non-paper

non-paper (plural non-papers)

1. A discussion paper which is not to form part of formal business, especially in the UN.
   • 2001, Phil Williams, Dimitri Vlassis, Combating Transnational Crime, p.262, Routledge, 2001 →ISBN.

     The difficulty in reaching a unanimously acceptable decision is reflected in particular by a document submitted by the Japanese delegation to the same Working Group (Japanese non-paper),

   • 2005, Roméo Dallaire, Brent Beardsley, Shake hands with the devil: the failure of humanity in Rwanda, p.359, Da Capo Press, 2005 →ISBN

     Here I was up to my armpits in bodies, and the DPKO was reduced to presenting a non-paper in order to garner possible support for a mandate debate.

   • 2006, Thirty-fourth Report of Session 2005-06: Documents Considered by the Committee on 5 July 2006, Including; Voluntary Reduction ("modulation") of Direct Farm Support Payments; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, p.53, The Stationary Office 2006 →ISBN.

     The Attorney General reports that the Austrian Presidency circulated an alternative, more general, text as a "non-paper" which was discussed at informal working group meetings in April and May and at the June JHA council.

• white paper

non-paper (not comparable)

1. Not made of paper
2. Used of information that is stored electronically