Academic Preparation Kit of BRight - 2nd Digital Session of EYP Bulgaria

Table of Contents

EU 101: 3

Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering (CRIM) 5

Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) 9

Committee on Human rights (DROI I) 13

Committee on Human Rights (DROI II) 18

Committee on Economic and MonetaryAffairs (ECON) 22

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) 28

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM I) 32

Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM II) 36

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO) 41

Committee on LegalAffairs (JURI) 45

EU101:

What is the EU?

The European Union is an economic and political organization that was created after World War II, the primary aim of which was to encourage economic cooperation between six countries Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands so that they are more likely to avoid any conflict Now the EU includes 27 countries (with the United Kingdom leaving the Union in 2020) and is centered at a variety of policy areas, ranging from climate, health, security, environment to justice and migration

Fact 1: Established in 1958, the EU was initially named as European Economic Community As the goals of the said union changed, so did the name of it and became what we know it as today The European Union in 1993.

What are the core values and goals of the EU?

The EU strives to establish peace, stability, prosperity across its Member States It has successfully implemented a standard currency that is used in 19 countries by 340 million citizens euro Moreover, countries within the EU do not have border control, meaning that the EU citizens can travel freely between Member States, study and work without bothering to obtain a visa It is also essential that every EU citizen is treated as native in the country they choose to reside, especially in the matters of employment, taxation as well as social security

Core values underlying the EU include, but are not limited to, human dignity, freedom, and social security.

How does the EU work?

The EU has several institutions that operate to pass certain laws: The Council of European Union, the European Parliament, and the European Commission

● The Council of the European Union

This institution is primarily responsible for negotiating and adopting laws, coordinating the regulations within the member States, developing foreign policies, and concluding agreements. Ministers of countries within the EU meet in Brussels to discuss policies, amend and adopt policies The majority of meetings take place in Brussels, with some of them happening in Luxembourg

Fact 2: Please note that The Council of the European Union is different from the Council of Europe, which is not an EU body at all

● European Parliament Next, we have the European Parliament, which is part of the legislative branch of the EU The European Parliament has 705 Members of the European Parliament and these MEPs are elected for 5 year mandates by all eligible citizens

The EP is divided into 7 large political groups, which are comparable to the parties you would see at a national level. MEPs are not organized by nationality but by political affiliation The European People’s Party, The Party of European Socialists, and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe are examples of these groups The current president of the EPis Roberta Metsola.

The European Parliament works either in its big plenary or In its 20 standing committees such as LIBE, FEMM, AFET, and CRIM, just like the committees we have in EYP The

European Parliament shares its legislative competencies with the Council of the European Union.

● European Commission

Lastly we have the European Commission, which can be considered the executive power of the EU The Commission is responsible for proposing and enforcing EU-wide laws and it alone is tasked with drafting up proposals for new EU legislation. It also implements the decisions of the European Parliament The Commission is divided into different departments which deal with different policy areas These departments are called Directorate Generals and there are roughly 20,000 people working in these After the particular Directorate General drafts a law, the College of Commissioners then adopts them. One Commissioner is appointed by each Member State and one of these Commissioners is the President of the EC The position is currently held by Ursula von der Leyen It is important to mention that the Commission represents the EU in its foreign relations

CommitteeonOrganisedCrime,CorruptionandMoneyLaundering (CRIM)

DirtyMoney:ArecentEurobarometerpollhasshownthatcorruptionremainsaserious concernforEUcitizens,68%believingthatcorruptionisstillwidespreadintheircountry andonly31%thinkingtheirnationalgovernmentʼseffortstocombatcorruptionare effective.Keepinginmindthenecessityoftransparencyandtrustinnationalgovernments tosustaintheintegrityofourdemocraticsystems,whatshouldtheEUdoinordertofight risingcorruptionratesintheEU,whilstsimultaneouslyregainingitscitizensʼtrust?

SubmittedbyJohannaBiel(DE)

1. Topicataglance

In terms of corruption, many regard the EU as one of the least corrupt regions in the world. However, there is no EU Member State that is completely corruption free. This means that democracy, fundamental rights, and the rule of law are being threatened also in the EU as corruption leads to inequality and threatens the citizensʼ trust in public, democratic institutions The economic repercussions of corruption also cannot be overlooked, since corruptioncoststheEUanestimatedamountof179to990billioneurosperyear

Moreover, corruption provides space for organised crimes to grow. Governmental institutions, especially in law enforcement and border controls, oen cooperate with large scale illegal businesses andevencriminalorganisations,suchasdrugcartelsandhumantraffickers,allowing organisedcrimetogrowunderthesupervisionofnationalauthorities.

Furthermore,itisnoteworthythatcorruptionratesintheEUvarygreatlyfromcountrytocountry StudieshaveshownthateasternEuropeancountriesaremorecorruptthanWesterncountries,as showninthegraphbelow InBulgariaforexample,19%ofthecitizenssaidtheyhadgivenabribe tosecureaccesstopublichealthcareinstitutions.

2. Casestudy

Hungary isoneofthemostcorruptMemberStatesintheEU.AertheEuropeananti fraudoffice reported that Hungary had irregularities in nearly 4% of EU funds spending in 2015 2019, the European Commission proposed suspending 7.5 billion euros of funding for Hungary. As a response, the Hungarian government came up with an anti corruption reform in hopes of becomingeligibleforEUfundingonceagain Thisreformincludesananti corruptionauthorityand workinggroupthatcooperatecloselywithindependent non governmentalorganisationsinorder to oversee how the EU funds are being spent. Nevertheless, EU Hungary relations have been impaired for so long and given the fact that corruption sets fundamental EU values at stake, HungaryʼsfutureaccesstoEUfundingisdoubtful,unlessradicalchangesaremade.

3. Stakeholders

from higher socioeconomic backgrounds can afford to pay bribes. Therefore, sharpens social inequalities. Furthermore, it undermines the rule of law and harms the functioning of public institutions and thedispensationofjustice,principlesthatareindispensableforacountrytobe consideredasdemocratic.

Measuretocombatchallenge1:

There is no direct measure tocombatinequalityduetocorruption Nevertheless,Article2ofthe Treaty on European Union (TEU) states that two of the fundamental values of the EU are democracy and respect for human rights, principles that are, by definition, incompatible with corruption. In addition to this, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) promotes a human rights based approach for combating corruption. This approachputsinternationalhumanrightsclaimsandcorrespondingstateobligationsatthecentre ofanti corruptiondiscussionsandeffortsatalllevels.

Challenge2:Threattodemocracy

Through corruption, government funds can become a source of personal enrichment for the governing party officials Consequently, social programs lack the essential funding theyneedto operate properly, political promises are notfulfilledandcitizensʼinterestsareoendisregarded. This destroys the publicʼs trust inpublicinstitutionsanddemocracybecauseoftheperception thatpoliticaldecision makingisinfluencednotbyvotes,butbybribery.

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

In Article 15(3) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU), the access and transparency of all documents ofEUinstitutionsaresecured Moreover,theCommissionʼspolicy on transparency gives citizens the right to know who receives funding from the EU budget Nevertheless, there is no such supervisory mechanism in place in all Member States, meaning many citizens do not have access to details about the funding allocation within their countries fromthenationalauthorities.

Challenge3:Economicrepercussions

CorruptioncoststheEUbetween179and990billioneurosperyear.Consequently,corruptionhas a negative impact on economic growth because it prevents innovationandefficientproduction Researchhasshownthatcountrieswithhighercorruptionratescannoteconomicallycompetewith countries that havelowercorruptionrates Furthermore,taxevasionsdecreasetheEUbudgetby approximately one trillion euros per year. Therefore, national governments do nothaveenough resourcesforpublicinvestmentsandtheimplementationofeconomicandsocialpolicies.Lastbut not least, as a result of money laundering, financial sector institutions, which are essential for economic growth, are damaged, promoting crime and corruption, which slows down economic growthandreducesefficiencyintheeconomy.

Measurestocombatchallenge3:

InArticle83oftheTreatyontheFunctioningoftheEuropeanUnion(TFEU)corruptionandmoney laundering are defined as a serious crime (the so called Euro Crime) with a border crossing dimension.ThisallowstheEUtoadoptminimalrulesinthisarearegardingthedefinitionofcrime

andthesanctionsitmayimpose.Nevertheless,asfarascorruptionisconcerned,thispowerofthe EUhasnotbeenusedsofar.

5. Whatnow?

Corruption brings many negative consequences. Therefore, it is no surprise that corruption is a serious concern for the citizens of the EU, which is oen thought to be one oftheleastcorrupt regionsintheworld.Withmoreeffortincombatingcorruption,manyproblemscanbesolvedsuch as securing human rights, maintaining a functioning democracy and promoting equality. Governments are reliant on itscitizensʼtrustandonlywithsaidtrustcantheycombatlongterm challenges Butaslongascitizensdonothavefaithinthegovernmenttheyarevotingforandin thepublicinstitutionscreatedtosupportthem,suchimportantchallengescannotbetackled

● Whatspecificgroupsareatadisadvantagebecauseofcorruptionandhowexactlycanthe EUprotectthem?

● HowcantheEUmakesurethatEUfundingisnotmisused?

● Howcanthedecision makingprocessbemademoretransparent?

● Whataretheseverelongtermproblemsthatcomefromcorruption?

6.

Linksforfurtherresearch

● “Global Corruption Barometer for the European Union 2021” YouTube/Transparency International/2021

● “Corruption perception index score of countries in the European Union 2021” Statista.com/D.Clark/2022

● “GlobalCorruptionBarometer EU2021” issuu.com/TransparencyInternational/2021

● “EUmovestostripHungaryof€75infundsovercorruption” YouTube/DWNews/2022

Facingall50shadesofourpast:ManyEuropeancountriesfocusonpromotingthe positiveaspectsoftheirhistorywhilstneglectingtheirmostcriticallegacies.What concretestepscanbetakenatbothEuropeanandnationalleveltoimprovepublic recognitionofthosewhohavesufferedfromoppression,colonisationandcrimesagainst humanity?

Submittedby:MilanaŠevo(RS)

1. Topicataglance

Awiderangeofcontentiousandsensitivetopics,includingtreatyviolations,militaryoccupations, cooperationwithoccupyingforces,civilwars,religiouspersecutions,colonialism,warcrimesand ethnic cleansings are all present throughout European history Disagreements over what happened, why it happened, and the significance of the event create risbetweenindividuals, societies,entirecountries,withmanyneighbouringnationsfightingoverhistoricaldetailsandthe usage and interpretation of evidence. Teaching subjects on such historical, but controversial topicsisthereforeextremelydifficult,especiallyinculturesthataresplitalongethnic,nationalor religiouslines.Nevertheless,toachievelastingpeaceandrecognitionofthevictims,itisimportant to comprehend and acknowledge the effects of historical wrongdoings committed in and by Europe. Children today need to receive the education and the true perspective theydeserveby learning through authentic discussion and objective presentation of the facts, thus becoming sensitiveandrespectfuloftheirhistoryandconsequently,self awarehumanbeings

2. Casestudy

Europe's schoolcurriculafrequentlyleaveoutsignificantportionsofthecontinent'shistory.The elementary and secondary school curriculainBelgium,forinstance,didnot"adequatelyportray the history ofcolonisationaswellashistoryandcontributionsofindividualsofAfricanheritage," accordingtoa2019UNworkinggroupreport.Accordingtothestudy,onlyoneinfourhighschool graduates knew that Congo was once a Belgian colony, and it was usually through individual teachers'effortthatcolonialismwasbroughtupintheclassroom Thisunwillingnesstofacedark parts of history reaches far beyond education and even into politics as the first time a Belgian governmentofficialaddressedtheatrocitiescausedinCongostatewasin2020,mostlybecauseof publicpressure.

Thefactthatcolonialhistorywasconsideredtobesolelyapartof Europeʼseconomicandpolitical history for many years may help explain why there is a lack of education on coloniallegacyin Europeinsocialterms.Europeanhistoriansoenfocusedontopicssuchaswhatproportionofa nation'sGDPcamefromitsoverseaspossessions,whileneglectingimportantsocialconsequences of colonial history.Asaresult,Europeanpopulationshavedevelopedmanynegativestereotypes aboutitscolonialpopulations,whichareoneofthemaincausesofracisminEuropetoday

Measurestocombatchallenge1:

WithoutanyconcreteandEU directedattemptstoshithefocustosocialconsequencesofthe destructive behaviour of European colonists, it is noteworthy that young activists have started campaigns that, for example, rename streets named aer imperialists or remove statues of colonists. This has also started to spark heated debates about the glorification of colonialism across Europe. Although such activism inspired politicians to address this topic more, very few thingshavechangedintheirapproach.

Challenge2:Biasesinhistorytextbooks

A lot of textbooks are filled witherrorsandarebiassedproductions Theperfectexampleofthis are various Balkan textbooks, especially when addressing sensitive topics of Yugoslav wars. SrebrenicaisincludedinaSerbianhistorytextbook'slistof"masscrimelocations".However,when itrefersto"ethniccleansing,"itonlybringsupthepersecutionofSerbs,leavingoutBosniaksand Croats. However, undeniable proof shows that the Srebrenica massacres were, in fact, ethnic cleansingcommittedbytheBosnianSerbArmy.Anotherexampleofbiasesinhistorytextbooksis Poland,whichwascriticisedforalteringitscurriculumtofittheagendaofthegoverningparty

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

The European Association of History Educators (Euroclio) published a book of guidelines for historytextbooksauthors.Itsmainpillarsarerespectingthehistoryofothers,banningomissions and distortions, religious and cultural sensitivity and learning about positive encounters with others.Nevertheless,giventhefactthateducationisasupportingcompetenceoftheEU,meaning thatitcannotpublishanylegallybindingactsonthematter,itisultimatelyuptotheMinistriesof EducationofeachMemberStatetodecideupontheexactcontentofthehistorytextbooksusedin schools

Challenge3:Historyaspoliticalpropaganda

Masspropagandacontinuestobeatoolofmanygovernments,evenindemocraticcountriesand there is a growing trend of politicians misusing history to mobilise large groups of their populations. Misuse of history can take many different forms, ranging from the rejection of historical facts and fabrication to concentrate onaspecificeventtoomissionduetolazinessor ignorance. In periods of political intricacyandseeminglytectonichistoricchange,itisinevitable that politicians draw from the past to assert the continuity of their policies within a nationʼs historicalexperience,ortodrawominousparallelsbetweenhistoryandthepresentday Thegoal is to provoke fear in the general public,thereforepresentingthemselvesassavioursortowiden the gap between an already polarised population The misuse of history has become easier in moderntimesthroughtheuseoftechnologyandwidespreadsocialmediaoutlets.

Measurestocombatchallenge3

The European Commission presented proposals to strengthen media freedom in the EU by preventing editorial interference from EU governments in September, 2022. The EU has also suggestedaregulationtoboosttransparencyinpoliticaladvertisingandcampaigning.Takinginto considerationthealarmingrepercussionsofonlinemisinformationintheEU,theregulation'sgoal istosafeguardthelegitimacyofelections,thediversityofviewpointsandthedemocraticvaluesat theheartoftheEU Itincludesadditionalrequirementsforpoliticaladvertisingpublishers,which affects journalists, broadcasters, platforms or anyone else who disseminates political advertisements.

5. Whatnow?

Learning from our past, including the good, the bad and the cruel, should be the true goal of studying history History began as a collection of dates andinformationanddevelopedtowards consciously and unconsciously biassed descriptions through individual analyses Therefore, we muststaycriticaltohistoricalaccountsandacknowledgeallsidesofthestorybecausedenyingthe historicalflawsofEuropeisdenyinghumanityandnationsʼfragility.

● Whatisthebestapproachthatteacherscantakewhenaddressinguglyhistory?

● CanMemberStatescollaboratetoimprovetheirhistoryeducation?How?

● Whatare,inyouropinion,thebestwaystofightmisinformation?

● How can the victims of European oppression and colonialism be repaired and truly recognised?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “The challenge of teaching history in Northern Ireland” denvercharlescouk / Denver Charles/2016

● “The colonial past in Belgian history education since 1945” Digital Encyclopedia of EuropeanHistory/KarelvanNieuwenhuyse/2020

● "The past, present and future of European Colonialism" European Student Think Tank / KochaChangelia,VictoriaBergström,FlorentinNdizeye/2022

● “Teaching sensitive and controversial issues in divided societies” The Embassy of Good Science/AndrijanaPerkovićPaloš/2021

CommitteeonHumanrights(DROII)

Climaterefugees:In2020,30,7millionpeopleweredisplacedfromtheirhomesdueto environmentalcatastrophes.Takingintoconsiderationtheincreasingrateofclimate catastrophes,howcantheEUsupportexistingclimaterefugeeswhilepreventingthe situationfromfurtherworsening?

SubmittedbyManishNishanthan(CY/FI)

Figure1:Committeepicture

1. Topicataglance

Theterm“refugee”traditionallyreferstoanindividualwhohascrossedinternationalbordersout of fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, or political beliefs However,overthe past decade, “climate refugee” or “climate displaced person” is a term that has been widely popularised. Astheseindividualsaredisplacedfromtheirownlandsduetounfavourableclimate changes, they are not protected under international law. Thus, the narrow scope of the contemporarydefinitionofrefugeeisundoubtedlyathreattohumanrightsasitblocksrefugees fromaccessingbasicresourcessuchashealth,food,water,andsecurity.

AccordingtoUNHCR,nearly21.5millionpeopleworldwidehavebeenmarkedasclimaterefugees, withthenumbersonlyexpectedtoincreasebyastaggeringvalueof1.2billionpeoplebytheyear 2050. Moreover, a report called “the future of climate migration” by the European Parliament claimed that “climate changemayactasathreatmultiplier”,clearlydescribingthecriticalityof

climate migration and its effects on other factors that causemigration,suchaswar.Inaddition, climate refugees oen findthemselvesbeingvulnerabletoexclusion,lackofaccessibilitytovital necessities such as healthcare and education and end up being subjected to forms of modern slaverysuchasforcedlabourandhumantrafficking.

2. Casestudy

Nearlyanaverageof70,000peopleareaffectedbyfloodsinMoldovaeveryyear Additionally,the floodsresultinreconstructioncostsofapproximately90millioneuroswhichisequivalentto1%of the countryʼs gross domestic product. Furthermore, 60% of Moldova's population are unableto access safe drinking water and frequently suffer from droughts that also negatively affect the agricultureandtheeconomyinMoldova.Therefore,climateconditionsinMoldovahaveplayeda significantroleinemigration.Onesuchincidentwasin2010whenthefloodsaffectedmorethan 13,000peopleacross60villagesinMoldova,forcingnearly4000individualstoberelocatedbythe army.Moldovaisstillconsideredacountryhighlyvulnerabletoextremeweatherconditions,such as floods, droughts, hails or even storms due to climate change, meaning thatthecountrywill producemoreclimaterefugeesinthefuture

3. Stakeholders

Challenge1:Lackofawarenessandeducation

Although it is undebatable that climate change is a serious and universal matter that affects everyone,lackofawarenessaboutitsrepercussionstoevery daylifehasbeennoted. Accordingto a global survey more than a third of the global population has never come across the issue of climate change. This prevents the public from understanding theseriousnessoftheissuewhich theninturndecreasespublicadvocacyforactionsregardingclimatemigrationandrefugees This

mainly arises from the lack of climate education and misinformation which is higher in developingcountries.

Measuresinplacetocombatchallenge1

The European Commission has adopted a European Climate Pact which assists in spreading knowledge and education about climate action that is scientifically correct The pact encourages discussion between ambassadors, communities, and networks and combats misinformationanddenial Moreover,organisationssuchasthe“Climate refugees”strivetoraise awareness by carrying out awarenessraisingcampaignsandbringingattentiontotheproblem by presenting various case studies and testimonials. The European Climate pact also promotes climate literacy and tries to integrate climate science and solutions into educational programmes.

Furthermore, the European Commission has endorsed an updated recommendation on key competences thatshouldpromotehighqualityandinclusiveeducationtoassistinbridgingthe education gap between Member States Additionally, the European Union provides funding opportunities for educational institutions that aim to promote green, quality and equal education.

We also cannot forgetabouttheinvolvementofclimateactivists,manyofwhomarealsosocial media influencers participating in events like the UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP26). Influencers can spread education on the issue through platforms that are more accessibleforalargergroupofpeople

Challenge2:Emigrationduetojobloss

Climate refugees oen lack economic support from their country of origin. This means that individuals become potential climate refugees because their country of residence is not able to offersupportintermsofrepairingdamagecausedbyextremeweatherconditions.Manyalsolose their jobs as a consequence of climate conditions. For example, in many EU countries, like Moldova,halfofthepopulationliveinruralareasandthevastmajorityofthemarefarmers,having tofacefatalconsequencesaereveryextremeweatherphenomenonandeventuallyendingupas climaterefugees

Measuresinplacetocombatchallenge2

The Directorate General of Economic and Financial Affairs (DG EFCIN) is responsible for the applicationoftheEuropeaninstrumentfortemporarySupporttomitigateUnemploymentRisksin anEmergency(SURE)whichprovidesupto100billioneurosinfinancialassistancetosupportand protect jobs. The aforementioned cohesion policy also ensures that 8 billion euros go towards climateadaptation,riskpreventionandmanagement.Additionally,theEuropeanUnionSolidarity Fund(EUSF)providessupportforcountriesfacingclimatedisastersinordertorepairthedamage caused

Challenge3:Lackofproperpolicies

Many incidents of human rights abuses againstrefugeesandmigrantsarestillreportedasmany refugees find themselves to be victims of forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking. Given the fact that the term climate refugee has not been defined in any international treaty, refugees that leave their country due to climate change or environmental disasters are not protected by international refugee law (IRL). This is because governments around the world presume that recognising certain groups of people as “climate refugees” could lead to them to beingheldaccountablefortherepercussionsoftheenvironmentalcatastrophe

Measuresinplacetocombatchallenge3

Organisations such as the Environment Justice Foundation (EJF) present policyresolutionsthat could be adopted by governments in order to better facilitate climate refugees. One such resolution is “EJF calls on governments to recognise climate refugees and support a newlegal agreement to guarantee their rights”. This resolution asks governments to devise a new legal document that would provide equal support compared to legislations like the 1951 Geneva Convention

5. Whatnow?

Approximately, 41individualsaredisplacedeveryminuteworldwideduetounfavourableclimate events.Thismeansthateveryminute,children,teenagers,adults,andtheelderlyareforcedoutof their own land. These individuals are also subjectedtodiscriminatoryenvironmentswherethey finditdifficulttodefinetheirrightsastheyarenotprotectedbyinternationallaw.Thisalsomeans that climate refugees are vulnerable to exploitation, trafficking, deportation and even statelessness There is no doubt in the fact that climate migration is a humanitarian crisisthat needstobeaddressedonregional,national,andinternationallevelsandthatactionneedstobe takenbeforeitistoolate

● HowcantheEuropeanUnionbetterfacilitateclimaterefugees?

● WhatcantheEuropeanUniondotoensurethesafetyofclimaterefugees?

● How can the European Union spread awareness and education on the issue of climate migration?

● HowcantheEuropeanUnionbringtheseriousnessofthisissueunderthespotlightonan internationallevel?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “The century of climate migration: why we need to plan for the great upheaval” The Guardian/GaiaVince/2022

● How a deadly storm turned a French resort into a climate change laboratory Youtube/Get/2020

● AmaliTower,ClimateRefugees Spotify/Immigrationrevelation/2021

● THEGREATCLIMATEMIGRATION TheNewYorkTimesMagazine/AbrahmLustgarten/2019

CommitteeonHumanRights(DROIII)

Mynewhome:RussiaʼsinvasionofUkraineinFebruary2022hasresultedinthe largestrefugeemigrationinEuropesinceWorldWarII,estimatedbyUNHCRat6,3million persons.WhatmeasuresshouldtheEUtaketohandlethegrowingwaveofrefugeeswhilst reducinggapsinacceptanceandtreatmentofallasylumseekers?

SubmittedbyNikolaKralev(BG)

Figure1:CommitteePicture

1. Topicataglance

Migration is a natural process seen in all living organisms, especially humans. It is driven by so called push and pull factors, which include cultural,social,andpoliticalissuesandlackof opportunities.Warsareoenamainreasonforthemigrationoflargemassesofpeople,suchas during World War II and recently during the Russian Invasion of Ukraine, where more than 12 million people le their homes to seek asylum The astonishing number of asylum seekers (reaching267millionrefugeesinthispastyear)hasleEuropeinaconstantstateofuncertainty whichhassolidifiedthemixedopinionsonmigrationinrecentyears Ithasalsobeennotedthat whileUkrainianrefugeeshavegenerallyfacedEuropeʼshospitalityandopenembrace,thesame cannot be said about Middle Eastern migrants escaping ongoing civil wars in their homeland. Even though both groups of peoplehavehadtheirhumanrightsviolatedandaresearchingfor better lives, they are not being treated equally by hostcountries.Thisonlyraisesthequestion: how can Member States be as supportive and welcoming as possible for refugees without discriminatingagainstdisplacedpeoplebasedontheirbackgrounds?

2. Casestudy

AyoungUkrainianrefugee,Anastasiia,whohasbeenseekingasyluminPolandduetotheRussian Invasion of Ukraine, has started slowly but surely rebuilding her life since the invasion

Anastasiia shares that she le Lviv alongside her mother and brother and easily crossed into Polandanddescribeshowquicklyshemanagedtofindanapartmentandanonlinejobwithintwo weeks.TheopenembraceandreadinessofthePolishpeopletohelphavemademanypeopleʼs journieslikethatofAnastasiiatostartanewlifemoreeasy.However,manyhaveraisedthepoint thattheswiprotectionEuropeangovernmentsprovidedwasnotpresentwhenMiddleEastern refugees sought asylum Is there a clear double standard within Member States regarding refugees?

3. Stakeholders

Figure2:StakeholdersMaponMiro

4. Keychallengesandmeasuresinplace

Challenge1:ShelterMarketManagement

Duetotheconstantincreaseofasylum seekers,therehasbeenaneedforbettercommunication andcooperationbetweenMemberStatestoensurethesteadyandsafeflowofrefugeestothe continent. However, research hasdeclaredsomeMemberStatestobebetterhoststhanothers, making them a hub for refuge seeking. A new term hasbeencreatedtoaccuratelydescribethis situation:“asylumshopping”,referringtotheselectivechoosingofa countrytoseekasyluminas

they differ in the opportunities and rights they grant refugees. Such selectiveness results in overcrowded shelters in wealthier countries and creates a certain kind of pressure that those countries must be more responsible in the midst of a refugee crisis because of their larger resources.

MeasurestoCombatChallenge1

The European Union has been actively trying to eliminate asylum shopping by evaluating the benefits, opportunities, and disadvantages Member States offer to asylumseekers Forinstance, GermanyhasbeenclassifiedasaGroupAhost,offeringasmanybenefitstomigrantsaspossible, while the Czech RepublicisclassifiedasaGroupDhost,asrefugeeshavenorighttoworkinthe first year aer applying for residence and receive minimal financial support. To ensure this differenceisminimised,theCommonEuropeanAsylumSystem(CEAS)hasbeenactivelytryingto create harmonised and uniform standards and conditions for all asylum seekers within the European Union. This has helped Member States become more cooperative and willing to support refugees by introducing common goals in terms ofshelters,resourcesandfinancial support,thuspromotingexperienceandstrategyexchange.

Challenge2:MulticulturalismStigma

As refugees and migration are oen large displacements of people from different areas, a phenomenoncalledmulticulturalismarisesandprovokesdiverseopinions.Itisthereforeevident thatchangeisfearedbutalsoinevitable;however,someMemberStateshavebeenmoreproneto declining refugees if they are from specific cultural, social, or ethnic backgrounds. The most prominent example of this is the treatment Ukrainian refugees have been receiving this year compared to thetreatmentMiddleEasternrefugeeshavefacedforthelastdecade Itisyettobe collectively decided, however, what makes the UkrainianrefugeecrisisdifferentfromtheMiddle Easternrefugeecrisis(andothercrisesingeneral).

MeasurestoCombatChallenge2

Emphasisonculturaldiversity,inclusivity,andacceptancehasbeenanEUpriority,especiallyin recent years. The stigma around change and social diversity has especially been a problem in Eastern Europe due to its complex historical and ideological background. However, these countrieshavebeenextremelywelcomingtowardsUkrainianrefugeesthisyear Sincetheyareon the border with Asia, they have also welcomed Middle Eastern refugees, but mainly because of their geographical closeness to the refugeesʼ homeland Anexampleoflong lastingmeasuresto battletheculturalstigmawithinMemberStatesisthe2018EuropeanAgendaforCulturewhich has supported cultural creativity and arts development, sustainability of cultural heritage, and open mindednesswithinmulticulturalsocialenvironments.

Challenge3:InfrastructureandResourceDevelopment

Whilst the EU has numerously stated that all Member Statesarereadytowelcomerefugees,the degreeofsuccessinwelcomingandsupportingasylumseekersbetweenallcountriesisfarfrom equal The Member States that possess more resources oentimes also have more physical shelters and can offer better economic support to refugees On the other hand, most refugee campsarestillinterribleconditionsduetoinfectiousbacteria,lackofproperbedding,etc..

MeasurestoCombatChallenge3

Eastern and Central European countries,hostingavastmajorityofUkrainianandMiddleEastern refugees, have been aided by Western European countries and the European Union in strengtheninganddevelopingtheirsheltersandasylumcamps.Anotherinitiativeresultingfroma Vision Europe Summit Conference has helped countrieswithlargenumbersofrefugeesimprove the quality of camps and provide additional financial stimulus to volunteers Moreover, the Cohesionʼs Action for Refugees in Europe (CARE) also aims to provide firsthand emergency financialassistanceandsupporttorefugees.

5. Whatnow?

The refugee crises caused by both the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and the civil wars inthe MiddleEastcontinuetodisplacehundreds,ifnotthousands,ofpeopleeveryday.Thesepeople areforcedtogiveuptheirhomes,families,anddreams Notonlyisthevastnumberofmigrantsa bigchallengeforEuropetowithstand,butrefugeediscriminationalsodoesnothelpthesituation

● How can the European Union reduce the stigma surrounding multiculturalism and thus helpsavemoreasylumseekers?

● HowcanWesternEuropeanMemberStatesfurthersupportEasternandCentralEuropean MemberStatesintheireffortstohostlargeamountsofrefugees?

● What should the European Union implement in terms of resources and infrastructureto ensureitcansustainpotentiallargerefugeecrisesinthefuture?

● WhydosomeMemberStatesofferbetterconditionsforasylumseekersthanotherswhen theEuropeanUnionhasbeenactivelytryingtoeliminateasylumshopping?

● CantheEuropeanUniondosomethingtoincreasethepopularityofsmallercountriesthat arereadytohostrefugeesbutarenotapopularchoiceforrefugees?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

CommitteeonEconomicandMonetaryAffairs(ECON)

Livingfromwagetowage:TheEuropeanParliamentrecentlyapprovedanEUDirectiveon minimumwageaimedatguaranteeing“decent”minimumwagesforworkers Whilefacing heavycriticismfromDenmarkandSweden,andthedirectiveleavingspaceforMember Statestocalculatetheirownminimumwage,whatelsecantheEUdotoensureadequate salaries?

SubmittedbyMariaYankova(BG)

Figure1:Committeepicture

1. Topicataglance

Income and wealth inequality have been on the rise in recent years, triggered by globalisation, technological advancements, and the COVID 19 pandemic. Studies have shown that 20% of the population withthehighestdisposableincomeinEUMemberStatesobtainsatleastone thirdof total income,whilst20%ofthepopulationwiththelowestincomereceiveslessthanone-tenth of total income Such significant income and wealth inequality aggravates already existing societalissuessuchasviolence,drugabuseandincarceration

Asasolutiontothisproblem,theEuropeanParliamentislaunchinganewDirectiveonadequate minimumwage.Thedirective'sgoalistopromoteadequatelevelsofstatutoryminimumwages, collective bargaining on wage setting, and improved access to minimum wage protection. However, the proposed directive has met strong criticism in Scandinavian countries as they believe it isadangertotheirlabourmarketmodel,inwhichcompaniesarrangeworkingsalaries with trade unions without state intervention. This sentiment could clearly be seen during a debate in the Swedish Parliament on activities in the European Union in 2020 where Hanh Dahlgren,aSwedishMinister,claimedthatthey“haveadifferentsystemforagreeingonwagesin [their]countrythatisbetterthanaminimumwage” .

2.

Figure2:Comparisonofminimumwagesin2012and2022

Casestudy

In Bulgaria, the minimum wage is 342.34 euros per month, whilst the average single person's estimated monthly living cost is 996 euros, making it 3.04 times the minimum wage. Many socio economic groups such who are forced to live on minimum wage thus oen face a costof living crisis In Luxembourg however, the minimum wage is 225695 euros per month, whilsttheaveragesingleperson'sestimatedmonthlylivingcostis3105euros,makingitonly1.34 timestheminimumwage Inordertobridgethisgapinlivingaffordabilityandstandardbetween Member States, the Directive on Adequate Minimum wage intends to ensure fair wages for everyone.

4. Keychallengesandmeasuresinplace

Challenge1:TheScandinavianopposition

While the minimum wage directive is a priority for the European Social Democrats, the leist partiesandtradeunions,ScandinaviancountriessuchasDenmarkandSwedenseeitasadanger for their labour market model Having regulated most aspects of the labour market through collective agreements by unions and employees, this model is a key feature of the Swedish industrialrelationssystem TheNordicmodelhasrepeatedlydemonstrateditsviabilityinresolving difficult problems, contributing to high employment and wage growth, while largely avoiding government intervention. This is supported by the data below, showing that Sweden and Denmark are two of the top 10 Europeancountrieswiththehigheststandardofliving,despite themnothavingminimumwage.

Figure4:Europeancountrieswiththehigheststandardofliving

Measurestocombatchallenge1:

IthasbeenagreedthattheEUMemberStatesinwhichcollectiveagreementsbetweenunionsand employers set salary levelsareexemptfromtheEUDirectiveonminimumwage.However,many exempt countries are still looking at other ways to improve income such as Finland with its universal basic income1 experiment between 2017 and 2018 This was the worldʼs first basic incomeexperimentthatwasnationwide,statutory,andrandomised

2,000unemployedpeoplewerechosenatrandomforthisexperiment,andoverthecourseoftwo years, they were each given560eurosmonthly.Participantsreportedfeelinghappyandhaving better health despite the fact thattheamounttheyreceivedwasonly50eurosmorethanwhat they had been receiving in unemployment benefits. The final results from Finlandʼs experiment have also shown a slight increase in employment rates and a positive reinforcement of individualandsocietalfeedbackloops

1 UniversalBasicIncome(UBI)isagovernmentwelfareprogramthatprovidesallcitizenswithmonthlyorannual moneyregardlessoftheiremployment,income,oranyother factorstoeradicatewealthandincomeinequalityand improvethequalityoflifeofcitizens

Figure5:“TheFinalResultsofFinlandʼsBasicIncomeExperiment”

Challenge2:Theexpenseoftheworkforce

Minimumwagesmakeitmoreexpensivetohireworkerswithoutmakingthemmorevaluable. In such a situation,employersmaysimplychoosetocutemployees Inthelongrun,companies may even try to replace certain workers with machines or move to places with lower, or no minimumwage Fromthisperspective,minimumwagesaregoodforworkerswhogetpaidandare abletokeeptheirjobs,butposesasignificantproblemfortheunemployed,orthosegettinglaid off.Overall,minimumwagescanweighontheeconomyasfewerpeoplework.

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

The European Globalisation AdjustmentFund(EGF)isacriticalEUtoolforassistingdismissed workers to re enter the labour force. In fact, the European Economic and Social Committee proposed to update the EGFʼs provisions to better assist employees whose jobs have been affectedbydigitalization

Challenge3:LackofMotivationtoTakeAction

Inthecurrentsocio economicsystem,themostwealthycitizenshavemorepowertoinfluence policies that address every EU citizen. In such a system that favoursthewealthy,legislatorsin power have an incentive to promote policies that benefit the wealthy. Therefore, the wealthy havelittleinterestinraisingorevenhavinghighminimumwagesastheyaretheonespayingthe employees.

Measurestocombatchallenge3:

TheInternationalLabourOrganisation(ILO)isaUnitedNationsagencywhoseprimarygoalisto advancesocialandeconomicjusticebyestablishinginternationallabourstandards.TheILOhas developedaspecialagendathatfocusesonjobcreation,workplacerights,socialprotection,and socialdialogue,withgenderequalityasacross cuttinggoalinordertohelptheworkcommunity.

5. Whatnow?

TheconceptofaminimumwageisstillcontroversialintheEUassixMemberStatesdonothave one. While some opponents of the minimum wage argue that it harms workers and impedes business development, supporters point to several benefits, including worker protection, economic growth, and motivating employees to higher levels of performance. The former unfounded concerns however further increase the income and wealth gap between different citizensandMemberStatesastheyrefusetohaveagenerallyacceptedminimum Furthermore,by discreditingthepotentialoftheEUDirectiveonminimumwagetodecreasepoverty,thesurgeof inequalityaerCOVID 19pandemiccouldcontinue.

● Why doyouthinktheSwedishsocialistsrejecttheideaofhavingadirectiveonadequate minimumwage?

● CantheUniversalBasicIncomebeputintoplaceinsteadoftheideaofminimumwage?

● WhatstepscantheEUtaketohelpECBprovidefundsfor“decent”minimumwages?

● Is it possible for the EU to push reforms and attempt to coordinate Member States consideringdifferencesintheireconomies?

● CantherefusaloftheNordiccountriestoapprovethenewDirectiveonminimumwagebe athreattotheEU?

6.

Linksforfurtherresearch

● TheEU'sminimumwagedirectiveexplained YouTube/Euractiv/2022

● Europeanminimumwage:ASwedishperspective SageJournals/ErikSjödin/2022

● IncomeandWealthInequality YouTube/CrashCourse/2015

● TheprosandconsofUBI Penguin/AnnieLowrey/2021

CommitteeonEnvironment,PublicHealthandFoodSafety (ENVI)

Livinginabig,fat,plasticworld:Bearinginmindthatmicroplasticpollutionofwaterways andoceanscanbeincrediblyharmfultotheenvironmentandanimalhealth,howshould theEUaddresstheproblemofmicroplasticpollutioninordertosafeguardthehealthofits citizensandspecies?

SubmittedbyNarminBayramova(AZ)

Figure1:Sourcesofmicroplastics

1. Topicataglance

Microplasticsaresmallpiecesofplasticthatarebeingfoundintheenvironmentaswellasinfood and drinking water at increasing levels. As of now, at least 14 million tonnes of microplastics have accumulated on the worldʼs ocean floor and an additional 1.5 million tonnes enter the oceansannuallythroughoutallstagesoftheplasticvaluechain

Ingeneral,microplasticscanbedividedintotwocategories:primaryandsecondarymicroplastics Primarymicroplasticsaredischargeddirectlyintotheenvironmentintheformofplasticparticles as they are added to products, for example as stabilisers or glitters in cosmetics. Secondary microplasticsontheotherhandresultfromthefragmentationoflarge scaleplasticmaterialssuch asfibres,paints,andtires.

The problem with increasing amounts of microplastic in the environment is that most microplasticsdonotbiodegrade,meaningthattheyarenotbrokendownbymicroorganisms,and have a tendency to build up Therefore, there is growing concern about the presence of microplastics in different environmental compartments and their potential effects on human health such as oxidative stress, DNA damage or inflammation, highlighting the urgent need for change.

2. Casestudy

Almostalltheworld'soceansarepollutedwithmicroplastics,buttheMediterraneanSeahasbeen identified as a global hotspot because the concentration of microplastics in thisregionisabout four times higher than in the North Pacific. This is caused by the Mediterranean Sea's semi enclosed morphology and especially high plastic waste generating activities from surroundingcountries Thisisextremelytoxictotheaquaticorganismslivingintheareaasstudies haveshownthatmorethan220speciesofmarineorganismsingestmicroplasticsonadailybasis, 55%ofwhicharecommerciallyavailabletohumans.Itisthereforeclearthatmicroplasticsdonot affectonlyaquaticlife,butalsohumanlifeallaroundtheglobe.

3. Stakeholders

Microplasticsareintentionallyaddedtoawidevarietyofproducts,includingfertilisers,cosmetics

Measuretocombatchallenge1:TheEuropeanChemicalsAgency(ECNA)restrictionproposal

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has proposedrestrictionsontheintentionaladditionof microplasticparticlestoconsumerorprofessionalmixtures.Overthecourseoftwentyyears,this limithasthepotentialtoreducetheamountofmicroplasticsreleasedintotheenvironmentinthe EUbyapproximately400,000tonnes.Oncetherestrictionisadopted,manyindustrieswillhaveto comply, including everyone from the manufacturers, importers, distributors, tothedownstream usersandretailers

These microplastics polluting the ocean areingestedbyaquaticlife,causingphysicaldamageto organs, releasing dangerous chemicals and interfering with growth and reproduction. Both microplastics and dangerous chemicals resulting from the ingestion of microplastics can accumulate further up the food chain, impacting entire ecosystems, including the health of the soilsthatgrowourfood.

Challenge2:Unintentionallyreleasedmicroplastics

Microplastics can be unintentionally formed when pieces of plastic, like car tyres or synthetic textiles,wearandtear Theamountofunintentionallyformedmicroplasticsreleasedintosurface watersinEuropeisestimatedtobearound176,000tonnesperyear Amongthegreatestsourcesof unintentionallyformedmicroplasticsisdriedpaint,accountingfor58%ofthetotalannualocean microplastic leakage. This is because paint residuesarenotcollectedduringsurfacepreparation andmaintenanceprocesses,makingitlikelyforthemtoendupintheocean.

These microplastics polluting the ocean areingestedbyaquaticlife,causingphysicaldamageto organs, releasing dangerous chemicals and interfering with growth and reproduction. Both microplastics and dangerous chemicals resulting from the ingestion of microplastics can accumulate further up the food chain, impacting entire ecosystems, including the health of the soilsthatgrowourfood

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

TheEUStrategyforPlasticsintheCircularEconomyaddressesthepresenceofmicroplasticsin the environment by developing labelling, certification and regulatory measures combatting the unintentional release of microplastics. This includes measures to increase the capture of microplastics at all relevant stages of productsʼ lifecycle by addressing the largestmicroplastics contributorsinthecurrentEuropeancontext

Furthermore, the EU Taxonomy for sustainable activities specifically addresses unintentionally released microplastics by compelling companies to take various measures to reduce paint microplastic emissions. One of the main measures companies will have to take is moving from periodic,correctivemaintenancepracticestocontinuous,preventativemaintenance.Traditionally, the surfaces of steel assets or buildings were allowed to corrode by more than 30% before treatment, resulting in microplasticemissionsintotheenvironmentthroughpaint.Nowwiththe continuousmaintenancetechnique,spotblastingisusedtotreatcorrosionwhenitstarts,thereby stoppingthesecondary paintmicroplasticemissionsatthesource.

Challenge3:Scientificgapsandlackofdata

Researchintomicroplasticsandtheirpotentialdangerstoecosystemsandhumansisstillnascent, complex, and leaves many uncertainties. Relatively fewstudieshavedetectedmicroplasticsthat

arebetween10 50micronsinsizeastheyarebelowthedetectionlimitsofmostcommonlyused analytical instruments. Several experimental studieshaveshownthatconcentrationsincreaseas microplasticsdecreaseinsize,suggestingthatactualenvironmentalconcentrationsmaybehigher thanpreviouslyreported.

Measuretocombatchallenge3:Brigidproject

Plastics Europe funds the Brigid Project, afive year,fullyindependentscientificresearchproject involving world renowned microplastics experts This project aims to assess potential risks to humanhealthfromingestionofmicroplastics.Brigidwillfocusonmicroplasticsofsevendifferent polymer types that are considered to be most representative of what the average person most oen encounters in everyday life. Brigid contributes to the development of standard methods, protocols and analytical methods, which is essential for producing robust evidence based informationanddata

5. Whatnow?

Microplastic pollution is one of the most prevalent environmental problems we face nowadays. The world's oceans, freshwater, soil and air are becoming increasingly pollutedwithtinyplastic debris, particles and fibres, raising concerns about the associated environmental and human health effects. There is currently no single European law that covers microplastics in a comprehensive manner, nor are there economic incentives for businesses to take measures to reducethepresenceofmicroplasticsintheenvironment However,thepotentialforlongtermand unrectifiableriskstoecosystemsandhumanhealthcallsforurgentmeasurestocombatthisissue Keepingthisinmind:

● HowcantheEUeffectivelytacklemicroplasticpollutionofoceansandrivers?

● HowshouldMemberStatesaddresstheproblemofunintentionallyreleasedmicroplastics intheenvironment?

● What should the EU do to close the gaps in scientific knowledge related to theriskand presenceofmicroplasticsintheenvironment,drinkingwaterandfood?

● HowshouldtheEUdeliverharmoniseddataonmicroplasticsconcentrationinseawater?

6.

● How Can the European Union Legislation Tackle Microplastics Pollution ciel/centre for internationalenvironmentallaw/2022

● TheDrop youtube/SurfriderFoundationEurope/2021

#NotForSale:Sextraffickingisthemostcommonlyreportedformofhumantraffickingin theEuropeanUnionandaformofgenderbasedviolencethatdisproportionatelyaffects women Accordingtoa2018EuropeanCommissionpublication,95%ofEUregisteredsex traffickingvictimsarewomenorgirls.HowcanEuropeancountriesfightthisformof violenceagainstwomen?

SubmittedbyVasilikiDamali(GR)

1. Topicataglance

Trafficking is considered to be a violentcrimewhichis organisedmostofthetime,withabout threequartersofperpetratorsbeingmen.Between2017and2018, 14000traffickingvictimswere registered, a number that might not completely represent the depth of the problem as many victimsgoundetected AroundhalfofthevictimsweretraffickedintheirownMemberState,with themajoritybeingwomenandeven 25%ofthevictimsbeingchildren Sextraffickinghasserious consequencestothevictimʼslifeasitdeprivesthemfromtheirfundamentalhumanrightssuch asbodilyintegrity,freedom,dignityandmanymore.Italsohasaseriousimpactonsocietyaswell, withitsestimatedcostsranginguptobillionsofeuros. Humantraffickingthuscomeswithsocial, health and economic costs. Researchers consider the average cost of trafficking perregistered victim to be around €312,756. Even though progress has been made in terms of bringing the perpetrators to justice and identifying and supporting victims, trafficking cases continue to rise Moreover, the COVID 19 pandemic has aggravated the situation by making victims more vulnerableanddisruptingtheattemptstoprosecutetraffickers

2. Casestudy

Considered a hub for immigration, Germany is one of the Member States where human trafficking has risen. The vast majority oftraffickingvictimsarewomen,includingminorswho are subjected to sex exploitation2 . It has been reported that immigrant victims originating from Romania, Bulgaria and Nigeria are at risk of being targeted by traffickers as they oen live in povertyandlacklegalpapers,factorswhichoendeterthemfromreportingthecrime Ingeneral, Germanyhasreceivedcriticismforactingtoolooselyonthematterinlegislativeterms

This isanexampleofmalpracticeinhandlingsextraffickingwhichcontinuestoriseinEurope. Withhumantraffickingvictimsreachingupto250.000peryearintheEuropeanUnion,itbecomes clearthatthisheinouscriminalactivityisacollectiveproblemforEuropethatdemandsimmediate cooperationandchangesinlawsandpolicies.

2 Sexexploitationinvolvesapersonprofitingfromtheuseofanotherpersonʼsbodyinasexualmannerinorderto benefit Sexexploitationincludestraffickingandprostitution

Figure1:StakeholdermaponMiro

4. Keychallengesandmeasuresinplace

Challenge1:Thehiddennatureoftrafficking

Sextraffickingisaneconomicallypromisingcrimethatoengoesundetected.Itisoenmasked by other criminal activities such as prostitution and irregular migration Legal businesses ranging from advertising to transport companies may also unwittingly facilitate trafficking Moreover, trafficking victims themselves sometimes commit illegal activities in hopes that their traffickers will stop exploiting them. Anotherreasonwhytraffickingiscomplicatedtodetectand prosecute isthattheexploitationisoenbasedonsomesortofextortion3,makingitunlikelyfor victimstoreportitevenifsignificantevidenceexists.Itisclearthatthesefactorsrendertraffickers andtheirvictimsdifficulttolocateandthecrimeitselfunmasked.

Measurestocombatchallenge1:

PrimaryeffortstodealwiththeproblemofthehiddennatureoftraffickingareindicatedbytheEU StrategyonCombattingTraffickinginHumanBeings2021 2025.Thestrategyincludesensuringthe implementation of the Antitrafficking Directive and increasing funding fortheinvestigationand prosecution of traffickers. It also urges the Member States to facilitate the establishment of a specialised human trafficking prosecution taskforce and law enforcement as well as judicial partnership between Member States and countries outside the Union for cross border and internationalcases. 3 Extortionreferstotheillegalactionofobtainingsomething,especiallymoneythroughintimidation

Challenge2:Migrants

Another factorthatmakessextraffickingachallengingissuetotackleisitsconnectiontomigrant smuggling4.Migrantwomenandgirlswholiveinpoorconditionsareoensoldassexworkersto traffickers in European countries with the promise of a salary or legal papers. Thesepeopleare thenindebttotheirsmugglersduetotheextremely hightransferandaccommodationfeesthey are forced to pay Furthermore, migrantsaremorevulnerabletoin persontraffickingbecauseof their migrant status, language barriers and hesitancy to contact authorities due to the fear of deportation.

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

La Strada International is aEuropeanantitraffickingNGOthatfocusesoncreatingfairmigration policies.ItwasalsoapartoftheʻTraffickingalongMigrationRoutesTRAMprojectʼwhichaimedat theidentification,protection,serviceprovisionandintegrationofmigranttraffickingvictims.

Challenge3:Sextraffickinginthedigitalera

Sex trafficking is a lucrative and ever expanding market, making adapting to the digital era a necessity for traffickers. Perpetrators are now beginning to adapt their “business” model to moderndaydataby usingtechnologytocontactandrecruitpotentialvictims.Thedarkwebalso allows them to camouflagetheiridentitiesandillegalpractices.Furthremore,technologyisused for streaming sexually abusive content tousersandonlinetransactions.Theongoingpandemic has increased this phenomenon since people areusingtheinternetandsocialmediamorethan ever,whichisunfortunatelyinthetraffickersʼinterest Withthesenew practicesbeingcapitalised onatarapidpace, theresponsiblelawenforcementagencieslacktheskillsandlegislationtotrack them,reducingthechancesofprosecutingtheoffendersandbringingthemtojustice

Measurestocombatchallenge3: ActionstakentofightonlinetraffickingisdictatedbytheEUStrategyonCombattingTraffickingin HumanBeings2021 2025.Thisstrategysuggeststhattheonlinebusinessmodeloftraffickerscan be broken down for example by cooperatingwithtechnologyspecialisedcompaniestodiminish thetraffickersʼsaccesstopopularplatforms.Anothergoalofthestrategythatmayhelpintackling theissueisupgradingthecollectionofhumantraffickingdata

5. Whatnow?

It is clear that sex trafficking is a complicated and challengingissuetotackle.Itsconcealedand darknaturehasdetrimentalconsequencesonboththevictimsandsociety.Inordertocombatthis crime and fight for justice, a spherical andinclusiveapproachhastobeadoptedwhichincludes cooperation between all countries and their judicial, legislative and executive parties. For sex traffickingtobedealtwitheffectively,traffickershavetobeuncoveredandbroughttojusticeand

4 Migrantsmuggling,alsoknownaspeople ,orhumansmuggling,isthefacilitationofirregularentryintoacountry wherethemigrantisnotanationalorresidentforpersonalgain

victimsmustbeguaranteedtheirfreedomandsafety.So,howcanwemovetowardsthisdirection whilebeingontrackwiththemostrecentdata?

● Howshouldthementalandphysicalwellbeing,safetyandrehabilitationofthevictimsbe guaranteed,intheshorttermaswellasthelongterm?

● How should the European Union raise awareness and reform its policy in regards to migrants,keepingtheirvulnerablepositioninmind?

● Inwhatwayscouldthecurrentstrategiesonhumantraffickingbeimprovedandadapted totodayʼsdata?

● HowshouldtheEuropeanUnionapproachtheuseoftechnologyinsextraffickinginorder tocombatitwhilstensuringinternetsafetyforitscitizens?

● HowshouldtheEuropeanUnionanditsMemberStatestrainandeducatelawenforcement workersinordertomoreefficientlytrackandprosecutetraffickers?

● Howshould socialandhealthworkersbeeducatedtotreatvictims?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “Humantraffickingisallaroundyou.Thisishowitworks” YouTube/TED/2015

● “Thisteenmigrantwastrafficked&forcedintoprostitution” YouTube/UNICEF/2017

● “HumanTrafficking” studiodstny.com/2022

● “Predators/Traffickers:SexTrafficking” InternetSafety101/ Uknowndate

● “ChildSexTrafficking” GlobalOrphanPrevention/Unkowndate

● “Exploitation and Abuse: The Scale and Scope of Human Trafficking in South Eastern Europe UNODC/2022

CommitteeonWomenʼsRightsandGenderEquality(FEMMII)

Periodpoverty:ManyEUnationsstillchargethesamevalue addedtaxonmenstrual productsastheydoonluxuryitems,forcingoneintenofthoseinneedtoface"period poverty”.Keepinginmindtheessentialityofmenstrualproducts,whatcantheEUdoto addressthisissue?

SubmittedbyStellaNovosel(HR)

Figure1:Committeepicture

1. Topicataglance

Currently,about1.8billionpeopleintheworldmenstruateeachmonth.Menstruationisanatural bodilyprocessthatplaysanimportantroleinthecreationoflifeandoenoffersagoodlookinto one'sphysicalhealth.However,throughouthistory,womenhavebeencontinuouslydiscriminated against, with periods being regarded as something dirty orsomethingtobekepthidden.Period stigmaisstillapartofoursocietyandaffectseverymenstruator Apartfrompeoplebeingshamed orfeelingashamedforthenaturalprocessesoftheirbodies,saiddiscriminationmanifestsitselfin the tampon tax This refers to the sales tax rates a state collects on the retail purchase of menstrualproductsbecausetheyareclassifiedasluxuryitems.Thismeansthatformanypeople, essential menstrual products are unavailable because of their high prices. This brings us to a domino effect of societal and political problems that discriminate against every menstruator aroundtheglobe.

2. Casestudy

In August of 2022, Scotland not only removed its tampon tax completely, but officially made menstrual products free of cost for anyone who needs them. This does not just solve period poverty,butcontinuestopavethepathtowardsequalityanddignity.Scotlandthusbecamethe first country to make period products free of charge. Following closely behind, France gave funding towardsmenstrualproductsthatareprovidedinschoolsforfree,relievingmanyoftheir studentsfromthisfinancialburden In2022,Belgiumalsomadetheannouncementthatprisoners weregoingtohaveaccesstofreemenstrualproducts,andbydoingsoeverydaylifeintheirprisons becamemuchmorehygienicandhumane.Thesemeasuresdirectlyimpacttheamountofperiod povertyinEurope,andbyimplementingthem,theseMemberStatesimprovelifequalityfortheir citizens,butalsostandasanexamplefornotonlyEuropeancountriesbutthewholeworld.

3. Stakeholders

4. Keychallengesandmeasuresinplace

Challenge1:Periodpoverty

PeriodpovertyisanissueallacrossEurope.Infact,1in10menstruatorsinEuropecannotafford menstrualproductsatall.Someevenreporthavingtochoosebetweenfoodandhygieneproducts, forced to use toilet paperandsocksasareplacementofmenstrualproductsinsomecases.This directlyaffectseverydaylife,asmanymenstruatorscannotgotoworkorschoolwhileontheir periodbecauseofthelackofhygieneproducts Thisnotonlylowerstheoverallqualityoflife,but also removes future opportunities for people affected by period poverty as life in poor socioeconomicenvironmentsprovestobeharder.

Measurestocombatchallenge1:

Some Member States took it upon themselves to tackle period poverty, mostly focusing on providing free menstrualproductsforpeopleineducationalinstitutions,butsometimesevenfor prisonersaswell.Thesepeoplethusreceivepartialfinancialrelief.Themostimpactfulmeasureso far to combat period poverty was Scotland's legislation making period products free for all menstruators

Challenge2:Tampontax

Menstrual products aretaxedasluxuryitemsacrossmostofEuropedespitebeingconsideredan essentialitembymany Thisisknownasatampontax,anditsamountvariesthroughoutEurope

ThehighesttampontaxisrecordedamongstScandinaviancountries,whilethelowestisinIreland whereitwasabolishedcompletely.

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

Since 2007, the EU has allowed Member States to reduce value added tax (VAT) on menstrual products to a minimum of 5%,puttingtheminthecategoryofnon essentialitems.In2018,the EuropeanCommissionmadeaneffortbyattemptingtoamendEUlawtoallowMemberStatesto stop taxing menstrual products, but it hasn't been implemented as consensus among Member States has not been achieved. However, some Member States are taking it upon themselves to lowertheirtaxonmenstrualproductssuchasGermany,whichloweredthetaxfrom19%to7%in 2020 UponexitingtheEuropeanUnion,theUKevenabolishedthetampontaxcompletelyin2021, astheywerenolongerrequiredtohaveaminimumtaxpercentageliketheEUlawrequires

Figure3:TampontaxacrossEurope

Challenge3:Discriminationandstigma

Thetreatmentofwomendirectlycorrelateswithstigmaanddiscrimination,tampontaxbeingone oftheexamples,rightnexttothegenderpaygapandgenderbasedcrimes Thiscomesfromalong history of women being treated like theydeserveless,andsomeofthesebeliefsarestillaround todaysuchasthebeliefthatwomenhavingmorerightsisathreattoopportunitiesformen.Failing toaddresstheseissuesasquicklyaspossibleandnottakingthemseriouslyslowsdownprogress insolvingtheissuessurroundingwomen'srightsandgenderequality.

Measurestocombatchallenge3:

The Gender Equality Strategy aims to end genderbased stereotyping, ensure balanced representation in decision making processes, and tackle the pay gap between genders Furthermore, residents also play an important role in achieving gender equality through public protests In2020,peoplewenttothestreetsofParistoprotestforequalpayandgenderequality Eventhoughalmostnochangewasachievedexceptforsomelegislationaddressinggenderbased violence, it sparked a conversation and critique towards the French government for failing to protectwomen'srights.

5. Whatnow?

Gender inequality is not a new issue, and it has manifestedinmanyways,tampontaxbeingan example Even though measures arebeingtakentowardssolvingtheissue,progressisveryslow andratherminimal Peoplearebeingpushedintopovertyduetotheongoingcrisis,notbeingable toaffordtheessentialswhichaffecttheirdailylifestyle.Manyhavetochoosebetweenmenstrual productsandfood,thusmissingoutonresponsibilitiesandopportunitiesbecauseoftheirperiod. Itisthusclearthaturgentactionisneeded.

● Whatelseistaxedasaluxuryalongwithmenstrualproducts?

● Howwouldremovingthetampontaxaffectsocietyandeconomy?

● Howmuchdoesgenderinequalityaffectwomenintheireverydaylife?

● Istampontaxapoliticaltool?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “Survivingperiodpovertywithʻsocksandtissueʼ” YouTube/BBCNews/2018

● “TheTamponBook” YouTube/VMLY&R/2021

● “PeriodPoverty.ChallengeTheShame” ADRAEurope/MeityBodenstaff deFolter/2021

● “Removingtheshameandstigmafrommenstruation” OHCHR/2022

5

Invisiblemoney:Theextremelyvolatilemarketsofcryptocurrencieshaveattracted investorswhotreatthemasacommodity,hopingtotakeadvantageofthesometimes exponentialincreasesinvaluethatsomepopularcryptocurrenciesexperience.However, asanewfieldwhichismostlyunlegislatedfor,marketmanipulationtactics,investment scamsandthehavebecomecommon.WhatpolicyshouldtheEUadopttoprotect consumersandinvestorsinthisemergingmarket?

SubmittedbyMeriçİnal(TR)andAsuHayatAltınsoy(TR)

1. Topicataglance

Cryptocurrencieshavebecomethefoundationofanewfinancialsysteminrecentyears,butwhat are they exactly? A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is protected by cryptography5 , making counterfeiting or double spending nearly impossible. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralised networks built on blockchain technology, which is a distributedcryptocurrencyplatformenforcedbyanetworkofcomputers.Thefactthatcryptosare generally not issued by any central authoritymakesthemtheoreticallyimmunetogovernment interferenceormanipulation

The cryptocurrency market cap is expected to reach USD 30.18 billion in 2021, growing at a compound annual growthrateof27.8%between2022and2030. Therefore,fromthecreationof Bitcoin in 2009, cryptocurrencies have become of enormous interest, not only to technology enthusiasts, but to scammers as well, partially because of its decentralised constitution. In this case,theneedforconsumerandinvestorprotectionregardingcryptocurrenciesfallswithintheEU aimofofferingsecurity,yettheflowofcryptocurrenciesremainslargelyunregulated.

2. Casestudy

Lili,a52 yearoldLondoner,wascelebratingherbirthdaywhenshediscoveredthatshehadbeen scammed.ShehadbeguntradingcryptocurrenciesinMarch2021,withthehelpofonlinefriends. Shewasup$1.4millionatonepoint.However,abadtradelaterthatyearwipedoutthemajorityof her gains. Nonetheless, she had approximately $300,000 in one of her cryptocurrency trading accounts,whichwasclosetothetotalamountshehadinvested.Liliwasreadytogiveupwhenshe was told that she had to pay tax in order to liquidate her remaining tokens and cash out However,whensheattemptedtowirethemoneytothetradingplatform,itbounced,makingher realisethatshehadalmostbeenscammed Liliisoneofthousandsofvictimssweptupinatidal

Cryptographyisamethodofprotectinginformationandcommunicationsthroughtheuseofcodes,sothatonlythose forwhomtheinformationisintendedcanreadandprocessit

wave of fraud that accompanied the cryptocurrency boom during the COVID 19 pandemic, as morepeoplebecamemoreinterestedininvestingincryptocurrency.

3. Stakeholders

Figure1:StakeholdermaponMiro

4. Keychallengesandmeasuresinplace

Challenge1:ConsumersvsScammers

The annual cost of cybercrime to the global economy in 2020 was €5.5 trillion, whichismore than double the cost in 2015. Cyberattacks cause damages that extend beyond the economy, threatening the EU's democratic foundations andthebasicfunctioningofsociety.Attackersmay use phishing websites and emails with malicious links and attachments to steal banking information or blackmail organisations aer their IT systems anddatahavebeencompromised. According to research, scammers stole US$62 billion from victimsworldwidein2021,anumber thatwasincreasedby roughly70%incomparisonto2020

MeasurestocombatChallenge1:

The Digital Service Act (DSA) of the EU outlines how tohandleillegalcontentaswellascontent moderation Consumers will benefit from additional rules for very large platforms, such as risk assessment and audits The DSA creates anenvironmentforthe"noticeandaction"mechanism whichcompelsprovidersofhostingservicestoactimmediatelyaernotificationofillegalcontent, aswellastoimplementsafeguardstoensurethatsuchcontentisremoved.

Challenge2: Cyrptojacking

Cryptojacking, also known as hidden cryptomining, is a type of cybercrime in which someone secretlyandillegallyusesthecomputingpowerofanothertogeneratecryptocurrency.Withthe proliferationofcryptocurrenciesandtheirincreasingadoptionbythegeneralpublic,therehas been an increase in corresponding cybersecurity incidents. Incomparisontopreviousyears,the volume of cryptojacking infections reached anewhighinthefirstquarterof2021,withfinancial gainsbeingthemainmotivator

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

The new EU anti moneylaunderingpackagehasthegoalofensuringthatcrypto assetscanbe traced in the same way that traditional money transfers can.Asaresult,therearenewrulesfor tracing transfers of crypto assets such as bitcoins and electronic money tokens. Furthermore, accordingtonewlegislationthatisapartoftheEUanti moneylaunderingpackage,alltransfersof crypto assetsmustincludeinformationontheasset'ssourceandbeneficiary,whichmustbemade availabletothecompetentauthorities.Transactionsfromso called“unhostedwallets”wouldalso be covered by the rules Under this legislation, minimum thresholdswillalsobeeliminatedand exemptionsmadeforlow valuetransfersinordertoensurethatcryptotransferscanbetraced

TheEuropeanParliamentisalsosuggestingthattheEuropeanBankingAuthority(EBA)establishes apublicregisterofbusinessesandservicesinvolvedincrypto assetsthatmayposeahighriskof moneylaundering,terroristfinancing,andothercriminalactivities,aswellasanon exhaustivelist ofnon compliantproviders.

Furthermore, the EU has brought crypto assets, crypto asset issuers, and crypto asset service providers under a common regulatory framework with the markets in crypto assets (MiCA) proposal Preliminaryagreementsonthisproposalapplytoissuersofunbackedcrypto assetsand so called"stablecoins,"aswellastradingvenuesandwalletswherecrypto assetsarehoused.This regulatoryframeworkwillprotectinvestorsandmaintainfinancialstabilitywhilealsoallowingfor innovationandincreasingtheattractivenessofthecrypto assetsector.Thiswillbringmoreclarity to the EuropeanUnionasawholebecause,althoughsomeMemberStatesalreadyhavenational legislation in place for crypto assets, there has been no specificregulatoryframeworkattheEU levelthusfar.

5. Whatnow?

Withcryptocurrenciesgainingexplosivepopularitythispastdecade,theyhavebecomeahottopic forbothinvestorsandpopularcultureasthefutureoffinance.Thisnewtechnologyhowever,also opens up many doors for new scams and fraudulent activities, especially due to the limited legislation regarding this upcoming technology and protecting its consumers. As it is clear that cryptocurrencieswillonlygrowinthefuture,itisimperativethatquickactionistakentosafeguard allEUcitizensandtheirfinancialfutures. B ● HowshouldtheEUaddresstheexistingthreatofscammers?

● HowcantheEUpreventthecriminalusageofthedecentralisedconstitutionof cryptocurrencies?

● Isthecurrentinformationandeducationabouttradingwithcryptounderstableforthe averagecitizen?

● WhatcantheEUdotoraiseawarenessaboutcrypto scammingandcryptojackingfor consumers?

● Istheriseinpopularityofcryptocurrenciesdoingmoreharmthangood?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “TheFiveLawsofCybersecurity” Youtube/NickEspinosa/2018

● “CryptocurrencyIn5Minutes” Youtube/Simplilearn/2021

● “WhatAretheConsumerProtectionConcernsWithCrypto assets?” MEDIANAMA/2022

● “CryptoandWeb3UnderConsumerProtectionScrutiny” wiley/DuaneC.Pozzaand TylerBridegan/2022

● “WhatIsCryptocurrency?” Forbes/KateAshford/2022

● “CryptoAssetsandCryptocurrency” FinancialandConsumerServicesCommission/n.d.

CommitteeonLegalAffairs(JURI)

Dancingonthefineline:Thedistinctionbetweencivilunionandmarriageisnotjustreligious,but comeswithlegalandfunctionaldisparities.WiththeSlovenianSupremeCourtrecognisingthe righttosame sexmarriagesandMontenegropermittinglifepartnerships,howcantheEUensure fulllegalprotectionforsame sexcouples?

SubmittedbyDariusIalangi(RO)

Figure1:Same sexmarriage

1. Topicataglance

Marriageisanimportantstageinarelationshipthatpeoplegothroughtocreatelifetimeunity, butnoteveryoneinEuropehastheprivilegetogothroughthisparamountstageofgettinglegally married in anticipation of creating their own family, due to discriminatory policies against the LGBTIQ community. Same sex marriages encounter many challenges, ranging from social discrimination to the denial of their marriage because of regulationsagainstfreemovement. Same sex marriages are legalised only in 18 European countries6 , predominantly from Western Europe,asmanyEasternEuropeancountriesdisregardcertainregulationsthattheCourtofJustice of the European Union (CJEU) sets out Even though 69% of European citizens consider that same sex marriage should be legalised in all Member States, many Eastern European Member States do not budge on their current legislation restricting same sex marriages and evencreate stricter regulations in some cases. Despite the existence of regulations and laws regarding the

6 Austria,Belgium,Denmark,Finland,France,Germany,Iceland,Ireland,Luxembourg,Malta,Netherlands,Norway, Portugal,Slovenia,Spain,Sweden,Switzerland,andtheUnitedKingdom

safekeeping of human rights and equality for everyone imposed by the European Commission, same sexcouplesarestillunequalwhenitcomestotherighttomarry.

2. Casestudy

Historically,freemovementintheEUhasbeenbasedontheassumptionthatthecoupleorfamily exercising this right are heterosexual or traditional In such a case, the host Member State recognises the parentsʼ marriage certificate and the childrenʼs birth certificates However, for a rainbowfamily,consistingofasamesexcoupleandchildrentheyraise,thelegalityoftheirfamilial ties is not recognised in countries such as Hungary and Romania.Therefore,thesetwoMember States do not upholdthefreedomofmovementinthecaseofsame sexmarriages.Thisiswhy theCJEUrequiredbothcountriestoreconsiderthedecisionregardingsame sexmarriagesand the free movement of members of the LGBTIQ community, which was rejectedbyRomaniaand Hungary who continue to refuse to provide residence permits for same sexcouples.Theystill stand by this decision today even though they are breaking EU aims to combat all forms of discrimination

3. Stakeholders

TheEuropeanUniondoesnotrequirethelegalisationofsame sexmarriage,leavingthisaspect uptoMemberStates.However,consideringthatArticle1oftheCharterofFundamentalRightsof the European Union states that human dignity is inviolable,itcouldbearguedthattheMember States that do not consider same-sex marriage alegalact,areneglectingtheirdutytoprotect theinherentdignityoftheLGBTIQcommunity.ThesecountriesfurtherstandagainstcoreEUaims such as the abolishment of discrimination andsocialexclusionaswellasthepreservationof freemovementforall

Measurestocombatchallenge1:

The European Commission adopted its first ever strategy on LGBTIQ equality in 2022 with its LGBTIQEqualityStrategythatsetsoutaseriesofmeasurestostepupaction,tointegrateLGBTIQ equality in allpolicyareasandtohelplithevoicesofLGBTIQminorities.TheLGBTIQSubgroup works on enhancing the implementation of this strategy with the High Level Group to ensure non discrimination, equality and diversity. The Strategy also aims to bring Member States and other actors together to help establish a common stance regarding this issue, thus abolishing LGBTIQdiscriminationfasterandmorecohesivelyby2025

Challenge2:Stigmasurroundingrainbowfamilies

Thetraditionalimageofa“perfect”familythatmostpeoplehaveisaheteronormativeone,setting rainbowfamiliesasmarginalorundesired. Thisshowsthatsame sexcouplesreceivealotofhate duetowidespreadsocialstigmasourroundingtheLGBTIQcommunityfornotconformingtothe norm.Thisdoesnotonlyaffectmarriedsame sexcouplesthemselves,buttheirchildrenaswell whooensufferconsiderableemotionalharm

Figure3:Familycouples,samesexandopposite sexparents

Measurestocombatchallenge2:

TheNetworkofEUropeanLGBTIQ*FamiliesAssociations(NELFA)isanetworkof44associations from33Europeancountriesdedicatedtoexchanginginformationandraisingawarenessamong EU countries to defend rainbow families. The organisation publishes cases of discrimination against same sexmarriagessuchasthecaseoftwoAlbanianwomeninarelationshipwhocould notberegisteredasthelegalparentsoftheirtwochildrentogetauthoritiesʼattention.

Challenge3:Religion baseddiscrimination

Religiousfreedomisafundamentalhumanrightthatvisiblyinfluencestheworldinmanydifferent areas. In Europe, it is predominately the rules and values of the Christian church that have an impactonmanycitizensʼopinionsonvarioustopicssuchasLGBTIQinclusion.Although,Western European churches have shown a higher rate of acceptance regarding same sex marriages comparedtoEasternEuropeanChurches,botharenotfullysupportive Thisstanceofthechurch andfollowingreligiousbeliefsarethenoenusedtodiscriminateagainsttheLGBTIQcommunity Forexample,whileitistruethattheabilityorinabilitytohaveareligiousweddingdoesnotaffect the marriage of a couple in manycases,itdoesbecomeharderforsame sexcoupleswantinga ceremony to find someone to officialise their unity because of the lackofprieststhataccept unitynomattertheirsexualorientation.

5. Whatnow?

Nowadays, same sex marriageisnotlegalinalltheMemberStates,butpeoplearestillfighting fortherighttohavelifetimeunity.WhileprogrammesandorganisationssuchasILGA,NELFA,and CERV are fighting to stop discrimination against the LGBTIQ community and give them equal rights,itisnotenoughaspeoplestillhavetofightfortherighttomarrytheonetheylove.Despite the existence of multiple projects that aim to helppeopleinneed,suchastheLGBTIQEquality Strategy,someMemberStatesrefusetogivethemtherighttomarriage,makingitclearthatthese projectsarenotenough

● WhatmeasurescantheEUtaketoreducediscriminationagainstsame sexparents?

● HowcantheEUensureprotectionforsame sexcouplesinallMemberStates?

● WhatmeasurescantheEUtaketogivesame sexcouplestherightoffreemovement?

● How can the EU ensure that every state will compley to EU regulations against discrimination?

6. Linksforfurtherresearch

● “FightingforMarriageEquality” YouTube/TedxTalk/2015

● “Same-sexparenting,assistedreproductionandgenderasymmetry” ScienceDirect/ ElixabeteImaz/2017

● “TherightsofhomosexualfamiliesinEurope:theLawsAndFamiliesdatabase” N IUSSP/AriannaCaporaliandMarieDigoix/2018

● “Thedailylifeofgayparents” YouTube/DWDocumentary/2019

● “BarrierstoSame SexParentingRemaininEuropeandareUnfounded” KingʼsCollege London/SilviaPalmaccio,DeniMazrekajandKristofDeWitte/2021