Resolution Booklet of Joensuu '17

Resolution Booklet Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of EYP Finland 3rd–5th of November 2017

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

Programme of the General Assembly 08:00 08:15 09:00 09:45 10:15 11:00 11:45 12:45 13:30 14:15 14:45 15:30 16:15

Opening of the General Assembly Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Coffee Break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Health and Food Safety Lunch Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Rights II Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Rights I Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Legal Affairs Closing Ceremony

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

Procedure of the General Assembly General rules The wish to speak is indicated by raising the Committee placard. Each committee may use only one Committee placard.

The authority of the Board is absolute.

Procedure and time settings

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1. Presenting of the Motion for a Resolution by a Member of the Board 2. Two minutes for delegates to read through the Motion for a Resolution 3. Three minutes for one person from the Proposing Committee to defend the Motion for a Resolution 4. Two one and a half minute Position Speeches on the Motion for a Resolution 5. One minute for the Proposing Committee to respond to the Position Speeches from the floor 6. General debate: a. three rounds: two responses from the floor, one from the podium 7. Three minutes to sum up the debate (1-2 people) 8. Voting procedure: chairs collect votes and share with the board on slack 9. Announcing the votes

Point of Personal Privilege Request for a Delegate to repeat a point that was inaudible. Failure to understand the language being spoken does not make for a Point of Personal Privilege.

Direct Response Twice per debate, each Committee may use the Direct Response sign. Should a Delegate raise the sign during the open debate, he/she will immediately be recognised by the Board and given the floor as soon as the point being made is concluded. A Direct Response can only be used to refer to and discuss the point made directly beforehand. If two or more Direct Responses are requested at once, the Board will decide which Committee to recognise. In this case, the second Direct Response shall only be held if it can be referred to the first Direct Response, so on and so forth.

Point of Order This can be raised by the Chairpersons if the Board have not properly followed procedure. Ultimately, the authority of the Board is absolute.

Defence Speech One member of the Proposing Committee delivers the Defence Speech from the podium. It is used to explain the rationale of the overall lines of the Resolution and convince the Plenary that the Resolution is worthy of being adopted. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

Position Speech Two delegates are given the chance to hold a position speech through which they can express support, opposition, or a combination of the two, for the Motion for a Resolution. The speech should be constructive in its approach and can last a maximum of one and a half minutes per person.

Summation Speech One, or two, members of the Proposing Committee deliver the Summation Speech from the podium; the microphone can only be passed once and the speech may last a maximum of three minutes in total. The Summation Speech is used to summarise the debate, respond to main, selected criticism and to once more explain why the chosen approach is the most sensible.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON C IVIL L IBERTIES , J USTICE AND H OME A FFAIRS

Fighting the fragmentation of European society: In light of xenophobia in Europe on one hand and the radicalisation of certain groups on the other, how should the EU tackle these issues most effectively?

Submitted by:

Wilma Andreasen (Helsingin saksalainen koulu), Hilja Hautamäki (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Sami Juvaste (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Tiziana Nauer (CH), Selma Nykänen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Heta Oikarinen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Taika Varis (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Victoria Bilenko (Chairperson, UA) & Tim Benjamin van Woezik (Chairperson, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the increasing fragmentation of European society both on a national and international level as a result of xenophobia and radicalisation, B. Deeply concerned by an increase in reported cases of racism and hate crime, C. Noting with regret the discrepancy in the reporting of crime committed by minorities and crime committed by radical nationalist movements in the EU, D. Welcoming the implementation of the Code of Conduct on countering illegal online hate speech1 by international social media platforms, E. Fully aware that freedom of expression can be used as a justification for hate speech, F. Taking into consideration the European Islamophobia report 20162’s findings that stereotypes related to terrorist attacks result in the discrimination of minorities, G. Having considered the World Report 20173 on multiple breaches of the European convention on Human Rights within Member States, H. Noting with regret that a lack of education on diversity can cause fragmentation of society;

The Code of Conduct on Countering Illegal Online Hate Speech: a series of commitments by Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Microsoft that have been taken on in order to combat the spreading of hate speech on these platforms in Europe.

2 The European Islamophobia Report: a report on the state of Islamophobia in the EU and its development throughout 2016.

3 The World Report 2017: assesses the EU’s performance under the European Convention on Human Rights within Member States.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

1. Urges Member States to uphold the Convention on Human Rights in its entirety; 2. Calls upon the European Commission to increase resources for the establishment and maintenance of hotlines for the reporting of hate speech and hate crime; 3. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts of NGOs and international organisations in promoting respectful behaviour and tolerance towards minorities, such as the No Hate movement4; 4. Calls upon the European Commission to set up a recommendation on the establishment of fair and transparent media frameworks; 5. Further invites social media platforms to sign and comply with the Code of Conduct on countering illegal online hate speech 6. Calls upon the European Commission to establish a public online database of social media platforms that do not meet the Code of Conduct on countering illegal online hate speech; 7. Urges other online media platforms to participate by providing ad banners on recommended behaviour on the platform; 8. Supports NGOs such as Setlementti Kompassi5 in their effort to provide workshops for all ages on religious, cultural, and ethnic diversity; 9. Directs the European Social Fund to decrease the gap in quality between Member States’

educational systems through additional funding.

No Hate Movement: a Council of Europe youth campaign addressing hate speech online.

Setlementti Kompassi: a politically and religiously neutral organisation with the aim of promoting equality, diversity, and social justice.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON I NDUSTRY , R ESEARCH AND E NERGY

In light of the Europe 2020 flagship initiative for smart, sustainable and innovative growth, how can the EU and its Member States ensure the development of environmental entrepreneurship?

Submitted by:

Renne Kiljala (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Katriina Korhonen (Helsingin saksalainen koulu), Riikka Kosonen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Viivi Kämäräinen (Rantasalmen lukio), Noora Saksa (Mikkelin lukio), Tuomas Alm (Chairperson FI) & Ilinca Curcudel (Chairperson, RO)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Aware of the risks inherent to entrepreneurship that may discourage potential entrepreneurs, B. Bearing in mind that enterprises may avoid investing in green tech1 due to the higher initial costs involved, C. Emphasising that insufficient environmental education will lead to a lack of awareness of entrepreneurship as a promoter of environmental development, D. Deeply concerned that insufficiency shared knowledge leads to a lack of innovation, E. Taking into consideration that the lack of a safety net in the case of a bankruptcy may discourage potential new entrepreneurs, F. Recognising the effectiveness of various measures: i)

the Entrepreneurship 2020 action plan2,

ii)

the Programme for the Competetiveness of Enterprises and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (COSME)3

iii) the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI)4

Green tech: technology which is considered environmentally friendly based on its production process and supply chain.

2 The Entrepreneurship Action Plan: a scheme focusing on the creation of new businesses and creating a more supportive environment for existing entrepreneurs to thrive and grow, removing the existing obstacles and revolutionise the culture of entrepreneurship in EU. 3 COSME: aims to make it easier for SMEs to access finance in all phases of their lifecycle-creation, expansion or business transfer giving enterprises easier access to guarantees loans and equity capital.

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EaSI programme: a financing instrument at EU level aimed at promoting a high level of quality and sustainable employment, guaranteeing adequate and decent social protection, while improving working conditions.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

iv) Entrepreneurship 3605

1. Recommends further financing existing organisations involved in providing education on entrepreneurship; 2. Encourages Ministries of Education to provide free educational programmes and a guide of good practices on entrepreneurship and risk management for new entrepreneurs; 3. Proposes the Enterprise Europe Network6 create and provide a commercial network connecting new entrepreneurs with peers and advisors; 4. Invites Member States to further subsidise environmentally conscious companies; 7

5. Instructs the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) to provide further guidance and

financing for enterprises aiming to reduce their environmental impact; 6. Calls upon the COSME-programme to collaborate with local financial institutions to provide a financial safety net for entrepreneurs; 7. Urges the Executive Agency on SMEs8 to raise awareness of financial aid provided to entrepreneurs by the EU.

Entrepreneurship 360: a collaboration between the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development which intends to nurture entrepreneurship as a key competence in schools and technical and vocational institutions.

6 Enterprise Europe Network: the largest information and consultancy network in Europe, aiming to help small business.

7 EMAS: a management instrument, developed by the European Commission for companies and other organisations to evaluate, report, and improve their environmental performance.

8 The Executive Agency for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (EASME): an agency that was set-up by the European Commission to manage EU programmes.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON E MPLOYMENT AND S OCIAL AFFAIRS

In light of staggering youth unemployment, many young people have chosen to start their own enterprises despite financial and bureaucratic challenges. How should the EU support entrepreneurship amongst young people in the current economic and political climate?

Submitted by:

Tuomas Heikkinen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Ami Kimanen (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Topias Laitinen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Joel Rusanen (Kainuu Vocational School/Business), Netta Sairanen (Joensuun normaalikoulu) Monique Ann Valdez (CH), Ida Wilkman (Mikkelin lukio), Tanguy Ciccone (chairperson, CH) & Emilie Lutz (FR)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Recognising that young people often lack financial support when starting their own enterprises, B. Observing that entrepreneurship is often not considered as a viable career option by the general population, C. Deeply concerned that social inequalities1 among young entrepreneurs can negatively impact their success rate, D. Realising that the economic climate may prevent Member States from financially supporting young entrepreneurs, E. Bearing in mind that current educational systems are ill-equipped to prepare young people for the requirements and challenges of entrepreneurship, F. Aware of the fact that lacking work experience leads to a higher rate of unemployment among young people, G. Conscious that fear of financial losses may deter young people from starting their own enterprises, H. Taking into account the bureaucratic requirements young entrepreneurs faces, I.

Regretting the pressure of taxes on enterprises, in particular during the initial kickoff period2,

J. Alarmed by the lack of safety net3 for young entrepreneurs when starting an enterprise;

Social inequalities: such as family resources, or economic and cultural background.

Kickoff period: the period following the creation of an enterprise, during which it is still fragile and lacking resources.

3 Safety net: something that provides a margin of protection or security.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

1. Asks Member States to create an insurance fund for young entrepreneurs; 2. Encourages young people to become more politically active and increase their representation in national governments; 3. Invites enterprises to increase the salaries of long-term employees; 4. Proposes that private enterprises organise events designed for new entrepreneurs to: a)

share their knowledge;

b)

access information on relevant EU funds;

5. Recommends high schools offer entrepreneurship courses taught by entrepreneurs; 6. Suggests private enterprises increase seasonal employment possibilities for young people; 7. Requests Member States merge administrative offices handling legal matters regarding enterprises within each Member States; 8. Encourages Member States to lower taxes for newly built micro-enterprises.4

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Enterprises with a sales revenues of less than EUR 2 millions per year.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON E NVIRONMENT , H EALTH AND F OOD SAFETY

Mental health and the workplace: How should the EU and its Member States support the wellbeing of workers and help reduce long-term absence and early retirement?

Submitted by:

Audrey Caloz (CH), Rosaella Karjalainen (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Eveliina Kyllönen (Kastellin lukio), Tomoe Miyakawa (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Laura Mähönen (Rantasalmen lukio), Ilmari Tanninen (Joensuun normaalikoulu) Anita Tapio (Helsingin saksalainen koulu), Elias Id (Chairperson, FI) & Anna Spielberg (Chairperson, DE)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the fact that 25% of EU citizens will suffer from mental health problems or mental illness at some point in their life, B. Emphasising the fact that 25% of workers in the EU report feeling dissatisfied with their work life balance1, C. Alarmed by the lack of recognition and acceptance of mental health problems and mental illnesses by the general population, D. Aware increasing occurrences of early retirement and long-term absence caused by mental health problems and mental illnesses, E. Noting with deep concern the consequences of long-term absence and early retirement, including loss of profit and decreases in the productivity of employees, F. Recognising poor job security, low-paying jobs, fear of failing, and unemployment as key reasons for poor work-life balance, G. Pointing out the heightened risk of mental health problems and mental illness for individuals with biological predispositions2, H. Taking into account the complexity and slow pace of mental health treatments; 1. Proposes workshops and conferences aimed at helping workers cope with stresses and mental health problems;

1 Work-life balance: describes a worker's ability to feel fulfilled both in their work and their family and other social commitments.

2 Biological predisposition: understood as an increased chance of developing a disease or pattern of behavior based on inherited genes.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

2. Recommends the creation of awareness sessions at schools aimed at familiarising young people with mental well being and mental health, starting at primary school level; 3. Encourages online questionnaires to be made available to employers and employees to assess their well being which can later be evaluated by counsellors; 4. Suggests psychological or psychotherapeutical support be made available to workers in collaboration with Mental Health Europe and private companies; 5. Proposes a minimum amount of breaks workers are required to take during a working day to be set without changing the absolute working time; 6. Urges Member States to establish a minimum wage in accordance to the cost of living in each Member State.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON H UMAN R IGHTS II

Gender-based violence is widespread throughout the European Union, with one in three women having experienced physical violence, sexual violence, or both since the age of 15. What measures should the EU and its Member States adopt to eradicate violence against women?

Submitted by:

Maria-Katariina Antonov (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Vivi Hafrén (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Hille Launonen (Helsingin saksalainen koulu), Senni Muuruvirta (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Angel Netto (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Eevi Pulkkinen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Jana Willi (CH), Ronja Holopainen (Chairperson, FI) & Olavs Rāciņš (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Aware that existing gender stereotypes play a key role in creation and continuation of inequality and damaging perception of gender, B. Alarmed by the misrepresentation of the female body by the media, C. Recognising the importance of public discussion of gender based violence in Europe, D. Pointing out that most cases of gender based violence are left unreported due to the fear of reprisal, E. Gravely concerned by the general public’s lack if awareness of gender inequality, F. Noting with regret the long history of inequality between genders, G. Noting with deep concern the lack of legislation concerning gender-based violence;

1. Recommends adjusting national school curricula to encourage gender-neutrality by: a)

promoting events discussing the severity of gender based violence,

b)

establishing courses on gender based violence;

2. Condemns the overly sexualised portrayal of women by the media; 3. Invites Member States to publicly promote gender neutral media content;

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

4. Encourages Member States to adopt gender neutral educational systems, following the example of Swedish preschools1; 5. Proposes Member States implement an easily accessible and reliable internet platform for the

reporting of gender based violence; 6. Requests the establishment of a reporting and safe housing programme for victims of gender

based violence; 7. Suggests Member States review and align their legislation regarding gender based violence; 8. Asks Member States to allocate additional funding to the process of solving criminal cases

concerning gender based violence; 9. Instructs Member States to provide and improve counselling for victims of gender based violence

throughout any potential judicial process.

Gender-neutral preschools: a method of teaching where teachers do not treat children according to traditional gender roles.

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Session 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 1 November 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON H UMAN R IGHTS I

Fundamental rights and statelessness: How should Member States work towards providing a nationality and a legal identity for every individual in the EU?

Submitted by:

Emilia Keinänen (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Kerttu Laakso (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Sini Tikkanen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Essi Tynkkynen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Lotta Vahvaselkä (Mikkelin lukio), Julua Venäläinen (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Paula Närvänen (Chairperson, FI) & Grace Preston (Chairperson, IE)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed that an estimated 600,000 individuals residing in the EU are recognised as stateless1, B. Noting with regret that the lack of a legal identity can limit a stateless person’s access to the fundamental rights2 afforded to EU citizens, C. Taking into consideration the difficulties stateless individuals encounter in accessing employment and the consequences thereof, include poverty and homelessness, D. Recognising that a lack of national identity and access to fundamental rights can lead to social exclusion, E. Concerned that some children are born stateless within the EU, with children of refugees being at particular risk of becoming stateless, F. Noting with regret that the differences in citizens legislation3 throughout the EU result in problems including an uneven distribution of stateless people, G. Taking into account the lack of resources afforded to organisations and institutions who process and assist stateless people within the EU;

Stateless person: a person who is not considered as a national by any State under the operation of its law.

Such as the right to vote, to move freely, and to access healthcare and education.

3 Within Member States there is no homogeneity in regards to the procedures in determining statelessness and furthermore there are no streamlined rules on the treatment of stateless people.

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Session 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 1 November 2016

1. Instructs the European Asylum and Support Office to begin processing and issuing temporary Identity Cards4 to stateless persons within the EU; 2. Has resolved to streamline the vastly different processing mechanisms of stateless persons applications for citizenship currently in place in the EU by: a)

shortening the processing period for granting citizenship to those recognised as stateless by the European Asylum and Support Office to no more than 3 years;

b)

establishing a European working group on setting out guidelines for citizenship tests and other parameters for naturalisation;

3. Calls on all Member States to uphold their commitment to the United Nations Convention of 1954, relating to the Status of Stateless Persons5, and 1961, on the Reduction of Statelessness;6 4. Directs all Member States to automatically grant citizenship at birth to all children at risk of statelessness born within the EU; 5. Strongly urges Member States to provide resources and guidelines to organisations7 who can provide essential settling services to stateless people struggling with language barriers, employment opportunities, or mental health problems; 6. Encourages Member States to set up safe houses where stateless people are provided with information and assistance relevant to their situation.

The cards would act as a sort of EU passport affording those in possession of one all the rights citizens of Member States have under the European Convention on Human Rights, and access to limited voting rights in EU elections 4

The 1954 Convention has been signed by 24 EU Member States. The 1954 Conventions provides stateless persons basic human rights - specifically rights afforded to citizens of the nations who signed the convention. These rights include freedom of movement, the issuing of identity papers, the right to not be expelled from the country, and a travel document issued.

6 Under the 1961 Convention agreed to by 19 EU members states, the signatories sign up to begin granting nationality to a stateless person either by birth or formal application.

7 Such as the United Nations Refugee Agency which works on identifying and protecting stateless persons and has a comprehensive history of helping stateless persons.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON C ULTURE AND E DUCATION

Equality in Education: Considering the successes of gender neutral schooling, how should Member Statesimprove their educational institutions and ensure equal chances in education?

Submitted by:

Jaime Eduardo Castilla González (The English School), Roosa Granander (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Aino Hämäläinen (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Olivia Lyyra (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Emma Mäenpää (Mikkelin lukio), Diana Rublyova (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Onni Ukkonen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Triin Sulengo (Chairperson, EE) & Martin Örn (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Concerned by a lack of awareness of gender neutral education1 among both policymakers and the general public, B. Keeping in mind the cultural disparities between Member States in education related decisionmaking processes, C. Taking into consideration the varying levels of resource allocation for education in the EU, specifically including funding used for teacher trainings, D. Recognising that values held by underage students’ guardians influence their approach toward gender neutral schooling, E. Referring to the present lack of research into the effects of gender neutral schooling, F. Fully aware of the negative consequences an abrupt transition to gender neutral schooling could have, G. Deeply concerned about the use of gender normative terminology2 and colloquial language3 in education;

Gender neutral: educational systems which consciously foster an environment free from gender specific social constructs.

2 Gender normative terminology: language that assumes and propagates gender norms.

3 Colloquial language: informal language used in everyday situations.

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

1. Calls upon the European Commission to provide information on gender neutral education through EU-wide media campaigns; 2. Recommends the European Commission create Member State specific suggestions regarding gender neutral schooling; 3. Further recommends the European Commission encourage Member States to adopt gender neutral schooling with specific national education plans; 4. Encourages Member States to create opportunities for gender neutral education, while respecting guardians’ freedom of choice; 5. Urges the European Commission to initiate and financially support research into gender neutral schooling; 6. Invites the European Commission to compile basic recommendations on language usage in education, including the use of gender neutral pronouns.

Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON L EGAL A FFAIRS

Mercy in the face of agony? What stance should the EU take in the definition of legislation on euthanasia and assisted suicide taking into account the divisive nature of the issue?

Submitted by:

Renee Arledge (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Ville Jaara (Kastellin lukio), Roosa Lassila (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Vilma Laine (Savonlinnan taidelukio), Sampsa Luomi (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Iida Suomalainen (Joensuun normaalikoulu), Laura Väisänen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Ylva Wallén (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Ioana Gopșa (Chairperson, RO) & Līva Toka (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Bearing in mind that active euthanasia1 is legal in Member States such as the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, B. Recognising that assisted suicide2 is legal in several Member States, C. Realising that EU-wide legislation on euthanasia is not feasible at this time, D. Taking into account that personal opinion can affect the decision making process of health professionals regarding euthanasia, E. Aware of the monetary barriers individuals can face in regard to accessing euthanasia and assisted suicide, F. Acknowledging the impact of religious beliefs on the legal status of euthanasia, G. Emphasising that the consent of the person requesting euthanasia must be proven in order to avoid abuse thereof, H. Having considered the fact that both the person undergoing euthanasia as well as their environment are affected by the act,

Euthanasia: the act or practice of causing or permitting the death of chronically ill or injured individuals in a relatively painless way for reasons of mercy — also called mercy killing. The practice of euthanasia is currently legal in the Netherlands (since 2002), Belgium (since 2002) and Luxembourg (since 2009).

2 Assisted suicide: suicide by a patient facilitated through means, such as a drug prescription, or information,such as an indication of a lethal dosage) provided by a doctor aware of the patient's intent. The practice of assisted suicide is currently legal in the Netherlands (since 2002), Belgium, Luxembourg (since 2009), Switzerland (since 1942) and Germany (since 2015).

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Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 5 November 2017

I.

Having devoted attention to the debate on the circumstances under which a person can consent to euthanasia and assisted suicide,

J. Taking into consideration the important role of palliative care3;

1. Suggests Member States which have legalised euthanasia set up a database of health professionals employed in the public sector who are willing to perform euthanasia and/or assisted suicide; 2. Urges Member States to provide patients considering euthanasia and their families with improved psychological evaluations and counselling; 3. Hopes that euthanasia and assisted suicide will be covered by the European Health Insurance Card and public healthcare in countries which legalise the two acts; 4. Requests Member States provide information about euthanasia and assisted suicide through public services including: a)

doctors and hospitals providing information to their patients,

b)

schools including the topic in school curricula;

5. Recommends EU citizens include their wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments in a living will

and inform their family; 6. Suggests the creation of a best practice guide on existing legislation on euthanasia and assisted suicide; 7. Invites all Member States to adopt the Dutch model4 of medical evaluation proceeding the act of euthanasia or assisted suicide; 8. Appeals to the EU to offer financial aid to Member States in which palliative care systems do not meet EU regulations.

Palliative care: a medical, emotional, psychosocial, and/or spiritual care given to a person who is terminally ill, aimed at reducing suffering rather than attempting to cure the illness.

4 The physician should inform the patient about his or her health status and life expectancy and together reach the conclusion that there is no reasonable alternative. A second doctor should be consulted about the case, and all procedures should be reported to the authorities.

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Partners of Joensuu 2017 – Regional Session of EYP Finland

Waldemar von Frenckells Stiftelse