31st National Selection Conference

European Youth Parliament Greece

Resolution Booklet

Programme of the General Assembly

09:00 - 09:15 – Arrivals

09:30 - 10:00 – Opening of the GA

10:15 - 11:00 – Committee on Employment and Social Affairs

11:00 - 11:15 – Coffee Break

11:20 - 12:05 – Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety I

12:05 - 12:50 – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs II

12:55 - 13:55 – Lunch

14:00 - 14:45 – Committee on Foreign Affairs

14:45 - 15:30 – Committee on Industry, Research and Energy

15:30 - 16:15 – Committee on Security and Defence

16:20 - 16:40 – Coffee Break

16:45 - 17:30 – Committee on Constitutional Affairs

17:30 - 18:15 – Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety II

18:15 - 18:35 – Coffee Break

18:40 - 19:25 – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs

19:25 - 20:10 – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs I

20:10 - 20:30 – Break

20:35 - 21:05 – Closing Ceremony

21:10 - 21:30 – Departures

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL

AFFAIRS

Topic: With youth unemployment remaining high, how can the EU ensure the

enforcement of the Youth Employment Initiative and Youth Guarantee, given

Member Sates’ diverse employment policies and challenges?

Submitted by: Evi Arvaniti, Eirini Kostala, Dionysia Machaira, Eleni Markaki,

Christina-Glykeria Markou, Aggeliki Mparmpetaki, Melina Nikolakea,

Vasilis Plakoulas, Sofianos Souliotis, Niovi-Katerina Stamatiou, Maria

Tsianti, Victor Escuder (Chairperson, ES), Giorgia Giani (Chairperson,

GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Acknowledges that diverse employment policies and challenges prevent Member States from

adhering to a common policy,

B. Bearing in mind that the current financial crisis has affected the labour market by limiting the

available job positions and creating job insecurity,

C. Deeply concerned by the violation of EU labour rights of young employees and interns, through

the demanding and long working hours, and unstable contracts,

D. Noticing the difficulty in the transition from education to the labour market, due to a mismatch

in skills,

E. Realising that the imbalance between labour supply and demand, regarding white collar and

high paying jobs, is caused by the existing preference towards such jobs at the expense of manual

ones,

F. Alarmed that young people lack awareness regarding job opportunities deriving from

technological progress,

G. Noting with regret the high rate of school dropouts, resulting in them lacking labour market

skills,

H. Concerned by the differences within Member States regarding the recognition of qualifications

from one country to another, due to the widely differing education and training systems in

Europe,

I. Recognising the lack of cooperation and communication between Member States regarding

information sharing on current employment policies,

J. Having considered the ineffective management of external multilateral financial support;

1. Calls upon the European Commission (EC) to guarantee the respect of labour rights throughout

the EU;

2. Encourages educational institutions to:

a) provide students with the necessary skills demanded by the labour market by increasing

cooperation with companies,

b) raise awareness about the advantages of vocational education through seminars, speeches

and media campaigns,

c) inform students about job opportunities created by the technological progress by improving

career guidance;

3. Welcomes education via e-learning programmes as a measure aiming at increasing youngsters’

employability;

4. Recommends that Member States improve the recognition of international qualifications through

the further implementation and advertisement of the Bologna Process1;

5. Invites Member States to improve internships by:

a) increasing their quantity through introducing financial incentives for companies,

b) enhancing their quality by introducing tests to be taken at the end of each internship;

6. Supports cooperation and information sharing on the progress of the implementation of the

Youth Guarantee2 scheme among Member States, through annual meetings of their

representatives;

7. Suggests that Member States submit an Annual Growth Report to the EC to ensure that

distribution of funds deriving from the Youth Employment Initiative3 and the European Social

Fund4 is in accordance with the previously-agreed priorities;

8. Urges companies to support youth entrepreneurship by increasing the number and size of

financial grants offered.

1 The Bologna Process focuses on the introduction of the three cycle system (bachelor/master/doctorate), strengthening quality

assurance and the easier recognition of qualifications and periods of study.

2 The Youth Guarantee seeks to ensure that Member States make a good-quality offer to all young people up to age 25 of a

job, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within four months of leaving formal education or becoming

unemployed.

3 The Youth Employment Initiative focuses on the regions where youth unemployment rates are over 25%. The initiative will

provide financial support to the Member States that have youth unemployment rates of more than 25% in 2012 and for

Member States where youth unemployment rates have increased by more than 30% in 2012.

4 The European Social Fund is Europe’s main tool for promoting employment and social inclusion – helping people get a job

(or a better job), integrating disadvantaged people into society and ensuring fairer life opportunities for all.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH

AND FOOD SAFETY I

Topic: GM crops – solution or threat? Bearing in mind the benefits of increased

food production and efficiency associated with genetically modified crops, what

stance should the EU take to ensure that their use does not have a negative

environmental impact?

Submitted by: Ioanna Efstathiou, Dimitra Evaggelou, Ioanna Karakoulaki,

Nikolaos Kosonas, Eirini Maketaki, Sofia Malkogianni, Christina

Meinti, Dimitrios Mpourtzis, Sofia Nasopoulou, Christina

Thaneli, Markos Merkouris (Chairperson, HU), Dionysios

Theodoropoulos (Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Disturbed by the controversial and inconclusive scientific data concerning the long-term

environmental effects of genetically modified organisms (GMOs),

B. Fully alarmed by the unintended impacts5 of GMOs on ecosystems ultimately leading to the

diminishing biodiversity of local flora and fauna,

C. Realising that GM gene flow6 occurs through animals, air and cross-pollination,

D. Noting with regret the potential repercussions of the widespread use of GMOs, such as gene

mutations7 or genome destabilisation8,

E. Bearing in mind the probable damage caused by the toxic residues left in the soil by the current

generation of GM crops,

F. Taking into account that GM crop cultivation is accompanied by pesticide and herbicide

resistance in harmful organisms;

5 Such impacts may include gene escape, weediness, gene mutation and interaction with live and native populations.

6 This is the transfer of genes from one population to another.

7 Gene mutation is a permanent alteration in the DNA sequence that makes up a gene.

8 This is the dysfuncti on in gene and cell regulation due to the insertion of foreign genomic material.

1. Encourages further research on the development of new strains of GMOs in order to further

mitigate their environmental impact;

2. Designates that GMOs be brought under stricter safety regulations, such as the expansion of the

buffer zones between the cultivation areas of GMO and non-GMO crops;

3. Recommends the use of male-sterile plants9 in order to avoid the undesirable dispersion of GM

genes;

4. Endorses the combined use of toxin-producing10 and toxin-absorbent plants11 in a yearly

rotational cycle to fortify the fertility of the plantation.

9 These are plants engineered to be unable to produce pollen of their own.

10 These plants produce toxins to protect them from natural predators.

11 These plants are specifically designed to have a high absorbance rate of toxins produced by other GM crops, with the

possibility of alternative uses, such as energy production or the production of biofuel.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND

HOME AFFAIRS II

Topic: My home is my castle? With increased levels of migration triggering a rise in

popularity of extreme far-right parties, how should the EU balance the right to

freedom of speech and democracy of all citizens with the need to tackle xenophobia

and offer migrants a safe place in society?

Submitted by: Ifigeneia Antonopoulou, Magdalini Ilia, Tomasz Conrad Juszczyk,

Andreas Kaisaris, Paraskevi Kourentzi, Elli-Theodora

Mavrokefalou, Myrto Mylona, Maria Paliarouti, Paraskevi

Pantazi, Antonia Statherou, Christina Theofilou, Anastasia

Tsilivakou, Patrik Bruschek (Chairperson, AT), Evdoxia Tsoukala

(Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Realising that xenophobia is a threat to contemporary multicultural societies as it causes a lack

of respect and physical or verbal aggressive racist outbreaks,

B. Keeping in mind that Directives set by the European Union immigration policies result in

incoherent and hence ineffective legislations in the Member States,

C. Taking into consideration the poor living conditions of immigrants due to the lack of direct aid

such as accommodation and job opportunities,

D. Alarmed by the fact that ideologies such as Islamophobia promoted by some far-right parties are

contradictive to the Articles 21 and 22 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights12,

E. Fully aware that some extreme far-right parties express discrimination and often act violently

against ethnic minorities such as immigrants,

F. Noting with regret the limited educational programmes promoting cultural diversity in the

Member States,

G. Bearing in mind that far-right parties may take advantage of the current socio-economic

conditions in order to spread fear among voting citizens;

1. Calls for Member States to establish volunteer-run information and support centres funded by

national taxes to help ensure good living conditions for immigrants;

12 The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union brings together the fundamental rights protected in the EU.

Article 21 relates to non-discrimination and Article 22 relates to cultural, religious and linguistic diversity.

2. Encourages Member States to provide all immigrants with temporary accommodation, health

care, job opportunities and access to the welfare system;

3. Calls for the European Commission to reinforce laws related to racist actions through financial

penalties and imprisonment;

4. Emphasises that Member States need to further educate their citizens on the value of non-

discrimination by organising remembrance projects based on historical facts knowledge;

5. Asks Member States to implement educational school programmes on anti-racist ideology

through specialised workshops that encourage life-long learning for both teachers and students;

6. Recommends Member States and non- profit organisations raise awareness on the accurate

consequences of the current European socio-economic conditions, through the organisation of

non-profitable campaigns carried out by volunteers.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Topic: Trouble in the neighbourhood? Given the varied aspiration of Eastern

Partnership countries and increased tensions with Russia, what stance should the

EU take ahead of the approaching Riga Summit?

Submitted by: Anastasia Chaviaropoulou, Michalis Dedes, Vasilis Dedousis,

Nikitas Filippidis, Anastasia Karampatsou, Christos

Maliachovas, Danny Naar, Nikolaos Papadakis, Christina

Tsopela, Sozina Tzepapadaki, Maria Fedoruk (Chairperson, UA),

Natalia Vagena (Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Noting with regret that the economic crisis and the political instability in the EU has put on hold

the discussions between the Member States and the Eastern Partnership (EaP)13 countries,

B. Alarmed by the fact that Russia influences the EaP countries with regards to their European

integration by placing extra customs controls,

C. Deeply concerned by the dysfunction of democratic institutions and political instability in the

EaP countries caused by their conflicting discussions with the EU and Russia,

D. Aware of the lack of an EU action plan to deal with territorial disputes leading to destabilisation

of the EaP countries,

E. Keeping in mind that the sanctions imposed by the EU towards Russia prevent further

discussions and agreements between them,

F. Bearing in mind the effect that the different political backgrounds of the EaP countries, the

Member States and Russia have on negotiations amongst them,

G. Noting with concern the EaP citizens’ lack of information regarding their countries’ cooperation

with the EU;

13 Post-Vilnius Eastern Partnership can be described as the pro-EU partners (Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia which show

higher standards of democracy than other three countries), pro-Russia ones (Armenia and Belarus which are a part of the

Russia-led Eurasian Union) and Azerbaijan which dropped the idea of the Association Agreement and proposed the Strategic

Modernization Partnership

1. Supports the role of the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy14

as a mediator between EaP countries and Russia through further political means;

2. Calls upon the European Commission (EC) to adapt the European Neighbourhood Policy15 to

each EaP country’s needs by the end of 2015 in order to achieve cooperation and consolidation

amongst Member States and EaP governments;

3. Calls for the EaP countries which have signed Association Agreements (AA)16 to further

cooperate with the EU with regards to political and cultural terms;

4. Invites the EaP countries which have not signed AAs to establish specialised agreements such as

Azerbaijan’s Modernization Partnership17 with the EU;

5. Encourages Member States and countries which have signed the AA to completely implement all

terms of the existing agreements such as the visa liberalisation action plan 18;

6. Requests that the EC supports the EaP economies by:

a) establishing electronic trading infrastructure between them and the EU,

b) strengthening the action plan of the Deep Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement19;

7. Urges Member States to lower taxation and provide expansion opportunities for European

businesses active in the EaP countries;

8. Further invites the European Commission to raise awareness of the benefits of European

integration through media campaigns and public seminars on the function and the mission of the

EU.

14 The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs is charged with coordinating and carrying out the EU’s foreign

and security policy known as the “Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP)” the “Common Security and Defence Policy

(CSDF). The High Representative of the Union on Foreign Affairs currently is Federica Mogherini. 15 The European Neighborhood Policy is a foreign relations instrument of the European Union, which seeks to tie those

countries to the east and south of the European territory of the EU.

16 A European Union Association Agreement is a treaty between the European Union, its Member States and a non EU-

country that creates a framework of cooperation between them. Areas frequently covered by such agreements include the

development of political, trade, social, cultural and security links. The legal base for the conclusion of the association

agreements is provided by the article 217 of the Treaty of Lisbon. 17 It’s a partnership between the EU and Azerbaijan aiming to broaden cooperation and deepen the relationship amongst both

sides as Azerbaijan is EU’s main trading partner with billateral trade flows worth 17.9 billion euros in 2013 (i.e. more than

42% of Azerbaijan’s trade).

18 Visa facilitation is a tool of promotion of the mobility of the citizens of the EU Eastern partner countries. Readmission

agreements provide rules for managing the return of irregular migrants.

19 The Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA) is a part of the EU's broader policy of creating a stable and

prosperous European Neighborhood through closer economic ties. The DCFTA is intended to bring a partner country closer to

the EU through the opening of markets for goods and services and reducing barriers to trade, especially so-called 'behind the

border' issues, bureaucracy and red tape.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, RESEARCH AND

ENERGY

Topic: In the light of the approaching EU Sustainable Energy Week, what action

should the EU take to meet the 2030 energy targets and ensure a sustainable and

secure energy market for future generations?

Submitted by: Despina Fyka, Georgios Giatras, Kornilia Kollia, Iakovos-Fanourios

Kritikos, Michalis Marselos, Orestis Mempelika, Andreas Mitakidis,

Ianna Mpolika, Sotirios Pantazis, Georgia Papalexandri, Theano Rizou,

Apostolos Souflis-Rigas, Bartek Kubiak (Chairperson, UK), Despina

Papadopoulou (Vice-President, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Aware that the majority of non-renewable energy resources are extracted outside the EU20,

B. Concerned that non-renewable energy resources are being rapidly depleted,

C. Noting with satisfaction that the reduction by 18% of greenhouse gases emissions contributed to

the 45% rise of the European Gross Domestic Product21 between 1990 and 2012,

D. Deeply concerned that the EU’s heavy dependence on external energy suppliers causes

instability in the European energy market,

E. Keeping in mind the important role that energy sector companies play in both the economy of

each Member State and the European economy as a whole,

G. Referring to the crucial role citizens play in the configuration of EU’s decisions and its

environmental future,

H. Emphasising the influence that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have on the European

energy market,

I. Aware that the policies of some EU countries, such as the Baltic States or Poland, do not conform

with the EU’s energy strategy;

1. Encourages Member States to take advantage of their geographical assets in order to facilitate

the implementation of 2030 energy targets22;

20 According to data from Eurostat, Europe imports 88% of its oil and 66% of its natural gas.

21 Data from the European Commission.

22 There are 3 main 2030 targets (all in relation to 1990 levels): greenhouse gas emissions cut by 40%, 30% increase in

renewable energy, and 40% improvement in energy efficiency.

2. Supports the European Commission (EC) in the establishment of an integrated and responsive

European energy grid23;

3. Requests that Member States implement financial subsidies for the use of renewable energy

sources by energy sector companies;

4. Urges ecological NGOs to organise media campaigns to raise citizens’ awareness of the need for a

more eco-friendly lifestyle;

5. Emphasises that each Member State should encourage the development of the European

Strategic Energy Technology Plan24 monitored by the European Network of Transmission

System Operator for Electricity25;

6. Requests that all Member States adopt a coordinated energy policy which will be adjusted to

each country in relation to its energy needs.

23 This redesigning of the energy market to create an energy union was proposed by the EC president on 25th February 2015.

24 It encompasses over a dozen of different energy initiatives aimed at research and innovation of the low carbon energy

market.

25 This works for the benefit of European energy consumers by ensuring more secure energy policy.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON SECURITY AND DEFENCE

Topic: Given the rising threat of terrorist attacks such as the recent Charlie Hebdo

massacre in Paris, what action can the EU take in response to the heightened risk

of security threats linked to religious extremism whilst respecting the fundamental

rights of its citizens?

Submitted by: Manolia Agapiou, Aggeliki Karkasi, Nikolaos-Paulos Kotzias,

Evanthia Kourakou, Ioanna Koutsodimou, Tatiana

Lampropoulou, Maria-Fanouria Papantonaki, Aggelos

Papastathopoulos, Natalia Rompoti, NIkolaos-Michail Savvakis,

Melina Sgourou, Artemis Talliou, Panagiotis Orfanakos

(Chairperson, GR), Maria Megapanou (Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Affirming the rise of terrorist attacks motivated by religious extremism,

B. Noting with deep concern that the immigration policy in the EU is not adequately implemented,

C. Bearing in mind the rise of political propaganda based on religious beliefs channelled through

the media,

D. Fully alarmed by the rise of islamophobia and anti-Semitism, causing new internal conflicts,

E. Taking into account the lack of cooperation between Member States, as far as external border

control with third countries26 is concerned,

F. Bearing in mind that the Terrorist Finance Tracking Programme (TFTP)27 is not sufficiently

implemented,

G. Realising that Member States’ authorities are ill-equipped to combat terrorist acts,

H. Being fully aware of the fact that the rising threat of terrorist organisations in third countries

may cause security threats in the EU,

I. Declaring that the increasing radicalisation of young people can be conducive to their

participation in international terrorist attacks;

26 A third country is any country of the world that is not one of the 28 EU Member States or a European Economic Area state.

27 The EU concluded an agreement with the US on the transfer of financial data in the framework of the US Terrorist Finance

Tracking Programme ('TFTP Agreement') which has been in force since August 2010.

1. Calls upon Member States to organise events and campaigns, involving specialists on religious

studies, which inform citizens about the separation between religion and religious extremism;

2. Proposes that the EU Counter Terrorism Coordinator28 collects Passenger Name Records29 data

and stores the data for one year;

3. Asks the EC to consider the establishment of a common counter-terrorism policy for all Member

States to enforce;

4. Encourages the involvement of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and the United

Nations in the TFTP;

5. Urges the EC to expand the role of Europol30, by employing more manpower;

6. Requests that the European Union External Action Service31 establishes a platform, in which

third countries share intelligence with INTERPOL32 and EU Intelligence Analysis Centre

(INTCEN);

7. Recommends that Member States’ Cyber Crime departments monitor terrorism-related website

and identify their users;

8. Further recommends that Member States prevent the aforementioned users from leaving the

EU.

28 The EU Counter-Terrorism Coordinator is responsible for coordinating the work of the Council of the EU in combating

terrorism and closely monitoring the implementation of the EU counter-terrorism strategy.

29 Passenger Name Records (PNR) data is information provided by passengers during the reservation and booking of tickets

and when checking in on flights, and is collected by air carriers for their own commercial purposes.

30 Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency whose main goal is to help achieve a safer Europe for the benefit

of all EU citizens through the use of its unique information capabilities and the expertise of its staff to identify and track the

most dangerous criminal and terrorist networks in Europe. Europol has no direct powers of arrests.

31 The European Union External Action Service (EEAS) is the main diplomatic representation for the EU overseas and

manages activities such as peacebuilding, crisis response and neighbourhood policy.

32 INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Topic: How can the European Union reduce its democratic deficit whilst preventing

excessive bureaucratic procedures and more intricate decision making processes?

Submitted by:

Vasilis Benopoulos, Chalint El Champasi, Maria-Lida Filippa,

Konstantinos Mponis-Lakkas, Aristeidis Paraskevopoulos,

Georgios Skountrianos, Konstantina Yfanti, Konstantina Zariou,

Ellie Adamoudi (Chairperson, GR), Myrto Apostolidou

(Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Bearing in mind the mistrust of EU citizens towards the EU’s institutions, which is reinforced by

their lack of awareness of its function and the subsequent rise of Euroscepticism33,

B. Considering that the rapid rise of Euroscepticism creates divisions within the Member States

and constitutes a hurdle to further integration,

C. Taking into account the decreased political participation of citizens at the European level,

reflected in the low voting turnout of only 42.6% in the recent European Parliament elections of

201434,

D. Recognising the demand for procedures that will allow citizens a more direct involvement in the

EU’s decision making processes,

E. Realising the failure of the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI)35 which results from the lack of

public interest in the Initiative and the absence of pan-European referenda,

F. Aware of the fact that the only EU institution that is directly elected by EU citizens is the

European Parliament (EP) currently lacks the power to act as an effective check on the European

Commission (EC);

1. Resolves to establish e-democracy36 through introducing steps including, but not limited to:

a) the creation of an accessible system to hold e-referenda,

33 Euroscepticism is the negative attitude and mistrust of citizens towards the EU.

34 Data from the European Parliament.

35 The ECI is a direct legislative channel for the EU citizens in which they are given the right to initiate legislative action in

whichever field they deem necessary.

36 E-democracy is the substitution of traditional polling methods by an electronic system.

b) the introduction of e-voting without abolishing traditional voting systems,

c) the development of an electronic version of the ECI;

2. Calls upon the European Commission to adopt the “one-in, two-out” rule used by the UK, which

requires that every new regulation has half the cost of the regulations it is replacing and the

initiation of a process to digitalise paperwork;

3. Proposes that the EC assigns additional roles and powers to the EP, including the right to take

legislative initiative and the right to scrutinise the work of the Commission by requiring the

Commission’s President and Commissioners to answer questions made by Members of the

European Parliament on a more regular basis;

4. Recommends that the European Committee on Culture and Education responds to the rise of

Eurosceptiscism by introducing a new lesson in the school curricula of all Member States, called

“European history and the function of the Union’s system”;

5. Encourages Member States to reinforce the EU through deeper and wider integration on policy

areas such as education, healthcare, pensions, immigration, defence and foreign affairs, in

accordance with the mandates of the EU.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH

AND FOOD SAFETY II

Topic: Striking a balance between medical research and universal access to

healthcare: How should the EU promote innovation in the pharmaceutical sector

while making existing cures available to those who need them most?

Submitted by: Athina Alampanou, Anastasios Atzampos, Athanasios Efthymiou,

Sofia Kargioti, Eirini Katsa, Georgia Kolokouri, Polyxeni Liakou,

Anna Louka, Ilias Mitsigiorgis, Antonis Nikolopoulos,

Konstantina Nomikou, Dimitra Skopeliti, Maria Sparaggi, Dennis

Patriarcheas (Chairperson, GR), Panagiotis Themelis

(Chairperson, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Fully alarmed by the unequal access to healthcare due to discrimination based on gender, age,

race, disability, sexual orientation and religion,

B. Noting with regret that the lack of funding for healthcare and medical research results in ill-

equipped research departments,

C. Aware of the difficulties faced by healthcare institutions in the adoption of new expensive

methods,

D. Bearing in mind that only a few innovative pharmaceutical products reach the market due to

long production pipelines,

E. Emphasising that pharmaceutical companies maintain their exclusive rights over newly

discovered medications for seven years, leading to the increase of their prices,

F. Realising that the European Health Insurance Card37 provides medical coverage only in the case

of emergencies;

37 A free card that gives you access to medically necessary, state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in any of the 28

EU countries, Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, under the same conditions and at the same cost (free in some

countries) as people insured in that country.

1. Calls upon the European Commission’s Directorate General on Health and Food Safety38 to

increase the budget of the European Structural and Investment Fund39 allocated to the

improvement of healthcare facilities, personnel and equipment;

2. Encourages non-governmental organisations to raise public awareness about access to health, as

a fundamental human right, through media campaigns consisting of:

i) expert talks and interactive discussions at schools,

ii) street advertising;

3. Further invites national governments to subsidise low-income citizens to enable their access to

expensive, patented medications;

4. Urges national governments to implement the existing Directives on racial discrimination and

gender equality aiming for equal access to healthcare systems40;

5. Proposes that national governments found public pharmaceutical companies in order to research

and produce affordable and high quality medications;

6. Calls for the European Research Council (ERC)41 to incentivise pharmaceutical companies by

awarding monetary prizes for the most innovative achievements.

38 This aims to protect and improve public health, ensure the EU’s food safety and protect the health of forests, animals and

crops.

39 This is a funding mechanism that promotes among others research and innovation in health, health promotion and access

to healthcare. 40 Racial Equality Directive 2000/43/EC & EU Gender Equality Law 2013 Update

41 The main goal of the ERC is to encourage high quality research in EU through competitive funding.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND MONETARY

AFFAIRS

Topic: In the midst of an economic and fiscal crisis, the EU is facing a decline in

entrepreneurship. How should the European Parliament ensure stability in the

banking sector while promoting the development of sustainable businesses?

Submitted by: Alexandra Balli, Souzanna Bodini, Erika Kaperoni, Antonis

Kastrinakis, Marianna Lagkadinou, Sotiris Lytras, Ploutarchos

Marinis, Filippos Moutafidis, Eirini Panagopoulou, Anna

Spanoudaki, Vasilis Tsenes, Dimitris Krokos (Chairperson, GR),

Ilir Kola (Vice-President, AL)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Noting with regret that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) currently lack available

funds, thus preventing their sustainable growth,

B. Bearing in mind that lack of liquidity in the banking sector results in fewer investments

available for SMEs,

C. Keeping in mind the negative role that the European Central Bank (ECB)42 has played in

preventing the crisis, in particular:

i) poor supervision of Member States prior to the crisis,

ii) allowing Member States entrance into the Eurozone despite their non-fulfilment of the Euro

Convergence Criteria43,

iii) failure in maintaining competition between Member States,

D. Taking into account the lack of information amongst EU citizens about available programmes

that support entrepreneurship, such as the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan44 proposed by the

European Commission (EC),

E. Aware of the extensive bureaucracy which entrepreneurs face, preventing them from creating

and developing sustainable businesses;

42 The European Central Bank is the central bank for the Euro and administers monetary policy of the Eurozone. The capital

stock of the bank is owned by the central banks of all 28 EU Member States.

43 The criteria which the EU Member States are required to meet to enter the third stage of the Economic and Monetary

Union and adopt the Euro as their currency.

44 The Entrepreneurship Action Plan is a blueprint for decisive action to unleash Europe's entrepreneurial potential through

investments in changing the public perception of entrepreneurs, in entrepreneurship education and to support groups that are

underrepresented among entrepreneurs.

1. Supports the proposal of the EC for the creation of a Capital Market Union45, as a supporting

mechanism of the Investment Plan for Europe46;

2. Calls upon the EC to promote and assist the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) 47 in bringing

SMEs closer to sources of funding such as investors or public funds;

3. Recommends the more rigorous the application of Convergence Criteria for a country to join the

Eurozone, in order to prevent future potential crises;

4. Requests the EC to offer assistance to the Executive Agency for SMEs (EASME)48 in efficiently

implementing the measures included in the programme for Competitiveness of Enterprises and

SMEs (COSME)49;

5. Urges Member States to:

a) implement entrepreneurial education programmes in high schools,

b) promote the available funds for SMEs through media campaigns,

c) simplify the bureaucratic procedures for SMEs by including e-government50 (FN) as a means

of communication.

45 The Capital Market Union aims to remove barriers between national capital markets in the EU. This would make more

funding available that is provided mainly by the markets.

46 A programme launched by the European Commission and the European Investment Bank, aiming at mobilising 315 billion

Euros over the next three years, including 75 billion Euros that should go to SMEs.

47 The EEN is the largest information and consultancy network in Europe. The aim of the network is to help small business to

make the most of the European marketplace.

48 Agency of the EC which has been set-up to manage several programmes on its behalf.

49 The EU programme for the Competitiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) runs from

2014 to 2020 with a planned budget of €2.3bn, and helps SMEs to gain easier access to markets.

50 E-government consists of the digital interactions between a citizen or business and their government.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY

THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND

HOME AFFAIRS I

Topic: Whilst the events in Turkey have highlighted the need to protect press

freedom, in recent years there have also been reports of journalists carrying out

illegal and intrusive surveillance on private citizens. How can the EU strike a

balance between protecting freedom of the press without encroaching upon the right

of citizens?

Submitted by: Stelios Antonogiannakis, Penny Choravati, Dimitra Kioiloglou,

Kalliopi Kritikou, Marso Markesini, Anna Mpimpli, Pantelis

Palimetakis, Alexandra Papanastasiou, Emmanouil

Papanastasopoulos, Eugenia Sgamato, Vasiliki Simopoulou,

Dafni Tsakiri, Vanja Bankovic (Chairperson, RS), Irida

Karasmonoglou(Vice-President, GR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Emphasising the importance of the implementation of the right to respect one’s right in private

and family life, home and correspondence, as enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention

on Human Rights51,

B. Noting with regret the violation of the aforementioned Articles by journalists, resulting in the

disrespect of fundamental human rights such as the freedom of expression and the freedom of

thought,

C. Alarmed by the fact that more than 700 journalists in Turkey have been imprisoned since 200752,

D. Taking into account the current social and economic crisis in Europe with rising incidents of

journalists using illicit means of documenting their work,

E. Bearing in mind the radical technological advancements and their impact on the protection of

personal data,

F. Expressing its satisfaction with the work of the Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM)53 ;

51 ECHR is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe, drafted in 1950.

52 Data from “Turkey’s Jailed Journalists”, The New Yorker, 8th March 2012

53 This is designed to identify potential risks to media pluralism in Member States, based on a European Commission funded

study published in 2009.

1. Expresses its hope for the further harmonisation of national laws and the ECHR in order to

achieve balance between privacy and freedom of the press;

2. Recommends the rejection of a candidate country to join the EU when methods of imprisonment

and harassment of journalists are used, such as accusations of pro terrorism propaganda;

3. Suggests that the European Commission reinforces the role of the European Ombudsman54 by

authorising it to:

a) act in a period shorter than two and a half years,

b) interfere in cases where journalists are the initiators of illegal acts;

4. Calls upon the Member States not to publish citizens’ personal information;

5. Encourages the full implementation of the MPM, aiming at ensuring freedom of the media;

6. Requests for increased transparency of media ownership, in order to ensure the publishing of

realistic news, not affected by private or governmental interests.

54 The European Ombudsman investigates complaints against the institutions and bodies of the EU.

The 31st National Selection Conference – Athens 2015 has been organised:

___________________________________Under the Auspices of ____________________________________

_________________________________ With the kind support of __________________________________

_______________________________ Kindly accommodated by ___________________________________

___________________________________ Sponsored by ____________________________________

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Co-funded by

the European Union