Saltstil Pact

Saltstil Pact

Pan Afszaltsil Pacto de Saltstíl
Logo
Flag
Land controlled by member states shown in dark green.
Abbreviation	PA, PS, SP
Motto	Weave trust with trust
Formation	24 May 2021 (2021-05-24)
Type	Economic and military alliance
Headquarters	Saltstil, Vultesia
Membership	10 states Freice Freice Gavrilia Gran Rugido Hoterallia Layfet, Vultesia Riamo Vultesia Wellsenfaile Xzavaria Scryeland
Official language	Vultesian Spanish Common Language
Secretary General	Some Vultesian
Under Secretary for the Oriental Trade Alliance	Some person
Under Secretary for the Eastern Energy Partnership	Some person
Under Secretary for the Saltstil Defence Pact	Some person
Under Secretary for the Eastern Benevolent Fund	Some person
Website	portal.pact.saltstil.org
Anthem: "The Eastern Hymn"

The Saltstil Pact (Vultesian: Pan Afszaltsil, PA; Spanish: Pacto de Saltstíl, PS) is a regional intergovernmental organisation in Olivacia, Astariax, and Meredonne. It was formed following the establishment of the Eastern Energy Group in March 2021, emerging as an umbrella organisation that oversees the work of the group as well as the Eastern Benevolent Fund and the Saltstil Defence Pact. It has ten members. It covers an area of SIZE OF STATES (IN SQ MI) and has an estimated population of POPULATION OF ALL MEMBER STATES. The organisation defines itself as a "voluntary association" that sees to encourage increased co-operation amongst eastern nations in the areas of economy, military, energy, and trade.

The principal aim of the organisation is to promote regional solidarity and co-operation in the face of perceived incursions by western nations and groups. As such, the Saltstil Pact primarily serves as a bastion of eastern nationalism and regionalism, and as an expression of anti-western sentiment. The organisation is explicitly non-political, with integration and co-operation limited to economic and military affairs. As such, the Saltstil Pact cannot make binding laws, but rather has the power to enforce regional agreements agreed on by the pact's member states.

The pact is composed of three constituent organisations: the Eastern Energy Partnership, the Eastern Benevolent Fund, the Oriental Trade Alliance, and the Saltstil Defence Pact. Each organisation is governed by its own rules and procedures, and is headed by an Under Secretary appointed by the Secretary-General of the Saltstil Pact. The first and second of these organisations are explicitly economic, encouraging co-operation and economic integration, whilst the second provides for common defence against external threats, as well as the co-ordination of member states' military forces. The Secretary-General of the organisation is the representative of the pact, elected by member state representatives to serve a four year term. As Vultesia serves as Lead Nation of the organisation, convention dictates that a Vultesian serves as Secretary-General.

Organisation

The General Council of the Saltstil Pact is at the apex of the organisations, and consists of the Secretary-General, the Under-Secretaries, and the State Representatives of the member states. The General Council meets a minimum of three times per year, where agendas are set and agreed upon. However, meetings of the General Council generally take place more than this allotted minimum, often being called by member states to discuss an issue of importance.

Within the General Council are specialised working groups acting under the authority of an Under-Secretary and composed of relevant ministers from the member states. These are the Trade and Commerce Council, the Funding Council, the Energy Council, and the Defence Council. These councils address issues and formulate policies relating to the Oriental Trade Alliance, the Eastern Benevolent Fund, the Eastern Energy Partnership, and the Saltstil Defence Pact respectively.

Projects

Oriental Trade Alliance

The Oriental Trade Alliance is the principal institution of the Saltstil Pact, providing for near-complete tariff-free trade in goods between the seven participating member states. The alliance encompasses a number of common rules and policies that reduce obstacles to trade. These include common standards regime and quality assurance processes that provide for imports without customs checks, whilst traders can self-certify compliance with agreed rules of origin.

Around 94% of tariffs have been removed through the implementation of the alliance's provisions.

Organs

The treaty establishing the alliance established a number of organs to oversee the governance of the organisation and the implementation of the establishing treaty:

• Oriental Trade Commission: composed of the heads of state and/or government of the member states. It is the supreme governing body of the Oriental Trade Alliance which initiates policies relating to inter-alliance trade and oversees their implementation. The Oriental Trade Commissioner is the head of the commission, elected by member states for an agreed term of office, and represents the organisation externally. The Commission meets a minimum of once a year, rotating between the member states.
• Council of Ministers: composed of finance and trade ministers from member states, this is a technical body that agrees on policy to be put to the Commission. The Council of Ministers is the principle mode of dialogue between member states, meeting regularly to discuss, review, and debate trade policies. The Chairman of the Council of Ministers is elected from amongst its members for a two year term.
• Court of Arbitration: consisting of one judge from each member state, the Court of Arbitration judges on disputes between member states relating to trade, and oversees the implementation of trade agreements at a national and multi-national level. Disputes between member states are heard at the court, whose decisions cannot be appealed.

Eastern Energy Partnership

The Eastern Energy Partnership provides for a reduction in tarrifs and the implementation of preferential treatment to the energy entities and organisations of other member states. It implements common policies and rules aimed at preserving the natural environmnt of the Pact, including a mandatory budget of 0.8% or more of a member states' GDP to be put to preserving and protecting the environment. This fund is pooled and distributed by the Partnership, organised through the organisations' administrative bodies at a supranational level.

The Eastern Energy Group is the principal forum for discussions between the energy entities and corporations of the partnership's member states, and to promote the enhancement, investment, and development of energy reserves and energy cooperation in the east. Beyond the Eastern Energy Group, the Policy and Resources Committee is the main political body of the partnership, which consists of ministers and civil servants who oversee the implementation of the partnership's rules and arrangements.

Saltstil Defence Pact

Members of the Pact pledge not to enter into any act of aggression or other form of violence or threatening action towards another member state, with a 'minimal state of Neutrality by all parties' expected in the event that a member enters into conflict with a non-member state. Moreover, member states pool certain defence prerogatives to a Board of Command and a defence committee, which oversees the implementation of defence treaty provisions.

Members also agree to come to the aid of any member in the defence of their territorial and political integrity upon their request, operating a system of collective defence where an attack upon one member states is considered an attack upon all members. To provide for mutual defene, a minimum budget of 1.5% of nominal GDP is required to be dedicated to military spending

Vultesia, the Lead Nation of the pact, stations military personnel in each of the member states.

Eastern Benevolent Fund

TBD

Principles of the Saltstil System

The Saltstil System relates to the principles underpinning the Saltstil Pact and the relations between its member states. Rather than being an enforceable set of rules, the Saltstil System is a series of values that guide policy-making. Six principles, in particular, underpin the Saltstil System:

1. Non-intervention. Members of the Saltstil Pact agree not to intervene in the internal affairs of another state. This means that members do not, as a rule, provide any oversight or monitoring of elections, the rule of law, or other domestic matters. The role of the pact in this regard is limited to enforcing agreements made through the pact that member states are obliged to follow.
2. Solidarity. The Saltstil Pact affirms its primary objective is protecting and promoting eastern interests, and as such emphasises solidarity and co-operation amongst its members and the wider eastern regions.
3. Intergovernmentalism. Activities at a pact level are conducted through member states rather than through the pact's organs. The Saltstil Pact itself does not have the authority to initiate policies or agreements on its own initiative, but rather operates through its member states.
4. Transparency. The organs of the Saltstil Pact are obligated to record and publish minutes from general meetings, and to make public all funding sources and where funding is directed. Specialised meetings on sensitive subjects (such as defence matters) are, however, kept away from public scrutiny.
5. Unanimity. Most agreements are made through the process of unanimity, requiring all members to agree to a proposal for its provisions to be implemented. Only certain specified areas do not operate under this provision.
6. Peace. The Saltstil Pact declares that it promotes peace and international cooperation, with any belligerent actions being made only in response to, rather than to preempt, aggression. The Saltstil Defence Pact is a fundamental part of this pillar.

Membership

Currently the Saltstil Pact has 8 full members. In order to be a full member, a state must become an Associate Member and a candidate for full membership. Approval must be unanimous for full membership amongst the existing members.

Saltstil Pact members

Status	Name	Join date	State Representative	Notes
Full member	Freice Freice	23 June 2021	Keɱue̩ Isbikɨ	Subject of Riamo, operating as an independent member.
	Gavrilia	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Gran Rugido	October 17, 2007	TBD	TBD
	Hoterallia	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Layfet, Vultesia	TBD	TBD	A special administrative district of Vultesia, operating as an independent member.
	Riamo	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Vultesia	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Wellsenfaile	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Xzavaria	TBD	TBD	TBD
	Scryeland	TBD	TBD	TBD
Associate	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD

See also

• TBD

External links

• Official website