Updated January 19, 2017

2017

DELEGATE HANDBOOK AND

RULES OF PROCEDURE

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2017 DELEGATE HANDBOOK AND RULES OF PROCEDURE

NORTH AMERICAN MODEL NATO CONFERENCE

TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction from the Secretary General 2

Part I: Meetings 3

Part II: Agenda 3

Part III: Representation 4

Part IV: Secretariat 4

Part V: The Chairperson and Other Committee Officers 5

Part VI: Conduct of Business 6

Section 1: Flow of Debate 6

Section 2: Essential Definitions 6

Section 3: Opening the Meeting and Formal Debate 7

Section 4: Procedural Points 8

Section 5: Plenary Session 9

Section 6: Motions Relevant to Debate 9

Section 7: Draft Language 12

Part VII: Voting Procedures 14

Part VIII: Awards and Recognition 15

Part IX: General 17

Annex A: Motions in Order of Precedence A1

Annex B: Flow of Debate Diagram A2

Annex C: Sample Draft Resolution and Amendment A3

Annex D: Writing Guide A5

Annex E: Amendment Forms A7

Annex F: Majority Reference Sheet A8

Annex G: Committee Roster A9

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INTRODUCTION FROM THE SECRETARY GENERAL

Honored Delegates,

My name is Evan Bruning, and I have the honor to serve as your Secretary General for the

first ever North American Model NATO Conference. I am looking forward to the first of what

we hope to make an annual conference, and am looking forward to meeting you all come

March.

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a unique military alliance. Although first imagined

as an alliance to "to keep the Russians out, the Americans in, and the Germans down.” NATO

has expanded dramatically since 1949 both in membership and scope. It is a military alliance

that has utilized political influence and undertaken humanitarian missions. Despite this

however, the main purpose of the alliance is the same as any other: the collective defense of

its members.

The primary goal of each delegation at this model is to represent its country in the most

realistic and effective way possible. You should also be prepared to deal with a crisis that will

test the unity and capabilities of the Alliance. Even though all NATO members have much in

common, their priorities do not always align. It is your responsibility to fight for your

country’s interests, argue your case, and pass language that benefits the nation you are

representing. It is also your responsibility to ensure that by the end of this simulation, you

have done your part to ensure the safety, security, and stability of NATO going into the future.

Many of you at this conference have debated at Model United Nations and Model Arab League

in the past. Simulating NATO shares many similarities with these experiences, but also brings

one major difference: all language passed by the North Atlantic Council MUST pass

unanimously, including a final summit packet that includes language passed by the

subsidiary committees. Keep this in mind as you debate, draft, and vote.

I hope that you find the following handbook useful as you prepare for the fun, exciting, and

challenging experience that we hope NOR-NATO will be.

Have fun and good luck!

Evan Bruning

Secretary General

NOR-NATO 2017

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PART I. MEETINGS

1. Meetings of the North Atlantic Council (NAC) and the subsidiary committees will be

held at a time and place designated by the Secretary General of the conference. They

will all be publicized to all delegates and faculty advisors.

2. Small informational meetings (2-4 delegations) may happen at any time following the

plenary session of each committee.

3. Larger informal meetings, should they take place, must be approved by the Secretary

General or chairperson of the relevant committee. This is to include meetings during

lunch and after committees have suspended for the day.

4. Any informal meeting approved by a chairperson or the Secretary General must be

announced to the entire committee.

5. The final meeting of the NAC will be for the sole purpose of amending and approving

the final summit packet, which will be made up of all resolutions passed by all

committees during the conference. The secretariat will provide this packet to all NAC

delegates via print or email by 8pm on Saturday night. Upon convening the final

meeting of the NAC, debate will automatically be limited to the packet.

PART II. AGENDA

6. The preliminary agenda for regular meetings of the NAC and other committees shall

be communicated to the members prior to the opening of the sessions.

7. The first item of business for a meeting of any committee shall be the adoption and

ordering of a working agenda.

8. Additional items may be placed on the agenda, if a committee so decides, by a two-

thirds majority of the members present and voting.

9. The NAC will be tasked with addressing one or more crisis that will develop over the

course of the conference. The crisis(es) will function as new, unique agenda topics,

that cannot be modified. Before each session of debate, the NAC will be given a crisis

update in the form of news reports. Delegates from other committees are invited and

encouraged to attend these briefings, as the content of the briefings could influence

debate in any committee. Written or electronic copies of each briefing will be made

available to each committee.

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10. The NAC may task another committee to discuss an issue that would assist the work

of the Council. A Motion to Task Another Committee must be accompanied by a

written request, signed by at least ¼ of the members present. This request must

include the committee(s) being tasked a specific topic for them to discuss. The task,

introduced at the discretion of the tasked committee’s chairperson, takes precedence

over anything the committee may be debating when tasked. Anything limited to will

be automatically tabled and the tasked topic will be limited to. The tasked committee

can only close on the new topic and return to their initial topics once they have passed

language to the satisfaction of the committee chairperson. A motion for the NAC to

task another committee must be approved by 2/3rds of the committee and the NAC

chairperson.

PART III. REPRESENTATION

11. Each NATO country delegation shall be represented by no less than six delegates, one

each for the NAC and the five committees. Representation will be accorded to

properly accredited delegations as determined by the Secretary General.

12. The North Atlantic Council will meet at the level of foreign ministers. The Nuclear

Planning Group will meet at the level of defense ministers. The Political Committee,

Partnerships and Cooperative Security Committee, and the Civil Emergency Planning

Committee will meet at the level of permanent representatives. The Military

Committee will be meeting at the level of Chiefs of Defense.

13. Each member nation shall be accorded equal representation on all the committees.

14. In the committees, including the NAC, each nation may have up to two participating

representatives.

PART IV: SECRETARIAT

15. The host school will provide the secretariat, including but not limited to a Secretary

General, Assistant Secretaries General, Undersecretaries General, and committee

chairpersons.

16. Members of the Secretariat shall not count against the representative limit described

in rule 9.

17. The Secretary General will be the final arbiter for any disputes arising as a result of

interpretation of the Rules of Procedure.

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PART V: THE CHAIRPERSON AND OTHER COMMITTEE OFFICERS

18. Each of the Committees will have a Chairperson from the Secretariat who will have

full powers to ensure proper functioning of the Committee.

19. The Chairperson of the North Atlantic Council shall be an Assistant Secretary General

of the North American Model NATO Conference.

20. The Chairperson may preside over all meetings, or may designate another member of

the Secretariat or an officer of the committee to do so.

21. The Chairperson shall have the responsibility of ensuring the smooth operation of the

Committee through interpretation and enforcement of the Rules. In addition to

exercising powers described elsewhere in the Rules, the Chairperson shall declare the

opening and closing of each meeting, direct discussions, accord the right to speak and

announce decisions. The chairperson shall rule on points of order and, subject to

these Rules, shall have complete control of the proceedings at any meeting.

22. If any delegate feels that their chairperson is behaving unfairly, they have the right to

have their head delegate bring this concern to the Secretary General or

Undersecretary General for Programming. If a team does not have a head delegate,

they may bring the concern themselves.

23. Any delegate may make a Motion to Appeal a Decision of the Chairperson if they

believe that the Chairperson has acted with bias or in error. This motion is debatable

by one delegate in favor and one against, after which the motion shall be put to a

vote. The Chairperson’s decision will stand unless overruled by a two-thirds majority

of members present and voting.

24. The Secretary General may, in exceptional circumstances, overrule an appeal or a

decision of a Chairperson.

25. During the Plenary Session of every committee, each will elect from among their

members a Vice Chairperson, a Parliamentarian, and a Rapporteur. For each position

the Chairperson will take nominations, allow each candidate to give a 30 second

speech, and then expel the candidates from the room. The remaining members of the

committee will then vote on each candidate in the order they were nominated by a

simple placard vote.

26. Nominations shall be made on an individual or delegation basis (ie: in a partner

delegation, either 1 person or the entire delegation may be nominated for an officer

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position). If an individual is nominated, his/her partner may not vote for any nominee

for that position.

27. Officers will be voted on in the following order: Vice Chair, Parliamentarian,

Rapporteur.

28. The duties of the Vice Chairperson shall be to Chairperson in the place of the

Chairperson when they must leave the room or perform other duties, to assist the

Chairperson as needed with documents and formatting, and to perform other duties

as the Chairperson sees fit.

29. The duty of the Parliamentarian shall be to serve as a resource for the Chairperson on

issues of parliamentary procedure.

30. The duty of the Rapporteur shall be to maintain a current and accurate speakers list

and to help the Chairperson with other administrative tasks as the Chairperson sees

fit.

31. All officers of a committee, with the exception of the committee Chairperson, shall be

eligible to debate. If the Vice Chairperson is filling the role of the Chairperson, they

may not call upon themselves, but may call upon their own delegation, should they

have a partner.

PART VI: CONDUCT OF BUSINESS

Section 1: Flow of Debate

32. Debate can be divided into three important pieces: plenary session, general debate,

and voting procedures, all of which will be explained in detail further on in this

handbook. Plenary session takes place during the first meeting of the committee and

is when officers are elected and the agenda is set. General debate is what the

committee is in any time after plenary session has ended and voting is not taking

place. Voting procedures are entered into whenever debate closes on a topic and

there is language to be voted on.

Section 2: Essential Definitions

33. Substantive votes are those that actually enact NATO policy. Votes on Draft

Resolutions and Amendments are always substantive. Only member countries may

participate in substantive votes. All other votes of procedural votes. These votes

are those that are made to determine the procedural actions of the committee, like

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limiting debate, suspending the rules, and reconsidering an item. Every country

present can and must participate in all procedural votes. There are no abstentions to

procedural votes. All procedural votes are done by a show of placards.

34. Many motions require 1 or more Seconds. A second is an indication that there is at

least one delegation besides the one that made the motion that is interested in

seeing the motion come before the committee. A delegation that seconds another

delegations motion is not required to vote for the motion in the subsequent

procedural vote.

35. A few motions require 1 or 2 Speakers For and Against. For these motions, the

Chairperson ask for seconds and, if receiving them, ask for any delegates wishing to

speak against the motion. They will then select the applicable number of delegates.

The Chairperson will then ask for any wishing to speak in favor of the motion’s

passage and pick the applicable number of delegates. In no case will more delegates

speak in favor of a motion than speak against it. For example, if 2 delegates are

selected to speak against a motion, up to 2 may speak for it. If only 1 wishes to speak

against, 1 will be selected to speak for. If none wish to speak against a motion, none

will be selected to speak for it. Once speakers have been selected, each will be given

30 seconds to state their position. Speeches will alternate between for and against,

beginning with a speaker for the motion. Note that speeches may only be about

whether or not the motion should pass, not about substantive issues. A speech for or

against a motion may never be used to argue the merits of a Draft Resolution or

Amendment.

36. At NOR-NATO, there are three types of majorities. As mentioned previously, all

substantive decisions of the NAC must be passed unanimously, that is, with no

delegates voting no or no with rights. All other substantive decisions and many

procedural motions require a 2/3rds majority to pass. This means that of all

delegations voting yay or nay on the question, 2/3rds or more of them voted in

favor. All other procedural motions require a simple majority to pass. This means

that more delegations have voted for a motion than against it. A simple majority is

often described as 50%+1.

Section 3: Opening the Meeting and Formal Debate

37. The Chairperson may declare the meeting open if one-third of attending delegations

are present. The presence of a majority is required for a decision to be taken. The

Secretary General will announce the number of attending delegations at the opening

ceremony. At any time during a committee session, any delegate may make a Motion

to Take Roll Call in order to request that the Chairperson confirm the number of

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delegations that are present. This motion must be seconded by multiple delegations

and may be ruled dilatory at the Chairperson’s discretion.

38. Committee Session will begin with a General Speakers List. A speakers list should be

created at the start of plenary session, and at the start of every topic discussed during

general debate.

39. Speaker’s time is set by the Chairperson, but may be amended per request and vote

of the Committee. A Motion to Amend the Speaking Time must be seconded and

pass by a simple majority.

40. If no other motions are made, the Speakers List will be used to organize debate. The

Chairperson will call on delegations in the order they appear on the list. If delegates

do not wish to use all the time allotted, they may yield their time to the Chairperson

which will end their speech, another delegate who may use the remaining time if they

accept the yield, or to points of information. Only time they spend answering

questions will count against the time remaining in their speech.

41. After an initial Speakers List is created, delegates may get their name added to the list

by passing a note to the Chairperson. Delegations may only be on a Speakers List once.

42. Delegates may Motion to Close Speakers List. If a motion to close the speakers list

passes, no new delegations may be added to the list. If the list expires, debate is

automatically closed and voting procedure is entered if any language has been

introduced. A motion to close the speakers list must be seconded and pass by a simple

majority.

43. After a motion to close the speakers list passes, delegates may Motion to Re-Open

the Speakers List. If a motion to re-open the speakers list passes, new delegations

may once again be added to the list. A motion to re-open the speakers list must be

seconded and pass by a simple majority.

44. For details on what majorities are needed for a motion to pass, seconds required, the

number of speakers for and against a motion, and when motions are in order, see

Annex A.

Section 4: Procedural Points

45. During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may rise to a Point of Order, and the

point of order shall be immediately decided by the Chairperson in accordance with

the Rules of Procedure. A Point of Order may relate to the maintenance of order, the

observance of Rules, or the way in which the presiding officers exercise the powers

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conferred upon them. An argument for or against the pending question shall not be

recognized as a valid point of order. A point of order is one of the only circumstances

under which a speaker may be interrupted. The Chairperson may refuse to recognize

points of order if it is his/her judgment that the delegate has not maintained the

restraint and decorum which should govern the use of such a right, or if in his/her

judgment the point is clearly dilatory in nature.

46. A Point of Parliamentary Inquiry is raised to the Chairperson if a delegate wishes

to obtain a clarification of procedure or a statement of the matters before the

body. Delegates may not interrupt a speaker on a Point of Parliamentary Inquiry.

47. A delegate may rise to a Point of Personal Privilege if at any time they cannot see or

hear a speaker or if some other similar obstacle is hindering their participation in the

work of the committee. A point of personal privilege may interrupt a speaker.

48. A delegate requesting clarification or additional information will rise to a Point of

Information. A Point of Information may be used to question a speaker only after

he/she has finished his/her remarks and may not interrupt any speaker. A questioner

will address the Point of Information to the Chairperson of the committee, who will

then ask the speaker if he/she wishes to yield to the question.

Section 5: Plenary session

49. The first action all committees must take is to elect officers as described in Part V of

this handbook.

50. After electing officers, discussion of the agenda begins. At this time a Motion to Add

an Item to the Agenda is in order. Any item that is within the purview of the

committee may be added to a committee’s agenda, with purview being determined

by the Chairperson of the committee. This motion must be passed by a 2/3rds

majority of the committee.

51. Plenary session ends when a Motion to Adopt the Agenda passes by a simple

majority. Once a motion to adopt the agenda has passed, the topics of the agenda may

not be amended.

Section 6: Motions Relevant to Debate

52. As soon as Plenary session concludes, the order of the agenda must be set. A Motion

to Set the Order of the Agenda must include all items on the agenda in the order

that the delegate making the motion wishes to discuss them. Debate may not move

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on to the discussion of any specific topic until a motion to set the order of the agenda

has been passed.

53. During the discussion of a matter, a delegate may make a Motion to Suspend the

Meeting. If passed, the committee moves into what is often called an unmoderated

caucus. During this time, delegates are allowed to move around the room, converse,

and negotiate with each other without any formal rules of limitations. The delegate

making the motion must specify an amount of time for the suspension. The

suspension of a meeting requires a majority of the members present and voting.

54. During debate, a delegate may make a Motion to Suspend the Rules for a variety of

purposes. Any suspension of the rules that occurs during plenary session must be

directly related to agenda setting.

55. The following are a few common options for a suspension of the rules. Most

commonly, a suspension of the rules is used to move into a moderated caucus, in

which the delegate making the motion specifies a topic, speaking time, and total time

for the caucus and the calls on delegates who raise their placards. The delegate that

motioned for the moderated caucus is given the option to be the first or final speaker

of the caucus. A suspension of the rules may also be used to conduct a question and

answer period with a certain delegation or multiple delegations. The delegate making

the motion must specify a length of time for the Q&A. If the motion passes, the

Chairperson will ask delegates wishing to ask a question to raise their placards. Only

time spend answering questions will count against the time of the Q&A. A further use

for a suspension of the rules is a straw poll. This is used to quickly gauge the rooms

support for a question, topic, idea, resolution etc. When making the motion, the

delegate must specify what question they wish to ask the body. Should the motion

pass, the Chairperson then asks the question to the body and offers all delegations the

chance to respond yes, no, or abstain by a simple placard votes. Responses to a straw

poll are non-binding. A fourth common option for a suspension of the rules is for a

popcorn debate. Popcorn debates are most useful to facilitate a dialogue between

delegations. In a popcorn debate, a delegate must specify a topic, a length of time for

the suspension and, if they wish, a speaking time. If the motion passes, the delegate

that motioned for the round robin is allowed to select the first speaker. They may

select themselves or any other delegation in the room. From there, each speaker

selects the delegation to speak after them. A final common option for a suspension of

the rules is for a round robin. A delegate motioning for a round robin must specify a

length of time, a speaking time, and a topic. In a round robin, every country speaks for

the given length of time, starting with the delegate making the motion. From there,

countries speak in clockwise order around the committee room. This is a great way

to start debate on a new topic or crisis.

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56. Delegates may also motion for suspensions of the rules for different purposes, but

they must clearly explain the format of the suspension to the Chairperson.

Chairpersons have complete discretion when deciding to accept or reject a custom

suspension of the rules.

57. Suspensions of the rules and suspensions of the meeting may both be extended up to

two times. Extensions may not be for more time than the original caucus, must have

the exact same speaking time and topic if applicable, and must be accepted by the

Chairperson. Extensions pass by the same rules as the motion they’re attempting to

extend. A motion to extend a previous suspension can only be made immediately

following the caucus or 1st extension and are always voted on immediately after being

moved for.

58. At the end of a scheduled meeting of a committee, a delegate may Motion to Recess

until the next regularly scheduled meeting of the committee. This motion requires a

simple majority to pass.

59. At the conclusion of the final meeting of the committee, a delegate may make a Motion

to Adjourn the Meeting until the following year. At the conclusion of the final

meeting of the NAC, a delegate may move for the Adjournment of the Conference.

This motion is only in order for the North Atlantic Council. Both adjournments require

a two-thirds majority.

60. When in general debate, a delegate may make a Motion to Limit Debate. The

purpose of this motion is to focus the committee’s attention on the topic or individual

Draft Resolution or Amendment. Once this motion has passed, debate is limited to

considering of the specified topic. This includes the introduction and discussion of

relevant Draft Resolutions. A delegate may also limit debate to a Draft Resolution or

Amendment, meaning all discussion must be relevant to the document at hand. Once

limited, debate on a topic or document can be tabled or closed. This motion requires

a second and a simple majority.

61. During the discussion of any matter, a delegate may make a Motion to Table

Debate on the item under discussion. If a topic is tabled, debate is expanded to the

next level higher. You may not table a topic larger than the one you are currently

limited to (ie: if you are limited to a Draft Resolution in topic 1, you may table the

resolution but not topic 1). Debate that is not limited to any topic may not be tabled,

just as a Draft Resolution that has not been limited to may not be tabled. If a Draft

Resolution is tabled, it is not voted on when the topic it was introduced under is

closed. A motion to table debate requires two speakers for and against and a 2/3rds

majority to pass.

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62. If a delegate wishes to return to a topic or Draft Resolution that has been tabled, they

may make a Motion to Reintroduce the specific topic or Draft Resolution. A motion

to reintroduce requires a 2/3rds majority to pass.

63. A delegate may make a Motion to Close debate on the item under discussion if they

no longer wish to discuss it or believe that it is ready to be voted on. Once debate is

closed, debate enters voting procedure and all introduced Draft Resolutions under

that topic will be voted on. You may not close on a topic larger than the one you are

currently limited to (ie: if you are limited to a Draft Resolution in topic 1, you may

close on the resolution but not topic 1). If debate is not limited to any topic, a

successful motion to close debate would automatically adjourn the committee after

all voting has been concluded. Closure of debate requires two speakers for and

against and a 2/3rds majority to pass.

64. When a Draft Resolution has been adopted or rejected, it may not be considered for

the remainder of the conference unless a successful Motion to Reconsider an Item

has been made. This motion must be approved by a two-thirds majority. Permission

to speak on a motion to reconsider an item requires two speakers for and against

prior to voting. This motion is only in order immediately after the end of the voting

procedures in which the substantive vote in question took place.

65. The Chairperson may allow a Right of Reply in the case of personal insult, national

insult, or gross misrepresentation of a delegation’s policy. The offense to which the

delegate is responding must occur within a meeting of the committee. The right of

reply must be motioned for immediately after the offending speech. Whether to

accept the motion and the time granted for a right of reply is at the complete

discretion of the Chairperson, and may not be subject to a motion to appeal the

decision of the Chairperson. There may not be a right of reply in response to another

delegate’s right of reply.

Section 7: Draft Language

66. Delegates should submit completed Draft Resolutions to the Chairperson via email or

flash drive. Chairpersons will then ensure that the document is correctly formatted,

send it to secretariat for approval/printing. Once a Draft Resolution has been printed

and distributed, a Motion to Introduce a Draft Resolution is in order. Upon

receiving a second for the motion, the sponsors of the Draft Resolution will read the

operative clauses of the resolution. In order for a Draft Resolution to be introduced,

it must be have a combination of Sponsors and Signatories equal to at least one-

quarter of the room.

67. Whenever a committee limits to a Draft Resolution, the Chairperson will recognize 3

to 5 minutes of Authors’ Rights. If the Chairperson does not recognize this

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automatically, it is in order for a delegate to motion for rights. During authors’ rights,

the sponsors may speak about their document and then yield any remaining time to

points of information. Following the yield, only time used by the authors to give

answers will count against the time allotted for authors’ rights.

68. After a Draft Resolution has been introduced before the committee, any delegation

may Motion to Introduce an Amendment to the resolution. This motion requires a

second. In order for an Amendment to be introduced, it must be have a combination

of Sponsors and Signatories equal to at least one-eighth of the room.

69. An Amendment is that which adds to, deletes, or alters part of the Draft language.

Amendments must be submitted in writing to the Chairperson during the discussion

of a Draft Language and must receive his/her approval. The Chairperson may, at

his/her discretion, limit the number of Amendments or request delegates to combine

similar Amendments.

70. Amendments shall be numbered in the order in which they are received. Once the

Amendment is introduced, all sponsors of the draft language to which the

Amendment pertains must be asked if the Amendment is Friendly or Unfriendly. If

the Amendment is deemed Friendly by all Sponsors, then it is automatically adopted

into the Draft Language. If the Amendment is deemed Unfriendly by any of the

Sponsors, then it is marked as such and voted upon by the Committee upon closure

of debate. The Committee may limit debate to any unfriendly Amendment. Regardless

of limitation, all unfriendly Amendments must be voted upon by the Committee after

the closure of debate on relevant Draft Language. Upon closing debate on an

unfriendly amendment, no substantive vote is taken.

71. A delegation that contributes substantive language to a Draft Resolution or

Amendment is considered to be a Sponsor of the language. There is no limit as to how

many delegations may sponsor a Draft Resolution or Amendment. A sponsor may

withdraw their sponsorship from a document at any time by simply notifying the

Chairperson. Sponsors of a piece of language may not vote ‘no’ or ‘no with rights’ on

their language unless an unfriendly amendment has been made to it. A document

needs at least one sponsor to remain on the floor of any committee.

72. No delegate may be added as a sponsor of a piece of language after it has been

introduced unless all sponsors have withdrawn their sponsorship and a delegation

would like to take up sponsorship to keep the language on the floor.

73. A delegation that did not contribute to a piece of language but would like to see it

debated can ask to be added as a Signatory by the sponsors. Signatories are not

obligated to support a Draft Resolution in any way, and their reasoning for wanting a

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Draft Resolution to be introduced and debated can be for any reason. Signatories may

not be added after a piece of language has been introduced.

PART VII: VOTING PROCEDURES

74. Each member state shall be accorded one vote in all committees in which they have a

delegation.

75. All decisions of the NAC must be approved unanimously by all members present and

voting, with the exception of procedural decisions as noted in these Rules.

76. All substantive decisions of the committees must be approved by a two-thirds

majority of all members present and voting, but with the realization that unanimous

consent is desirable.

77. Procedural motions shall be voted on in accordance with the relevant parts of the

Rules.

78. Immediately prior to a vote, the Chairperson shall describe to the body the item to be

voted on, and shall explain the consequences of a “yes” or a “no” vote. Voting shall

begin upon the Chairperson’s declaration “we are in voting procedure,” and end

when the results of the vote are announced. Once in voting procedure, no delegate

shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order concerning the actual conduct of

the vote or a point of personal privilege. Following Closure of Debate, and prior to

entering voting procedure, the Chairperson shall pause briefly to allow delegates the

opportunity to make any relevant motions. Relevant motions prior to a vote include

division of the question, vote by unanimous consent, and vote by roll call.

79. Voting shall be carried out by a show of placards if no other relevant motion is made.

In a simple placard vote, delegations may vote yes, no, or abstain.

80. During voting procedures, a delegate may move to Divide the Question, so that parts

of a Draft Language or an unfriendly Amendment can be voted on separately. The

delegate making this motion must specify which pieces are to be voted upon

separately, with each piece being at least 1 full clause. Should the motion to divide the

question pass, the committee then takes substantive votes on the pieces specified by

the delegate making the motion. If a division fails to get the requisite majority, it is

removed from the resolution. After all divisions are voted on, all of those that pass are

voted on as one amendment/resolution. Permission to speak on a motion to divide

the question will be accorded to two speakers for and against the motion. A motion

to divide the question must pass by a simple majority.

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81. A Motion to Adopt by Unanimous Consent is in order during voting procedures.

When this motion is made and seconded, the Chairperson will bang their gavel three

times, saying without objection before each strike. If any delegate has an objection to

the resolution passing, they must audibly say ‘objection’ before the third strike.

Abstaining or having reservations about a Draft Resolution are not reasons for an

objection. If an objection is made, delegates may motion to vote by roll call if they

wish.

82. The final motion in regards to voting methods is to Vote by Roll Call. This motion

requires multiple seconds but is not voted on. If a motion to vote by roll call is made

and seconded, the Chairperson will call upon each delegation in alphabetical order.

Each delegation has the option to vote yes, no, abstain, no with rights, yes with

reservations, or to pass. An abstention means that the delegation does not support

the Resolution or Amendment but does not oppose it. No with rights is used when a

delegation feels that they would normally support the Draft Resolution or

Amendment but must vote no for a very specific reason. Yes with reservations is used

when a delegation supports the Resolution or Amendment but has concerns about

pieces of it. A delegation that passes is returned to at the end of the roll call and must

vote yes, no or abstain. They lose the privilege of rising for rights or raising

reservations. Delegates requesting rights or recording reservations will be given 30

seconds to speak if the Resolution passes.

83. After the Chairperson has announced the beginning of voting, no delegate may

interrupt the vote except on a point of order concerning the voting. Delegates may

not communicate with each other at this time, and the chamber shall be sealed, except

to members of the Secretariat, the Committee, and the faculty advisors. Additionally,

laptops and other electronic devices may not be used following closure of debate.

PART VIII: AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

84. The following awards shall be given at the closing ceremony of the Model NATO:

1. Outstanding Chairperson Award

2. Delegation in Committee Award

3. Overall Delegation Award

4. Outstanding Partner Nation Award*

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85. The Outstanding Chairperson Award shall be given to the top Chairperson, as

determined by a vote of the secretariat, faculty advisors and other supporting faculty

on Saturday or Sunday morning.

86. Prior to the adjournment of each Committee on Saturday, the delegates shall conduct

awards voting. Each delegation votes for three to six delegations, in ranked order,

they believe contributed most to the accomplishments of the committee. The exact

number of delegations to vote for will be determined by Secretariat prior to the

beginning of voting. Chairpersons do not vote.

87. Up to six awards will be given in each committee. The Awards Committee may adjust

the total number of awards or the amount of each type of award in each committee,

based on the outcome of the vote and possibility of ties. Typically, the awards in

committee shall be:

1. Outstanding Delegation in Committee Award (2),

2. Distinguished Delegation in Committee Award (2), and

3. Superior Delegation in Committee Award (2)

88. The Outstanding Partner Nation Award may be given if the secretariat determines

that the award is appropriate for a given conference. The number of awards is based

on the number of partner nations involved in the conference and the final vote tally.

89. The Awards Committee shall tally the votes for Delegation in Committee Awards and,

if appropriate, the Outstanding Partner Nation. The Awards Committee will then tally

the votes for Overall Delegation Awards in the following manner:

1. Each country receiving an Outstanding Delegation in Committee Award will

receive 3 points,

2. Each country receiving a Distinguished Delegation in Committee Award will

receive 2 point, and

3. Each country receiving a Superior Delegation in Committee Award will receive

1 point.

90. The delegation(s) receiving the most points will receive the Overall Outstanding

Delegation Award. The delegation(s) receiving the next most points will receive

the Overall Distinguished Delegation Award. The delegation(s) receiving the next

most points will receive the Overall Superior Delegation Award. Conference

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Secretariat may confer additional or fewer awards in each category according to the

final vote tally.

91. Faculty who incorporate the Model NATO simulation into a credit-bearing course are

discouraged from employing measures such as number of resolutions passed,

speaking time in committees, or awards won at conference for the purpose of course

evaluation as such external pressures can distort the simulation. To maximize the

experience for all participants and make it as realistic as possible, it is recommended

that faculty advisors emphasize pre-conference and/or post-conference evaluation

instruments in their course design.

92. Chairpersons of the Council and the committees do not vote in the awards process,

however Chairpersons will fill out a ballot to help the Awards Committee identify any

inappropriate voting behavior. However, Chairpersons will be responsible for

distributing and collecting student ballots. The Chairperson of the Awards Committee

will ensure the timely distribution of ballots.

93. Students vote as delegations in the Council or in committees, not as individuals.

Delegations are expected to vote objectively for the top six delegations in committee

with no consideration towards state represented, school attended, or other non-

relevant criteria. Ballots that are short votes will not be counted.

94. Student delegations vote for the following awards: Delegation in Committee Award

and, if given, Outstanding Partner Nation Award.

PART IX: GENERAL

95. The official language of the sessions is English.

96. Delegates are expected to dress in western business attire for the duration of the

meetings.

97. Technology is permitted at this conference. Laptops, tablets, and cell phones may all

be used during debate, so long as their volume is turned off and they are not

disruptive to other delegates.

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Annex A: Motions in Order of Precedence

In order during… Procedural Rules

# Rule #(s) Motion Plenary General Voting Seconds For/against Majority

1. 45 Point of Order Yes Yes Yes - - -

2. 47 Point of Personal Privilege Yes Yes Yes - - -

3. 48 Point of Information Yes Yes No - - -

4. 46 Point of Parliamentary Inquiry Yes Yes No - - -

5. 59 Adjourn the meeting/conference No Yes No 1 - 2/3

6. 53, 57 Suspend the meeting Yes Yes No 1 - 1/2

7. 54, 55, 56, 57 Suspend the rules Yes Yes No 1 - 2/3

8. 63 Close debate No Yes No 1 2+/2- 2/3

9. 42 Close the speakers list No Yes No 1 - 1/2

10. 43 Re-open the speakers list No Yes No 1 - 1/2

11. 10 Task another Committee (NAC Only) No Yes No 1 - 2/3

12. 66 Introduce a Draft Resolution No Yes No 1 - -

13. 68 Introduce an Amendment No Yes No 1 - -

14. 64 Reconsider an item No Yes No 1 2+/2- 1/2

15. 23, 65 Appeal a decision of the Chairperson Yes Yes Yes 1 1+/1- 2/3

16. 65 Right of Reply Yes Yes No chair - -

17. 60, 70 Limit debate No Yes No 1 - 1/2

18. 61 Table debate No Yes No 1 2+/2- 2/3

19. 62 Reintroduce a tabled item or topic No Yes No 1 - 2/3

20. 39 Amend the speaking time Yes Yes No 1 - 1/2

21. 37 Take roll call Yes Yes No 2+ - -

22. 50 Add an item to the agenda Yes No No 1 - 2/3

23. 52 Set the order of the agenda Yes No No 1 - 1/2

24. 51 Adopt the agenda Yes No No 1 - 1/2

25. 80 Divide the question No No Yes 1 2+/2- 1/2

26. 82 Vote by roll-call No No Yes 2+ - -

27. 81 Adopt by unanimous consent No No Yes 1 - - 28. 58 Recess Yes Yes No 1 - 1/2

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Annex B: Flow of Debate Diagram

Plenary Session

1. Roll Call

2. Election of Officers

3. Formal Debate and Suspensions

4. Modifying and Adopting the Agenda

General Debate

Not limited to any topic

1. Formal Debate

(new speakers list)

2. Suspensions

3. Limiting Debate

Topic 1

1. Formal Debate

(new speakers list)

2. Suspensions/Debate

3. Resolution Writing

4. Introduction and Amending

of Language

5. Limiting further to sub-topics

and specific resolutions

6. Closure of Debate

Voting Procedure

1. Resolving unfriendly amendments

2. Division of the Question

3. Motions relevant to voting methods

4. Voting on Draft Resolutions

Topic 2

1. Formal Debate

(new speakers list)

2. Suspensions/Debate

3. Resolution Writing

4. Introduction and Amending

of Language

5. Limiting further to sub-topics

and specific resolutions

6. Closure of Debate

Crisis (NAC)

1. Formal Debate

(new speakers list)

2. Suspensions/Debate

3. Tasking

4. Resolution Writing

5. Introduction and Amending

of Language

6. Limiting further to sub-topics

and specific resolutions

7. Closure of Debate

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Annex C: Sample Draft Resolution and Amendment

The following sample Draft Resolution and Amendment should be used as a guide for all

Language submitted at this conference. Pay attention to the operative clauses of the resolution,

as they contain useful information. DRAFT RESOLUTION

Resolution: NAC 1/A

Topic: Formatting of Draft Resolutions at NOR-NATO 2017

Sponsors: Albania, Croatia, Germany, Norway, Romania

Signatories: Canada, Montenegro, Netherlands

Understanding that proper resolution formatting is important,

Recalling that the more a Chairperson needs to format a resolution, the longer it takes to get

introduced,

Looking forward to well-written, well-researched, and well-formatted resolutions at NOR-NATO

2017,

Be it hereby resolved that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization:

1. Declares this format as the one to be used for all Draft Resolutions submitted at the

NOR-NATO Conference;

2. Suggests strongly that all delegates to the conference:

a. Read these rules and learn this format prior to attending the conference, and

b. Do their best to format resolutions properly before submitting them to their

Chairperson;

3. Establishes the following guidelines and rules for Draft Resolutions:

a. Automatic numbering is required for all Draft Resolutions,

b. Any set of sub- or sub-sub clauses must include two or more sub or sub-sub

clauses,

c. Google Docs will not be accepted by the Chairperson, and

d. Microsoft Word compatible files are the only files that Chairpersons will accept;

4. Empowers committee Chairpersons to reject Draft Resolutions that will take unduly long

to format;

5. Acknowledging that Rapporteurs and Vice Chairpersons may be called upon to assist

with formatting or chair the committee while the Chairperson is formatting Draft

Resolutions; and

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6. Creates the following guidelines to be used for all Draft Resolutions:

a. Margins shall be 1 inch on all sides,

b. The font shall be Times New Roman, 12 pt.,

c. The declarative word or phrase at the beginning of a pre-ambulatory clause shall

be in italics and the action word or phrase of operative clauses shall be in bold and

italics,

d. Clause numbers shall be 0.25 inches from the margin and clause text will begin

0.5 inches from the margin,

e. Sub-clause numbers shall .75 inches from the margin and sub-clause text will

begin 1 inch from the margin,

f. Sub-sub clauses shall be 1.25 inches from the margin and sub-sub clause text will

begin 1.5 inches from the margin, and

g. There shall be one empty line between all clauses.

Amendment to Resolution: _NAC 1/A_

Sponsors: Slovakia, Estonia, Greece

Signatories: United States

Adds new clause 5:

Requires that all Amendments include exactly where in the Draft Resolution they are

intended to be inserted and specify any text that is to be deleted.

For Chair Use

Friendly Amendment #

Unfriendly _________________

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Annex D: Writing Guide

Draft Resolutions

A Draft Resolution should be designed to articulate and accomplish the sponsoring countries’ positions and priorities as determined by delegates’ research. Draft Resolutions should be concise and clear. They should be formatted to read as one long sentence (refer to Annex C). Every Draft Resolution must have 2 or more pre-ambulatory clauses and 2 or more operative clauses. Section 1: The Preamble of a Draft Resolution is how sponsors choose to frame the issue. It should describe the problem, recall past events and actions, and explain the who, what, and why of the Draft Resolution. The preamble may not prescribe action and does not bind any nations to a policy or policies. A pre-ambulatory clause always begins with a declarative word or phrase. Finally, unlike operative clauses, pre-ambulatory clauses may not be amended after the Draft Resolution has been introduced. Some sample words/phrases to use in a preamble: Acknowledging Confident Keeping in mind Respecting Alarmed Conscious of Noting Convinced Angered Considering Observing Stressing Recognizing Seeking Prompted by Understanding Aware Disturbed by Realizing Valuing Bearing in mind Recalling Emphasizing Viewing Believing Expressing Appalled Having adopted Concerned Reiterating Troubled Perceiving Overjoyed by Seeing Mindful If using the same declarative word more than once, qualitative words such as “further” or “also” may (but don’t have to) be used. For emphasis, you can add adverbs or phrases. Such as “Deeply disturbed” or “Noting with deep concern.” Remember, pre-ambulatory clauses are never substantive and do not have a serious impact on the work of the committee. As such, they should not take up the bulk of your time. Section 2: “Be it hereby resolved that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization:” appears in bold following the Preamble, signifying that the following clauses are actions that will be taken by the Alliance. Section 3: Operative clauses make up the most significant part of the Draft Resolution. They are action statements expressing how the committee will address the topic at hand. Operative clauses may be modified using amendments during the debate process as described the Handbook. These clauses are the ones that lay out the substantive policy that each committee has discussed and agreed upon. Operative clauses can be significantly more difficult to write than pre-ambulatory clauses. To start, think about your who, what and why – and now try to answer the question of how. Some places to start: 1) Are there policies in your country that have worked that can be applied on a multi-state level? 2) Has NATO ever dealt with this issue in the past? – If so,

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how did they go about finding a solution? 3) Is there a solution to this problem that would benefit my country or promote my country’s policy in other ways? 4) Have other allies, states, or transnational organizations solved or dealt with this problem in the past? These are just a few questions to help you get started. Operative clauses begin with action words or phrases, such as: Accepts Calls for Decreases Expands Opens Requests Addresses Calls upon Deems Expresses Praises Separates Adheres Chooses Defines Gives Proclaims States Advocates Condemns Demands Guarantees Proposes Suggests Affirms Denies Hopes Provides Supports Congratulates Agrees Considers Designates Improves Reaffirms Trusts Approves Constructs Deplores Increases Recognizes Urges Asks Continues Encourages Venerates Insists Recommends Asserts Creates Endorses Insures Regrets Declares As in Preamble, adverbs such as “Strongly” or “Vehemently” may be added for emphasis. “Also” and “Further” are also appropriate to use when repeating action words or phrases. Amendments

Amendments are written to edit a draft resolution that has already been introduced. There are a few very important things to remember when writing Amendments:

1) Unlike Draft Resolutions, Amendments can be handwritten.

2) Always specify exactly where in the document your amendment belongs. Where does it insert language? What language does it strike (delete)? What word does it replace? For example, if you’re replacing Clause 3, make that clear. Start your Amendment with something like, “Strikes Clause 3 and replaces with “3. INSERT LANGUAGE.”” If you’re striking a clause or adding a clause in the middle of the Resolution, make sure you include any renumbering that has to happen. For example, “Strikes Clause 4 and renumbers accordingly.” Or “Adds new clause 1 and renumbers accordingly. “1. INSERT LANGUAGE.””

3) Write legibly! The easier it is for the Chairperson to read, the simpler the amendment process is.

4) If possible, have all sponsors of the Resolution you’re amending sponsor your

Amendment. This will allow the Chairperson to automatically deem in friendly upon introduction.

5) Use the same format for operative clauses, punctuation, and structure as you would

in a Draft Resolution.

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Annex E: Amendment Forms

Amendment to Resolution:

Sponsors:

Signatories:

Amendment to Resolution:

Sponsors:

Signatories:

For Chair Use

Friendly Amendment #

Unfriendly _________________

For Chair Use

Friendly Amendment #

Unfriendly _________________

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Annex F: Majority Reference Sheet

Number in Committee

Simple Majority (>50%)

Super Majority (2/3rd)

For Introducing Draft Resolutions

(1/4th)

For Introducing Amendments

(1/8th) 5 3 4 2 1 6 4 4 2 1 7 4 5 2 1 8 5 6 2 1 9 5 6 3 2

10 6 7 3 2 11 6 8 3 2 12 7 8 3 2 13 7 9 4 2 14 8 10 4 2 15 8 10 4 2 16 9 11 4 2 17 9 12 5 3 18 10 12 5 3 19 10 13 5 3 20 11 14 5 3 21 11 14 6 3 22 12 15 6 3 23 12 16 6 3 24 13 16 6 3 25 13 17 7 4 26 14 18 7 4 27 14 18 7 4 28 15 19 7 4 29 15 20 8 4 30 16 20 8 4 31 16 21 8 4 32 17 22 8 4 33 17 22 9 5 34 18 23 9 5 35 18 24 9 5

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Annex G: Committee Roster

This table is designed to be used by chairs and any delegates that wish to track involvement in their committee room. Committee: Session:

Country Name Present # of Speeches Members Albania Belgium Bulgaria Canada Croatia Czech Republic Denmark Estonia France Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Italy Latvia Lithuania Luxembourg Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Slovakia Slovenia Spain Turkey United Kingdom United States Partners: