Every citizen of a member of the United Federation of Planets shall also be a citizen of the United Federation of Planets.
• Any individual born to a member government of the UFP, is immediately entitled to the rights and responsibilities of Federation citizenship.
• No member state of the United Federation of Planets may, by law or deed, create unequal Federation citizenship among its own citizens.

Guarantee 3: Guarantee of self-expression and speech

• A Federation citizen has a right to self-expression and thoughts, and the right to express them freely without government interference. This right includes the freedom to receive self-expression from others. Both rights imply expression through any form of media, work of art, public declaration, or conversation.
• The threshold for any suppression of speech or self-expression must be extremely high, clearly delineated, and frequently reviewed.

Guarantee 4: Guarantee to freedom of spiritual expression, and from spiritual compellation

• A Federation citizen has the right to religious or spiritual expression.
• A Federation citizen has the freedom from any religious or spiritual compellation.
• No member government may legislate against the free practice of religion, spirituality, or faith. No member government may promote or encourage any particular practice of religion, spirituality, or faith. No member government may prioritize the religious above the irreligious, or vice versa.

Guarantee 5: Guarantee from Want

• The United Federation of Planets guarantees a basic subsistence of dignity to any and all Federation citizens. This is taken to mean a standard of living commensurate with the level of health, well-being, and satisfaction of the individual. This is taken to include, but not be limited to, nutrition, clothing, shelter, means of production or creation, and healthcare.

• Any member government of the United Federation of Planets shall endeavor to provide this minimum to any Federation citizen within their area of Federation space and the United Federation of Planets government shall endeavor to provide this minimum to any Federation citizen, regardless of location.

• If an individual planetary government is unable to complete this Guarantee, due to emergency or disaster, it is assumed the United Federation of Planets government shall endeavor to honor this right, at minimum.

• This guarantee is not meant to indicate the maximum level of support that organizations of the United Federation of Planets should strive to provide.

Guarantee 6: Guarantee from Terror

• A Federation citizen is to expect their lives to be free of terror.
• A Federation citizen is free from the assumption their government will court war with another power for the purposes of territorial gain, personal interest, or to increase violence in the quadrant.
• A Federation citizen is free from the assumption that their government shall use terror to compel behavior of them, or others.

Guarantee 7: Guarantee of Due Process under the Law

• A Federation citizen is guaranteed any and all due process under Federation law.
• A Federation citizen may not be used to incriminate themselves, by thought, word, or deed.
• A Federation citizen may not be submitted to arbitrary, or personal legal action brought by the state without due process.

Guarantee 8: Guarantee from Killing and Compelled Violence

• A Federation citizen may not be compelled to commit an act of violence without their free consent, by the government of the United Federation of Planets or any other member state government.
• A Federation citizen shall never be required to kill without their free consent.
• A Federation citizen who chooses to refuse member state compulsory military service during a time of war or other military action may do so through this Guarantee. No fee, penalty, or confinement may be levied against a Federation citizen for doing so.

Guarantee 9: Guarantee of Exceptional Legal Scrutiny

• Any law or act of the Federation Council, or any succeeding governmental body, that seeks to curtail or diminish these articulated “Fundamental Guarantees” must survive the highest conceivable bar of legal scrutiny by the Federation Judicial Council, in three consecutive sittings. If at such a time, these criteria are met, then amendment to these rights shall be allowed.
• The adoption of new Guarantees that expand rights, and in no way curtail those already present, may be adopted utilizing the same procedure. It is to be understood that this guarantee protects existing rights; they are not to be used to prohibit further rights.
• To abridge, through statute or tradition, any such right must only come through the highest level of legal scrutiny and be directly involved in criminal or negligent behavior that endangers Federation citizens.

Guarantee 10: Guarantee of Democratic Political Legitimacy

• Any political legitimacy imbued within the United Federation of Planets, and any subsidiary governmental bodies, is guaranteed to be based in popular, explicit, and implicit consent of the governed.

• This consent is to be understood as civil legitimacy, accountable to, but not limited to, democratic elections, financial, philosophical, and stake-holder transparency, recusal of perceived or actual corruption, and continual appraisal of perceived legitimacy.

• A Federation citizen, or group of citizens, is guaranteed the right to petition the government, and any subsidiary governmental bodies, of the United Federation of Planets for redress to any lack of legitimacy and is guaranteed a reasonable response to any such petition.

Articles of the United Federation of Planets

We, the Heads of State and Governments of the Member States of the United Federation of Planets:

Inspired by those ideals of dignity, justice, peace, and progress, form this union to promote interplanetary unity, to reaffirm fundamental sentient rights, and to guarantee a set of rights to every Federation citizen. And to this end, to practice tolerance and live together in peace as good neighbors and to unite to maintain peace and security, to employ our diverse talents and cultures to mutual benefit and progress for all Federation citizens

HAVE RESOLVED TO EMPLOY OUR DIVERSE SOCIETIES AND CULTURES TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS:

Chapter 1: Purposes and Principles of the United Planets of the Federation

Article 1: Principles of the United Federation of Planets

The United Federation of Planets is a voluntary organization of combined values, intentions, and goals. The United Federation of Planets and its Members, in pursuance of the purposes so stated, shall act in accordance with the following principles:

• The United Federation of Planets is based on the equality of all its Members.

• In order to ensure all Members the rights and benefits resulting from membership, all Members shall in good faith fulfill all obligations assumed by them in accordance with these Articles of Federation and all duly adopted rulings, charters, and decisions created by this Federation;

• All Members shall settle all interplanetary disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that interstellar peace, security, and justice are not endangered;

• In all interplanetary relations, all Members shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any society within or without this Federation, and refrain from any acts in any manner inconsistent with the purpose of the United Federation of Planets.

• All Members shall give the United Federation of Planets every assistance in any actions taken in accordance with these Articles of Federation, and shall refrain from assisting any group against which the Federation is taking preventative or enforcement action, within or without;

• Nothing within these Articles of Federation authorizes the Federation to intervene in matters which are essentially within the purely domestic jurisdiction of a nation or planetary system, nor shall anything require Members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; but this principle does not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under said Articles or any action that infringes upon a Fundamental Guarantee of Federation Citizenship.

Article 2: Purposes of the United Federation of Planets

The purposes of the United Federation of Planets are:

• To maintain interplanetary and interstellar peace and security within our acknowledged and accepted borders, and to that end: to take collective measures for the prevention of threats to such peace, to suppress acts of aggression, and to bring about by peaceful means and employing the principles of justice and interstellar law an adjustment or settlement of any interplanetary disputes which might lead to a breach of the interstellar peace;

• To improve the lives of Federation citizens through diligent work and open governmental action;

• To develop friendly relations among planets and species based on respect for the principles of the equal rights and self-determination of all intelligent lifeforms, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;

• To achieve interplanetary cooperation in solving interstellar problems of economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character; in promoting and encouraging respect for the rights of all intelligent lifeforms; and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, gender, disability, caste, species, or spiritual belief; and

• To be a place of coordination for the actions of all peoples in the attainment of these common ends.

Article 3: Temporary Arrangements

Before the implementation of this Federation, including during the transitory period between coming into force and the full establishment of this Federation such that its agencies and organs may fulfill the duties for which they were created, nothing in these Articles shall bind Members from taking joint actions to maintain interplanetary and interstellar peace and security.

Until such a time as an election for The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets may be held, not to be longer than four years after the signing of these Articles of Federation, there shall be a caretaker official appointed by the unanimous consent of the inaugural membership of the Federation Council. In all ways this official shall act as The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 4 – Process of Ratification for the Articles and their Coming into Force

These Articles of Federation shall be ratified by each signatory in accordance with their respective statutory processes, and each signatory shall notify the Foreign Minister of United Earth. Upon receipt of a ratification, the government of United Earth shall record it and maintain such a record. United Earth shall notify all signatory governments of each deposit as well as the Secretariat of the Federation. After the Federation comes into force, the United Earth commission for this purpose shall be replaced by a commission under the Secretariat of the Federation.

Chapter 2: Membership

Article 5 – Member States of the United Federation of Planets

The United Federation of Planets consists of the following member states:

• The Alpha Centauri Concordium
• The Andorian Empire
• The Confederacy of Vulcan
• United Earth
• The United Planets of Tellar.

Article 6 – Member State Internal Changes

Changes to the internal organization of Members of the United Federation of Planets will abide by the following:

1. If the naming convention of a member state is changed, though the government has not sufficiently changed in nature, a simple amendment may be used to update their governmental designation.
2. If the substance of a member state government has changed sufficiently for the Federation Council to deem it a “new state”, then a full vote of the Federation Council must pass in order for the member state to remain.
3. The Federation Council may choose to suspend the rights and privileges of membership in the United Federation of Planets for any Member of the United Federation of Planets against which the Federation Council has chosen to take enforcement action against. These rights may be later restored by the Federation Council.
4. Notwithstanding this, no one may deny any Member of the United Federation of Planets its right to speak in the Federation Council.

Article 7 – Admission of New Members

The United Federation of Planets shall admit new members through the following process:

1. Application to the United Federation of Planets is available to any and all governmental bodies that apply.
2. Application for membership shall be directed to the Federation Council, or any body appointed by Council law to do so.
3. Eligibility requirements for admission to the United Federation of Planets remains in the sole purview of the Federation Council, or any body appointed by Council law to do so.
4. Admission shall be considered of any government that meets the criteria outlined in Articles 7, 8, and 9. This new member shall be nominated by an existing Federation member government, and voted upon by the Federation Council. Admission shall be granted if more than 70% of the councilors vote in the affirmative. This 70% margin shall be superseded by the voting formula present below, if necessary to make the process more streamlined. (See Appendix K: Article 7 voting criteria, 5-100 members)
5. A single Federation Councilor may veto admission for two successive sessions. If a vote for admission in a third session passes through the process outlined in Article 7 or 8, the veto shall be overridden.
6. All measurements or time indicated in any article regarding to admission shall be regulated by Federation Standards. Federation Standards shall be defined by the Federation Standards Committee. The Federation Standards Committee shall be created, determined, and decisions ratified by a simple majority vote of the Federation Council.

Article 8 – Association, or Provisional, Membership

Any governmental body that wishes to join the United Federation of Planets but does not immediately meet any of the requirements may join as an “Associated Member” by a majority vote of the Federation Council.

1. Membership in the United Federation of Planets is also open to any peaceful society which accept the obligations contained within these Articles of Federation and, in the judgment of this Federation capable and willing to carry out these obligations;
2. Such governments should be considered in good standing with the United Federation of Planets, and member governments of the UFP shall treat these governments as allies and friends.
3. Within a session of the Federation Council, the Federation Membership Council shall send a delegation to this government to determine their suitability for membership and develop a criteria for full membership.

Article 9 – Secession, or Removal, from Membership

Member states of the United Federation of Planets may secede or be removed from the UFP, at any time, under the following procedures:

1. Articles of secession will be admitted to the Federation Council, during an open session. These articles shall be recorded at time of submission.
2. The member state government shall relinquish any, and all, legal rights to Federation legal assets, upon this admission. Adjudication of Federation assets shall be completed by the Federation Judicial Council prior to any legal succession.
3. The member state may retain treaties, alliances, or rights outside their Federation membership, unless otherwise decided by the articles of secession or act of the Federation Council.
4. All individuals previously known as Federation citizens shall retain such citizenship within the Federation, until such a time that they renounce such citizenship.
5. Illegal secession from the Federation forgoes such rights for the secessionist government.
6. Any Member of the United Federation of Planets which has persistently and willfully violated the purposes and principles contained in these Articles of Federation may be expelled from this Federation by the Federation Council.

Article 10 – Designation of Federation Space

Federation Space shall refer to the area of space claimed by and conforming to the protections, rights, and responsibilities found within this charter. This space shall be defined by the Federation Council and may be amended by the Federation Council by a majority vote. As a minimum immediate designation, Federation Space shall be understood to include all space within five light-years from any member states’ home star or stars.

1. Also understood as Federation Space shall include all space within five light-years from any colony system claimed and protected by a member state.
2. Territory within Federation space but within planetary orbits shall be considered the legal jurisdiction of member planets for legal purposes.
3. Any change or redesignation of this definition of space shall be decided by the Federation Council, in consultation with the Federation Standards Committee

Chapter 3: Organizations

Article 11 – Organizations of the United Federation of Planets

The United Federation of Planets shall establish organizations needed to appropriately execute the functions of the Federation Council. The Federation Charter establishes the organizations of the Federation Council, the Federation Secretariat, the Federation Defense Committee, the Federation Judiciary Committee, and Federation Star Fleet.

Article 12 – Additional Organizations

Such subsidiary organs as may be found necessary may be established in accordance with Federation law by the Federation Council.

Article 13 – United Federation of Planets Colonies

1. A Federation Colony shall be formally designated by unanimous vote of the Federation Council.
2. A Federation Colony shall be afforded every right enumerated to Federation colonies within the Articles of the Federation and any subsequent Federation law.
3. The citizens of a Federation Colony shall be subject to all rights and responsibilities present in the Fundamental Guarantees of the Federation.

Article 14 – The Federation Council

1. The Federation Charter establishes the Federation Council. This council is a legislative body consisting of a Councilor from every active member of the Federation.
2. The Federation Council is vested with all legislative powers herein, and granted to the members of the Federation Council.
3. The members of the Federation Council shall be elected by election, from each Federation member, according to their own selection method. This selection method shall be democratic in theory, and responsible to review from the Federation Judiciary Council.
4. The Federation Council establishes the following committees: Foreign Affairs, Defense, Commerce, Science, Standards, Membership, and Justice. These committees shall be presided over by a Commissioner, nominated by the President of the Federation Council and confirmed by a majority vote of the Federation Council. This Commissioner shall oversee a committee including a representative from each Federation member state. This commission shall present annual budgets, priorities, and propositions to the Federation Council for ratification. These committees shall be supported by professional civil professionals, known as the Federation Secretariat.

Article 15 – The Federation Security Council

1. In order to facilitate efficient and quick handling of matters important to the security and peace of the United Federation of Planets, upon reaching a large enough size a sub-Council of the Federation Council of the United Federation of Planets shall be created. This shall occur when the Federation Council determines its need.
2. The provisions regarding such a creation can be found in Chapter 5 of these Articles.
3. Until such a time that such a council may be created, the Federation Defense Commissioner shall be responsible for defense and response to external threats, through oversight of the Federation Council.

Article 16 – The Federation Secretariat

A SECRETARIAT to house such bureaucratic and records-keeping agencies as this Federation may require to carry out the decisions of its legislature, which shall be created by the Federation Council as necessary from time to time. It will be detailed in CHAPTERS 4 and 10 of these Articles of Federation.

In addition to individual assignments, each Commissioner and each Committee shall be provided an adequate bureaucratic secretariat to accomplish its goals, as defined by the Federation Council.

Article 17 – Federation Judicial Committee

A FEDERATION JUDICIAL SYSTEM to resolve matters of constitutional questions and procedures of law, as well as to administer the judicial system of this Federation in areas where Member governments do not administer justice. Additional provisions shall be detailed in CHAPTER 9 of these Articles.

Article 18 – The United Federation of Planets Star Fleet

There shall be established a Federation Star Fleet, a service which shall serve as the peacekeeping, exploration, and self-defense force of the United Federation of Planets. It shall be initially composed of such contingents assigned to it by members of this Federation under ARTICLES 65, 68, and 69 until such time as facilities, recruitment, and training removes the necessity of drawing upon the armaments and personnel of any Member, except as provided for by ARTICLE 47 and 66.

The Star Fleet, as part of its peace-keeping role, is also hereby commissioned to enforce the laws and regulations of the United Federation of Planets as they apply in open space and such Federation territories which are not the territory of any Member, but it shall have no unilateral authority to enforce the laws and regulations of those systems comprising this Federation in compliances with the principles stated in CHAPTER 1.

The operations and actions of the Star Fleet shall be at times under the direct cognizance of the Star Fleet Chiefs of Staff and Military Staff Committee which shall also prepare and approve the provisional budget for its operations.

Initial expenditures are authorized under these Articles for the establishment of a Star Fleet Headquarters, continued construction and maintenance of the bases on the Romulan Neutral Zone, and the establishment of three Starbases to be located equitably within the territory of the United Federation of Planets and outside of any possible conflict with the territorial boundaries of any Member of this Federation. The Star Fleet Chiefs of Staff with the aid of the Military Staff Committee shall review and approve the locations of these installations and such other expenses of further Starbases and such other facilities as shall seem appropriate from time to time in the maintenance of interplanetary and interstellar peace and security.

Chapter 4: Governance of the United Federation of Planets

Article 19 – Composition of Federation Council

The Federation Council, as outlined in Article 14, shall exist under the following criteria:

The Federation Council of the United Federation of Planets, hereafter the Council, shall be a unicameral council consisting of one councilor from each Member of the United Federation of Planets.

Each Councilor shall lead a delegation of diplomatic staff from each member state. Each Member shall decide its own Councilor positions by its own methods, as long as those methods do not contravene the stipulations and principles of these Articles of Federation. These delegations shall include any Commissioned Committee member and subsidiary staff. These delegations are not meant to include members of the Judicial Council or Secretariat; as those members are beholden to their specific service, not Member State delegation.

Article 20 – Supremacy of the Federation Council

The Federation Council may discuss questions on any matter within the scope of these Articles of Federation or relating to the powers and functions of any agencies provided for in these Articles of Federation and may make recommendations and decisions for the members, as well as on any questions or matters pertinent to the functioning of this Federation whether relating to charters, statutes, or resolutions.

The Federation Council is the sole and supreme body of the United Federation of Planets. No agency or organ of this Federation may overrule the general will of its Members as expressed through the Federation Council.

Article 21 – Guidelines for the Federation Council Scope

The Federation Council shall consider the general principles of cooperation when it makes recommendations and decisions with regard to such principles for the members and for this Federation as a whole.

The Federation Council may choose to discuss any question within its scope as put to it by any member, or by any non-member in accordance with ARTICLE 8 and may make recommendations and decisions with regard to any such questions for the members, the Federation Council, the pleading non-member or all such parties.

The Federation Council shall call situations which are likely to endanger interstellar peace and security or are otherwise within the competence of the Star Fleet Chiefs of Staff to the attention of the appropriate council.

Article 22 – Principles of Federation Council Authority

The Federation Council, holding the combined and pooled sovereign power of all the members of the United Federation of Planets, shall initiate studies and make recommendations, decisions, and regulations for the purposes of:

1. Promoting interplanetary and interstellar political cooperation and encouraging positive developments in interstellar law and its codification.

2. Promoting interstellar economic, social, cultural, and medical cooperation amongst its members and between this Federation and non-members.

3. Promoting the common good of all intelligent lifeforms in the economic, social, cultural, and medical spheres.

4. Promoting the further realization of the fundamental rights and freedoms of all intelligent lifeforms.

Furthermore, if the Federation Security Council is not yet established, the Federation Council shall perform all the duties of the Security Council, with the Defense Committee providing for defense and response to external threats.

Article 23 – Federation Council Authority over Crises

The Federation Council may recommend or order measures which will assist in the most peaceful, just, and equitable possible adjustment of any situation, regardless of origin, which it deems likely to impair the general welfare or peaceful relations among its members, including situations resulting from violations of the provisions of the Articles of Federation which set forth the purposes and principles of this Federation.

Article 24 – Federation Council Notification

The Federation Council shall receive and consider regular and special reports from the any and all subsidiary council. Such reports shall include an account of measures that the Council or any portion of the Secretariat has decided upon or taken to maintain Federation rights, responsibilities, principles, and priorities.

The Federation Council shall also receive and consider reports from other agencies of the United Federation of Planets following agreed-upon regular periods of reporting.

Article 25 – Federation Council Power over Federation Space

The Federation Council has the capability to recommend, order or decide matters over such territories of the United Federation of Planets which may be part of no member of this Federation but which are directly controlled by the agencies or organs of this Federation.

Article 26 – Federation Council Budgeting

The Federation Council shall consider and approve the budget of the United Federation of Planets for allocating resources towards the agencies and activities of this Federation. Budgeting shall be done according to a timescale set by the Federation Council no more frequently than once per year. Other principles and procedures for drafting and implementing the budget shall also be determined by the Federation Council.

The expenses of the United Federation of Planets shall be borne by the Members as well as Federation-controlled non-Member areas as apportioned by law by the Federation Council or a subsidiary agency created for this purpose, keeping in mind the principles of the Federation. Implementation of the budget shall be subject to review by the Federation Council.

The Federation Council shall consider and approve all financial and budgetary arrangements with external agencies it may interact with and shall have the right to examine the administrative budgets of such agencies with a view towards making recommendations for the agencies concerned.

For the purposes of budgeting as a unit of account the United Federation of Planets shall create and guarantee the value of a common interplanetary credit, named the Federation Credit. An agency of the Federation created by the Federation Council shall have the sole right to issue such Credits and to utilize any existing member state currency as it deems necessary to facilitate such an aim. The Federation Credit shall also be accepted as a medium of exchange within all territory of this Federation for all societies which utilize currency.

Article 27 – Federation Council Voting Procedure

Each councilor sent to the Federation Council, of which there will be one per Member, will provide one vote for its member-state delegation.

Decisions of the Federation Council will be made by majority vote from delegations, with a mind towards compromise and reconciliation amongst all members in accordance with the principles of interstellar cooperation and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

The Federation Council agrees that, in accordance with ARTICLE 36 and ARTICLE 37, once the Federation Security Council is established, it will delegate the following decisions to the Federation Security Council:

1. Decisions with major foreign policy import, including but not limited to war, peace, admission of new members to this Federation, and alliances of all kinds whether offensive or defensive in purpose

2. The expulsion of a Member

3. Suspension or restoration of rights and privileges of a Member

4. Adjustment of territory of a Member, including colony regions

5. Questions relating to or revisions of the nature of these Articles of Federation

6. Resolution of disputes between Members.

Article 28 – Federation Council Voting Rights

Notwithstanding ARTICLE 8, no member of the United Federation of Planets may have their voting rights in the Federation Council restricted by this Federation, except that a member of the United Federation of Planets which is in arrears in the payment of its financial obligations to this Federation shall exercise no vote in the Federation Council if the amount it is in arrears equals or exceeds the amount of contributions due to it over the preceding two accounting periods.

The Federation Council may nevertheless permit a member so in arrears to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member.

Article 29 – Federation Council Sessions

The Federation Council shall meet in regular periodic sessions, the location and length of which shall be decided by the Federation Council with the following requirement:

For no less than 2 times per Earth Calendrical Year and no less than 9 weeks per session, the Federation Council shall meet in Full Session, where all Councilors and The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets are obliged to attend. No bills or resolutions may be passed except during a Full Session. If The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets is absent, an acting presiding officer will be selected by the Councilors, but this acting presiding officer shall not enjoy the presumption of speakership.

Special Sessions, including Full Sessions outside of the regular calendar so specified by the Federation Council, may be convened by the Federation Council’s Speaker at the request of a majority of the Members of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 30 – Federation Council Session Procedure

The Federation Council shall adopt its own rules and procedures. It shall elect a person to hold the position of Chair, the Speaker of the Federation Council, each session by majority vote, starting with The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets as its first nominee. Should The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets not succeed in this nomination as the Chair of the Federation Council, any voting councilor of the Federation Council who can win a roll call vote for it may appoint any Federation citizen, including a member of their own delegation. The President of the Federation Council may, if they are unable to attend sessions, delegate any Councilor of the Federation Council to act as Acting Speaker of the Federation Council during their absence. The current Speaker will, in each session, notify the Federation Council of all matters relating to the maintenance of interstellar peace and security which need discussion.

Should a vote on measure which requires the allocation of significant resources such as a Budget, or any other bill the Chair declares a critical measure fail, the Chair shall immediately resign their position and shall undertake to resign their position as The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets, Federation Official, Ambassador and/or Councilor as soon as a replacement may be elected or appointed. In addition, if any Member delegation should have no confidence in the Chair’s ability to continue to lead, they may call for a Motion of No Confidence. Should this motion be seconded by at least one-fifth of the Federation Council, the Chair shall immediately hold a vote on the motion which must be declared a critical measure. A delegation may call for or second a motion of no confidence no more than twice per session. After a successful Motion of No Confidence, a new Chair is to be appointed by the normal mechanisms as a caretaker for the session.

Article 31 – Council Right to Investigate

The Federation Council may conduct an investigation into any dispute or any situation including at least one party who is a Member of the United Federation of Planets which may lead to inter-Member friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuation of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary and interstellar peace and security.

All Members agree to assist with such investigations of disputes to which they are parties, to better allow the Federation Council to better understand the situation so as to assist it in producing a peaceful, just, and equitable settlement.

Any Member of the United Federation of Planets may bring any dispute or situation of a nature to the attention of the Federation Council.

A non-member of the United Federation of Planets may also bring to the attention of the Federation Council any such issue or dispute to which it is a party, if it commits to accept in advance the obligation to pursue a peaceful, just, and equitable settlement as provided for in these Articles of Federation. If it so does, the body having been notified may investigate and provide recommendations for the resolution of the dispute.

In a dispute involving at least one non-member of the United Federation of Planets, if all parties agree they may agree to submit their dispute to the Federation Judiciary Council for arbitration, but they must also further agree in advance that they will accept the judgment of the Federation Judiciary Council, whatever said judgment may be.

The Federation Council may, at any stage of a dispute or a dispute of a like nature, recommend or decide on procedures or appropriate methods to resolve the dispute.

It shall take into consideration any procedures for the settlement of the dispute which have already been adopted or are accepted as common custom by the parties.

In making recommendations and judgments under this article the Federation Council will take into consideration that legal disputes should as a general rule be referred to the Federation Judiciary Council, particularly those between Members of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 32 – Federation Council Subsidiary Agencies

The Federation Council may establish subsidiary agencies as created by its resolutions and decisions as necessary to accomplish its will. Such agencies consisting of permanent non-Ambassadorial staff working for the Federation as a whole will be placed under the management of the Secretariat.

Such agencies as already exist may be incorporated into the Secretariat by the action of the Federation Council and said agency.

The Federation Standards Committee shall meet during each session of the Federation Council. The members of the committee shall be members of the Federation Council, in number determined by the prior session of the Federation Council. Any and all changes to standards from the Federation Charter Appendix: Federation Standards, shall be voted upon by the Federation Council after suggestion by the Federation Standards Committee.

Articles 33 – Member Commitment to Peaceful Resolution of Disputes

Members of the United Federation of Planets who are party to any dispute the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary and interstellar peace and security shall first seek a just and equitable solution by negotiation, inquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to other agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own mutual choice.

Members absolutely and wholly forswear any supposed right to settle disputes via violence, including warfare, terrorism, and fostering civil strife in other members, as well as forswear the usage of coercion via a threat of employing such means.

The Federation Council shall, if it deems the act necessary, remind parties of their obligation to settle existing disputes by peaceful and mutually acceptable means.

Article 34 – Authenticity of Copies and Translations

These Articles of Federation are equally authentic and authoritative in each of the forty-seven languages they were drafted in. This clause in no way precludes the creation of other official translations of the Articles of Federation.

The Secretariat, in consultation with the Universal Translator Project, shall also reconfirm and verify that all translations of these Articles are in conformity with one another in consultation with experts in law, translation and linguistics. Within 90 days after the signing of these Articles of Federation, the Secretariat, having completed its confirmation and verification of the four languages, will transmit the verified copies to the governments of all signatories, should they differ from the draft copies in any way.

The signed copies of these Articles shall be deposited and preserved in the ratification commission’s archive located upon Babel around the Wolf 424 star system. Duly-certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by the commission to the governments of all Members.

Article 35 – The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets

1. The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets shall be elected by popular election of all Federation citizens of voting eligibility.

A. Any Federation citizen is eligible to submit their candidacy for The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets.

B. Voting shall take place during the first five days of the Earth month of November, beginning at 12:01 AM Nov. 1 and ending at 11:59 PM on Nov. 5, Earth GMT. All voting authorities shall endeavor to limit all “last-minute” situations or complications that would limit the franchise.

C. Voting procedures and declarations shall be delegated to local authorities, who will endeavour to encourage the greatest, feasible electoral participation.

D. The candidate with the largest total number of votes cast for their candidacy shall win the election.

2. The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets shall oversee the Commissioned Committees.

A. These commissions shall comprise one Commissioner, nominated by the President of the Council of the UFP, and confirmed by the Federation Council by majority vote.

B. These commissions shall comprise of one member of the committee for each Member State.

C. The Commission Councils shall consist of any deemed needed by the Federation Council.

D. Each Commission Council shall be re-ratified within 5 days of the beginning of a new session of the Federation Council.

E. Commissioners are confirmed to the Commission Council by a majority vote of the Federation Council on the first day of a new session. Commissioners may be removed from the Commission Council by impeachment.

3. The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets may bring to the attention of the Federation Council any matter which in their opinion may threaten the maintenance of interplanetary and interstellar peace and security. The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets shall have the right to attend any meeting of the Federation Council as they deem necessary for the performance of their duties.

4. The President of the Council of the United Federation of Planets shall, in cases where they have reason to believe a miscarriage of justice has occurred, have the right to order the Federation Judiciary to convene a special panel of inquiry. This panel shall examine the conviction of any person convicted by the Federation Judiciary and consider whether there is cause to grant clemency, including but not limited to partial or full commutation of sentence, partial or full remission of penalties, or granting of respite or reprieve, as well as whether the conviction should be overturned, the records of it sealed or expunged, or both.