Committee Directives
Rather than writing Draft Resolutions, crisis committees writes and pass multiple Directives. Directives do not have a formal layout or formatting, and the content of a Directive is normally a set of instructions.
For example, if there is gas shortage crisis, national cabinets could enact rationing and price control measures by passing a Public Directive. Public Directives are instructions for the public or instructions to government institutions or private institutions that affect the public.
A committee may also have a Private Directive. For example, a national cabinet may pass a Private Directive instructing its military or clandestine services to execute a set of instructions. While the committee authorizes the action by passing the Private Directive, the public may not necessarily be made aware of the action.
While each chair or director may have his or her preferred procedure for introducing, discussion, and passing directives, a directive will be the main instrument for advancing the crisis arc and responding to crisis updates.
Press Releases
Sometimes a committee will decide to pass a Press Release as a response to a crisis update. Press Releases may be passed independently or they may be affixed to a directive. The purpose of a Press Release is to inform the public of actions or express condolence, frustration, or condemnation.
The goal of a Press Release, aside from informing the public, is also to influence public sentiment. Because member states of the European Union are democracies, a well informed public is crucial to the political process.
Note: These documents are adopted by a committee vote, but sometimes it behooves delegates to take individual actions. We’ll cover this in the next lesson.
Continue to Lesson 5: Individual Actions and Portfolio Powers
