Category: Free Trade
Strength: Significant
Proposed by: Ceorana

Description: The UN,

NOTING that without guaranteed protection of ideas for products, there is no incentive to invent them, and that without international protection of ideas for products, there is no incentive to market them internationally,

AFFIRMING that international trade strengthens all economies involved,

CONCLUDING that the international protection of ideas for products will strengthen the economies of all member states,

NOTING WITH REGRET that national patent laws laws are inevitably different and therefore incompatible, but that this could be solved through an international patent law,

1. DEFINES, for the purpose of this resolution:
a. "patent" as a protection by law of a novel, useful and nontrivial idea for a product or invention for a limited amount of time, after which the idea becomes free for all to use;
b. "information" as including all knowledge, both known and unknown, specifically genetic code of natural organisms, scientific theories, mathematical algorithms, etc.;

2. STRESSES that patents are protections on the idea for an invention, not the specific invention, but the specific invention is by definition covered in the patent for its idea;

3. CREATES the United Nations Patent Registry (UNPR) for the purpose of keeping a registry of patents in all nations, which shall register patents by the following process:
a. The inventor of the product, or his/her/its designee, must write an application to the UNPR detailing the nature of the product, what ideas should be patented as part of the patent, and detailed sketches, blueprints, photographs, construction plans and/or other related media detailing and defining the product and idea;
b. The inventor of the product now has exclusive use of the idea and production rights to the product until the approval process is complete;
c. The UNPR will review the patent, both to make sure that it is not too wide in the scope of the ideas that it wishes to cover and that it is not a duplication of a patent already in the UNPR;
d. If these criteria are met, the patent will be approved and given an identification number, from which time the inventor holds exclusive rights to the idea and exclusive production rights to the product for a period of 17 years, after which the idea is free for all to use;

4. DECLARES that there will be a three year period, starting at the time of passage of this resolution, in which all national patents shall be submitted to the UNPR for review, and any patents which cover the same idea will not be internationally protected unless all of the patent holders can reach an agreement on joint ownership of the patent within a period of five years;

5. STIPULATES that patents may not pertain to:
a. any invention which is already in use at the time of application;
b. any intangible product, such as computer code or information;
c. biological organisms;
d. specific designs for inventions, although a specific design must be covered in the patent;

6. DECLARES that patents may be held by any person or corporation and that they are transferable by mutual agreement, at which time the UNPR must be notified;

7. EMPHASIZES that nations still have the right to have and enforce national patent law, which may or may not cover the same inventions as the UNPR, but reminds them that UN Patent Law is supreme to national patent law, and any inventions patented in the UNPR may not be produced in any UN nation without consent of the patent holder.

Note: Change of wording in the poll title, in accordance with the "yes/yes issue" thread. The region will vote FOR as soon as this proposal goes to vote unless there is serious opposition from the region (which I do not expect)

I'm moving at the end of the month. I managed to score a beautiful flat in the heart of downtown, w/hardwood floors, plaster walls, huge windows, 150 year old building. I'm very excited. Anyway, I will have no internet for approx. 2 weeks. Maybe less.

Just so you all know, and are not thinking I was kidnapped again or something. :lol:

I happened to check over at the Jolt forums just now (since NS is undergoing "Maintentance" while the new game changes are being implemented, and I found through this link
http://www.forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=477170
an earlier entry from last week describing new categories for proposals that was added in a couple of weeks ago.
How come this has not been mentioned here?
Anyone care to provide a primer on this?

On the day I heard I was going into the city council, my nation existed for exactly 2 years.

My first login was april 7, 2004. Two whole years ago...

Code:  First login: 2004-04-07 21:14:51

Due to the fact that I'm in the computer lab at my college and am bored to death I thought I'd start a little game. You answer a question with a question.

Everyone cool with that?

***MODEDIT: EVERYONE WHO POSTS IN THIS THREAD FROM 4/25/2006 0302 GMT WILL HAVE THEIR MEMBER TITLE EDITED TO SOME SILLY JOKE ABOT SPAM***

Category: Environmental
Industry Affected: All Businesses
Proposed by: Fonzoland

Description: APPALLED at the environmental and public health risks posed by irresponsible waste disposal,

COMMENDING all efforts to minimise these risks by recycling or responsible waste disposal, yet

NOTING that the economic viability of recycling is driven by demand, technology, and other national circumstances,

REGRETTING that some nations do not possess the technology or resources necessary for responsible waste disposal,

DEEPLY AWARE of the multitude of personal and industrial waste products with different chemical characteristics, and of the variety of waste disposal techniques, most of which are only suitable for specific types of waste,

CONSCIOUS that legislation detailing specific technologies or processes is likely to be made obsolete by scientific progress,

DEFINING for the purposes of this resolution:
- 'waste' as unwanted materials of little or no value that are generated by human activities,
- 'impact' as the negative aesthetic, public health, and environmental consequences of a certain practice,
- 'waste disposal' as the collection, transport, processing, storage, disposal, and destruction of waste with the purpose of minimising its impact,

The UN:

1. ADVISES member nations that the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials in industrial production can greatly reduce the cost and impact of waste disposal;

2. ENCOURAGES member nations to create public organisations, or to stimulate the creation of private organisations, capable of performing responsible waste disposal;

3. CREATES the UN Waste Disposal Authority (WDA), mandated to:
a) Establish, publish, and regularly update:
- a description of available waste disposal techniques (WDT), outlining their impact when applied to different waste categories,
- a list of recommended WDT for each category, taking into account technological and economic constraints, and their maximum permissible impact,
- a list of 'hazardous waste' categories, which pose serious health or environmental risks, or for which no satisfactory WDT exist,
- a list of banned WDT, deemed to pose unacceptably high risks of direct impact on other nations;
b) Officially certify the WDT of entities that request it, provided they meet said recommendations;
c) Perform regular and surprise inspections of certified entities to ensure said recommendations are strictly followed;
d) Research improved WDT with reduced impact or costs;
e) Advise upon request on the best WDT for each waste category;

4. REQUESTS that member nations contribute personnel, technology, knowledge, and funding to the WDA;

5. ENCOURAGES the use of recommended WDT;

6. INSTRUCTS member nations to:
a) Prevent the use of banned WDT;
b) Impose economic and compensatory damages on any entity in their jurisdiction whose waste disposal practices are deemed to have a direct impact on other member nations, and promptly transfer collected damages to affected nations;
c) Impose, at their discretion, punitive damages or criminal charges on entities guilty of such misconduct;

7. URGES member nations to provide similar compensation to non-member nations and national entities;

8. PROHIBITS:
a) International transfer of hazardous waste without the official consent of receiving nations;
b) International transfer of waste by non-certified entities;
c) Protectionist devices, such as tariffs, duties, or quotas, on the provision of waste disposal services by certified entities.

Co-authored by the GTT


I have changed the poll wording to "How did your nation cast its vote?" as proposed in the UN delegate forum, in the "Yes/Yes Issue" thread. The region will cast its vote FOR this proposal as soon as it goes up for vote, which will be a while.

This morning started off bad (not horrible), with me accidently breaking my umbrella (I ripped the tie for it apart while trying to open it ... but I went to the batting cages to test out my new softball bat and WOW it is great. Then I went to the grocery store (after replacing my watch battery that died on me today at 11:47 am PDT) to find Delerium Noel (a beer from my favorite Belgian brewery ... it is an import to the US) *and* to find incense being sold at my grocery! *woot*

Category: Free Trade
Strength: Strong
Proposed by: The Beltway

Description: (Co-authored by Yelda)

The General Assembly of the United Nations,

APPLAUDING the passage of Resolution #151 ?Nuclear Non-Proliferation Act,?

BELIEVING the benefits of peaceful atomic energy technology should be available to all UN member nations,

AFFIRMING the right of UN member nations to exchange scientific information on the peaceful application of atomic energy,

NOTING that scientific advancement benefits greatly from collaboration of scientists from multiple nations,

CONCERNED with the potentially international and devastating impact of accidents involving nuclear reactors,

ACKNOWLEDGING that current techniques for disposal of nuclear waste materials are often lacking;

RECOGNIZING the threat of terrorist attacks on nuclear reactors,

DECLARING that all UN member nations are entitled to participate in the free trade of fissionable materials used in said technological applications,

HEREBY:

1. ESTABLISHES the Nuclear Energy Research Commission (NERC), mandated to:
I - Coordinate research into safer and more efficient methods of nuclear power generation,
II - Coordinate research into safer means of nuclear waste disposal,
III - Support efforts to improve the security of nuclear plants;

2. STRONGLY URGES UN member nations to provide assistance to the NERC;

3. CALLS UPON UN member nations to conduct research into safer and more efficient methods of nuclear power generation, especially when such research is not already being conducted by other entities;

4. ENCOURAGES the sale and transfer of nuclear power generation materials and technology between UN nations;

5. REQUIRES the elimination of protectionist devices restricting the trade of nuclear power generation technology, equipment and fissionable materials, including but not limited to tariffs, duties, subsidies, subventions and quotas, within eleven years;

6. FURTHER REQUIRES the elimination of protectionist devices restricting the trade of electrical power generated by nuclear power plants, including but not limited to tariffs, duties, subsidies, subventions and quotas, within eleven years;

7. EMPHASIZES that UN member nations reserve the right to employ retaliatory tariffs towards non-member nations to prevent price dumping;

8. AUTHORIZES the United Nations Free Trade Commission (UNFTC) to arbitrate any trade disputes which may arise concerning the interpretation of this legislation.

The original proposal is here:http://www.nationstates.net/10051/page=UN_...utions/start=39

Category: Repeal
Resolution: #40
Proposed by: Gruenberg

Description: UN Resolution #40: Banning the use of Landmines (Category: Global Disarmament; Strength: Strong) shall be struck out and rendered null and void.

Argument: The United Nations,

RECALLING the many resolutions in UN law forming a fundamental commitment to the protection of citizens' rights,

TAKING NOTE, especially, of Resolution #31, "Wolfish Convention on POW", Resolution #51, "Children in War", and Resolution #111, "Civilian Rights Post War",

REAFFIRMING the intent of these and other resolutions to protect both military and civilian personnel from undue abuse,

RECOGNISING that there exist many non-UN nations who may be hostile to UN member nations and to the UN, and who are not governed by the responsibilities of such resolutions,

LAMENTING that war between UN member nations and non-UN nations is inevitable, and concerned that in such cases non-UN parties will not be bound by international law on the treatment of soldiers and civilians, especially children, and on the use of torture,

ACKNOWLEDGING that the UN can do little to prevent such circumstances, and must allow its members to exercise to the fullest degree possible their ability to deter attack and invasion by non-UN nations,

UPHOLDING the sentiment of Resolution #110, "United Nations Security Act", that 'all member states have the right to construct and utilize any and all weapons that are necessary to defend their nation from attack',

OBSERVING the capacity of landmines to act as an effective deterrent to invading forces, and acknowledging the possibility that they could be used to prevent human rights abuses on the behalf of an occupying force not bound by UN law,

FURTHER NOTING that, in their capacity as 'area-denial munitions', landmines have the capability to divert hostile forces away from settled areas and the civilian populace, and thereby to actually limit civilian casualties,

EXPRESSING FAITH in Resolution #150, "UN Landmine Convention", in tackling the unfortunate potential of landmines to pose risk to civilians after the cessation of hostilities,

RESOLVING that member nations should not be denied the possibility of defending themselves and their citizens from unregulated attack through the responsible deployment of landmines:

REPEALS Resolution #40, "Banning the Use of Landmines".

Well, as a former nation I participated in the NSTA, the NationStates Tennis Alliance. I wanted to bring it back, since I have some spare time to devout, and i've gotten a scorinator from Casari, but I have no idea on how it works...

Anyone with some experience in Excel that would like to help?