New CONCORD Legislation Prohibits Agent Distribution of Advanced Tech Components

2005-04-27 00:00

By Svarthol

After a series of meetings over the last week, CONCORD's Inner Circle this morning passed new legislation prohibiting empire corporation agents from passing on Tech II construction components to capsule pilots engaged in freelance work for them. The primary reason for the legislation, according to Inner Circle Head Irhes Angireh, is "the need for the empires to divert their resources towards their own ends. Both CONCORD and the four empires have paid tremendous amounts of money and resources to the capsuleer community in these past months, and it's time to begin cutting the cord." Also stated was CONCORD's belief that the legislation would have an energizing effect on capsuleers' outpost-building efforts and other industrial endeavors.

Parties from within both the Caldari State and Amarr Empire governments have complained that the legislation will cause massive inflation on capsuleer Tech II markets and serve only to "hamstring those operating on the technological cutting edge and slow down their progress." Some, indeed, argue that is exactly what CONCORD is out to do. Ever-controversial Federation Marquee journalist Maxim Peltast applauded the move, calling it a "kick in the [censored] for the [censored] cloning [censored]." He did, however, warn that these new circumstances would effectively force capsuleers into industrial operations on a greater scale than before, and history had shown that "when you force the eggers into a corner, you're going to make those [censored] more powerful, whether you like it or not."

The Gallente and Matari governments meanwhile have expressed their approval of the legislation, claiming that the economic backlash created in the space community through this excessive flow of capital and components could now be nipped in the bud. While it is unknown how the Inner Circle's votes fell, the decision is widely reported to have been near-unanimous.

The mixed response to the legislation is seen by some as indicative of a growing rift between the old empires. States analyst Brill Stone, "With capsuleer traffic within - and influence upon - the empires increasing every day, and sweeping legislation like this being passed, you have a lot of voices talking about grand-scale changes on the horizon, you know, the universe's power structures undergoing seismic shifts. I think we'll start to feel some tremors pretty soon."