FICT Council Meeting of April 4, 2012
On April 4, 2012, a Council Meeting of the Forum for International Cooperation and Trade (FICT) was held in Dhram Ɖú. It was the first Council Meeting since the organization's establishment in 2011.
After admission of Chimor, the Council Meeting evolved into heated argument about the Program Budgets for 2012 and 2013, and no further decisions were made. Instead FICT split into two blocks of counties, one of which favors a more ambitious Program, the other of which favors a more modest (and cheaper) Program that is, moreover, less focused exclusively on economy and science. Countries in the latter block are all the former FICTS member states, including Adzhatia. Countries in the former block are all the new member states plus Adzhatia. Adzhatia has remained more or less neutral in the conflict and issued a statement later that it will remain a member of FICT as well as join the more ambitious block of countries.
decisions
C1.1: admission of Chimor
- Admission of Chimor as a new member.
discussion and decision
In the Conference, through their ambassadors, all member states expressed to be in favor of admission. In the Council, the proposal was accepted with 7 votes in favor and 1 abstaining (Tarmorya).
undecided proposals
C1.2: 2012 program budget
- See FICT Budget#2012 Program Budget for the full proposal.
- Acceptance of the Program Budget implies acceptance of the underlying proposals with regards to the allocation of funds and establishment of institutes and organizations.
C1.3: 2013 program budget
- See FICT Budget#2013 Program Budget and budgeting system for the full proposal.
- Acceptance of the Program Budget implies acceptance of the underlying proposals with regards to the allocation of funds and establishment of institutes and organizations.
- If members change, the necessary changes to the budget will be made. This does not require further Council approval.
- Any other change in the 2013 Program Budget will require separate Council approval.
- If no Program Budget for 2014 and afterwards will be agreed upon, then the 2013 Program Budget will apply to those years as well, provided that the necessary changes to accommodate changes in membership are made.
discussion and decision
The Program budget has been discussed extensively in the Conference and at the time of the Council, there were still some minor disagreements. These minor disagreements proved to be more 'major' than expected and the Budget proposals and budgeting system were fiercely debated in the Council. No compromise was reached.
other proposals
The following proposals were not discussed because no agreement on the Program Budget could be reached before the end of the Meeting.
C1.4: observer status
- The 'observer status' can be granted by the Conference to countries that either apply for this status or for full membership.
- If a membership application is approved by the majority of the Conference, that country automatically gets observer status.
- The observer status gives countries the right to send a representative to attend the Conference meetings. This representative has no voting rights and can only speak when asked.
- The observer status gives countries the right to participate in FICT activities that are opened to observers by the Council.
C1.5: short term visa agreement
- No FICT member shall require short term (3 months) visas for citizens of other FICT countries.
- Observers can participate in the visa agreement, in which case "FICT countries" in the preceding sentence should be understood as including those participating observers.
- This agreement shall be known as "FSTVA" (FICT Short Term Visa Agreement).
C1.6: free trade agreement
- No FICT member shall raise import taxes or tariffs on imports from other FICT countries, with an exception for unprocessed agricultural and fishery products.
- Observers can participate in the free trade agreement, in which case "FICT countries" in the preceding sentence should be understood as including those participating observers.
- This agreement shall be known as "FFTA" (FICT Free Trade Agreement).
- For further details, exact text of the agreement, and exceptions, see: FICT Free Trade Agreement (FFTA).
C1.7: exhibitions
- Every year or every other year, to be decided by the Conference, an important city in a FICT country will organize an exhibition. The Conference decides which city shall organize the next exhibition.
- Purpose of the exhibitions is the promotion of tourism, the exchange of industrial information, the fostering of industrial cooperation, and the improvement of trade relations.
- Any FICT member can participate in any exhibition in any way considered suitable by the Conference.
- Any FICT member shall finance its own participation in an exhibition.
- Observers can participate in an exhibition at additional cost, to be determined by the host country.
- All costs for the organization of an exhibition (that is anything besides the individual countries' contributions) shall be paid by the host country. If the host country is unable to completely finance the exhibition, it can apply to the Conference for financial support from the FICT Special Projects Fund (FSPF).
C1.8: games
- Every year or every other year, to be decided by the Conference, a FICT member will organize FICT Games. The Conference decides which country shall organize the next Games.
- The FICT Games shall focus on team sports and/or individual sports scored by country teams.
- The Conference decides on what sports are to be included in the Games.
- Any FICT member shall finance its own participation in the Games.
- Observers can participate in the Games at additional cost, to be determined by the host country.
- All costs for the organization of the Games (that is anything besides the individual countries' contributions) shall be paid by the host country. If the host country is unable to completely finance the Games, it can apply to the Conference for financial support from the FICT Special Projects Fund (FSPF).