Repeal the European Space Exploration Act 2020
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Councillor Mizrachi-Roscoe, there is a problem with the European Space Administration: what you are telling us here that the European Space Administration allegedly wants to do is illegal. That is why former Internal Affairs Commissioner Kalessed stopped those projects. Maybe we have, yet again, another irresponsible director of the agency that needs to be dismissed.
Speaker Tilkannas, I believe that there is no room for reform when we have a dead institution that takes money from the budget. One of the obligations of the European Space Administration is described in Article 2, and I quote: "Whereas, the ESA shall provide a biannual report on its activities to the European Council, and a yearly budgetary request". It is August 2022, we do not have that report and nor in 2021 and still not in 2022, the European Space Administration has requested a budgetary allocation.
The Euroean Union has waited two years to see something from the ESA. It has seen nothing, and therefore, it is time to repeal it.
Donald Tusk
Councillor for Spain -
Lutz Hertzfeld enters chamber: "I would like to talk to all here of the issues we are facing at the ESA. I and my team have previously suggested expanding activity specificially launching a project to comission and run a European GPS style system with contacts being given to national agencies and private space providers as well as set up a Space Station for Europe and potentially have weather and climate data sattelites to aid in climate data collection. If you think its been useless its because we have been held back , we asked the previous comissioner and were told it wasn't the role of the ESA. I agree with Tusk and others here in that I want it to expand its projects if the previous comissioner was correct in telling me it was illegal to do commissioning of projects using multiple national and private agencies and companies in space travel then fix that by changing the law rather than just repealing if he was wrong give me the budget and approval for these three projects which we know is there and available with the large surpluse's that are only growing so far and let me unleash the power of the ESA. I very much hope you can fix this issue and work with me to make it useful. Thank you and if you have any questions for me just ask."
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I would just reform it and get active directors.
Snoop Dogg
Councillor for Commonwealth of California -
There is simply no denying that the ESA has been an extremely wasteful vacuum of resources. So far, I find it very difficult to justify the billions of Euros which have been spent on the organisation. What's the return on investment so far? If there's even has been any return on investment at all, I'd like to hear a justification of the spending to the hundreds of millions of working class people across Europe, and let them know how they've benefited from having billions spent on this agency and how it's worked to liberate them from the shackles of oppression. Please, someone enlighten me on this.
Likewise, those championing reform should actually please use this time to put their ideas forward. Chatter of reforming the ESA has been present since the very foundation of the organisation, yet we've never had any actual reform proposed. For how long must we continue to enable this wasteful project? Is anyone actually going to have any courage to stand up for working class people and do something about this?
The only reform of the ESA I would support would be if it actually worked as a proper European-wide space agency that made genuine and impactful progress in scientific discovery and advancement and that disseminated its findings and knowledge to all EU member states. However, that is very far from what it is now. Currently, it's a weak ragtag team of very few national agencies, and rather disappointingly, also private for-profit agencies which European workers are subsidizing for whatever reason. Please don't even get me started on how the organisation was essentially captured by the interest of a billionaire capitalist who then attempted to use it for his own personal gain on the backs of the European people. The proletariat will remember Elon Musk and his corruption when the Worker's Revolution inevitably happens, I can promise you that much.
However, I know that a much more cooperative and legitimate space agency is off the table, since most member states who have their own spaces agencies will likely want to keep theirs entirely independent. I mean, that's what we are seeing now. I don't think we'll ever get most national space agencies on board, mostly for national security reasons - which are completely legitimate reasons - along with other reasons, of which the National Sovereignty Police will surely let us know. Thus, I am not sure if if there is a viable and agreeable path for reform that even exists.
I am also skeptical of all this talk of throwing even more money into the fire and supporting X, Y and Z new projects for the ESA until it's completely reformed. It makes no sense to have workers across all of Europe supporting an organisation that simply isn't working for them.
I believe that the ESA need to either be completely defunded until it's reformed, or dismantled entirely. Unfortunately, I just can't see much more of a path for the former, so I shall support the latter in the mean time.
Bp. Karinn Lallana
Councillor for Inquista -
I support this repeal motion. Agreeing with my colleague, Councillor Lallana here, this agency is nothing but a waste of taxpayer money, and it either needs serious reform or complete disbandment. I genuinely do not see why Elthic taxes go into this institution in the first place when Elthize today has nothing to do with it. We do not have a space program yet, and even if we did, we'd rather do it independently, or interdependently, with our allies.
Off-topic, but I believe that member states should have the option to opt out of legislation like this. The majority of laws offered on the council are acceptable; what makes them troublesome is that once passed, they must be accepted by every member state. We need more political freedom.
Liam Zachary, Councillor for Elthize
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To all those who wish to just throw the baby out with the bathwater abolishing it I ask why? Yes there are flaws and yes there are issues that it really needs to be an all out space agency and be able to embrace that role but you do not achieve that or make the EU more useful by basically defunding it so it can't pursue those projects like the ones Mr Hertzfeld has highlighted above and providing the support and the reform needed. He has asked for support in reforming the act to widen the scope of the agency and even if one nation doesn't have a space agency they can benefit if this happens from things like better GPS , better understanding of weather and climate patterns for helping plan their future and many scientific breakthroughs ,.
Space is one area that benefits all nations and humankind as a result of its activities but at the moment we have too many duplicated projects from many different space agencies , lack of co-ordination and many other inefficiencies we should reform the act to remove all limitations except reporting on results to the EU and requiring an open and transparent tendering process for contracts. I have faith if we vote for reform rather than abolishment and de-restricting the agency we will see its benefits very quickly indeed and there is the budget for what Mr Lutzfield has asked for, I for one am very excited by his vision for ESA comissioned and run projects which could even result in money coming into the agency from commercial activity.In fact the only possible reason it could be prevented by doing so is if nations are doom mongers and believe international co-operation isn't possible which clearly isn't the case. If you vote down this act you will in fact make the EU weaker and more irrelevent as an institution as what will take its place , an agency made by some of the space faring countries but outside of the EU. Is that what you want or do you want the EU to be the primary means of working together on big picture issues internationally?
And to those who say there should be opt outs yet their countries reguarly vote against candidates who suggested the idea of only funding the agencies their countries benefit from and having some seperately funded from EU budget for this reason perhaps you should reflect on how your votes reguarly prevent this from occurring. Whenever its suggested you all band together and say those candidates want to make the EU weaker by doing so and handing over more control to the state. You can't have it both ways so either vote for euro-federalism one size fits all and embrace it or vote for candidates that give you more control. Don't vote one way then complain in this chamber when its all over the roosters have come home to roost. If you vote for the those type of candidates this is what you will get and if you hinder those who seek some reform of the EU this is what you will get
James Mizrachi-Roscoe, Councillor for United Duchies
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Final voting begins now and will continue until 23:59 GMT on 12 November 2022. My greatest apologies for the delay.
Iras Tilkanas
Council Speaker and Councillor for the Republic of Istkalen -
On behalf of United Duchies I vote AGAINST this repeal
James Mizrachi-Roscoe, Councillor for United Duchies -
On behalf of the Kingdom of Spain, I vote FOR this repeal.
Donald Tusk
Councillor for Spain -
The State of Elthize votes FOR the repeal.
Liam Zachary, Councillor for The State of Elthize
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The Federal Republic of Yosai is AGAINST the repeal
Izumi Miwako
Councillor of Yosai -
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland votes AGAINST this act.
Councillor Lyn Brown
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On behalf of the Union of Duxburian Dominions, I vote FOR the appeal.
Wesley Greene
Councillor-General of the Duxburian Union -
The Kingdom of Reitzmag's Assembly for the European Council has decided through a vote with the presence of all members as follows:
Question: Repeal the European Space Exploration Act of 2020?
Ayes - 0
Noes - 8
Abtentions - 3The Noes have it. The Noes have it.
Therefore, the Kingdom of Reitzmag votes AGAINST this repeal
Dame Yuridiana Yahontov GCC
Councilor, Kingdom of Reitzmag -
The Republic of Brickston, after a vote in the executive cabinet of the Supreme Authority, votes AGAINST the appeal.
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On behalf of the Most Blessed State of Inquista, I vote FOR this reppeal.
Bp. Karinn Lallana
Councillor for Inquista -
Voting has ended. With 5 votes against and 4 for, this repeal has FAILED.
Iras Tilkanas
Council Speaker and Councillor for the Republic of Istkalen
The Kingdom of Spain
