Rule on Legislation Authorship
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As the Speaker of the European Council, I am tasked with maintaining records within the Acquis Communautaire. As such, there are some bookkeeping rules which I maintain.
After a recent conversation with a councillor, who may or may not have basically authored the entire European Space Exploration Act by completely altering it during the amendment phase, it has become evident that they - rather unfairly - did not receive any recognition as an author of the act, as they did not initially propose it. Instead, a councillor who proposed the act, but wrote none it, is listed as the sole author.
Moving forward, any time a councillor contributes to at least 50% of the overall piece of legislation by adding or altering it through amendments, then they shall also be listed as an additional author. To clarify, they must have made new contributions or alterations, so not counting deletions, which change at least 50% of the content of the act.
The councillor which proposed the act will always be listed as the primary author, as it was their idea and their original work, so they will not lose their place as such. However, this shall allow for those who wrote at least 50% of it to gain recognition for their work.
If a councillor changes at least 50% of a piece of legislation but doesn't want to be listed as an author (because they might not want to be associated with it, for instance), then they can let me know and I shall not include their name.
This will be the rule moving forward and will not be enforced retroactively.
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista -
After receiving some feedback, I want to make an addition to the rule that I set out above. I will also be taking into account the impact of the passed amendments, and how they ultimately change or alter the premise, purpose or goal of the legislation. Councillors who make substantial amendments to legislation will also have to have made a very consequential and evident impact on the overall meaning of the legislation in order to be listed as an author.
Edward Firoux
Council Speaker and Councillor for Inquista
