Table of contents
Programme of the General Assembly Procedure of the General Assembly EMPL DROI IMCO ENVI AFCO TRAN
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Programme of the General Assembly Monday, 13th March 2017
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09:00 - 10:00
Opening of the General Assembly
10:00 - 10:45
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)
10:45 - 11:30
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Rights (DROI)
11:30 - 12:00
Coffee Break
12:00 - 12:45
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Internal Market and Consumers Protection (IMCO)
12:45 - 13:30
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)
13:30 - 14:00
Lunch
14:00 - 14:45
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)
14:45 - 15:30
Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN)
15:30 - 16:00
Coffee Break
16:00 - 17:00
Closing Ceremony
Procedure of the General Assembly General rules
The wish to speak is indicated by raising the committee placard. The authority of the board is absolute.
Procedure and time settings 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Presenting of the motion for a resolution Reading Operative Clauses 3 minutes to defend the motion for a resolution 2 attack speeches of 2 minutes each to the motion for a resolution 1.5 minutes answer to attack speeches Open Debate 3 minutes to sum-up the debate Voting procedure Announcing the votes
Point of personal privilege
Request for a delegate to repeat a point that was inaudible.
Direct response
Once per debate, each committee may use the Direct Response sign in order to indicate their wish to be immediately recognised. The direct response sign is used to contribute to the point made directly beforehand.
Point of order
Placard is raised together with the committee name placard when the board violates this procedure.
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Motion for a Resolution by
THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS With nearly half of internships at EU institutions in Brussels unpaid and practices similar in their branches in Member States, what stance should the EU take concerning the payment of internships in general? Submitted by:
Vaslav Elie (FR), Léo Gannac (FR), Weronika Haufa (PL), Julia Kondratowicz (PL), Julia Kotlarska (PL), Gabriela Libudzka (PL), Grzegorz Maj (PL), Joe Metzger (FR), Wiktoria Nadolna (PL), Wojciech Norek (PL), Daria Pajdowska (PL), Jakub Woźniak (PL); Iana Culic (Chairperson, CZ), Alexandros Kaimakliotis (Chairperson, CY)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Bearing in mind that 46% of young people in EU had an internship and that only 40% of those were paid, B. Acknowledging that in order to cover the cost of living, a majority of interns stated that the payment of the internship they had was insufficient, C. Concerned by the fact that the youth from financially unprivileged backgrounds often cannot afford having an unpaid internship, D. Taking into account that an internship should be an educational experience, E. Alarmed by the findings of the European Commission’s report on traineeships1 outlining that 35% of trainees had not signed an agreement about their traineeship, F. Aware of the fact that internships may lead to the exploitation of interns, G. Keeping in mind the fact that small- and medium-sized enterprises often cannot afford employing a paid intern, H. Taking into account already existing Youth Guarantee2 which helps youth on the labor market;
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“The experience of traineeships in EU”
2 The Youth Guarantee offers all young people up to the age of 25 years a job, continued education, an apprenticeship or a traineeship within the first four months of leaving formal education or becoming unemployed.
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1. Encourages the European Economic and Social Committee to recommend a minimum wage for internships in EU institutions by analysing local living costs; 2. Invites the European Commission to create a fund that would offer small loans for interns to cover their living expenses during the internship, after the end of the internship the interns who are given a positive feedback would have to return only a part of the loan; 3. Requests that EU institutions and European universities create internships in EU institutions that are connected to the chosen field of studies; 4. Calls upon employers and EU institutions to always sign a contract with their interns, specifying working hours, salary, duties, and the programme of the internship; 5. Urges EU institutions to inform all their interns about their social and labour rights, worker representatives, their responsibilities to the organisation and health regulations, by giving this information together with the contract signed at the beginning of the internship; 6. Proposes that the European Commission regulates the ratio of its interns to regular workers, by making sure that no more than 20% are participating in an internship; 7. Recommends that Member States punish the enterprises that exploit their interns, by imposing financial penalties on them.
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Motion for a Resolution by
THE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS With many Member States facing a record number of entering asylum seekers in 2015, how can the EU support the integration of recognised refugees? Submitted by:
Paweł Gołębiowski (PL), Marta Grzybczyk (PL), Igor Łowczyk (PL), Mateusz Malinowski (PL), Yelyzaveta Medviedieva (UA), Karol Organiściak (PL), Aleksandra Panek (PL), Marta Płuszka (PL), Matteo Simonpietri (FR), Anna Szukała (PL), Maria Tylińska (PL); Rita Jevdokimova (Chairperson, LV), Kacper Murzyński (Chairperson, PL)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Acknowledging the differences between refugees and Member States’ citizens in areas like culture and religion, B. Aware of the fact that the language barrier excludes refugees from social life and labour market, preventing them from becoming fully fledged members of the society, C. Noting with concern the problems refugees face in the field of education, including significant differences in the curricula of Member States and the refugees’ countries of origin, as well as a lack of teachers qualified for comprehensively addressing the needs of refugees in the host countries, D. Alarmed by the potential rise of various conflicts and social problems such as harassment, discrimination and violent acts due to: i. lack of knowledge and mutual understanding in regard to cultural differences between Member States’ citizens and refugees, ii. some European citizens’ expectations that refugees should renounce their cultural identity, E. Noting with regret that bureaucratic procedures and complicated resettlement programmes often cause refugees to move into remote areas and isolate themselves from local communities, F. Deeply disturbed by the false image of refugees often presented in the media strongly influencing the public opinion and antagonising whole societies, G. Recognising the problem of refugee families being separated and struggling to reunite,
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H. Concerned that the lack of qualifications, along with the incompatibility of refugees’ diplomas and certificates with the local labour markets’ requirements, prevent refugees from being employed; 1. Suggests that Member States provide compulsory language courses for all recognised refugees; 2. Encourages Member States to offer vocational training opportunities for adult refugees; 3. Invites Member States to organise trainings for teachers working with refugees, emphasising the importance of not separating refugees from their peers; 4. Recommends Member States to create: a) university scholarship programmes for prospective refugee students, b) personal tutoring programmes for students to help them adapt to a new educational system, c) youth exchange programmes between countries of different cultures; 5. Calls upon the European Commission to ensure protection of all refugees from violence, discrimination and harassment by conducting social campaigns that would promote tolerance and open-mindedness; 6. Emphasises the need to adapt the criteria regarding degree validation in the Member States to ensure that refugees with qualifications from their countries of origin can practise jobs they have been trained for; 7. Reaffirms the importance of the Geneva Convention stressing the right of each refugee to reunite with their family; 8. Further recommends all Member States to ensure that integration-related material is available in both the country’s official language(s) as well as English.
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Motion for a Resolution by
THE COMMITTEE ON INTERNAL MARKET AND CONSUMER PROTECTION With online platforms such as Airbnb gaining popularity all over Europe, how can the EU effectively regulate the 'sharing economy' in order to maintain market stability and protect the rights of consumers? Submitted by:
Iga Adamska (PL), Miriam Sara Antonik (PL), Eryk Bednarek (PL), Oskar Firlej (PL), Artur Firuta (PL), Joanna Gołąbek (PL), Adam Górecki (PL), Adèle Hamelin (FR), Agata Kaczmarek (PL), Olaf Łozowski (PL), Anastasia Trach (UA); Claudia Jiménez (Chairperson, ES), Julia Wodzińska (Chairperson, PL)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the existence of taxation inequality3 between sharing economy actors and usual enterprises, B. Noting with concern the lack of common legal framework over the sharing economy on an EU level and the slow reaction time of local governments in adapting the legislation to these new types of businesses, C. Fully aware that the lack of legislated quality standards of service regulations may lead to violation of consumer protection, D. Realising that not all sharing economy sellers provide sufficient information about their offers and therefore consumers’ expectations potentially may not be met, E. Having considered that the rise in popularity of sharing economy platforms increases competition between these businesses and classic entrepreneurs, which may further lead to a loss of traditional work places due to the outflow of consumers from the classic forms of the services, F. Deeply regretting the fact that while the sharing economy is expanding, Member States’ tax incomes are not due to the lack of clear taxation rules in most of the countries;
1. Urges the Member States to establish a progressive taxation system 4that would equally apply to businesses within the sharing economy and outside of it; 3 In most of the Member States, private property owners pay taxes at an individual rate, while classic entrepreneurs are charged at a higher corporate rate.
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2. Recommends the Member States to create an administrative organ within their existing financial structures focused on the enforcement of tax payments from sharing economy businesses; 3. Calls upon the European Commission to propose a common European legal framework for the sharing economy that would include: i. definitions of the consumers’ and providers’ rights, ii. strategy for controlling the growth of the sharing economy; 4. Encourages sharing economy platforms to introduce minimum standards of the information that needs to be provided about offered services, and verify that the information provided by sellers is true; 5. Proposes a creation of an EU-wide quality label for sharing economy services.
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A tax that is larger for high-earning individuals than it is for low-earning ones.
Motion for a Resolution by
THE COMMITTEE ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY With COP21 highlighting the urgency for action in order to avoid dangerous climate change, how can the EU ensure energy independence whilst maintaining an affordable, sustainable and efficient energy supply? Submitted by:
Jakub Baran (PL), Bartosz Biernacik (PL), Anna Gibasiewicz (PL), Daniel Górniak (PL), Adrian Hedwig (PL), Dmytro Khanenko (UA), Barbara Komarek (PL), Laurine Pinazo (FR), Karina Radczuk (PL), Ewa Rewers (PL), Julia Sokołowska (PL),Tetiana Tovstenko (UA), Agnieszka Wozniak (PL); Liza Lozar Zajec (Chairperson, SI), Jegor Zajarniuk (Chairperson, PL)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Recognising that there is currently little coordination between Member States regarding energy supply, B. Alarmed by insufficient investment in technologies aimed at making energy solutions affordable, sustainable, efficient and eco-friendly at once, C. Deeply disturbed by the fact that many EU citizens are not aware of the level of their energy consumption and its harmful impact on the environment, D. Concerned by the low development level of infrastructure crucial for the energy independence of the EU, E. Realising that at the moment EU spending on energy imports is higher than on investments in energy infrastructure in Europe, F. Bearing in mind that the EU’s energy dependence on non-European countries could be used as political leverage, G. Aware that renewable energy sources are more expensive than fossil-based ones, and that their efficiency can be dependent on weather conditions;
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1. Encourages Member States to further coordinate their energy supply by: a) developing cross-border infrastructure facilitating flow of energy, b) expanding the Southern Gas Corridor and developing the Mediterranean Hub5; 2. Urges Member States to invest in: a) research and development concerning transport, infrastructure, renewable energy sources and conservation of energy, b) energy storage6; 3. Suggests the Member States to initiate media campaigns aimed at raising awareness of the negative consequences of high energy consumption as well as potential ways to reduce energy consumption; 4. Calls upon the Member States to develop new and improve existing facilities and energy infrastructure in order to reduce energy consumption; 5. Emphasises the importance of diversifying the EU’s energy supply, supply routes and sources of energy by cooperating with multiple providers while aiming at long-term independence by investing in renewable systems.
Southern Gas Corridor and Mediterranean Hub refer to planned EU infrastructure projects that will provide new routes for energy supply to Europe. 5
For example: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) imported to Europe through LNG terminals is a source of diversification that contributes to competition in the gas market and security of supply. 6
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Motion for a Resolution by
COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS With electoral participation rates dropping throughout the EU and even reaching an alltime low in the most recent European Parliament elections, what measures should be taken in order to reinvigorate the culture of democratic participation on national and EU level? Submitted by:
Aleksandra Adach (PL), Polina Borshchevska (UA), Michalina Grabias (PL), Weronika Grzybczyk (PL), Oleksii Hadzinskyi (UA), Marharyta Ivashchenko (UA), Jan Lorenc (PL), Marta Reysner (PL), Mikołaj Szczerba (PL), Marta Szewczyk-Sroka (PL), Wiktoria Tarka (PL), Adam Wiktor (PL); Anna Halewska (Chairperson, PL), Nicolas Kurek (Chairperson, CH)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Fully deploring the ever dropping turnout in the EU elections reaching 43% overall and 28% among youth citizens in 2014, B. Noting with regret the bureaucracy and complicated registration for voting in elections discouraging people from voting and resulting in voter fatigue, C. Acknowledging the connection between the rise in popularity of nationalist and Eurosceptic movements and the lack of trust towards the EU as a whole resulting in a lower election turnout, D. Considering the lack of civic education as a main driver of reduced involvement of youth in civic activities, E. Acknowledging the importance of enhancing critical thinking among youth through media education in schools, F. Noting with approval the existence of internships in EU institutions and international exchange programmes, helping raise the sense of unity, awareness of global issues and broading the knowledge about the functioning of the EU, G. Viewing with appreciation the activity of organisations promoting democratic involvement of European youth, H. Aware of the advantages of the so-called Single Transferable Vote7, which was already recommended by the EU;
Single Transferable Vote is an alternative electoral system allowing the voters to allocate candidates according to their preferences. 7
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Education 1. Encourages an extension of civic education at schools in order to raise awareness among youth; 2. Further encourages an extension of media education at all educational levels to support a critical thinking development; 3. Calls upon the Member States to introduce voting simulations in schools to enable the youth to understand the principles of democracy by hands-on experience; 4. Approves student councils’ activities that participation to further introduce the youth to active citizenship; 5. Supports meetings and workshops with public representatives and activists within youth organisations and in schools;
Elections 6. Encourages the introduction of voting over the Internet for at least one held election in order to gradually implement it into the whole system following the example of Estonia; 7. Endorses the simplification of the voting process for citizens living abroad by enabling them to vote online; 8. Invites all Member States to increase the duration of their elections to two consecutive days; 9. Strongly urges all Member States to add the “none of the above� option on ballots to enable citizens to express their disagreement with the list of the candidates;
Raising Awareness 10. Welcomes social media campaigns concerning active citizenship as an efficient way of raising awareness among young generations.
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Motion for a Resolution by
THE COMMITTEE TRANSPORT AND TOURISM With four out of five Europeans expected to live in urban areas by 2020, how should local authorities ensure that urban public transport can be both sustainable and adapted to everyone's needs and what role should the EU play in shaping the future of urban mobility? Submitted by:
Wojciech Dudziak (PL), Filip Frey (PL), Gabriela Grodecka (PL), Adam Koczkowski (PL), Malwina Kopytek (PL), Marta Krawczyk (PL), Pola Machińska (PL), Jakub Pypkowski (PL), Matthias Rando (FR), Violette Rastoin (FR), Marianna Zygmunt (PL); Julia Michalczyk (Chairperson, PL), Kinga Ścierska (Chairperson, PL)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Noting with regret that public transport does not satisfy the needs and demands of citizens, B. Bearing in mind that the initial investments in sustainable and unconventionally fuelled vehicles will lead to an increase of spendings of local authorities, C. Realising the disparity between Member States regarding the number of public vehicles adapted to the needs of passengers with impaired mobility, D. Aware of high public transport ticket prices in some Member States, E. Recognising that transport depends on oil for 96% of its energy needs, F. Deeply alarmed by the high air pollution levels caused by excessive traffic in urban areas, G. Acknowledging with satisfaction the high awareness about problems caused by urban transportation such as: i. air and noise pollution, ii. accidents, iii. congestions;
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1. Invites the European Commission to increase the subsidising of research on sustainable means of transport; 2. Calls upon the European Commission to provide local governments with financial support for developing sustainable public transport by: a) purchasing environmentally friendly vehicles, b) implementing new and innovative transportation technologies; 3. Recommends local authorities to create their own Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans; 4. Endorses further development of the network for sharing sustainable public transport policies, news, and best practices through regular exchange of data on Eltis; 5. Hopes for public transport providers to involve citizens in planning of: a) timetables, b) routes, c) distribution of stations; 6. Asks local authorities to further adapt public transport to needs of disabled citizens; 7. Encourages local authorities and public transport providers to adjust tariffs to make it affordable for their citizens; 8. Supports further promotion of environmentally friendly transport through organisation of car-free days in especially congested urban areas; 9. Declares that additional EU subsidies be granted to transportation companies that meet set standards in the fields of: a) Innovative and user-friendly IT solutions, b) infrastructure.
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POZNAŃ 2017 R E GIONAL S E L E CT ION CONFE R E NCE OF E YP POL AND
Main Partner:
Honorary Patrons:
In cooperation with:
Media Patronage:
Initiated by:
The Schwarzkopf Foundation is the international umbrella organisation of the European Youth Parliament (EYP). EYP Poland is a National Committee in the EYP network.