The Articles of Federation

WE THE SOPHONTS OF THE UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS DETERMINED
To save succeeding generations from the scourge of interstellar war which has brought untold horror and suffering to our planetary social systems, and

To reaffirm faith in the fundamental sophont rights, in the dignity and worth of sophont persons, to the equal rights of male and female and of planetary social systems large and small, and

To establish conditions under which justice and mutual respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of interplanetary law can be maintained, and

To promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom,

AND TO THESE ENDS
To practice benevolent tolerance and live in peace with one another as good neighbors, and

To unite our strength to maintain interstellar peace and security, and

To ensure by the acceptance of principles and the institution of methods that armed force shall not be used except in the common defense, and

To employ interstellar machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all sophonts,

HAVE RESOLVED TO COMBINE OUR EFFORTS TO ACCOMPLISH THESE AIMS.
Accordingly, the respective social systems, through representatives assembled on the planet Babel, who have exhibited their full powers to be in good and due form, have agreed to these Articles of Federation of the United Federation of Planets, and do hereby establish an interplanetary organization to be known as the United Federation of Planets.

CHAPTER I: Purposes and Principles
Article 1
The purposes of the United Federation of Planets are:

1. To maintain interplanetary peace and security within the treaty exploration territory, and to that end:

to take effective collective measures for the prevention of threats to the peace, the suppression of acts of aggression, and to bring about by peaceful means, and employing the principles of justice and intragalactic law, adjustment or settlement of interplanetary disputes which might lead to a breach of the peace;

2. To develop friendly relations among planets based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of sophonts, and to other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace;

3. To achieve interplanetary cooperation in solving interstellar problems of economic, social, cultural, or humanitarian character; in promoting and encouraging respect for sophont rights; and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, life-form, sexual orientation or religious belief; and

4. To be a center for conciliation of the actions of all social systems in the attainment of these common ends.

Article 2
The United Federation of Planets and its members, in pursuit of the purposes stated, shall act in accordance with the following principles:

1. The United Federation of Planets is based on the sovereign equality of all its members;

2. In order to ensure to all of them the rights and benefits resulting from membership, all members shall fulfill in good faith the obligations assumed by them in accordance with these Articles of Federation;

3. All members shall settle their interplanetary disputes by peaceful means in such manner that intragalactic peace, security, and justice, are not endangered;

4. In all interplanetary relations, all members shall refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any planetary social system, or in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Federation of Planets;

5. All members shall give the United Federation of Planets every assistance in any action taken in accordance with these Articles of Federation, and shall refrain from assisting any planetary social system against which the United Federation of Planets is taking preventive or enforcement action;

6. The United Federation of Planets shall ensure that planetary social systems which are not members of the United Federation of Planets act in accordance with these principles as necessary for the maintenance of interstellar peace and security;

7. Nothing within these Articles of Federation shall authorize the United Federation of Planets to intervene in matters which are essentially the domestic jurisdiction of any planetary social system, or shall require the members to submit such matters to settlement under these Articles of Federation; but this principle shall not prejudice the application of enforcement measures under Chapter VII.

CHAPTER II: Membership
Article 3
The original members of the United Federation of Planets shall be those planetary social systems which, having participated in the interplanetary conference on interplanetary federation at Babel, or having previously signed the declaration of the United Federation of Planets, sign these Articles of Federation and ratify them in accordance with Article 109.

Article 4
1. Membership in the United Federation of Planets is open to any other peaceful planetary social systems which accept the obligations contained in these Articles of Federation and, in the judgment of the United Federation of Planets, are capable and willing to carry out these obligations;

2. The admission of any such planetary social system to membership in the United Federation of Planets is contingent upon the decision of the Supreme Assembly upon recommendation of the Federation Council.

Article 5
The Supreme Assembly may suspend the rights and privileges of membership of any member of the United Federation of Planets against which the Federation Council has taken preventive or enforcement action. The Federation Council may restore these rights and privileges of membership at its discretion.

Article 6
Any member of the United Federation of Planets which has persistently violated the purposes and principles contained in these Articles of Federation may be expelled from the United Federation of Planets by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Federation Council.

CHAPTER III: Agencies
Article 7
1. There are established as the principal agencies of the United Federation of Planets: a Supreme Assembly, a Federation Council. an Economic and Social Council, a Trusteeship Council, an Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice, a Star Fleet combined peace-keeping force, and a Secretariat;

2. Such subsidiary agencies as may be deemed necessary from time to time may be established in accordance with these Articles of Federation.

Article 8
The United Federation of Planets shall place no restriction on the eligibility of male and female life-forms of any member planetary social system to participate in any capacity under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary agencies.

CHAPTER IV: The Supreme Assembly
Article 9
The Supreme Assembly shall consist of all the members of the United Federation of Planets. Each member shall be entitled to have not more than five (5) representatives in this body.

Article 10
The Supreme Assembly may discuss any questions on any matters within the scope of these Articles of Federation or relating to the powers and functions of any agencies provided for in these Articles of Federation and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations to the members and the Federation Council or both on any such questions or matters.

Article 11
1. The Supreme Assembly may consider the general principles of cooperation in maintaining interplanetary peace and security, including disarmament and the regulation of armaments, and may make recommendations with regard to such principles to the members or the Federation Council or both;

2. The Supreme Assembly may discuss any questions relative to the maintenance of interstellar peace and security put to it by any member or the Federation Council, or a non-member planetary social system in accordance with Article 25 Paragraph 2 and, except as provided in Article 12, may make recommendations with regard to any such questions to the members, the Federation Council, the pleading planetary social system, or to all of these. Any such question on which action is necessary shall be referred to the Federation Council by the Supreme Assembly either before or after discussion;

3. The Supreme Assembly may call situations which are likely to endanger the interplanetary and intragalactic peace and security to the attention of the Federation Council;

4. The powers of the Supreme Assembly as set forth in this Article shall not limit the scope of Article 10.

Article 12
1. Where the Federation Council is executing the functions assigned to it under these Articles of Federation with respect to any dispute or situation, the Supreme Assembly shall make no recommendation with regard to that dispute or situation unless so requested by the Federation Council;

2. The Supreme-Secretariat, with the consent of the Federation Council, shall notify the Supreme Assembly at each session of any matters relating to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security which are under discussion in the Federation Council, and shall notify the Supreme Assembly, or the members if the Supreme Assembly is not in session, immediately when the Federation Council completes its deliberations on any such matters;

Article 13
1. The Supreme Assembly shall initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of:

A) Promoting interplanetary cooperation in political fields and encouraging the progressive development of interplanetary law and its codification;

B) Promoting interplanetary cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, educational, and health fields, and assisting in the realization of sophont rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion;

2. The further responsibilities, functions, and powers of the Supreme Assembly with respect to matters mentioned in Paragraph 1(A) above are set forth in Chapters IX and X.

Article 14
Subject to the provisions of Article 12, the Supreme Assembly may recommend measures for the peaceful adjustment of any situation, regardless of origin, which it deems likely to impair the general welfare or friendly relations among the planets, including situations resulting from violations of the provisions of these Articles of Federation setting forth the purposes and principles of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 15
1. The Supreme Assembly shall receive and consider regular and special reports from the Federation Council; which reports shall include an account of the measures that the Federation Council has decided upon or taken to maintain interplanetary peace and security;

2. The Supreme Assembly shall receive and consider reports from the other agencies of the United Federation of Planets over regular intervals to be agreed by the Supreme Assembly and the agency in question.

Article 16
The Supreme Assembly shall perform such functions of interstellar trusteeship as are assigned to it under Chapters XII and XIII, including the approval of the trusteeship agreements for areas which are not designated as strategic.

Article 17
1. The Supreme Assembly shall consider and approve the budget of the United Federation of Planets.

2. The expenses of the United Federation of Planets shall be borne by the members as apportioned by the Supreme Assembly;

3. The Supreme Assembly shall consider and approve any financial and budgetary arrangements with specialized agencies referred to in Article 56 and shall examine the administrative budgets of such specialized agencies with a view to making recommendations to the agencies concerned;

4. All budgets and expenses of the United Federation of Planets shall be made and paid in the common interplanetary credit. The common interplanetary credit shall be the official medium of exchange within the United Federation Treaty Exploration Territory.

Article 18
1. Each member of the Supreme Assembly shall have one vote;

2. Decisions of the Supreme Assembly on matters of substance shall be made on a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members present and voting. These matters shall include: recommendations with respect to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security; the election of non-permanent members to the Federation Council; the election of members of the Trusteeship Council in accordance with Paragraph 1(C) of Article 85; the admission of new members to the Federation; the suspension of rights and privileges of membership; the expulsion of members; questions relating to the operation of the trusteeship system; budgetary questions; and questions proposed as matters of substance according to Paragraph 4 below;

3. Decisions on other questions, including the determination of additional categories of questions to be considered as matters of substance, shall be made by a simple majority vote of the members present and voting;

4. Specific questions which would normally be decided by simple majority may be considered as matters of substance if such consideration is proposed by any member and seconded by two others.

Article 19
A member of the United Federation of Planets which is in arrears in the payment of its financial obligations to the United Federation of Planets shall have no vote in the Supreme Assembly if the amount it is in arrears equals or exceeds the amount of the contributions due from it for the preceding two accounting periods. The Supreme Assembly may, nevertheless, permit such a member to vote if it is satisfied that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the member.

Article 20
The Supreme Assembly shall meet in regular periodic sessions and in such special sessions as occasion may require. Special sessions shall be convoked by the Supreme-Secretariat at the request of the Federation Council or of a majority of the members of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 21
The Supreme Assembly shall adopt its own rules of procedure, except that the Supreme Assembly shall not revoke or alter procedures presented for it in these Articles of Federation. It shall elect its president for each session.

Article 22
The Supreme Assembly may establish such subsidiary agencies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

CHAPTER V: The Federation Council
Article 23
1. The Federation Council shall consist of eleven (11) members of the United Federation of Planets. The United Nations of the Planet Earth, the Planetary Confederation of 40 Eridani, the United Planets of 61 Cygni, the Star Empire of Epsilon Indii, and the Alpha Centauri Concordium of Planets shall be permanent members of the Federation Council. The Supreme Assembly shall elect six (6) other members of the United Federation of Planets to be non-permanent members of the Federation Council, due regard be especially paid, in the first instance, to the contribution of the members of the United Federation of Planets to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security and to the other purposes of the United Federation of Planets, and also to equitable geo-galactic distribution;

2. The non-permanent members of the Federation Council shall be elected for a term of two (2) session periods. In the first election of non-permanent members, however, three (3) shall be elected for a term of one (1) session period. A retiring member shall not be eligible for immediate re-election.

Article 24
1. In order to assure prompt and effective action by the United Federation of Planets, its members confer on the Federation Council primary responsibility for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, and agree that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Federation Council acts on their behalf;

2. In discharging these duties the Federation Council shall act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Federation of Planets. The specific powers granted to the Federation Council for the discharge of these duties are laid down in Chapters VI, VII, VIII, and XII;

3. The Federation Council shall submit regular and, when necessary, special reports to the Supreme Assembly for its consideration.

Article 25
The members of the United Federation of Planets agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Federation Council in accordance with these Articles of Federation.

Article 26
In order to promote the establishment and maintenance of interplanetary peace and security with the lease diversion of the United Federation of Planets' life-forms, as well as economic resources for armaments, the Federation Council shall be responsible for formulating, with the assistance of Star Fleet Headquarters staff referred to in Article 47, plans to be submitted to the members of the United Federation of Planets for the establishment of a system for the regulation of armaments.

Article 27
1. Each member of the Federation Council shall have one vote;

2. Decisions of the Federation Council on all matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of seven (7) members, except as provided in Paragraph 3 below;

3. In decisions under Chapter VI, and under Paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to the dispute shall refrain from voting. The minimal affirmative majority required in such a case shall be six (6).

Article 28
1. The Federation Council shall be so organized as to be able to function continuously. Each member of the Federation Council shall, for this purpose, be represented at all times at the seat of the United Federation of Planets;

2. The Federation Council shall hold periodic meetings at which each of its members may, if it so desires, be represented by a member of its government or by some other specially designated representative;

3. The Federation Council may hold meetings at such places other than the seat of the United Federation of Planets as in its judgment will facilitate its work.

Article 29
The Federation Council may establish such subsidiary agencies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.

Article 30
The Federation Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its governor.

Article 31
Any member of the United Federation of Planets which is not a member of the Federation Council may participate, without vote, in the discussion of any question brought before the Federation Council whenever the latter considers that the interests of the member are specifically affected.

Article 32
Any member of the United Federation of Planets which is not a member of the Federation Council or any planetary social system which is not a member of the United Federation of Planets, if it is a party to a dispute under consideration by the Federation Council, shall be invited to participate, without vote, in the discussion relating to the dispute. The Federation Council shall lay down the conditions as it deems just for the participation of a planetary social system which is not a member of the United Federation of Planets.

CHAPTER VI Pacific Settlement of Disputes
Article 33
1. The parties to any dispute, the continuance of which is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, shall, first of all, seek a solution by negotiation, enquiry, mediation, conciliation, arbitration, judicial settlement, resort to regional agencies or arrangements, or other peaceful means of their own choice;

2. The Federation Council shall, when it deems necessary, call upon the parties to settle their dispute by such means.

Article 34
The Federation Council may investigate any dispute, or any situation which might lead to interplanetary friction or give rise to a dispute, in order to determine whether the continuance of the dispute or situation is likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 35
1. Any member of the United Federation of Planets may bring any dispute, or any situation of the nature referred to in Article 34, to the attention of the Federation Council or the Supreme Assembly;

2. A planetary social system which is not a member of the United Federation of Planets may bring to the attention of the Federation Council or the Supreme Assembly any dispute to which it is a party if it accepts in advance, for the purposes of the dispute, the obligation of pacific settlement provided in these Articles of Federation;

3. The proceedings of the Supreme Assembly in respect to matters brought to its attention under this Article will be subject to the provisions of Articles 11 and 12.

Article 36
1. The Federation Council may, at any stage of a dispute of the nature referred to in Article 33 or of a situation of the nature referred to in Article 34, recommend procedures or appropriate methods of adjustment;

2. The Federation Council shall take into consideration any procedures for the settlement of the dispute which have already been adopted or proposed by the parties;

3. In making recommendations under this Article the Federation Council should also take into consideration that legal disputes should as a general rule be referred to the Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice in accordance with the provisions of the Statute of that Court.

Article 37
1, Should the parties to a dispute as referred to in Article 33 fail to settle it by means indicated in the Article, they shall refer it to the Federation Council;

2. If the Federation Council deems that the continuance of the dispute is in fact likely to endanger the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, it shall decide whether to take action under Article 36 or to recommend such terms as it may consider appropriate.

Article 38
Without prejudice to the provisions of Articles 33 through 37 inclusive, the Federation Council may, if all the parties to any dispute so request, make recommendations to the parties with a view to a pacific settlement of the dispute.

Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression

Article 39
The Federation Council shall determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression, and shall make recommendations to maintain or restore interplanetary peace and security;

Article 40
In order to prevent aggravation of the situation, the Federation Council may call upon the parties concerned to comply with such provisional measures as it deems necessary or desirable. Such provisional measures shall be without prejudice to the rights, claims, or position of the parties concerned. The Federation Council shall take into account any failure to comply with such provisional measures.

Article 41
The Federation Council may decided what measures short of the use of armed force are to be employed to give effect to its decisions, and may call upon the members of the United Federation of Planets to apply such measures. These may included partial or complete interruption of economic relations, interplanetary communication and space travel, and severance of diplomatic relations, or such other measures as the Federation Council shall deem appropriate.

Article 42
Should the Federation Council consider that measures under Article 41 would be inadequate or have proved to be inadequate, it may take such action by armed force as necessary to maintain or restore interplanetary peace and security. Such actions may include demonstrations, blockades, and other operations by Star Fleet combined peace-keeping forces.

Article 43
All members of the United Federation of Planets, in obligation to the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security, agree to make available to Star Fleet, on call of the Federation Council, armed forces, assistance, and facilities, including rights of passage, necessary for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 44
When the Federation Council has decided to employ force to mitigate a situation it shall, before calling upon a member not represented on that Council to provided armed forced in fulfillment of obligations assumed under Article 43, invite that member to participate in the decisions of the Federation Council relating to the employment of contingents of the member's armed forces.

Article 45
In order to enable the United Federation of Planets to take urgent military measures, all members so capable shall assign contingents of their own armed forces to Star Fleet to be employed as a single peace-keeping force of the United Federation of Planets. All contingents so assigned, and for the duration of their assignment, shall hold full faith and loyalty to the United Federation of Planets and the protection of the purposes and principles of the Articles of Federation.

Article 46
Plans for the Application of Star Fleet armed forces shall be made by the Federation Council with the assistance of the military staff committee of Star Fleet Headquarters.

Article 47
1. There shall be established within Star Fleet a military staff committee to advise and assist the Federation Council on all matters relating to the United Federation of Planets' military requirements for maintaining interplanetary peace and security;

2. The military staff committee shall consist of the chiefs of staff of the permanent members of the Federation Council, or their representatives. Any member of the United Federation of Planets may be invited to provide representation on the military staff committee where its responsibilities requires the participation of that member in its work;

3. The military staff committee, with the authorization of the Federation Council, shall establish a Star Fleet as the armed peace-keeping forces of the United Federation of Planets. It shall be responsible for the establishment and maintenance of all facilities of Star Fleet, including armed ships, starbases, and training facilities;

4. The military staff committee shall be responsible under the Federation Council for the strategic direction of Star Fleet armed forces, and the other armed forces of the members when required for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 48
The action required to carry out decisions of the Federation Council for the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security shall be taken by Star Fleet, using such contingents as appropriate to the specific action.

Article 49
The members of the United Federation of Planets shall join in affording mutual assistance in carrying out the measures decided upon by the Federation Council and in assisting Star Fleet in the performance of its duties and obligations.

Article 50
If preventive or enforcement measures against any planet are taken by the Federation Council, any other planet, whether or not it is a member of the United Federation of Planets, which finds itself confronted with special economic difficulties arising from the carrying out of these measures shall have the right to consult with the Federation Council with regard to the solution of said difficulties.

Article 51
Nothing in these Articles of Federation shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defense against armed attacks occurring to members of the United Federation of Planets, until the Federation Council has taken measures necessary to maintain interplanetary peace and security, and Star Fleet forces can be brought into action. Such actions taken by members of the United Federation of Planets in their self-defense shall be immediately reported to the Federation Council.

CHAPTER VIII: Star Fleet
Article 52
1. There is established a Star Fleet as the armed peace-keeping forces of the United Federation of Planets. It shall initially by comprised of contingents assigned to it by members of the United Federation of Planets under Article 43 until such time as facilities, recruitment, and training obviates the necessity of drawing upon the armament of any member, except as provided in Article 49;

2. The operations and actions of Star Fleet shall at all times be under the direct cognizance of the Federation Council and the military staff committee which shall also prepare and approve the budget for Star Fleet operations;

3. Initial expenditure is authorized under these Articles of Federation for the establishment of a Star Fleet Headquarters and two starbases to be equitably located within the boundary of the United Federation of Planets and outside of any possible conflict with the territorial boundaries of any member of the United Federation of Planets. The Federation Council shall review and approve such other expansions of starbases and other facilities as shall seem appropriate from time to time in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security;

4. Initial expenditure is also granted under these Articles of Federation for the establishment of a Star Fleet Academy for the purpose of training officers and personnel for Star Fleet duty. The standards for such training shall be determined by the military staff committee and approved by the Federation Council.

Article 53
1. The training of Star Fleet officers and personnel shall included all fields of science and technology as well as the military arts in Star Fleet. It is the intent of these Articles of Federation that Star Fleet shall be used to conduct missions of scientific exploration and investigation within the treaty exploration territory wherever its services are not required in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security;

2. Star Fleet Headquarters and the Federation Council shall be at all times kept informed of the activities undertaken or contemplated for the scientific exploration and investigation of the treaty exploration territory.

CHAPTER IX: Interplanetary Economic and Social Cooperation
Article 54
With a view to creating conditions of stability and well-being which are necessary for peaceful relations among planetary social systems based on respect for the principles of equal rights and self-determination of all sophonts, the United Federation of Planets shall promote:

A) Higher standards of living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and development;

B) Solution of interplanetary economic, social, health, and related problems, as well as interplanetary cultural and educational cooperation; and

C) Universal respect for, and observance of, sophont rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion.

Article 55
All members pledge themselves to take joint and separate action in cooperation with the United Federation of Planets for the achievement of the purposes and goals set forth in Article 54.

Article 56
1. The various specialized agencies, established by interplanetary agreement and having wide interplanetary responsibilities as defined in their basic instruments in economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related fields, shall be brought into relationship with the United Federation of Planets in accordance with Article 62;

2. Such agencies thus brought into relationship with the United Federation of Planets are hereinafter referred to as specialized agencies.

Article 57
The United Federation of Planets shall make recommendations for the coordination of the policies and activities of the specialized agencies.

Article 58
The United Federation of Planets shall, where appropriate, initiate negotiations among its members concerned for the creation of any new specialized agencies required for the accomplishment of the purposes set forth in Article 54.

Article 59
Responsibility for the discharge of the functions of the United Federation of Planets as set forth in this Chapter shall be vested in the Supreme Assembly and, under the authority of the Supreme Assembly, in the Economic and Social Council, which have for this purpose the powers set forth in Chapter X.

CHAPTER X: The Economic and Social Council
Article 60
1. The Economic and Social Council shall consist of eighteen (18) members of the United Federation of Planets as elected by the Supreme Assembly;

2. Subject to the provisions of Paragraph 3, six (6) members of the Economic and Social Council shall be elected each session period for a term of three (3) session periods. A retiring member shall be eligible for immediate reelection;

3. At the first election, eighteen (18) members of the Economic and Social Council shall be chosen, the term of office of six (6) members so chosen will expire at the end of one (1) session period, and the terms of six (6) other members at the end of two (2) session periods in accordance with arrangements made by the Supreme Assembly;

3. Each member of the Economic and Social Council shall have one (1) representative.

Article 61
1. The Economic and Social Council may make or initiate studies and reports with respect to interplanetary economic, social, cultural, educational, health, and related matters and may make recommendations with respect to any such matters to the Supreme Assembly, to the members of the United Federation of Planets, and to specialized agencies concerned;

2. It may make recommendations for the purpose of promoting respect for, and observance of, sophont rights and fundamental freedoms for all;

3. It may prepare draft instruments with the rules prescribed by the United Federation of Planets;

4. It may prepare draft instruments for admission to the Supreme Assembly, with respect to matters falling within its competence;

5. It may call, in accordance with the rules prescribed by the United Federation of Planets, interplanetary conferences on matters falling within its competence.

Article 62
1. The Economic and Social Council may enter into agreements with any of its agencies referred to in Article 56, defining the terms on which the agency concerned shall be brought into relationship with the United Federation of Planets. Such agreements shall be subject to approval by the Supreme Assembly;

2. It may coordinate the activities of the specialized agencies through consultation with and recommendations to such agencies and through recommendations to the Supreme Assembly and to the members of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 63
The Economic and Social Council may take appropriate steps to obtain reports from the specialized agencies. It may make arrangements with the members of the United Federation of Planets and with the specialized agencies to obtain reports on the steps taken to give effect to its own recommendations and to recommendations on matters falling within its competence by the Supreme Assembly.

Article 64
The Economic and Social Council may furnish information to the Federation Council and shall assist the Federation Council upon its request.

Article 65
1. The Economic and Social Council shall perform such functions as fall within its competence in connection with the carrying out of the recommendations of the Supreme Assembly;

2. It may, with the approval of the Supreme Assembly, perform services at the request of members of the United Federation of Planets and at the request of specialized agencies;

3. It shall perform such other functions as are specified elsewhere in these Articles of Federation or as may be assigned by the Supreme Assembly.

Article 66
1. Each member of the Economic and Social Council shall have one vote;

2. Decisions of the Economic and Social Council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

Article 67
The Economic and Social Council shall set up commissions in economic and social fields and for the promotion of sophont rights, and such other commissions as may be required for the performance of its functions.

Article 68
The Economic and Social Council shall invite any member of the United Federation of Planets to participate, without vote, in its deliberations on any matter of particular concern to that member.

Article 69
The Economic and Social Council may make arrangements for representative of the specialized agencies to participate, without vote, in its deliberations and in those commissions established by it, and for its representatives to participate in the deliberations of the specialized agencies.

Article 70
The Economic and Social Council may make suitable arrangements for consultation with non-governmental intra-planet organizations which are concerned with matters within its competence. Such arrangements may be made with interplanetary organizations and, where appropriate, with planetary organizations after consultation with members of the United Federation of Planets concerned.

Article 71
1. The Economic and Social Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its own director;

2. The Economic and Social Council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules, which shall include provision for the convening of meetings at the request of a majority of its members.

CHAPTER XI: Declaration Regarding Non-Self-Governing Regions
Article 72
Members of the United Federation of Planets which have assumed responsibilities for the administration of regions whose sophonts have not yet attained a full measure of self-government recognize the principle that the interests of the inhabitants of these regions are paramount, and accept as a sacred trust the obligation to promote to the utmost, within the system of interplanetary peace and security established by these Articles of Federation, the well-being of the inhabitants of these regions, and, to this end, take as their aims:

A) To ensure, with due respect for the cultures of the sophonts concerned, their political, economic, social, and educational advancement, their just treatment, and their protection against abuses;

B) To develop self-government, to take due account of the political aspirations of the sophonts, and to assist them in the progressive development of their free political institutions, according to the particular circumstances of each region and its sophonts and their varying stages of advancement;

C) To further interplanetary peace and security;

D) To promote constructive measures of development, to encourage research, and to cooperate with one another and, when and where appropriate, with specialized interplanetary bodies with a view to the practical achievement of the social, economic, and scientific purposes set forth in this article; and

E) To transmit regularly to the Supreme-Secretariat for informational purposes, subject to such limitations as security and statutory considerations may require, statistical and other information of a technical nature relating to economic, social, and educational conditions in the regions for which they are respectively responsible other than those regions to which Chapter XII and XIII apply.

Article 73
Members of the United Federation of Planets also agree that their policy in respect of the regions to which this Chapter applies, no less than in respect of their metropolitan areas, must be based on the general principle of good-neighborliness, due account being taken of the interests and well-being of the rest of the territory of the United Federation of Planets in social, economic, and commercial matters.

CHAPTER XII: Interplanetary Trusteeship System
Article 74
The United Federation of Planets shall establish under its authority an interplanetary trusteeship system for the administration and supervision of such regions as may be placed thereunder by subsequent individual agreements. These regions are hereinafter referred to as trust regions.

Article 75
The basic objectives of the trusteeship system, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Federation of Planets as laid down in these Articles of Federation, shall be:

A) To further interplanetary peace and security;

B) To promote the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants of the trust regions, and their progressive development towards self-government or independence as may be appropriate to the particular circumstances of each region and its sophonts concerned, and as may be provided by the terms of the trusteeship agreement;

C) To encourage respect for sophont rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to culture, sex, language, or religion, and to encourage recognition of the interdependence of the sophonts of the galaxy; and

D) To ensure equal treatment in social, economic, and commercial matters for all members of the United Federation of Planets and their nationals, and also equal treatment for the latter in the administration of justice, without prejudice to the adjustment of the foregoing objectives and subject to the provisions of Article 79.

Article 76
1. The trusteeship system shall apply to such regions in the following categories as may be placed thereunder by means of trusteeship agreements:

A) Regions now held under mandate;

B) Regions which may be detached from alien social systems as a result of interplanetary war; and

C) Regions voluntarily placed under the trusteeship system by social systems responsible for their administration;

2. It will be a matter for subsequent agreement as to which regions in the foregoing categories will be brought under the trusteeship system and under what terms.

Article 77
The trusteeship system shall not apply to regions which have become members of the United Federation of Planets, relationships among which shall be based on the respect for the principle of sovereign equality.

Article 78
The terms of trusteeship for each region to be placed under the trusteeship system, including any alteration or amendment, shall be agreed upon by the social systems directly concerned, including the mandatory power in the case of regions held under mandate by a member of the United Federation of Planets, and shall be approved as provided for in Articles 82 and 84.

Article 79
1. Except as may be agreed upon in individual trusteeship agreements, made under Articles 76, 78, and 80, placing each region under the trusteeship system, and until such agreements have been considered, nothing in this Chapter shall be construed in or of itself to alter in any manner the rights whatsoever of any social systems or any sophonts or the terms of existing agreements to which members of the United Federation of Planets may respectively be parties;

2. Paragraph 1 of this Article shall not be interpreted as giving grounds for delay or postponement of the negotiation and conclusion of agreements for placing mandated and other regions under the trusteeship system as provided for in Article 76.

Article 80
The trusteeship agreement shall in each case include the terms under which the trust region will be administered and designate the authority which will be exercising the administration of the trust region. Such authority, hereinafter called the administering authority, may be one or more social systems of the United Federation of Planets itself.

Article 81
There may be designated, in the trusteeship agreement, a strategic area or areas which may included part or all of the trust region to which the agreement applies, without prejudice to any special agreement or agreements made under Article 43.

Article 82
1. All functions of the United Federation of Planets relating to strategic areas, including the approval of the terms of the trusteeship agreements and of their subsequent alteration or amendment, shall be exercised by the Federation Council;

2. The basic principles set forth in Article 75 shall apply to the sophonts of each strategic area;

3. The Federation Council shall, subject to the provisions of the trusteeship agreements and without prejudice to security considerations, avail itself of the assistance of the Trusteeship Council to perform those functions of the United Federation of Planets under the trusteeship system relating to political, economic, social, and educational matters in the strategic areas.

Article 83
It shall be the duty of the administering authority to ensure that the trust region shall play its part in the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security. To this end the administering authority may make use of volunteer forces, facilities, and assistance from the trust region in carrying out the obligations towards the Federation Council undertaken in this regard by the administering authority, as well as for the local defense and the maintenance of law and order within the trust region.

Article 84
1. The functions of the United Federation of Planets with regard to the trusteeship agreements for all regions not designated as strategic, including the approval of the terms of the trusteeship agreements and their alteration or amendment, shall be exercised by the Supreme Assembly;

2. The Trusteeship Council, operating under the authority of the Supreme Assembly, shall assist the Supreme Assembly in carrying out these functions.

CHAPTER XIII: The Trusteeship Council
Article 85
1. The Trusteeship Council shall consist of the following members of the United Federation of Planets:

A) Those members administering trust regions;

B) Such of those members mentioned by name in Article 23 as are not administering trust regions; and

C) As many other members elected for three (3) session periods by the Supreme Assembly as may be necessary to ensure that the total number of members of the Trusteeship Council is equally divided between members of the United Federation of Planets which administer trust regions and those which do not;

2. Each member of the trusteeship council shall designate one (1) specially qualified sophont to represent it therein.

Article 86
The Supreme Assembly and, under its authority, the Trusteeship Council, in carrying out their functions, may:

A) Consider reports submitted by the administering authority;

B) Accept petitions and examine them in consultation with the administering authority;

C) Provided for periodic visits to the respective trust regions at times agreed upon with the administering authority; and

D) Take these and other actions in conformity with the terms of the trusteeship agreement.

Article 87
The Trusteeship Council shall formulate a questionnaire on the political, economic, social, and educational advancement of the inhabitants of each trust region, and the administering authority for each trust region within the competence of the Supreme Assembly shall make a periodic report to the Supreme Assembly upon the basis of said questionnaire.

Article 88
1. Each member of the Trusteeship Council shall have one vote;

2. Decisions of the Trusteeship Council shall be made by a majority of the members present and voting.

Article 89
1. The Trusteeship Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, including the method of selecting its director;

2. The Trusteeship Council shall meet as required in accordance with its rules which shall include provision for the convening of meetings at the request of a majority of its members.

Article 90
The Trusteeship Council shall, when appropriate, avail itself of the assistance of the Economic and Social Council and of the specialized agencies in regard to matters with which they are respectively concerned.

CHAPTER XIV: The Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice
Article 91
The Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice shall be the principal judicial instrument of the United Federation of Planets. It shall function in accordance with the appended statute, which is based upon the statute of the tribunals of Alpha III, and forms an integral part of these Articles of Federation.

Article 92
1. All members of the United Federation of Planets are ipso facto parties to the statute of the Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice;

2. A social system which is not a member of the United Federation of Planets may become a party to the statute of the Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice on conditions to be determined in each case by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Federation Council.

Article 93
1. Each member of the United Federation of Planets undertakes to comply with the decision of the Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party;

2. If any party to a case fails to perform the obligations incumbent upon it under a judgment rendered by the court, the other party may have recourse to the Federation Council, which may, if it deems necessary, make recommendations or decide upon measures to be taken to give effect to the judgment.

Article 94
Nothing in these Articles of Federation shall prevent members of the United Federation of Planets from entrusting the solution of their differences to other tribunals by virtue of agreements already in existence or which may be concluded in the future.

Article 95
1. The Supreme Assembly or the Federation Council may request the Interplanetary Supreme Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on any legal question;

2. Other bodies of the United Federation of Planets and the specialized agencies, which may at any time be so authorized by the Supreme Assembly, may also request advisory opinions of the court on legal questions arising within the scope of their activities.

CHAPTER XV: The Supreme-Secretariat
Article 96
The Secretariat shall be comprised of a Supreme-Secretariat and such staff as the United Federation of Planets may require. The Supreme-Secretariat shall be appointed by the Supreme Assembly upon the recommendation of the Federation Council, and shall be the chief administrative officer of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 97
The Supreme-Secretariat shall act in that capacity in all meetings of the Supreme Assembly, of the Federation Council, of the Economic and Social Council, and of the Trusteeship Council, and shall perform such other functions as are entrusted to the Secretariat by these bodies. The Supreme-Secretariat shall make a periodic report to the Supreme Assembly on the work of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 98
The Supreme-Secretariat may bring to the attention of the Federation Council any matter which in his opinion may threaten the maintenance of interplanetary peace and security.

Article 99
1. In the performance of their duties the Supreme-Secretariat and the staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government or from any other authority external to the United Federation of Planets. They shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their positions as interplanetary officials responsible only to the United Federation of Planets;

2. Each member of the United Federation of Planets undertakes to respect the exclusively interplanetary character of the responsibilities of the Supreme-Secretariat and the staff and shall not seek to influence them in the discharge of their responsibilities.

Article 100
1. The staff shall be appointed by the Supreme-Secretariat under regulations established by the Supreme Assembly;

2. Appropriate staffs shall be permanently assigned to the Economic and Social Council, the Trusteeship Council, and, as required, to other bodies of the United Federation of Planets. These staffs shall form a part of the Secretariat;

3. The paramount consideration in the employment of the staff and in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the important of recruiting the staff on as wide a geo-galactic basis as possible.

CHAPTER XVI: Miscellaneous Provisions
Article 101
1. Every treaty and every interplanetary agreement entered into by any member of the United Federation of Planets after these Articles of Federation come into force shall as soon as possible be registered with the Supreme-Secretariat and published by him;

2. No party to any such treaty or interplanetary agreement which has not been registered in accordance with the provisions of Paragraph 1 of this Article make invoke that treaty or agreement before any body of the United Federation of Planets.

Article 102
In the event of a conflict between the obligations of the members of the United Federation of Planets under these Articles of Federation and their obligations under any other interplanetary agreement, their obligations under these Articles of Federation shall prevail.

Article 103
The United Federation of Planets shall enjoy in the territory of each of its members such legal capacity as may be necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its purposes.

Article 104
1. The United Federation of Planets shall enjoy in the territory of each of its members such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the fulfillment of its purposes;

2. Representatives of the members of the United Federation of Planets and officials of the organization shall similarly enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the organization;

3. The Supreme Assembly may make recommendations with a view to determining the details of the application of Paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article or may propose conventions to the members of the United Federation of Planets for this purpose.

CHAPTER XVII: Transitory Security Arrangements
Article 105
1. Pending the coming into full force of such special agreements referred to in Article 43 as in the opinion of the Federation Council enable it to begin to exercise of its responsibilities under Article 42, the parties to the declaration of the United Federation of Planets shall consult with one another and the other members of the United Federation of Planets with a view to such joint action on behalf of the organization as may be necessary for the purpose of maintaining interplanetary peace and security;

2. Nothing in these Articles of Federation shall invalidate or preclude action in relation to any social system which has been an adversary of any signatory to these Articles of Federation, taken or authorized as a result of that war by the governments having responsibility for such action.

Article 106
Amendments to these Articles of Federation shall come into force for all members of the United Federation of Planets when they have been adopted by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and ratified in accordance with their respective statutory processes by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the United Federation of Planets, including all the permanent members of the Federation Council.

Article 107
1. A general conference of the members of the United Federation of Planets for the purpose of reviewing these Articles of Federation may be held at a date and place to be fixed by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and by a vote of any seven (7) members of the Federation Council. Each member of the United Federation of Planets shall have one (1) vote in the conference;

2. Any alterations of these Articles of Federation recommended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective statutory processes by two-thirds (2/3) of the members of the United Federation of Planets including all the permanent members of the Federation Council;

3. If such conference has not been held before the tenth regular session of the Supreme Assembly following the coming into force of these Articles of Federation, the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the Supreme Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority vote of the members of the Supreme Assembly and by a vote of any seven (7) members of the Federation Council.

CHAPTER XVIII: Ratification and Signature
Article 108
1. These Articles of Federation shall be ratified by the signatory governments in accordance with their respective statutory processes;

2. The ratifications shall be deposited with the government of the United Nations of the Planet Earth, which shall notify all of the signatory government of each deposit as well as the Supreme-Secretariat of the organization when he has been appointed;

3. These Articles of Federation shall come into full force upon the deposit of the ratifications by the United Nations of the Planet Earth, the Planetary Confederation of 40 Eridani, the United Planets of 61 Cygni, the Star Empire of Epsilon Indii, the Alpha Centauri Concordium of Planets, and by a majority of the other signatory social systems. A protocol of the ratifications deposited shall thereupon be drawn up by the government of the United Nations of the Planet Earth which shall communicate copies thereof to all of the signatory governments;

4. The governments signatory to these Articles of Federation which ratify it after it has come into force will become original members of the United Federation of Planets on the date of the deposit of their respective ratifications.

Article 109
These Articles of Federation, of which the various language texts are equally authentic, upon the coming into full force of the United Federation of Planets, shall be transferred by the United Nations of the Planet Earth to the organization for permanent deposit in its archives. Duly certified copies thereof shall be transmitted by the Supreme-Secretariat to the Governments of all the signatory social systems.

In faith whereof the representative of the governments of the United Federation of Planets have signed these Articles of Federation.

Done at the planet Babel, 1 January 2161

(Followed by the signature sheets of the original signatory governments)