Rules of Procedure

The Secretariat

Often referred to as the Presidency, the Secretariat is the term for the organizing group of the conference. The Secretary-General (SG) stands at the top of the hierarchy and is responsible for overseeing the conference. The Deputy Secretary General (DSG) assists the SG in these matters. The President of the General Assembly (PGA) ensures that General Assembly principles are upheld, and the Under Secretary-Generals (USGs) are responsible for specific parts of the Conference’s organisation.

The Chairboard

The chairboard is the general term denoting all Chairs attending the conference, who shall take on the roles of Presidents of their respective committees. Chairpersons are responsible for the smooth running of the Committee. They write the study guides, moderate the proceedings of the Committee, and generally do everything to keep the debate productive and on track. They have the highest authority on the Rules of Procedure and how they interpret their Committees' proceedings.

Delegates

The delegates are the participants of the conference. Every delegate shall be assigned the delegation of a certain country or political entity, whose values and international relations they must respect and represent. The delegates then embody their respective delegations in both their individual Committees and the General Assembly.

Ambassadors

Delegates representing the nations in the Security Council, due to the organ’s importance in the UN, are referred to as ambassadors and have priority when voting on matters in the General Assembly.

P5 Members of the Security Council

These are the nations of the People’s Republic of China, the Fifth French Republic, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America. They possess the right of veto in the Security Council.

Pages

The charming voluntary help every Committee room and the General Assembly has at their disposal are the Pages. They help with the logistics and organization of the conference itself. Delegates may pass Page Notes or ask for aid from our Pages. Pages are to be treated with the utmost respect. They do not interfere or participate in the debates themselves.

Study Guide

The Study Guide is an official document which is written up by the Chairs of every Committee. It serves as an introduction to the topic at hand, mainly providing Delegates with background information. It should by no means be the only source of research a Delegate should use to prepare for the Conference. All Delegates are highly advised to look towards other external sources to complete their research on the subject matter.

Position Paper

Every delegate is required to prepare a Position Paper for their Committee. This is a document that outlines their country's position on the topic at hand and serves as a basis for Chairs to see if the Delegate has sufficiently researched their country's position. The guide on how to write a Position Paper is embedded at the end of every Committee Study Guide. Position Papers shall be uploaded on a platform deemed appropriate by the Secretariat and by the Chairs, which is the MyMUN page for the Conference. Position Papers should ideally be uploaded as a PDF file.

Opening Speech

At the beginning of the first Committee session, every Delegate is required to present an Opening Speech to their Committee. It should, similarly to the Position Paper, reflect the stance of their country on the topic at hand. The length of the Opening Speech is set to 2 minutes (3 minutes for the General Assembly), and under the discretion of the Chairs be shortened or made longer.

Resolution

The Resolution is the document which a Committee strives to write throughout its sessions. It reflects the summary of all debates and agreements reached. It is eventually presented to the General Assembly. More information about Resolutions can be found in the section “Resolutions”.

1. Roll Call

To clarify who is in attendance at both the General Assembly and Committee meetings, the President of the General Assembly and the Chairs, respectively, will be able to conduct a Roll Call after a Delegate raises the Motion to Establish the Quorum, or to Challenge the Quorum, as outlined further on. For their position to be recognized, Delegates must raise their placards and either establish that they are “Present” or “Present and Voting”. Delegates who are “Present and Voting” cannot abstain from any voting procedure. The P5 Members of the Security Council must declare themselves to be “Present and Voting”.

2. Attendance

At the beginning of each Committee session, Chairs can declare Committees as open once the Quorum has been established and the Roll Call has been conducted. A committee will only be declared open if ⅓ of the Committee members are present for a Quorum covering procedural matters of ½ of the Committee members if the Quorum covers substantive matters.

3. Agenda

Once the Quorum has been established through a Roll Call, the Committee will move on to establish the Agenda for the Committee session. The Agenda consists of the contents that shall be discussed throughout the Committee meetings. It can only be changed when a Resolution passes for the given Agenda. To set the Agenda, a Motion to Set the Agenda has to be raised.

4. General Speakers’ List

The General Speakers’ List serves as the basis of any Committee meeting. It is the main form of discussion as well as the most formal one, and allows Delegates to hold speeches. The floor is open to any and all Points or Motions which the Delegates raise.

For a Delegate to be added to the General Speakers’ List, they must raise their placard and call for the “Motion to be added to the General Speakers’ List”, and a Chair shall promptly add them. Upon being recognized, a delegate must stand up, thank the Chair for the floor, and proceed with delivering their speech.

• Speeches shall last a universal length of time for all delegates, with a “Motion to Extend the Speaker’s Time” being in order under the discretion of the Chairs.
• If a delegate exceeds the allocated speech time or the speech’s content does not reflect that of the Committee, the Chairs can exercise their right to call the Delegate to Order to conclude their speech.

It is critical to remember that when there are no speakers in the General Speakers’ List, and there are no Motions raised to get out of it, the Committee automatically is adjourned, and the Debate automatically concludes, therefore it is critical to either add oneself into the order of speakers or raise a Motion or a Point to get out of it, such as moving into a Moderated or Unmoderated Caucus. Upon the conclusion of such a Motion or Point, the Committee automatically goes back to the General Speakers’ List for the whole process to repeat.

5. Moderated Caucus

It is a less formal style of debate than the General Speakers’ List. The topic for Moderated Caucuses is more precise than, for example, the Agenda for the Committee. When a Delegate raises a Motion to Move into a Moderated Caucus, they will be asked to state the topic, its time duration, and the time allocated for individual speakers. Finally, the Delegate raising the Motion will be asked whether they wish to speak first or last.

In Moderated Caucuses, speakers are not required to raise Motions to Be Added to the Speakers’ List. They simply need to raise their placards, and the Chairs, upon noticing, will add them. Upon being recognized, a Delegate delivers their speech, does not need to yield the floor to the Chairs, and Points of Information are not in order; therefore, they promptly sit down for another Delegate to proceed with their speech. If a Delegate does not utilise the entirety of their speaking time, it is simply allocated back to the total length of the Caucus. The number of speeches entertained depends upon the discretion of the Chairs, but if the Delegate who raised the Motion chooses to speak last, it must be kept in consideration for enough time to be left for them.

6. Unmoderated Caucus

Unmoderated Caucuses are the least formal style of debate during Committee meetings. When a Delegate raises a Motion to Move into an Unmoderated Caucus, they must state its topic and duration. During an Unmoderated Caucus, delegates can discuss and move freely and do not need to refer to themselves in third-person pronouns. The Rules of Procedure are still very much in place, however, and all debates must be conducted in the working language of English. During an Unmoderated Caucus, Delegates can work on their Resolutions on their electronic devices, for example, without the restrictions that individual speeches have. It is important to remember, however, that there cannot be two Unmoderated Caucuses in a row.

1. Recognition and Interruptions

A Delegate may only commence with their address to the Committee if they have been recognized by the Chairs. When another Delegate has been recognized, it is prohibited to interrupt the delivery of their contribution, unless a Point of Personal Privilege, a Point of Parliamentary Inquiry, a Point of Order or a Right of Reply is exercised by another Delegate, upon which the Chairs will momentarily pause to hear out the Delegate that raised one of the aforementioned exceptions.

2. Yielding the Floor

When a delegate holds a speech in the General Speakers’ List, they are required to yield the floor in the following ways:

1. To Points of Information
   After the conclusion of a Delegate’s speech, other Delegates may raise their placards and wait to be called upon by their Chairs. The Points of Information must be relevant to the speech at hand. The number of Points of Information per speech is subject to the discretion of the Chairs.
2. To Another Delegate
   Delegates have the opportunity to yield the remaining left after they conclude their speech to another Delegate, who cannot do the same and must answer all Points of Information that may result from their subsequent speech.
3. To the Chair
   If the Delegate delivering a speech in the General Speakers’ List chooses not to entertain any Points of Information, they yield the floor back to the Chair, upon which the General Speakers' List resumes.

3. Points

1. Point of Information
   Points of Information are raised after the conclusion of a speech held by another Delegate. They serve as a clarification to another Delegate’s speech or an opportunity to ask a question to another Delegate regarding the information expressed in their speech or any of their previous statements. A Delegate is required to raise their placard when they wish to express a Point of Information. Upon being called upon, they must stand up, ask their question, and remain standing until it has been answered, and even further if they desire a Motion for a Follow-Up.
2. Point of Personal Privilege
   This point is raised when a delegate is affected by any issue that prohibits them from actively participating in the Committee. Points of Personal Privilege can interrupt a current speaker and are recognized under the discretion of the Chairs or the Presidency in the General Assembly. A typical example of a Point of Personal Privilege is excusing oneself to go to the restroom or opening the windows.
3. Point of Parliamentary Inquiry
   A Point of Parliamentary Inquiry is raised when a Delegate wishes for an explanation or clarification on the Rules of Procedure from the Chairs. It may not interrupt a speech.
4. Point of Order
   When the Rules of Procedure are not being upheld by either the Chairs or fellow Delegates, one can raise the Point of Order, upon which the Delegate who raised it explains its grounds. The Chairs will consider its validity and subsequently act accordingly. A Point of Order may be raised to interrupt a speech.
5. Right of Reply
   When a Delegate believes that another Delegate has violated their national sovereignty or integrity, they may raise the Right of Reply, which can interrupt a speech. It is under the discretion of the Chairs to entertain the Right of Reply, and if it indeed does pass, the Delegate that raised it is required to stand up, explain its grounds, and demand an apology, which does not need to be given. A Right of Reply is not valid when a Delegate simply disagrees with the content of a speech.

4. Motions

There are many reasons why a Delegate may wish to raise a Motion. It can alter the course of the Debate, change some technical details or help bring the Committee closer to eventually finishing their Resolution.

Some Motions require a Second. This means that when a Delegate raises a Motion, another Delegate from the Committee has to second that idea for it to pass. All Delegates further have the option to object to a Motion, where they say “Objection” and the Committee moves into a Procedural Vote, even if there is a Second. If there are no Objections and at least one Second, the motion passes automatically. If the Motion does not gain a simple majority after the Procedural Vote, it does not pass. Delegates are required to raise their placards for all the aforementioned processes.

1. Motion to Establish the Quorum
   At the beginning of a Committee session, Delegates are required to raise this Motion to establish which Delegates are present. This motion does not require a Second and passes automatically under the discretion of the Chairs. After suspending a meeting, Delegates can raise the Motion of Re-establishing the Quorum; however, both alternatives are in order.
2. Motion to Challenge the Quorum
   If a Delegate was missing for the initial Roll Call, this Motion can be raised. It will pass automatically, and another Roll Call will be triggered.
3. Motion to Set the Agenda
   As outlined in the “Committee Proceedings” section, the Agenda serves as a broad, encompassing term for the Committee. This Motion can only be raised once, and the Delegate who raises it should say what they believe the Agenda is.
4. Motion to be Added/Removed from the General Speakers’ List
   When the Committee finds itself in the General Speakers’ List, a Delegate wishing to be added can raise this Motion. It passes automatically and does not require any Seconds. The same applies for being Removed from the General Speakers’ List when Delegates no longer wish to contribute.
5. Motion to Move into a Moderated Caucus
   The Delegate first specifies the topic to be discussed in the Moderated Caucus. The Delegate raising this Motion needs a Second for it to be considered by the Chairs. If it passes without Objections, or even through a Procedural Vote, the Delegate will need to provide the Chairs with the total duration, allocated speaker time, and whether they wish to go first or last. The specifications of what the Moderated Caucus entails are stated in the “Committee Proceedings” section.
6. Motion to Move into an Unmoderated Caucus
   The Delegate raising this Motion needs a Second for it to be considered by the Chairs. If it passes without Objections or even through a Procedural Vote, the Delegate will need to provide the Chairs with the duration they want for the Unmoderated Caucus, which, under the discretion of the Chairs, shall see it go into effect. The specifications of what the Moderated Caucus entails are stated in the “Committee Proceedings” section.
7. Motion to Extend the Moderated/Unmoderated Caucus
   A Delegate may raise this motion when a Moderated/Unmoderated Caucus is about to elapse. The Delegate who raises this motion is forbidden from extending the Caucus by more than ½ of its original duration, with the cap of Unmoderated Caucuses being set at 30 minutes. It is under the discretion of the Chairs to decide whether proposed extensions are in order, and they may suggest better alternatives.
8. Motion for a Follow-Up
   After delivering a Point of Information, if a Delegate is unsatisfied with the answer provided or wishes for further clarification, they may raise the Motion for a Follow-Up. This motion does not require a vote and is passed at the discretion of the Chair. It may be phrased as a question, which the original Delegate may answer, or as a statement. There are no Follow-Ups to Follow-Ups.
9. Motion for a Round Table
   Similar to the opening Speeches held at the beginning of the Committee sessions, a Round Table allows every delegate to state their stance on a subtopic. This motion does require Seconds, and the Delegate who raises it must provide an individual speaking time, as well as the topic for the Round Table. It is under the discretion of the Chairs whether they shall entertain such a motion, and if they do, all Delegates alphabetically present their viewpoints.
10. Motion for a Q&A Session
    A Delegate can raise this Motion when they believe simple Points of Information do not suffice for a certain Delegate. During a Q&A session, a certain Delegate must answer the exact number of questions proposed by the Delegate when raising the Motion. Any Delegate in the Committee may ask a question. It requires a Second if, under the discretion of the Chairs, it is deemed appropriate.
11. Motion to Censor a Delegate
    When a member of the Committee notices that a certain other Delegate is deliberately disrespecting the Rules of Procedure and is sabotaging the work of the Committee, they may Raise the Motion to censor this delegate. The Delegate raising it must state the reasons why a certain Delegate should be punished and the length of his censorship, and it requires a Second. The maximum length of censorship per committee is 5 minutes and requires consent from the Chairs. During the time a certain Delegate is censored, they cannot deliver any speeches or Points of Information and must sit in silence. They can, however, participate in all voting procedures.
12. Motion to Appeal
    If a Delegate disagrees with the proceedings of a Chair, they may raise the Motion to Appeal by writing a Page Note to the Secretariat. It is important to remember, however, that Chairs ultimately have their say on the interpretation of the Rules of Procedure, and Appealing their decisions usually stems from a Delegate’s lack of understanding of the particularities of the Rules of Procedure; therefore, the Delegate must be completely certain that what the Chair is doing is wrong.
13. Motion to Cite a Source
    When a Delegate mentions a fact or statistic in their speech, which another Delegate questions its validity, they may raise the Motion to Cite the Source. The Delegate who stated the factual claim must provide it in an appropriate communication channel for all members of the Committee to view, with failure to do so having no lasting effects.
14. Motion to Proceed into Voting Procedure
    Even if further speeches and debates are awaiting the Committee, if this Motion gains a Second, passes automatically, or is voted upon, the Committee directly proceeds to the Voting Procedure for the specific topic at hand.
15. Motion to Split the House
    When a Substantive Vote fails in a Committee, a Delegate may raise this Motion to conduct the Voting Procedure again. This time, however, abstentions are not allowed.
16. Motion to Explain the Vote
    When a Delegate believes that the Vote of another Delegate goes directly against their Country's policy or previous beliefs on the subject at hand, they may raise the Motion to Explain the Vote. The Delegate to it is addressed is required to explain, and it does not require Seconds; however, it passes only under the discretion of the Chairs. If the explanation is deemed unsatisfactory by the Chairs, the vote may be repeated.
17. Motion to Present a Working Paper
    When a certain Delegate wishes to present a Working Paper for the Committee to focus on, they may raise this Motion. The Delegate raising it must make the document public in a convenient communication channel for all members of the Committee. It may be raised multiple times by different Delegates, as Working Papers are not binding.
18. Motion to Adopt a Draft Resolution
    After a Working Paper has been worked upon by the Committee, a Delegate can adopt it as the Draft Resolution. This motion requires a Second.
19. Motion to Introduce an Amendment
    A Delegate can introduce an Amendment when the Committee is in the process of discussing a Draft Resolution. When the floor is open to Motions, a Delegate can raise this one and present to the Committee what their Amendment is.
20. Motion to Vote Clause by Clause
    When voting upon matters of the Draft Resolution, a Delegate may introduce this Motion when they wish to vote on each clause of the Resolution separately instead of voting upon the Resolution as a whole. It requires a Second and may be ruled out under the discretion of the Chairs.
21. Motion to Adopt a Resolution
    After all Amendments have been discussed and no further debate remains on the Draft Resolution, this Motion may be raised to adopt it as the Committee's Resolution. This Motion requires a Second, as well as a ⅔ majority of the Committee's vote to pass.
22. Motion to Suspend the Meeting
    This Motion is raised to suspend the Committee until the next scheduled time, as outlined by the Secretariat. It only passes under the discretion of the Chairs when the time is deemed appropriate.
23. Motion to Adjourn the Session
    A motion which officially stops all Committee activities for the Conference, to be raised at the end of the final Committee session. Passes under the discretion of the Chairs when the time is deemed appropriate.

Procedural Vote

Procedural Votes are conducted by Acclamation. This means that every Delegate is required to raise their placard to express the belief of the Delegation that they represent. Unless the Motion to Split the House was enacted, Delegates can either vote “In Favour”, “Against”, or “Abstain” in Procedural Votes. A simple majority, therefore more than ½ of the Committee, is required for a Procedural Vote to pass unless stated otherwise.

Substantive Vote

Substantive Votes work based on a Roll Call. Alphabetically, Delegates are called out by the Chairs to either state that they are “In Favour”, “Against”, “Abstaining”, or “Passing to the Next Round” of Voting. During Roll Call, if a Delegate stated that they were Present and Voting, they were required to Vote “In Favour” or “Against”. A simple majority, therefore, more than ½ of the Committee, is required for a Substantive Vote to pass unless stated otherwise

Working Paper

The beginning of an eventual Resolution starts at the Working Paper. This may simply be a collection of ideas or already developed arguments, but it shall serve as the basis of the eventual Draft Resolution. Several Delegates can introduce Working Papers, however, it is recommended to focus on one and develop all ideas there, to have a balance of different ideas, as there can only be one Draft Resolution and eventual Resolution.

As outlined above, it is forbidden to work on the Working Paper before the beginning of the conference and instead should be worked upon during Committee Sessions, or after the conclusion of the first day of the Conference. It may be introduced at any time, though it is recommended to do so at the beginning of the second day of the Conference. When it is shared, it must be done in a communication channel where all members of the Committee can view and suggest changes to it.

Draft Resolution

After a Working Paper has been worked on sufficiently, it can be introduced to the Committee as a Draft Resolution if it fulfils certain parameters.

1. Preambulatory Clauses
   For a Resolution to follow the correct United Nations format, it must have Preambulatory Clauses. They articulate the rationale behind the committee's actions on a specific topic. They are expected to emphasize pertinent legal precedents, previous relevant resolutions from the United Nations, and past international initiatives addressing the issue.
2. Operative Clauses
   Operative clauses describe the actions or recommendations proposed in a resolution. Each operative clause starts with a verb, referred to as an operative phrase, and concludes with a semicolon. They are the actual arguments and solutions which the Committee debates and agrees upon.
3. Main Submitter
   The Main Submitter of a Draft Resolution is the Delegate who has contributed most to its content. When a Working Paper is being introduced as a Draft Resolution, the Main Submitter must be present and must vote “In Favour” of it in Voting Procedures. If significant changes were to be made to the Draft Resolution, a Main Submitter can withdraw from the position and can vote “Against” the Draft Resolution in voting procedures.
4. Co-Submitters
   Two other Delegates that had significant contributions to the Working Paper and eventual Draft Resolutions. They cannot vote “Against” the Draft Resolution in the voting procedures.
5. Signatories
   Signatories are the Delegates who agree with the content of the Working Paper and eventual Draft Resolution. There is no minimum nor maximum for the number of Signatories for a Working Paper. They do not need to vote “In Favour” of the Resolution in voting procedures.

When a Working Paper follows all of the aforementioned parameters, the Working Paper can be introduced as a Draft Resolution. Upon doing so, the Chairs shall invite the Main Submitter of the document to read out the Operative Clauses for the Committee. After concluding, the Main Submitter shall have 3 minutes to present to the rest of the Committee why to support their Draft Resolution, with the opportunity to yield the floor to one of the Co-Submitters, and later space for Points of Information after the speech’s conclusion under the discretion of the Chairs. Subsequent debate upon the Draft Resolution proceeds with the option for Delegates to introduce Amendments.

Amendments

1. Textual Changes
   Amendments which simply correct grammatical, formatting, and spelling mistakes in a Draft Resolution pass automatically under the discretion of the Chairs and do not require debated upon. Any Delegate may introduce such a change after the Draft Resolution has been read out.
2. Friendly Amendments
   These changes, known as Substantive Amendments, do not require debate or a voting procedure if they are unilaterally agreed upon by the Submitters of the Draft Resolution as Friendly. If that is the case, it passes automatically, and the particular changes are implemented into the Draft Resolution. The Chairs, for any Amendment, will ask the Submitters whether it is Friendly or Unfriendly and will act accordingly based on the reply.
3. Unfriendly Amendments
   Unfriendly Amendments to a Resolution are viewed by the Submitters as damaging to the integrity of the Draft Resolution. They are debated and eventually voted upon in a Substantive Vote. If this vote passes, as mentioned above, Submitters can withdraw their support for the Draft Resolution and for all further matters be allowed to vote “Against” it.

After all Amendments are discussed, the Draft Resolution may be voted upon. The aforementioned “Motion to Vote Clause by Clause” may be enacted. A Draft Resolution requires a ⅔ majority of the Committee in a Substantive Vote to pass, and may then be referred to as a „Resolution“.

Veto Power

The Permanent Five Members of the Security Council possess the Right to veto any Amendment or Resolution by simply voting “Against”. These are the nations of the People’s Republic of China, the Fifth French Republic, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the United States of America. These nations must always, however, state whether they are voting With, or Without Rights. If they do choose to vote With Rights, however, they must first present a Veto Threat by issuing a Page Note to the Chairs, and under their discretion, with a call for more debate on the topic. A Delegate who does not present a Page Note cannot use their Veto Power.

P5 Caucus

The P5 Members of the Security Council, and they only, can request a P5 Caucus. This involves the delegates leaving the room for an Unmoderated Caucus to discuss a specific topic. It requires a Second from all other P5 Members, and after its conclusion, they must summarize what was debated upon to all other members of the Committee.

Special Rules

Further special procedures, including Treaties and other technicalities of the Security Council and its Historical Counterpart, as well as the Future Committee On Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, are found in their respective Study Guide; furthermore, for BratMUN 2025, Delegates of the Congress of Vienna and FIFA are recommended to read their Study Guide in detail for additional information.