[Discussion] A Red-Green Vision for Europe
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[REVISED - proposals by Kalessed, Cllr. Kohout added]
Most of my predecessors have presented plans for a green transition in Europe. I intend to follow in their tradition.
We are faced with danger. The extraction of coal, natural gas, and oil continues at a rapid rate, as polluting industry expands. At the same time, few member-states of the EU have adopted measures strong enough to make any real impact on climate change and the loss of biodiversity. The EU itself continues to be led by...an esteemed collegaue of mine, a conservative, pro-austerity force whose proposals are likely only to worsen the coming crisis.
There is a need for human and cooperative proposals to combat this issue; radical proposals which will strongly incentivize green and equitable production and development while putting to an end destructive fossil-industry.
My vision for the future is red-green; it is radical, red, seeking to foster equal trade relations between nations and encourage industrial democracy; and green, seeking to stimulate green industry and development while disincentivizing the most polluting economic sectors. It is as follows.
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The European Central Bank will issue a 'carbon unit' to companies and organizations which work to mitigate climate change, at a rate of 1 unit per 1000 kg of CO2e (estimated) mitigated over a period of 100 years. Carbon units will be traded on in an open market. Individual central banks will expand their bank reserves at rates agreed upon mutually between them and the European Central Bank, to limit inflation and to ensure that it is equal across all nations, in order to purchase carbon units so as to regulate the market price of the carbon unit and therefore to change the demand for it. This will create a market incentive to turn towards more green technology.
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The European Central Bank, in the case of the imposition of currency controls by a given nation, will continue to purchase bonds issued by said nation at regular or elevated rates, except if other extenuating circumstances prevail
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The ECB will have a mandate to ensure price stability, employment, and the protection of the environment. Its "tools" to do so will primarily be the ability to trade in bonds and other securities.
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A Green Development and Work Agency will be created. The GDWA will establish and fund cooperative associations/federations of workers in European states, which will serve to promote, but not exclusively:
- the development of alternative, emission-free forms of industrial production
- the development of decentralized industrial production
- the development of recycling capabilities
- the development of urban and regenerative agriculture
in addition to other forms of green production, with an aim of constructing a democratic, sustainable, and circular economy.
GDWA cooperatives will promote employment, in the face of unemployment caused by the gradual discontinuing of polluting industry, a more democratic and equitable economy, while themselves continuing to further the green transition.
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The GDWA will concentrate its efforts in nations with high deficits or nations reliant on the export of carbon-intensive goods, further ensuring equitability and employment.
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In exchange for initial funding, the GDWA will be entitled to a certain share of profits from the cooperatives it establishes, which will vary from year to year and from nation-to-nation but will in no case exceed 3% after corporate taxation. This ensures its continued functioning by securing it a secondary source of funding.
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Where the GDWA has a mandate to establish associations in a sector legally under state control, it then is to give funding to the state-owned enterprises operating in that sector, on the condition that more democratic forms of management and some degree of profit sharing are ensured.
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In its mandate for diversification, the GDWA will work with national governments as an advisory body assisting with the determination of sectors in which the nation in question may or does have a comparative advantage, to which investment and development will be targeted
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner -
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While for European cooperation I don't think it is appropiate for the EU to tell nation s of Europe what currency they can trade in or not especially forcing nations to add an inneficient step of converting currencies into Euros which then the other nation has to convert back to home currency assuming the plan is not to force the Euro on every nation in Europe . Also regulating trade and who can trade what is dangerous for the economy, this could actually encourage nations to leave the EU at which point they are not under any regulations at all so could actually be worse for the environment as a result. Finally whether nations have a trade defecit or surplus of a significant amount is none of the EU's business either in government finance or in trade balances. In fact there is nothing wrong with a surplus or defecit in goods as this may be an indication of a country that trades in service industries like tourism or banking and no nation should be penalisd just because the EU doesn't like its balance sheet or industry profile.
There is also the issue of the what is a "high carbon product" and that the EU should have no role in price stability or how much money is allowed to transfer out or in of the nations, that should be solely up to the sovereign nations involved. This proposal is a big mistake and can only cause tension and instability due to its threat of over reach in the EU , power should be in the hands of the European nations not the EU itself especially that of the power over the economies. In fact this risks EU and internationalist imperialism by telling nations how to run their economies.
James Mizrachi-Roscoe, Councillor for United Duchies
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The question of surpluses and deficits has everything to do with Europe. Abnormalities in both can be signs of neo-imperialist relations; they also may contribute to financial instability. I would also like to remark that my proposal would determine abnormalities in relation to the existing industrial base and share of trade; the effects of tourism-based economies and banking would therefore be taken into effect.
Nothing, however, is necessarily fixed. An alternate form of this proposal would retain the Euro only as a unit of account; the purpose of requiring the Euro for international trade was to permit the ECB greater control over European monetary policy to foster stability, but this is not a real imperative in this case. I am also open to an abandonment of the penalization concept, with only investments through the GDWA being affected by the balance of trade. What I am less wiling to abandon would be the fees charged for high-frequency transfers. Capital flight is a danger, and national economies must be given the time needed to react to the crises which cause it.
Any tax on international trade of carbon-intensive goods would be reckoned and levied very simply. A tax will simply be placed on trade of goods proportionately to the amount of CO2e released by the creation of the goods, as well as the other factors I previously mentioned.
The belief that the ECB should have no role in promoting price stability or employment is nonsensical. Runaway inflation or severe unemployment in one nation, in a globalized economy, will have negative effects on all. It should therefore be the responsibility of the ECB to intervene, although most likely through measures like the purchase of bonds and other securities, to prevent such scenarios by working for stability.
Ilmara Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner -
California encourages this policy program. We adamently promote this proposal.
Andrew Charlton
Councillor of the Parliamentary Republic of California -
Not a chance! Mr Kalessed, I think you should take your so-called proposals to the streets of Prague because that's the only place where you'll be taken seriously with this communist clownery. Elthize will take no part in a scheme that destroys its natural gas and mining industry and severely limits banking and trading by essentially putting it at a chokepoint in the name of "equal trade". That's one way to ensure my nation will not vote for you- a candidate that essentially wants a poorer Elthize and a poorer EU.
Liam Zachary, Councillor for Elthize
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The basis of my proposal, Cllr. Zachary, is not based in communism but rather very sound economics.
A nation with an excessive deficit is at risk of a balance-of-payments crisis; in our globalized economy, such a crisis in one nation will have consequences for all others. The world economy is furthermore zero-sum in nature; surpluses in one nation require deficits in others. If the European Union wants to avert financial crisis, it therefore must take action to ensure more equal trade.
I will also note that natural resources are not infinite in nature. An economy dependent on mineral extraction is inherently unstable; the European Union should therefore promote diversification, which is exactly what this proposal intends to do.
In response to the criticism regarding the nature of the ECB, I have prepared a revision of points 1 and 2, which is as follows:
"International payments will be cleared through a new European Clearing Union, with the Euro serving solely as a unit of account. Credit or deficit in national accounts will be monitored by the Clearing Union for the use of other institutions."
The ECB's role will therefore be limited solely to the purchase of bonds and other securities in order to maintain Europe-wide monetary stability.
Point 7 will further be revised as follows:
"The GDWA will concentrate its efforts in nations with deficits or nations which are significant exporters of carbon-intensive goods, contributing to diversification, equitability, and employment."
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner -
Dear Commissioner, I salute your ambition to step up the fight against the commercial exploitation of the environment. As you, and perhaps everyone knows, Nofoaga is at the forefront of nature conservation and the protection of fauna, flora and citizens from the aggressive pollution that results from this exploitation.
But, ladies and gentlemen, these proposals by the Commissioner, however ambitious they may be, are unheard of. What you are doing here, Commissioner, is imposing a national ideology on independent states through legislation. As Mr Mizrachi-Roscoe has already said, and I fully support him in this: it is not up to you to decide in which currency payment is to be made.
Take your unadulterated communist ideas out of your proposal and then we will talk further. Thank you.
Mrs. Paul-Gabrielle Muzhare
EU-Councillor for the Republic of Nofoaga -
Quite frankly the EU should not be regulating deficits or surpluses unless part they are part of a currency union. Who is to say what is excessive it all depends on how long too or in what areas the couuntry has trade deficits or surpluses and for how long. A country may have a surplus for a long time in goods but not in services like in Duchies where we have alot of foreign contractors in the country likewise a nation in a trade deficit may have alot of service exports. Does your balance of trade proposals account for this.
I also challenge the notion trade is zero sum it is not it brings in necessary goods where countries cannot make them for example we cannot make tablets and low end electronics and low value goods as effectively. We could make them sure but they would cost 3-4 times as much even if manufactaured in a fair trade way in other countries likewise we are more efficient at cars and capital intensive goods , those types of goods a small nation may not have the market for a local manufactaurer whereas nations like DU , Inquista and UD do so with trade we can all specialise in goods that the environment and economic size of our country makes us good at. The idea countries can be self sufficient is a pie in the sky fantasy sure its possib.e if we make goods cost 4 times as much or more due to inefficiencies. Quite frankly maybe you need to study business and economics properly before coming up with such insane policies or consult real economists and not loony far lefties on economics matters.
Your policy makes no mention of high frequency transfers merely transfers which could happen for many reasons for example would Roscoes be considered bad for importing alot of bananas even if its uneconomic and not green to make them in Duchies and likewise would exporting potatoes in quantity be bad in your eyes even if it makes cheaper wholesome veg available for both consumers in both countries. I would also ask how this policy would affect countries like Inquista who don't have low value land for factories for low end goods and don't have land to grow food so depend on massive food imports and imports of basic goods to function. This proposal takes no account of the different roles of economies in the global economy and instead seeks some sort of wishful thinking autarky that would only impoverish everyone in Europe."
James Mizrachi-Roscoe , Councillor for United Duchies
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There is no communism to be found in this proposal. If it were truly a communist proposal it would not encourage the trading of securities on the part of the European Central Bank. What is most objectionable would be the system of employment guarantees established by the GDWA; the choice was made primarily to promote stability and higher wages, both of which have positive effects on economic stability and growth.
With the revisions I proposed a few moments ago, it is not even a particularly radical proposal. It establishes an institution which ensures that international payments are cleared - that transactions are fully made - and then monitors the surpluses and deficits by means of a unit of account - the Euro. I have already stated that I did not see it as imperative to penalize either surpluses or deficits, and have mere minutes ago made revisions to the proposal which do not cause direct penalization for either.
Determination of what exactly constitutes excessive surplus and deficits, as I have stated ad absurdium, will be dependent on "the existing industrial base, existing human resources, and existing natural resources;" to this we may also add 'current share of world trade,' although I saw this as unnecessary as the other factors heavily imply it anyways.
To give clarity to the way in which the GDWA will function exactly, I will further propose a tenth point:
"In its mandate for diversification, the GDWA will work with national governments to determine sectors in which the nation in question may or does have a comparative advantage, to which investment and development will be targeted."
I continue to hold that it is necessary to prevent capital flight. There is not an economist in the world who will disagree with me on this. The proposal states that only high frequency transfers will be penalized.
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner -
I quite frankly do not trust the EU or any international beaurocrat to decide what a "High" frequency transfers are and interfere in business in such a way or decide what an acceptable amount of capital movement is. As someone from a business background in Roscoes every day we send capital into Euro accounts in other countries to then centrally process Euro payments to the Euro nations for imports to simplify matters. Like wise we send high frequency payments out through third nations that specialise in them for similar reasons. Would this count as too "High". Investment firms will often send money in and out frequently to banking centres like Inquista and DU from Duchies will this be too "High" frequency. I don't trust a distant agency with no idea of local economic conditions run by EU beaurocrats to decide on issues like this or support extra red tape on international fund transfers or giving authority to the EU over such transactions as you propose. "
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With all due respect, you misunderstand me. The prohibition is related to capital flight. The implication is that if an amount of net capital exceeding a certain percentage of GDP flows out of a country within a certain period of time - and I do not feel it is for me to place an exact definition for this - the European Union should intervene to slow the flight of capital.
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner -
I do not believe that is the EU's Domain respectively. A nation will know how to stop its capital outflows better and have understanding of it better. It is up to the nation to solve such a problem. It is not the EU's job to over regulate and control the market frankly. I would also ask what is a certain amount of time we talking in a year, months , hours , minutes or seconds.
Roscoes as an example regularly puts money into short term investments in Inquista so might have 10's of billions in capital flow out of a nation in a period of hours after all expenses are paid for the month but then may have 10's of billions go out of Inquista to pay wages , this may be money put into funds to put into very short term loans for example or just put into savings accounts. Would that count as a certain amount of time. I certainly do not see value in trades where shares are bought and sold in mere seconds but there is value in holding assets for a month or so and getting payment back in afterwards. This is why its best left to nations in my oppinion as this could affect many businesses including state owned ones."
James Mizrachi-Roscoe, Councillor for United Duchies
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The fixation on specific times is bizarre. In discussion of crises, it is probably better to avoid specific definitions.
Given the criticism, however, I will propose the following, in place of the disputed point 3:
"The European Central Bank, in the case of the imposition of currency controls by a given nation, will continue to purchase bonds issued by said nation at regular or elevated rates, except if other extenuating circumstances prevail."
I would also like to very generally discuss the possibility of implementing a general tax on currency exchange that would be in effect only during speculative attacks.
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs COmmissioner -
I would suggest the best approach is a tax on short term transactions so maybe a tax on short term trades if a share position is sold within 1 day of purchase for example to encourage stability in markets if that is your intended effect. That way funds transferred to savings accounts for a month and then returned are not taxed where as highly short term investing is. On capital outflows I'd suggest leaving the power to the council so at least a democratic leader is voting on it or having the nations be required to request help for an intervention unless they are defaulting on EU load payments.I believe it should be up to the nations democratically elected government to request the help from ECB and then get a short term stabilisation package and negotiate a long term package once that is in effect."
James Mizrachi-Roscoe , Councillor for United Duchies
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First I would like to say that I welcome the proposal of the Internal Affairs Commissioner directed at solving such an important issue. Second I would like to point out that I agree with concerns of some of my colleagues over state sovereignty, in this manner I propose the following Amendment:
- In its mandate for diversification, the GDWA will work as an advisory body assisting the national governments with the determination of sectors in which the nation in question may or does have a comparative advantage, to which investment and development will be targeted
Lasty I would like to ask the Council Speaker to demand an apology form the honorable Councillor of the State of Elthize Zachary for his words about the capital of the Democratic Republic with the connections to, and I quote, "clownery". Thank you.
Václav Kohout
Councillor for Czech Slavia -
I am in agreement with the proposal of Cllr. Kohout, in that investment policy should in the end be decided by the nation, although the GDWA must operate in all nations if it is to have any actual effect.
Cllr. Mizrachi-Roscoe, the policy of the ECB in terms of purchasing bonds should indeed be according to the wishes of member-states; it should work, in doing so, to maintain the exchange rates as maintained by national central-banks; but when these exchange rates are threatened by outside speculation, it should intervene independently, through bond and security trade, to maintain the exchange rate in the given nation - and only do so otherwise if the nation's central bank itself makes known that it intends to carry out a significant revaluation of its currency.
The issue with the taxation proposal is that I don't feel it does nearly enough to combat capital flight. Perhaps a tax on the speculative exchange of currency - occuring at rates outside of the normal exchange-rate band - and then the ability of the ECB to impose taxes, not exceeding 1%, on all currency exchange with the authorization of the Council?
Ilmaras Kalessed
Internal Affairs Commissioner
I will simply generally remind Councillors and others to refrain from deriding entire countries or groups of people as clownish in some way. While I believe that Cllr. Zachary's comment was directed at communism rather than Czech Slavia, I see how it can be construed to imply that the city of Prague and its inhabitants have clownish attitudes.
Iras Tilkanas
Council Speaker and Councillor for the Republic of Istkalen -
We would definitely agree with the possibility of a tax with a vote on the council. The only thing the United Duchies wants is any measure to be in line with nations wishes and the power to lie with the democratically elected either directly or indirectly representatives in the EU. At least having a council vote would give the peoples voice say too. I get capital flight is a concern but the issue I have there is ultimately its up to a government to combat it though if they want help with the issue then there should also be help available. We already have laws on the books in Duchies that can limit capital outflow in an emergency by limiting withdrawals or transfers from Duchies bank accounts within a certain period though we are reticent to use them in general to avoid manipulating the market.
James Mizrachi-Roscoe Councillor for United Duchies
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The Duxburian financial system is completely and irreconcilably incompatible with this level of centralized command and control. The Duxburian government cannot prevent its individuals and entities from trading with whomever they please, wherever they please, whenever they please, and in whatever unit of account they desire. It is simply a technological impossibility in a world with RippleNet, cross-chain bridges, unhosted wallets, and crypto in general. Duxburians enjoy a level of monetary freedom riding on cutting-edge technology that is probably unfathomable in other countries. As mentioned in the past, any Duxburian could up and decide to transfer K:1 billion in or out of the country across RippleNet, broadcasting from a private node on a "Web3" network with a 2-10 second clearing time and no entity on earth could censor or prevent the transaction. We live in a world where different types of money are globally fungible in real-time, 24 hours a day / 365 days a year, and can be coin-joined in cross-chain mixers thoroughly enough that identification of owners is not even physically possible. The era when a national government, central bank, or the EU itself can just top-down dictate how people use their money is ancient history. The capability itself no longer exists in a hyper-modern country. Duxburian Civilization has chosen to embrace this reality rather than engage in a hopeless game of regulatory whack-a-mole for the rest of eternity. These technologies and networks can't be banned, they can't be shut down. There is no stopping the power of decentralization and what amounts to "financial democracy".
The Union of Duxburian Dominions is so confident in our model of finance and respect for peoples' money that we don't attempt to have capital controls. If you want to pull everything out of our country, it's your right to do that, and you may do it at any time. It's your money, not ours. We do actually impose fees on high-frequency transfers, but that is done by node operators to protect networks from dust attacks and DDOS. They decide the fees, the government has no control over that. Some networks choose to have a staking model to allocate system resources, in which case there is no actual fee, but the sender must possess enough staked funds that their transactions get processed. We can't force nodes to implement fees or taxes above and beyond those necessary to operate and protect their networks. Node operators are widely-dispersed throughout the country, they can be anyone and their mother.
Since the Union of Duxburian Dominions cannot possibly hope to comply with this, we'd be forced to exit the European Union.
Additionly, I would like to call out the Speaker of the European Council for hypocrisy and lack of impartiality - you cannot take offense at countries you like being called "clownish" while allowing countries you don't like to be called "barbaric" or "uncivilized" as mine has. You also do not have the right to deprive councillors of our Article II, Section I, Clause III constitutional rights, a second time. "All views can be voiced in the European Council." That means ALL views, including ones you don't agree with or ones that make you uncomfortable. The old Constitution had an even stronger clause in protection of free speech, showing that it's been a core doctrinal priority for the entirety of the EU's existence. If you can't be impartial and can't abide by the European Constitution, you're unfit to continue in the role of Speaker.
Wesley Greene
Councillor of the Duxburian Union -
Cllr Kohout, I would like to clarify that my words were not directed at any country or city specifically, they were directed at Cllr Kalessed and their proposals. I apologize for the misunderstanding. Regardless, I remain opposed to this proposal and assert my beliefs that investors have a right to damage control in case things go badly.
Liam Zachary, Councillor for Elthize
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While the measures serve a purpose that we support and share, our country cannot afford the added tariffs to the oil sector. It would be a shot in the foot to a fundamental pillar of our economy at this time.
Federal Republic of Lusitania and Vettonia
President of the Republic: Elisa Ubrique
Governor General: José Miguel Orato
European Councillor: Luis Castro
