The guidelines of the Expansionary Fleet, also known as the Expansionary Defense Fleet's charter as called by Force Commander Mitth'raw'nuruodo, were the rules that dictated the operations of the Chiss Expansionary Fleet. These guidelines limited the fleet's activities to observing and exploring the territories surrounding the Chiss Ascendancy.
After the annihilation of the Trade Federation's Special Task Force One, Syndic Mitth'ras'safis, whose core name was "Thrass," from the Eighth Ruling Family, organized a meeting between Corellian smuggler Jorj Car'das and Admiral Ar'alani of the Chiss Defense Fleet. This meeting took place in Ar'alani's living space on the upper floor of the Crustai asteroid base. During the meeting, Car'das attempted to delay Ar'alani by claiming that Thrawn had acted according to the Expansionary Fleet's charter and had only engaged in combat for self-preservation. As Thrass read the charter aloud, Ar'alani rebuffed the claim, asserting that Thrawn had broken the defensive-only doctrine.