Resolution Booklet - Kuopio Regional Session 2020

RESOLUTION BOOKLET Kuopio 2020 Regional Session of EYP Finland

30.10–1.11.2020

Table of content

Table of content

2

Programme of the General Assembly

3

Procedure of General Assembly

4

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Employment and Social Affairs

7

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Economic and Monetary Affairs I

9

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Legal Affairs

12

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Foreign Affairs

14

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Constitutional Affairs

16

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Economic and Monetary Affairs II

19

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

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Programme of the General Assembly

09:00

Introduction to the General Assembly

09:30

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Employment and Social Affairs

10:10

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Economic and Monetary Affairs I

10:50

Coffee break

11:20

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Legal Affairs

12:00

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Foreign Affairs

12:40

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Constitutional Affairs

13:20

Lunch break

14:20

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Economic and Monetary Affairs II

15:00

Motıon for a Resolutıon by the Commıttee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs

15:40

Closing Ceremony

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Procedure of the General Assembly General rules The wish to speak is indicated by raising the Committee placard. Chairpersons should use “raising the hand function” and raise the placard.

The authority of the Board is absolute.

Procedure and time settings 1. Board reads the topic sentence 2. Silent reading of the operative clauses (1 min) 3. Resolution Debate (35 min) a. Defense Speech (3 min) b. Position Speech(es) (2x2 min) c. Response to the Position Speech(es) (90 sec) d. 3-4 Rounds of Open Debates 4. Summation Speech (3 min) 5. Voting on proposed resolution Silent reading of the operative clauses All members of the General Assembly (GA) read the operative clauses for themselves. Everyone should have read the operative clauses beforehand.

Defense Speech During this time one member of the proposing committee will deliver a speech on the resolution.

The proposing committee presents the rationale and context of the resolution and their solutions rather than defending it to the GA.

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Position Speech The Position Speech is a speech held by any other committee but the proposing. The speech can either agree or disagree with the proposed resolution. In either way the rationale behind the position should be elaborated on. The Position Speech should not pick at individual clauses or details but rather is used when a delegate fundamentally agrees or disagrees with the content of the resolution.

Response to Position Speech(es) A delegate from the proposing committee has the chance to respond to the Position Speech(es).

Open debates Any committee with a point or a question on the resolution can raise their committee placard and, when recognised by the Board, pose it to the proposing committee. The Board will take 4-5 points from the floor before allowing the proposing committee to respond to all of them. During each debate, committees must raise the placard with their committee name to show that they want to speak and wait for the Board to recognise them. There will be 3-4 rounds of open debates. The delegate from proposing committee who will respond to the last round of debates will be recognised by the Board together with the delegate delivering the Summation Speech.

General Assembly Placards Point of Personal Privilege This placard may be raised by a Chairperson if a member of the Assembly requests to repeat a point that was inaudible.

Direct Response (2x per debate) Each committee has, two per debate, the chance to directly reply to the point that was last made.

Therefore, if a Chairperson raises the 'Direct Response" placard, the committee will immediately be recognised by the Board. If two or more committees request a Direct Response, the Board will decide which committee to recognise.

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Point of Order This placard may be raised by a Chairperson if a committee feels that the Board is not following appropriate parliamentary procedure.

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ ​ON​ E​MPLOYMENT​ A ​ ND​ S​OCIAL​ A​FFAIRS​ (EMPL) Increasing youth unemployment:​ With the recent developments of the global Covid-19 pandemic, EU’s youth unemployment rate was measured at 16.8% in June 2020. Taking into consideration the ongoing Covid-19 measures, what can the EU do to effectively tackle the issue of youth unemployment?

Submitted by:

Elnaz Ayazli (AZ), Mihaela Chiujdea (RO), Margarit Martitosyan (AM), Ciara Mcardle (IE), Roby Campana (Chairperson, FI), Avani Yadav (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Concerned by the fact that 3 out of 4 young people are ​financially dependent​ on their parents, B. Further concerned that youth unemployment has​ risen to 24.4%​ due to COVID-19 restrictions, C. Alarmed by the lack of opportunities in the country of residence causing young people to: i.

remain unemployed​,

ii. move abroad giving rise to a waste of human resources, D. Aware that some of the students​ cannot pay their educational fees​ without working, E. Bearing in mind the scarcity of ​part-time jobs​ for students, F. Taking into account that a lot of ​employers require prior experience ​which most ​young students heading into the workforce lack, G. Noting with regret the negative effect unemployment has on​ youths’ mental health​ and productivity​ , H. Deeply concerned that some unemployed young people earn money in ​illegal ways​ such as burglary, drugs and fraud;

1. Encourages the youth to balance studying and work life by learning about freelancing opportunities from ​sources​ such as​ T ​ he 4-Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss​;

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​Freelancer is a person who works as a writer, designer, performer, or the like, selling work or services by the hour, day, job, etc., rather than working on a regular salary basis for one employer 1

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2. Urges the EU committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) to: a.

increase the amount of online and on-site part-time jobs,

b.

help young people with finding jobs based on interests;

3. Reminds employers to avoid discrimination against potential employees based on work experience and provide them with training; 4. Draws attention of the European Commision to follow the ​Youth Employment Initiative​2 by: a.

providing free courses to unemployed youth,

b.

helping them acquire new skills to get into the workforce;

5. Calls upon ​Erasmus+​3 to help students get higher education by increasing the amount of scholarships and grants for academic achievements, as well as for students financially affected by the pandemic; 6. Appeals universities to provide employment and internship opportunities relevant to the subjects taught, following the ​European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships​4​; 7. Asks Member States to enact a law enabling flexibility work timing for students; 8. Suggests the European Commission to help youngsters develop soft skills by promoting youth participation on educational events; 9. Invites the the ​European Commission's Directorate for Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE)​5 to assist young people in overcoming psychological problems resulted from unemployment by providing free consultations from certified psychologists and support groups; 10. Calls upon the European Commission to enable juvenile prisoners to re-enter the labour force after completion of sentence by providing rehabilitation and educational courses; 11. Requests the EU Committee on Employment and Social Affairs to make the work environment safer by: a.

offering remote work alternatives to employees,

​Youth Employment Initiative is ​the main EU financial resource to support young people who are not in education, employment or training.

3 ​Erasmus+ is the EU's​ programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe.

4 ​European Quality Charter on Internships and Apprenticeships is a document that outlines quality standards to ensure that internships and apprenticeships are truly quality experiences for young people.

5 ​European Commission's Directorate for Health and Food Safety: a Commission department that supports the efforts of EU countries to protect and improve the health of their citizens and to ensure the accessibility, effectiveness and resilience of their health systems 2

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b.

ensuring Covid-19 regulations are followed at the workplace.

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ ​ON​ E​CONOMIC​ ​AND​ M​ONETARY​ A​FFAIRS​ (ECON I) Eliminating brain drain: ​The free movement of workers is one of the fundamental rights enjoyed by European citizens, however, in 2017 there were almost 17 million EU28 movers in the 15-34 age bracket. This increases the “brain drain” phenomenon and creates unbalanced regions across the EU. What measures can the EU take to attract or retain talent in Sending regions and prevent negative effects of this monetary migration?

Submitted by:

Onni Lecklin (FI), Evangelia Moschou (GR), Georgia Papadopoulou (GR), Maria Anna Vakalopoulou (GR), Johann (Chairperson, DE), Senni Muurvirta (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Conscious that the ​45th article of the Treaty on the Functioning of European Union​, (EU) granting EU citizens freedom of movement, is a fundamental principle of EU, B. Emphasising that it is in the interest of both Sending and Receiving regions to solve the problem of brain drain, C. Pointing out that several Member States’ governments are ignoring or ​failing ​to support regions in their territory which are suffering from brain drain, D. Noting the lack of EU-funded research into brain drain , E. Concerned that highly educated workers emigrate to countries with better job opportunities and more opportunities for success, F. Alarmed by the decline of economic activity, leading to an increase in unemployment rates and lower salaries in Sending regions, G. Seriously concerned by rising unemployment rates all over the EU, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, H. Recognizing the potential of digital co-working tools to prevent brain drain, I.

Noticing with deep concern the elimination of pensions in the Sending regions due to sinking salaries,

J. Stressing that partly due to the low quality of education in some regions, young people feel forced to emigrate to other countries,

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K. Pointing out that Sending regions’ reduced tax revenue, caused by brain drain, deprives those regions of the opportunity to improve or maintain infrastructure which leads to increasing brain drain, L. Acknowledging that higher living standards in Receiving regions attract highly educated workers, causing demographic shifts, M. Believing that increased knowledge sharing among Member States and regions can contribute to dealing with brain drain;

1. Calls upon the European Commission to recognize the need to rebalance the economic performances of the Member States; 2. Encourages Member States’ governments to use available funding to financially support struggling LRAs​6​ and subsidise enterprises for creating more professional opportunities in all fields of struggling areas; 3. Calls upon the European Commission to conduct more in-depth research into the European regions’ economic situation, specifically in relation to brain drain and brain gain​7​; 4. Encourages the European Investment Bank (EIB) to provide grants and loans​8​ for: a.

potential entrepreneurs willing to establish companies in Sending regions after finishing their studies,

b.

small and medium sized-enterprises (SMEs) in Sending regions,

c.

scientific research projects in Sending regions;

5. Calls upon the European Commission to support enterprises extending digital co-working; 6. Strongly recommends the Member States to include the digital training in curriculum to ensure advanced technological environment; 7. Encourages Erasmus+ to allocate scholarships for students of Sending regions on the condition that they remain in countries of origin; 8. Calls upon Member States to distribute a percentage of the tax revenue generated from EU movers to their country of origin during three to four years after emigration; ​Local and regional authorities (LRAs) are the governing institutions at the subnational level that have a crucial position with strategies tailored to their respective areas.

7 ​While brain drain is the loss of skilled workers, brain gain is the acquisition of skilled workers by a region.

8 ​While EU grants are a type of payment that does not need to be reimbursed, loans must be repaid by the receiving party.

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9. Encourages the EU to continue financial programs such as the ​European Regional Development Fund​ aimed at LRAs experiencing brain drain to improve infrastructure; 10. Calls upon the European Commission to offer funding to LRAs in order to evolve and increase the living standards in Sending regions; 11. Strongly suggests Member States and their regions share their knowledge and expertise on combating brain drain.

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ O ​ N​ L​EGAL​ A​FFAIRS​ (JURI) The ethicality of AI usage:​ After the publication of the EU White Paper on Artificial Intelligence, there was uncertainty over the ethicality and legality of the development of AI in numerous industries. Even though the civil liability regime for artificial intelligence includes most legal matters of AI, the EU has yet to cover the possible unsolved issues. What can the EU do to ensure the coverage of legal matters and ensure industries ethically use AI?

Submitted by:

Emiliya Gaybaliyeva (AR), Gent Gjylbegu (AL), Guillemette Jégou (FR)

Sailee Joshi (IE), Emily-Faye Xantho (IE) Ander Urteaga

(Chairperson, ES), Ville Valli (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Concerned by the lack of AI development guidelines, B. Noting that the implementation and inaccessibility to AI technology​9​ are increasing current social inequalities, C. Aware of the ​tendency for companies​ to use AI for automating jobs, D. Recognising the ​lack of transparency​ in consumer applications regarding the implementation of AI technologies, E. Pointing out that the integration of AI systems is threatening consumers’ privacy, F. Alarmed by the broadness of European legislation, which enables AI developers to avoid responsibility through ​legal loopholes​, G. Deeply concerned by the fact that only ​37% of the population​ is capable of recognising the use of AI in their lives;

1. Endorses the European Commission's ​current human centric approach on AI ​technology; 2. Strongly affirms the need for further collaboration between the European Commission, Member States, and NGOs in order to create consistent and comprehensive guidelines and standards for AI usage;

​The usage of computer programs that have some of the qualities of the human mind, such as the ability to understand language, recognise pictures, and learn from experience 9

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3. Emphasises the need for educational programs on AI technology for integrating groups from various socio-economic backgrounds; 4. Supports Member States implementing restrictions regarding AI usage in the fields that require specific human attributes; 5. Encourages Member States to promote accessible educational training to improve knowledge of AI technology; 6. Invites NGOs and businesses to implement retraining programs for employees whose jobs face automation; 7. Requests that companies provide intelligible user information guides to ensure that there is an educated consent of their policies; 8. Asks the European Commission to create a transparency charter for businesses implementing AI; 9. Urges Member States to enforce stricter sanctions on organisations failing to take adequate steps to ensure privacy or for those violating data protection​10​; 10. Directs AI developers to clarify whether the device or service that is being provided to the consumers uses AI technology.

​Laws and regulations that make it illegal to store or share some types of information about people without their knowledge or permission 10

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ O ​ N​ F​OREIGN​ A​FFAIRS​ (AFET) Future of the EU-Turkey relations:​ Noting the recent EU-Turkey tension caused by the Turkish President creating a pathway into the EU for immigrants and asylum seekers by opening the borders, hence, violating the EU-Turkey refugee agreement, how can the EU maintain its long-term relationship with Turkey, while considering the continuous negotiations for Turkey’s accession to the EU?

Submitted by:

Esmer Ferhadova (AZ), Matei Plescan (RO), Melissa Smovnik (SL), Mary Kekhyan (Chairperson, AM)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Observing Turkey, being a NATO ally and a candidate for accession to the EU, having conducted military operations in Syria ignoring condemnation of EU and NATO, B. Alarmed by the constant threats and actions of Turkey regarding opening of its borders to refugees, C. Deeply disturbed with Turkey’s constant conflicts with numerous Member States and aggressive rhetorics towards them, D. Fully alarmed by the differentiation of European democratic values in contrast to Turkey’s totalitarian ambitions​,11 ​ E. Alarmed by the deepening conflict between Greece and Turkey with regard to their rights

over the gas and oil resources in the Mediterranean, F. Deeply regretting the ​violation of fundamental human rights of refugees and asylum seekers​;

1. Urges the European Commission to impose severe sanctions on Turkey, especially involving Member States that are also members of NATO; 2. Requests the European Commision and the Council of Europe to establish a new agreement concerning political dialog between EU and Turkey; 3. Strongly affirms the European Commision and the Council of European Union to put ​Totalitarianism ​is a system of government that is centralized and dictatorial and requires complete subservience to the state.

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utmost effort to resolve pre-existing conflict​12 peacefully, while actively involving Turkey into the negotiation process; 4. Suggests Council of Europe to promote democratic values with hopes to assist Turkey’s admission to the EU; 5. Urges the European Commission: a) to reaffirm the borders of territorial waters of Greece and Turkey in the presence of both parties, b) to establish mechanisms that protect the inviolability of borders of each state; 6. Invites: a) the ​European Asylum Support Office (EASO​) to analyze the living standards in refugee camps in Member States and Turkey to ensure fundamental rights​13 of asylum seekers are respected, b) Member States to collaborate with relevant NGOs towards creating a European-wide strategy for refugee integration​14​, on the educational, economical and cultural levels.

​Keeping in mind rising tensions between Turkey and Member States, such as Greece, Cyprus, France, etc. ​ uman rights​ are the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and H expression, the right to work and education, and many more.

14 ​Refugees' integration ​is a complex and multidimensional construct, referring to integration into the economic, educational, health, and social contexts 12 13

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ O ​ N​ C​ONSTITUTIONAL​ A​FFAIRS​ (AFCO) Stronger political engagement:​ For a couple of years, the political participation of youngsters across Europe has been transforming and has taken a new path due to the spread of social media. Although election turnout is still in decline, voting now is not the only way in which young people can become more active citizens. What actions can the EU and its Member States take to benefit from this transformation and ensure the political inclusion of young people?

Submitted by:

Saskia Eiffe (IE), Alisa Hasa (AL), Edor Shehu (AL), Taimi Xu (FI), Nadia Ter-Martirosyan (Chairperson, AM)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Deeply concerned that the engagement among young voters has shown a ​strong downward statistical trend​, B. Noting with deep concern the lack of success of the initiatives implemented by the European Commission and the Council of Europe on increasing young voter’s sense of citizenship with programmes such as ​ERASMUS+​, C. Taking into account that young voters have a higher opportunity cost for casting votes because of their less flexible employment schedules and less financial stability to take time off to vote, D. Noting with regret that Euroscepticism and general mistrust towards the voting system ​is on the rise​, E. Deeply conscious that ​90.4% of millenials​ are active on social media and the pace of the spread of misinformation and fake news threatens democratic, political, and policy-making processes, F. Recognising the ​lack of communication between the political parties and organisations, and young voters​, G. Having considered that the digital divide​15​ may widen with the introduction of e-democracy, ​The Digital Divide​, or the digital split, is a social issue referring to the differing amount of information between those who have access to the Internet (specially broadband access) and those who do not have access.

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H. Aware that the lack of youth representation in politics is causing a generation gap and accentuates youth political absenteeism, I.

Alarmed that the ​lack of the technical infrastructure​ may compromise data privacy and security,

J. Aware of the legislative concerns regarding online voting under both the European Electoral Law and national legislations;

1. Encourages Member States to hold annual conferences encouraging youth political participation with the support of the ​European Partnership for Democracy​, 2. Invites Member States to: a.

create social media campaigns on the importance of voting,

b.

implement education programmes such as the Comenius programme ​to help millennials understand the basics and importance of democracy and voting;

3. Calls upon the European Commission to: a. investigate and promote alternative voting mechanisms such as mail-in ballots and i-voting​16​, b. extend the voting period; 4. Urges all Member States to implement the usage of Voting Advice Application (VAA​17​; 5. Requests the European Commission to create a framework for transparency to be implemented by political parties in Member States; 6. Recommends that the European Commission regulates social media networks operating in EU territory and implements a flagging system to stop the spreading of fake news; 7. Encourages Member States to learn from the experience of Estonia in their use of ​i-voting​; 8. Encourages national governments to implement electronic identification facilitated by the Electronic Identification and Trust Services Regulation ( eIDAS​)18​ ​ ;

​Internet voting, or i-Voting,​ is a system that allows voters to cast their ballots from any internet-connected computer anywhere in the world.

17 ​Voting Advice Applications (VAAs​) are online tools that assist citizens with their voting decisions.

18 ​The Regulation on electronic identification and trust services for electronic transactions in the internal market​ (eIDAS Regulation) designed to provide a predictable regulatory environment to enable secure and seamless electronic interactions between businesses, citizens and public authorities.

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9. Requests the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA)​19 to create modules covering internet security, voting procedure, and protection of digital identity.

The European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA)​ is the EU’s agency that deals with cybersecurity. It provides support to Member States, EU institutions and businesses in key areas, including the implementation of the NIS directive.

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ ​ON​ E​CONOMIC​ ​AND​ M​ONETARY​ A​FFAIRS​ (ECON II) Tax evasion and avoidance: ​The Panama papers scandal revealed that a number of businesses take advantage of loopholes in the financial market and avoid paying taxes. Taking into account that tax evasion and tax avoidance annually cost billions to Member States, what steps should the EU take to ensure more effective taxation and prevent money laundering?

Submitted by:

Ermioni Kimpouropoulou (GR), Milla Linnervuo (FI), Ayhan Muradov (AZ), Hans Weurlander (FI), Raphael Tsiamis (GR, Chairperson)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Respecting the economic interests of Member States, B. Considering the right of Member States to ​independently regulate their ​own taxation legislation, C. Understanding the importance of tax income and the need for ​common tax standards, D. Alarmed by the large amount of EU funds lost due to tax evasion, amounting to approximately € 190 billion​, E. Deploring that the root causes of the 2015 Panama Papers scandal are ​still present​ in the legislation of various EU countries, F. Concerned that the existing loopholes and imbalances in the current tax frameworks create the possibility of tax avoidance​20​, G. Noting with regret that some of the Member States are unwilling to change their taxation policies regarding taxation and tax avoidance, H. Noting with satisfaction the Base Erosion and Profit Shifting ​(BEPS)​ actions proposed by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development ​(OECD)​;

1. Calls upon the European Commission to initiate negotiations concerning corporate tax information exchanges of ​FATCA (Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act) type between Member States and third countries;

​Tax avoidance​ is the exploitation of taxation legislation to one's own advantage, in order to reduce the amount of tax that is payable by legal means.

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2. Recommends that Member States work on the harmonisation of corporate taxation legislation by implementing the related recommendations of the OECD and the Financial Action Task Force ​(FATF)​; 3. Instructs the economic crime department of the EU Agency for Law Enforcement and Cooperation ​(Europol) to collaborate with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL)​ in regard to fighting cross-border tax evasion and money laundering​21​; 4. Appeals to the European Commission to impose sanctions against the countries on the ​EU blacklist​ of tax havens​22​; 5. Suggests that the European Commission update the EU blacklist on tax havens according to the ​legal definitions​ interpreted​23​ by the Court of Justice of the European Union ​(CJEU)​; 6. Congratulates the European Parliament on creating a ​permanent subcommittee of ECON tasked with tax-related matters and with the fight against tax evasion; 7. Encourages the permanent subcommittee on tax affairs to pursue international cooperation against tax evasion by collaborating with relevant Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), including but not limited to the Tax Justice Network ​(TJN) and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists ​(ICIJ)​; 8. Encourages the aforementioned NGOs to promote monthly awareness about tax legislation and the repercussions of tax avoidance, through funding from the Directorate-General Taxation and Customs Union ​(DG TAXUD)​; 9. Recommends that the International Monetary Fund ​(IMF) and the FATF help Member States enact the ​OECD/G20 BEPS framework by facilitating the exchange of best practices between tax officials and policy-makers.

A ​tax haven​ is a country or tax regime that offers foreign individuals and businesses low or no tax rates. It also shares limited or no financial information with foreign tax authorities.

22 ​Money laundering​ is the illegal process of concealing the origins of money through a complex sequence of commercial transactions.

23 The CJEU delivers judgments on tax matters by ​case law​, i.e. by following the legal precedent set by its previous rulings. In this sense, the legal definition of a ‘tax haven’ is updated with every new ruling of the CJEU on taxation and customs matters.

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M​OTION​ ​FOR​ ​A​ R​ESOLUTION​ ​BY THE​ C​OMMITTEE​ ​ON​ C​IVIL​ L​IBERTIES​, J​USTICE​ ​AND​ H​OME​ A​FFAIRS​ (LIBE) Democracy in the EaP region:​ Keeping in mind the recent protests in Belarus caused by the outcome of 2020 Presidential elections and developments of the relations between the EU and the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, what role should the EU play in the development of democratic system in the region and promote further integration?

Submitted by:

Oana Geambec (RO), Iva Lipotseva (RO/BY), Ronan Meleaday (IE), , Amanda Parkkinen (FI), Polina Slizevich (BY), Daniel Kelly (Chairperson, IE), Ylva Wallén (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Acknowledging the ​lack of free or fair elections​, B. Emphasising the strain that these anti-democratic practices have put on the EU-Belarus relationship; C. Deeply concerned​ by the fact that state-approved and sponsored media ​show propaganda​ for Lukashenko,

D. Deeply disturbed by the suppression of independent media, including violence aimed at reporters and the loss of accreditation, E. Realising the existence of significant barriers facing opponents during the election campaign, including imprisonment and barring from state TV, F. Noting with deep regret that hundreds of people have been ​tortured​ in special detention facilities, G. Pointing out that Belarus has partially closed its borders with the EU, in order to prevent the opposition from entering the country, H. Alarmed by the situation of many civil rights that are under threat, and the fact that critics face harsh penalties such as: i.

being fired from their jobs,

ii. being expelled from universities, iii. their businesses being shut down, I.

Deploring the disproportionate measures used by the Belarusian police in order to 22

disperse protests, including: i.

excessive physical violence,

ii. dangerous use of rubber bullets, water cannons, and tear gas,

1. Strongly condemns the use of censorship and violence against independent reporters; 2. Encourages the European Commission to create a media campaign with the aim of spreading objective information to the Belarusian and International public; 3. Requests social media firms label state-owned media outlets as controlled by the Belarusian Government; 4. Proposes a campaign led by the European Investment Bank to fund NGOs providing humanitarian aid to Belarus; 5. Calls upon European Commission to redirect European funds allocated for the Belarusian Government to helping those who have been persecuted; 6. Recommends the European Commission to place sanctions on the Belarusian government and army for their inhumane tactics used to suppress protests; 7. Asks the Belarusian Government to release the political protestors and allow for the safe return of exiles; 8. Calls upon the Belarusian Government to hold a referendum​24 to reinstate the 1994 Constitution​25​; 9. Urges the Belarusian Government to put sufficient Covid-19 prevention measures into place in order to reopen the borders; 10. Recognises Svetlana Tikhanovskaya as the interim President of Belarus.

A vote in which all the people in a country or an area are asked to give their opinion about or decide an important political or social question 25 A Constitution, written in 1994, which respected the rule of law and had presidential term limits 24

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