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13th National Selection Conference of EYP Poland

RESOLUTION BOOKLET

Kraków, 1st – 5th September 2016

PROGRAMME OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY 08:00 – 08:15

Opening of the General Assembly

08:15 – 09:00

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE)

09:00 – 09:45

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I (ITRE I)

09:45 – 10:30

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety II (ENVI II)

10:30 – 11:00

Coffee Break

11:00 – 11:45

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Right (DROI)

11:45 – 12:30

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)

12:30 – 13:15

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON)

13:15 – 13:45

Lunch

13:45 – 14:30

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI)

14:30 – 15:15

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety I (ENVI I)

15:15 – 16:00

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II (ITRE II)

16:00 – 16:30

Coffee Break

16:30 – 17:15

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO)

17:15 – 18:00

Closing Ceremony

The General Assembly is chaired by the members of the National Selection Conference’s board: Fahad Saher (NL) President Charlotta Lahnalahti (FI) Vice-President

Armine Khamoyan (AM) Vice-President

PROCEDURE OF 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 Presenting of the motion for the resolution Reading of the Operative Clauses Three minutes to defend the motion for the resolution Two speeches from two committees of each two minutes to attack the motion for the resolution One-minute answer to the attack speech Points of Information 25 minutes of open debate Three minutes to sum-up the debate Voting procedure Announcing the votes

Point of Information Request for a brief explanation of the meaning of specific words and abbreviations which are not explained in the Motion for a Resolution. Note that translations are not Points of Information.

Point of Personal Privilege Request to repeat a point that was inaudible.

Point of Order A delegate feels that the board has not properly followed parliamentary procedure. The placard is used by chairpersons after a request from a delegate.

Direct Response Twice per debate, each committee may use the Direct Response placard. Should a committee member raise the Committee Placard together with the â€œDirect Responseâ€? placard, the board may recognise them immediately. A direct response has to contribute to the point made directly beforehand.

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Security and Defence (SEDE) Towards a Security Union: In light of the recent terrorist attack witnessed by Paris and Brussels, how should the European Union coordinate the efforts of national security and intelligence agencies in order to protect the citizens of Europe from further atrocities? Submitted by:

Michał Bujniewicz-Uppal, Sonita Halmer (DE), Andela Jovanović (RS), Bartosz Łabuś, Bartłomiej Maciąg, Monika Mikołajska, Aleksandra Nasiek, Barbara Sip, Marcin Słysz, Tadeusz Solewski, Marta Szewczyk-Sroka, Aleksander Świątek, Weronika Wójcik, Shirley Carr (Chairperson, IE)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Alarmed by the lack of cooperation amongst Member States in the area of security,

B. Noting the current inadequacies in the transmission of intelligence information between Member States, C. Recognising the negative impact of the mismanagement of information systems on personally identifiable intelligence information, D. Regrets that national agencies have insufficient access to information collected by Interpol and Europol, E.

Affirming the vital role of the Financial Intelligence Units in investigating financial transactions that have the potential to fund terrorist activities,

Bearing in mind the limited resources of the European Counter-Terrorism Coordinator,

G. Profoundly concerned by the abuse of the internet, in particular social media, for the purpose of terrorist activity, H. Acknowledging the importance of the EU Internet Forum1 in preventing the radicalisation of individuals by means of the internet, I.

Stressing the importance of the Radicalisation Awareness Network in preventing radicalisation,

Fully aware of the threat posed by EU nationals recruited by terrorist organisations2,

K. Cognisant of the current challenge posed to the security of the EU’s external borders, L.

Noting with deep concern the lack of integration of immigrants and refugees in Member States,

M. Further noting the risk of intolerance amongst citizens of Member States hosting refugees and immigrants,

The EU Internet Forum brings together government representatives, Europol and technology companies to counter terrorism online. 2 Source: European Commission (2016). 1

Emphasises the need to integrate existing information systems by establishing a single search interface including: a)

Schengen Information System (SIS)3,

b) EURODAC system4, c)

European Information System5,

d) Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database6,

European Criminal Records Information System7,

PrĂźm Decision8;

Further encourages the integration of databases which are currently undergoing amendments, such as: a)

the external border Entry-Exit System9,

the European Police Records Index System10;

Supports the development of the Uniform Message Format11 (UMF) in cooperation with the European Agency for the operational management of large-scale IT systems in the area of freedom, justice and security;

Declares full access to a newly created single search interface for all EU Member States in the Schengen Zone;

Recommends the use of such an interface to all non-EU countries within the Schengen Zone;

Decides that Member States whom are not in the Schengen Zone would have restricted access to the data contained within the SIS including: a)

information regarding their own citizens,

information regarding non-nationals residing in the Member State,

non-EU citizens currently in the EU;

The Schengen Information System is a cooperative effort by Members of the Schengen Area to coordinate external border controls, law enforcement and the sharing of vehicle registration information. 3

The EURODAC Regulation establishes an EU asylum fingerprint database. The European Information System is to a reference system for criminal offences, individuals involved and other related data, which is available to Member States, in addition to Europol. 6 The Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database is an instrument of Interpol, which assists authorities ascertain the validity of a travel document in order to prevent criminals travelling with fraudulent documents. 7 The European Criminal Records Information System is a decentralised database of convictions, which can be shared electronically with other Member States upon request. 8 The PrĂźm Decision is a multilateral agreement which outlines the way in which Member States grant each other access to automated DNA analysis files, automated fingerprint identification systems and vehicle registration data. 9 The Entry-Exit System collects data on non-EU nationals, visa-required and visa-exempt travellers in the Schengen Area. This data is made available to Europol and law enforcement authorities in Member States. 10 The European Police Records Index System is a database aimed at providing national police forced with the ability to search each otherâ€™s databases. 11 European Commission (2016). 4 5

Authorises full access to supplemental information in the database for competent national authorities in all aforementioned countries;

Expresses its appreciation for the ongoing work of the Financial Intelligence Units in countering terrorist financing;

Strongly urges the full implementation of the Entry-Exit System for citizens of EU Member States travelling to Daesh-occupied territories;

10. Recognises the role of Europol, Interpol and national security agencies in monitoring the movement of EU nationals to such conflict regions; 11. Calls upon the European Commission to increase personnel working on behalf of Frontex at the EUâ€™s external borders; 12. Considers the addition of fingerprinting and biometrics as security measures to the Passenger Name Record (PNR) system; 13. Urges the extension of the PNR system to include bus and rail as cross border travel; 14. Proposes to invite all members of the Schengen Area to employ the PNR system; 15. Asks the European Commission to facilitate the work of the European Counter-Terrorism Centre through increased funding for staff and resources; 16. Requests the implementation of combined culture and language immersion programmes by Member States; 17. Invites national authorities to strengthen internet monitoring by: a)

targeting and removing content promoting terrorist activities or extreme ideologies,

investigating authors of such content;

18. Endorses the practice of Member States appointing social workers to act as liaison officers in assisting refugees with the process of integration; 19. Encourages the promotion of the Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN) through: a)

a public information campaign on the role of the RAN,

advice on identifying and reporting suspected cases of radicalisation.

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I (ITRE I) The State of the Energy Union: the recent inauguration of LitPol and NordBalt marked an important milestone in integrating the Baltic countries and Poland with the rest of the European electricity market. What further steps should the EU take to increase the number of such energy security interconnections while provide citizens with energy that is sustainable and competitive? Submitted by:

Jowita Błotniak, Katarzyna Czekaj, Klaudia Czułada, Anna Halewska, Jacek Kowalczyk, Sylwia Molitor, Marcin Olesiński, Paweł Potuczko, Michał Rokita, Victoria Sara Saad (DE), Mikołaj Wieczór, Jegor Zajarniuk, Emilia Zesławska, Henriikka Hakala (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Noting with deep concern the low interconnection rate between the European Union (EU) Member States, resulting from: i)

slow progress in terms of completing the Projects of Common Interest (PCIs)1,

ii)

isolation of so-called energy islands whose interconnection for electricity is below the 10% target2,

B. Aware of the factors which are interfering with the process of swiftly building PCIs, such as: i)

bureaucratic hurdles,

ii)

diversified sources for PCI funding,

iii) natural borders, C. Noting with regret that the long permit granting process for PCIs postpones the completion of a fully integrated energy market, D. Bearing in mind the high costs of maintaining and updating the aging energy infrastructure, E.

Noting with concern that the EU imports 53% of the energy it consumes3,

Alarmed by the dependence on Russian gas and oil imports, which account for 29% of total oil imports and 37,5% of total gas imports4,

The European Commission has drawn up a list of key energy infrastructure projects known as PCIs. They are essential for completing the European internal energy market and for reaching the EU’s energy policy objectives. 2 The Commission has set a 10% electricity interconnection target for 2020 and proposed to extend it to 15% by 2030. 3 Source: European Commission (2016). 4 Source: Eurostat (2016). 1

G. Fully aware of the insufficient oil and gas resources of EU Member States, H. Taking into consideration that, due to the lack of alternative energy sources in the eastern Member States, cutting down CO2 emissions may lead to greater dependence on Russian gas and oil imports in the aforementioned countries, I.

Deeply conscious of the lack of competitive renewable alternative energy sources,

Having examined that only 2,3% of the GDP (EU-28) is spent on research and innovation (R&I) instead of the proposed 3%5,

K. Concerned by the shortage of cross-border companies in the electricity market resulting in differing enduser prices across the EU, L.

Expecting that differing levels of competitiveness between large and medium-sized enterprises could possibly result in a small number of them dominating the European electricity market once it is opened for competition,

M. Observing the relation between rising prices of energy in the EU and low competitiveness of European energy intensive industries, N. Aware of citizens being concerned about companies destroying natural landscape when building overland power lines, O. Believing that using nuclear power is a necessary step on the path towards a sustainable, low-carbon economy;

Supports swift completion of the PCIs;

Calls upon the European Commission to establish a fund providing capital for PCIs, which will replace the current diversified sources of funding from Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)6 and European Fund for Strategic Investments (EFSI)7;

Requests the trans-European Energy Networks8 (TEN-E) to further bring down the average binding time limit of 3,5 years for permit granting;

Asks for the introduction of an EU-wide standard of monitoring the quality of energy infrastructure, involving the consultation of experts;

Encourages Member States to build new liquid gas ports to decrease dependence on Russian gas supplies;

Source: Eurostat (2016). CEF supports trans-European networks and infrastructures in the sectors of transport, telecommunications and energy. 7 EFSI is an initiative launched by the European Investment Bank Group and the European Commission to help overcome the current investment gap in the EU by mobilizing private financing for strategic investments. 8 The EU supports TEN-E within the Connecting Europe program to support transport, energy and telecommunication networks. 5 6

Appeals to the European Commission to set up a group of experts that will assess the possibility of offering a longer time span for eastern European Member States to meet environmental goals, such as those of Europe 20209 and Roadmap 205010;

Invites greater investment in R&I with an emphasis on long-term investment in: a)

energy and resource storage,

b) more effective forms of energy production, c) 8.

transfer of energy;

Further invites investments in hydropower, solar, wind and geothermal energy and biofuels based on the energy potential of each Member State, for example: a)

using wind energy in northern Europe,

using solar energy in southern Europe;

Affirms the need for barriers to entry to the electricity market to be lowered by means of companies being obligated to lease their infrastructure to other companies upon request, especially to those entering the market;

10. Calls for the prevention of conflicts related to landscape modification by means of: a)

encouraging interaction between citizens and decision-makers,

informing citizens of the planning process and necessity of power grids.

Europe 2020 strategy is designed to boost European economy and promote a smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. 10 The mission of Roadmap 2050 project is to provide an analysis of pathways to achieve a low-carbon economy in Europe, in line with the energy security environmental and economic goals of the EU. 9

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety II (ENVI II) When the drugs don’t work: With medical reports showing an increase of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across many hospitals rendering the number of cures to certain infections smaller, and the Action Plan against the rising threats from AMR coming to an end in 2016, what further steps should the EU take to minimise the threats and halt the future expansion associated with AMR? Submitted by:

Gloria Cwynar, Jakub Czjaka, Dominika Kaczmarczyk, Marcel Klisz, Katarzyna Kożuchowska, Wojciech Kuca, Kateryna Kuzminska, Marcelina Mierzwa, Marcelina Smolin, Stefan Šuleić (RS), Antoni Tomkowiak, Maria Więckowska, Kacper Żakowicz, Pablo López (Chairperson, ES)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Noting with concern that AMR is responsible for more than 25.000 deaths every year in the EU and that infections due to multidrug-resistant bacteria result in extra healthcare costs and productivity losses of at least 1.5 billion EUR annually,

B. Aware of the prevailing absence of awareness on the global threat of AMR, which may lead to the misuse and overuse of antimicrobial agents, C. Deeply alarmed by the low rate of development of new alternatives to antimicrobials by the pharmaceutical industry, D. Emphasising that the lack of restrictions in the healthcare setting nurtures the development of bacterial resistance and provides an ideal scenario for the dissemination of resistant micro-organisms and horizontal transfer of resistance genes, E.

Considering the nonexistence of strategies mitigating the risks of antimicrobial agents’ accumulation on the environment on the fields of: i)

research on AMR spread through water and soil,

ii) controls in water treatment plants and sewage from the community and hospitals, F.

Noting that the lack of mandatory vaccination to certain microbes may lead to the development of AMR,

G. Concerned by the insufficient research on the connection between the presence of biocides and AMR occurrence, H. Aware of the fact that 27 Member States do not have a national plan for containment of carbapenemaseproducing enterobacteriaceae (CPE)1,

CPE are gram-negative bacteria that are resistant to carbapenem class of antibiotics, considered the drugs of last resource for many infections. 1

Regretting the non- requirement for prescriptions to gain access to several antimicrobial agents within Member States;

Encourages all Member States to provide tax reliefs to the private sector for food production who promote vaccination over the use of antimicrobials; Calls upon the European Commission to initiate a research strategy on antimicrobial agents’ influence on the environment focused on water, soil and air pollution, including:

Member State measures on implementation of restrictions according to the given research strategy,

legislative improvements on water quality to address the antimicrobials concentration in water treatment plants and sewage treatment facilities by implementing gradual restrictions on it;

Suggests raising awareness about the usage of antimicrobials and AMR through the implementation of: a)

healthcare awareness in educational programmes and adding them to curricula,

a series of lectures as a mandatory part of work safety regulations for employees;

Urges the European Commission to establish a framework for actions to implement mandatory vaccination for adults and children so as to curb the consumption of antibiotics in society;

Designates the European Commission to: a)

conduct specific research and create a report on the connection between biocide usage and the phase of AMR development,

provide free leaflets available in General Practitioner’s (GP) offices;

Supports the EU/EEA countries that have provided data to the European Surveillance of Veterinary Antimicrobial Consumption (ESVAC) project and encourages remaining countries2 to join the programme;

Suggests the European Commission establish a national plan for containment of CPE which ought to be followed by those Member States who do not have such yet;

Directs the European Medicines Agency to provide regulatory approval for non-medical applications on alternative ways to tackle AMR such as phage therapy;

Invites Member States to make usage of medical staff’s equipment such as masks and gloves compulsory in order to minimise the unwanted consequences of antimicrobial use in this setting;

10. Strongly recommends strengthening the restrictions of hospital visits based on physicians’ evaluation of the situation concerning infected patients.

The remaining states consist of Croatia, Romania and Greece.

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Rights (DROI) Righteousness, fairness and equality for all: While the fundamental rights of the transgender community are protected in the EU, differences between Member States regarding the legal recognition of their identity makes the situation unstable across the Union. What steps can the EU take in order to truly ensure the rights of its transgender citizens? Submitted by:

Peter Bernáth (SK), Małgorzata Braszka, Damian Chodakowski, Kinga Dobiecka, Mariam Halstian (UA), Gabriela Janiec, Michał Jęcz, Mateusz Krząkała, Natalia Kwaśniewska, Gabriela Mucha, Krzysztof Pietrzyk, Tadeusz Pyzel, María Gil Juliá (Chairperson, ES)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Bearing in mind that the lack of harmonisation between Member States’ laws on gender legal recognition compromises the individual’s freedom of movement stated in Article 45 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

B. Noting with regret that the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights does not explicitly include discrimination based on gender identity in Article 2 which hinders trans1 citizens’ protection, C. Alarmed by the fact that in 29 out of the 47 Member States of the Council of Europe2 the procedure of gender legal recognition obliges applicants to undergo treatments which compromise the physical and mental integrity of the individual, such as: i)

forced sterilisation,

ii)

hormonal treatment,

iii) sex reassignment surgery (SRS) iv) long-term psychiatric supervision; D. Convinced that the outcome of the aforementioned procedures may lead to psychological consequences

such as trauma or depression, which contribute to the rise of the already high suicide rate among the trans community, E.

Taking note of the lack of information on gender identity and gender expression provided in European sexual education curricula,

Noting with satisfaction that Germany and Denmark have introduced a gender neutral option in their legal documents,

In several EU polls targeting the LGBT community the term ‘trans’ is used to refer to the following groups: transgender, intersex, gender variant or fluid, queer and others. 2 Council of Europe (2015). 1

G. Profoundly concerned that the process of changing gender in certain identity documents such as birth certificates is slow or impossible in some Member States, which leads to discrimination and general unease of the individual, H. Deeply disturbed by the association of the term ‘transgenderism’3 with ‘gender dysphoria’4 and ‘gender identity disorder’ by the medical community, which contribute to the stigmatisation of gender variance while reinforcing the binary model of gender;

Urges Member States to establish cooperation agreements in order to respect the gender recognition made in another Member State, enabling the free movement of the individual;

Calls upon the European Commission to propose the inclusion of the elements of gender identity and gender expression as items of Article 21 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union;

Supports the decision of Denmark, Malta and Ireland to implement gender legal recognition solely by selfdetermination and encourages the rest of the Member States to follow their example;

Requests Member States to introduce an alternative to the requirement of divorce in case of one of the spouses’ gender reassignment so that neither the financial rights of the spouses nor their rights over the custody of their children are compromised;

Encourages Member States to introduce gender identity and gender expression issues in their sexuality education curricula following Belgium’s programme, which includes objectives such as: a)

the development of gender identity and roles,

positive physicality and sexuality,

sexual orientation tailored to the individual;

Asks Member States to introduce a gender neutral option to their public and identity documents so that those who do not identify as either male or female have their legal status match their identity;

Emphasises the importance of allowing transgender citizens to change their gender in identity documents issued prior to the gender reassignment;

Urges the World Health Organisation to accept the proposal to exclude ‘gender dysphoria’ from their next edition of the International Classification of Diseases5;

Calls upon Member States to invest in: a)

the training of doctors and other medical professionals in trans procedures,

providing transgender people undergoing SRS with the appropriate treatment, revisions and medication;

Referring to a person who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person’s sex at birth. 4 Gender dysphoria refers to negative feelings arising from some aspect of gender experience. It is used diagnostically, referring to persistent and clinically significant discomfort with an assigned gender different from one’s gender identity. 5 In accordance with the study ‘Removing transgender identity from the classification of mental disorders: a Mexican field study for ICD-11’. 3

10. Invites further cooperation between national governments and NGOs such as Transgender Europe6 and IGLYO7, which will provide advocacy and share information on transgender issues.

TGEU advocates for trans peopleâ€™s human rights, raises awareness on issues they are facing via media campaigns, conduct and encourage research for the benefit of trans people and provide trans youth with assessment and advice. 7 IGLYO: The International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersex Youthâ€“Student Organisation aims to provide a range of leadership and participation opportunities to European trans youth by the organisation of conferences, study sessions, training seminars and workshops while also advocating for LGBTQ+ youth rights at a European level. 6

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) United through Diversity: Member States have committed to promoting and protecting minority languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. With over 128 endangered languages currently in Europe, how should the European Union protect the regional and minority languages that are found within its borders whilst its ensuring cultural integration within national states? Submitted by:

Barbara Borowiec, Bogna Czerwińska, Anna Dawal, Lazar Dejanowic (RS), Julia Kozłowska, Aleksandra Piela, Krzysztof Pulak, Konrad Sułkowski, Julia Sochacka, Onno Söling (DE), Hubert Węcławek, Aleksander Larski (Chairperson, PL)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Acknowledging that language is often seen as a hindrance to the integration process of minorities in the Member States,

B. Taking into account that language constitutes an important element of human identity, culture and historical heritage, C. Deeply concerned that minority language speakers are often obliged to conform to the majority language and culture of the Member State, D. Alarmed that the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages does not provide protection for the official languages of the signatory states, E.

Expressing its concern that the governments of Member States accept limited input from lingual minorities, causing their under-representation in policy-making procedures,

Realising that the civil societies' inherent lack of knowledge on lingual minority issues results in limited understanding of lingual minorities as a whole,

G. Noting with regret that regional and minority languages are often unappreciated or discriminated due to: i)

disregard for the importance of regional and minority languages,

ii) restrictions on minorities' ability and right to celebrate their own culture, iii) hostilities carried out by rising nationalist movements against minority language speakers, H. Concerned that communities of lingual minorities and organisations working for protection and safeguarding of minority languages do not receive adequate funding to properly execute their responsibilities, I.

Bearing in mind that organisations safeguarding minority languages are scarce,

Aware that the media rarely provides translation of their content into regional and minority languages,

K. Conscious that the works of art originally in minority languages are seldom translated into majority languages, L.

Disturbed by the negative effect of globalisation on minority languages due to higher demand for widespoken majority languages;

Calls upon the Member States to introduce a representative system consisting of regional minority language proxies reporting to a governmental responsible on on-going projects;

Recommends local governments to provide public services and healthcare also in minority languages;

Endorses further implementation of the European Roadmap for Linguistic Diversity1;

Recommends Member Statesâ€™ governments employ experts and members of minority languages as public policy advisors;

Invites the European Commission to establish an EU institution representing minority language affairs;

Further invites the cultural ministries of Member States to organise public events, such as 'Festival of Minorities' in support of cultural exchange and integration of linguistic minorities;

Calls upon the educational institutions of the Member States to introduce: a) language courses of the official language aimed at monolingual minority language speakers, b) regional and minority language courses, c) curricula including cultural education on tolerance;

Encourages Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to amend Article 15 (1)2 of the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages, requiring the Member States to produce more thorough and frequent reports;

Requests the European Commission to place importance amongst Erasmus+ programmes on minority languages and their protection;

10. Appeals to the national media authorities of the Member States to: a)

include subtitles in regional languages on national television programmes,

introduce media campaigns to educate citizens on regional minority languages and their respective cultures;

11. Further requests the cultural ministries of the Member States to translate: a)

globally significant literature into regional minority languages,

significant literature created n the regional minority language into the majority language.

The European Roadmap for Linguistic Diversity is a strategy proposed by Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity. The Roadmap strives to ensure linguistic diversity within the European Union and aims to protect endangered languages of the European Union 2 Article 15 (1) of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages outlines the monitoring process of implementation of the Charter. It currently requires the Member States to review their approach every three years 1

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs (ECON) The fine line between avoidance and evasion: The recent scandals connected with the 'Panama Papers' sparked sharp debates over financial tax havens, offshore accounts, and tax-avoidance regulations in Member States. In light of the recent events and the fact that these phenomena bypass national and continental borders, which approach should the European Union take to tackle tax evasion and money laundering? Submitted by:

Weronika Bartoszewska, Kamil Burda, Karol Czarnecki, Stanisław Antoni Czerwiński, Mina Damjanovic (RS), Alicja Drączkowska, Monika Garbacz, Piotr Lewandowski, Izabela Lewińska, Piotr Maciejewski, Mateusz Przyborowski, Maja PuenteBartłomiejczyk, Julita Szeremeta, Jacopo Moretti (Chairperson, IT)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Noting with deep concern that tax evasion1, tax avoidance2, and money laundering contribute to the growth of social inequality,

B. Considering that these phenomena interfere with the regular money flow, leading to an increase in the deficit spending of governments, C. Conscious that tax evasion reduces government revenue which often results in higher taxation, D. Aware of the significant disparity in national taxation systems and fiscal policies between the Member States of the European Union (EU), E.

Observing the lack of transparency and cooperation between Member States and other countries which, together with financial secrecy, obstruct tracking and tackling cases of tax evasion, tax avoidance, and money laundering,

Bearing in mind that tax avoidance is carried out by exploiting the structure of the legislative framework,

G. Fully aware that corruption is one of the main tools used to conceal tax evasion and money laundering, H. Further noting that money laundering is strictly connected to the underground economy and organised crime, I.

Cognisant that many tax havens are located in countries outside the EU’s jurisdiction;

Urges the European Commission to reinforce the harmonisation process of tax regimes amongst Member States;

1 2

Tax evasion is the illegal bypassing of taxes by individuals, corporations, and trusts. Tax avoidance is the legal usage of a tax regime to one’s own advantage to reduce the amount of tax.

Suggests the European Commission create a digital information exchange system for the storage of income statements of legal entities3 from all Member States;

Proposes Member States review their tax laws in order to reduce the possibility of using legal loopholes to avoid taxes;

Invites the European Commission to create a common policy for penalties against corruption that includes 2 â€“ 15 years of imprisonment and applies to both sides of the corruption process;

Calls for the creation of a cash-free economy in the Eurozone;

Requests Member States track and tax assets exiting the European Union to offshore accounts;

Asks for the publication of income statements of foreign companies which generate income within the European Union under the Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FIC Act) 4.

A legal entity is an association, corporation, partnership, trust, or individual that has a legal standing in the eyes of law. 4 The Financial Intelligence Centre Act was created with the purpose of providing timely, quality, and impartial financial intelligence in the combating of money laundering. 3

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Legal Affairs (JURI) Fundamentally free or lawfully limited? In January 2016, Poland became the first Member State to be subjected to the Rule of Law Framework due to concerns over its new laws on the Constitutional Tribunal and public media. However, sanctions through the framework are unlikely, as they would require unanimity from all Member States. How can the EU protect its core values effectively, whilst respecting Member States’ sovereignty? Submitted by:

Aleksandra Brzeska, Aleksandra Dębicka, Maciej Kowalczyk, Julia Łaganowska, Mateusz Markowski, Natalia Michalska, Siniša Prodanović (RS), Kajetan Rachwał, Katharina Schmitt (DE), Agata Stadnik, Zofia Sznajder, Jan Tatar, Milena Zdrojewska, Juho Nikko (Chairperson, FI).

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Drawing attention to the responsibility of Member States to respect the core values of the EU as agreed in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU)1,

B. Deeply alarmed by the lack of effective means to protect the EU’s core values, resulting in little consequences to Member States who breach them, C. Realising that the European Council, consisting of the heads of state of Member States, is politically biased in enforcing Article 7.2 TEU2, D. Fully aware that the requirement for unanimity makes activating of Article 7.2 TEU unlikely, E. F.

Noting with concern that increasing the EU’s powers in protecting the common values may lead to a rise in euroscepticism and nationalism in Member States, Conscious of the lack of trust and cooperation between certain Member States,

G. Gravely concerned by the lack of interest and trust of many EU citizens in the EU and its politics, resulting in rising nationalism and euroscepticism, H. Condemning the rise of governments with authoritarian tendencies;

Reaffirms the European Commission's decision to enforce the Rule of Law Framework on Poland;

According to Article 2 of the TFEU, the EU is founded on the values of respect for human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, the rule of law and respect for human rights, including the rights of persons belonging to minorities. 2 According to Article 7.2 of the TFEU, The European Council, acting by unanimity on a proposal by one third of the Member States or by the Commission and after obtaining the consent of the European Parliament, may determine the existence of a serious and persistent breach by a Member State of the values referred to in Article 2, after inviting the Member State in question to submit its observations. 1

Proposes the addition of a fourth step to the Rule of Law Framework, allowing the European Commission to enforce economic sanctions following a ruling of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU);

Recommends that such sanctions would involve gradual cuts to financial support from the EUâ€™s structural funds;

Calls upon the Venice Commission to monitor the Member States more firmly during the Rule of Law Framework;

Urges that the current requirement for a unanimous decision in the European Council in order to activate Article 7.2 TEU is replaced with a 4/5 majority vote;

Calls for the introduction of a new mechanism, proposed by the European Commission requiring a unanimous vote in the European Council, allowing a Member State to be removed from the EU when the sanctioning mechanisms of the Rule of Law Framework and Article 7 are not complied with;

Strongly affirms that increasing the competences of the EU in protecting the common values listed in Article 2 TEU will not affect Member States already complying with the TEU; Encourages Member States to create initiatives promoting the European Unionâ€™s benefits and core values.

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety I (ENVI I) Expanding the Shrinks: With 38% of the EU population suffering from mental health disorders every year but only a third receive the necessary treatment, how should the EU support people suffering from mental health issues and ensure everyone is treated equally in all areas of society? Submitted by:

Ewa Dolińska, Michał Gójski, Bogumiła Grzegórska, Sven Husmann (DE), Sylwia Kaniuczak, Jędrzej Kierys, Mikołaj Kurek, Maria Nowak, Marta Pik, Klaudia Rogut, Jan Światowy, Patryk Zdrada, Razvan Lacatusu (Chairperson, RO).

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Concerned that throughout all age groups the mentally ill experience stigma, social discrimination caused by prejudice, and stereotypes that may: i)

cause individuals to not seek help,

ii)

render treatment ineffective,

iii) worsen their mental condition, B. Deeply conscious that issues in families and social surroundings, such as divorce, alcoholism or domestic violence, may often affect the members of the family to develop mental health disorders, C. Alarmed by the fact that 90% of suicide victims1 had an improperly treated underlying mental illness, D. Bearing in mind the misuse of medication such as premature prescriptions or wrong diagnosis caused by untrained medical and psychiatry employees reduce the effectiveness of the treatment, E. Anxious that a large proportion of people with mental disorders either receives no treatment at all or experiences long delays as a result of a lack of mental health facilities and qualified specialists, F. Realising that the increased demands at a workplace and unhealthy workplace environments negatively affect the mental health of the employees that ultimately result in decreased productivity, G. Commending the success of the Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing2, which has positive results particularly in: i)

promoting integration of mental health in all policy areas,

ii)

nurturing cooperation with other European projects on mental health,

World Health Organisation (2015) The Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing aims at building a framework for action in mental health policy at the European level and builds on previous work developed under the European Pact for Mental Health and Well-being. 1 2

H. Observing the difficulties in cooperation between Member States due to the differences in the levels of development of mental health institutions, I.

Taking into account the insufficiency of financial support for scientific research on mental health disorders,

J. Cognisant that among EU Member States the standardisation of mental health care legislation is hindered by non-harmonised national policies;

Urges the Member States to financially support non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Mental Health Europe3 or Mental Health Perspectives4 to: a)

assist local authorities in organising mental health support programmes, especially for members of families suffering social issues,

share knowledge and improve social awareness about mental health disorders through organising events and workshops;

Encourages the Member Statesâ€™ public health offices to acknowledge and endorse the use of national Mental Health hotlines through which mental support can be received;

Suggests an obligatory presence of a psychiatrist in every educational institution throughout the EU;

Asks the European Commissionâ€™s Directorate-General on Health and Food Safety to record patientsâ€™ experience regarding side effects of mental health medication in line with the European Medicines Agency5 guidelines;

Calls for the European Psychiatric Association6 (EPA) to provide supplementary training for professionals in order to improve psychiatry and mental health in the EU;

Appeals to the Member States to recommend companies to provide their employees with periodical check-ups by certified specialists on mental health;

Instructs the European Research Council7 (ERC) to give more prominence to conducting research on mental health issues;

Calls upon the Member States to implement the directives of the Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing;

Mental Health Europe is an umbrella organisation which represents associations, organisations and individuals active in the field of mental health and well-being in Europe. 4 Mental Health Perspectives aims to promote humane, ethical and effective mental health care, to protect human rights, to initiate and implement necessary reforms. 5 The European Medicines Agency is responsible for the scientific evaluation, supervision and safety monitoring of medicines developed by pharmaceutical companies for use in the EU. 6 European Psychiatric Association activities address the interests of psychiatrists in academia, research and practice throughout all stages of career development. 7 The European Research Council's mission is to encourage the highest quality research in Europe through competitive funding and to support investigator-driven frontier research across all fields, on the basis of scientific excellence. 3

Recommends the European Commission to monitor the effective implementation of the Joint Action on Mental Health and Wellbeing;

10. Appreciates the impact of the European Mental Health Action Plan8, which effectively takes action on raising awareness on suicide cases and mental health disorders.

The European Mental Health Action Plan focuses on seven interlinked objectives and proposes effective action to strengthen mental health and well-being. 8

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II The Startup Network: Despite frowth in recent years, the startups worth more than EUR 1 billion in the EU are still trailing behind the global market as the vele of all the illion-Euros startups in Europe combined are still less than that of Facebook. How can the EU and its Member States creat a more favourable environment for the development and the expansion of startups in Europe? Submitted by:

Adrian Cal, Mikołaj Halber, Yasmin Kartes (DE), Edyta Kiełboń, Natalia Kiernozek, Julia Kułakowska, Grzegorz Maj, Michal Malecki, Dariusz Marondel, Ewelina Mitał, Tomasz Patyna, Roman Svintitskyy (UA), Zofia Szewczuk, Hidde Fokkema (Chairperson, NL).

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Noting with deep concern that despite the recent growth in European startup industry, the European market is still trailing behind the other global markets in this field,

B. Profoundly concerned by the difficulty in obtaining sufficient financial support in every stage of business development such as, but not limited to: i)

governmental funding,

ii) venture capital investment, iii) bank loans, C. Conscious that the growth of startups in Europe is restricted by fragmented market, which is characterised by differing taxation, legislation and bureaucratic systems, D. Observing that as a result of brain-drain, startups are unable to employ the skilled workers needed for further business expansion, E.

Aware of the difficulty in finding talent from different member States due to a lack of cohesion and cooperation between recruitment procedures in Member States,

Taking into account the problem of young entrepreneurs lacking guidance in establishing and managing a startup,

G. Concerned by the lack of motivation amongst young people, in particular women, to establish start-ups, resulting in a waste of potential, H. Aware of the apprehension amongst European Union (EU) citizens to establish new companies due to a lack of experience, little knowledge on the topic, or fear of failure, I.

Strongly emphasises the importance of the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan1;

The Entrepeurship 2020 Action Plan was put forward by the European Commission to create an environment where entrepreneurs can flourish and to remove obstacles. 1

Encourages trade unions to support existing hackerspaces2 and to establish new ones;

Recommends Member States to introduce tax reliefs based on the UK model3;

Invites more companies to publish their job offers on the already existing job-network on the website of the European Commission in order to inform job-seekers;

Suggests Member States to simplify the procedures needed to register and run a business in multiple countries by adopting electronic means and promoting the European Company Statute4;

Proposes Member States enhance already existing entrepreneurship classes;

Further requests the invitation of successful businessmen to participate in the expanded entrepreneurship classes;

Recommends Member States and private companies to appoint Chief Digital Information Officers5;

Promotes existing startup funding bodies, such as the European Investment Bank, further continuation of internship programmes such as Erasmus6 and the establishment of new similar programmes;

Asks the European Commission to build an EU-wide platform, accessible in every Member Statesâ€™ official language, supporting entrepreneurial activity through: a)

establishing a compilation of promising startups,

providing online trainings and advice,

presenting successful entrepreneurs as role models,

creating a guideline for new startups.

Hackerspace is a community-operated workspace where people with common interests can meet and work. In the UK the Entrepreneurs Tax Relief allows entrepreneurs who are selling part or whole of their company to pay tax at 10% only, on qualifying assets. 4 The European company statute is a programme by the European Commission to set up a business in multiple countries under a European Label. 5 Chief Digital Information Officer (CDIO) is an individual who helps a company, government organisation or a city drive growth by converting traditional â€œanalogâ€? businesses to digital ones. 6 The Erasmus programme gives students in higher education the opportunity to take on an internship in another European country. 2 3

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) The end of an “ever closer Union”? With the UK’s impending exit from the European Union raising the profile of similar campaigns in other Member States to either leave or redefine their own membership, how can the EU best protect cooperation between its members and the dream of the European Union? Submitted by:

Paweł Bącal, Mikołaj Chojnowski, Adrianna Kapelak, Mateusz Komsta, Aleksandra Kot, Antoni Marek Mikocki, Cezary Pernet, Franciszek Semko, Johannes Souvignier (DE), Zofia Stawowy, Olga Tereshchuk (UA), Alicja Witkoś, Giedrė Birmontaitė (Chairperson, LT)

The European Youth Parliament, A.

Noting with concern that the rise of nationalist movements in EU Member States increases Euroscepticism and escalates the risk of fragmentation of the EU,

B. Recognising that certain Member States tend to have a greater influence than others in the policy decision-making of the EU institutions, C. Observing with concern the EU’s limited ability to respond as a unified foreign policy actor, D. Pointing out the lack of a comprehensive EU-wide security system as well as the limited cooperation between the Member States in issues of security and defence, E.

Stresses the need to reform the Union and make it more democratically accountable,

Aware that Member States are concerned by the level of legislative competence the EU currently holds in a number of policy areas, and its threat to their national sovereignty,

G. Alarmed by the possibility that the result of the UK’s referendum on exiting the EU could trigger several other Member States to withdraw from the Union, H. Further alarmed that Member States’ departure from the EU could lead to persistent economic and social uncertainty;

Recommends the European Commission to amend its procedure for appointing Commissioners1 to instead select them via democratic elections;

Proposes that the European Council instigates the Ordinary Revision Procedure to amend the TFEU to expand the following EU competences by amending Articles 234, 245 to 250, 290 and 291 of the TFEU in order to:

As laid out in the Treaty on European Union article 17 and in the Treaty on the Functioning of European Union (TFEU) article 246. 1

make economic and social policy areas shared competence of the EU,

expand Europol’s1 competences,

establish common advisory guidelines on key foreign affairs issues for all Member States;

Expresses its hope that all Member States will choose to adopt the Euro as their currency;

Urges the European Council and European Commission to actively co-operate and continuously supervise each other;

Calls for the European Commission to further amend the TFEU by introducing a new EU-wide legally binding referendum mechanism;

Further requires that the aforementioned referendum mechanism will only be instigated via a petition launched by EU citizens, to be signed by at least 10% of the EU’s population from at least one third of the Member States;

Recommends that in order for the result of the aforementioned referendum mechanism to be considered legitimate the voter turnout must be a minimum of 40% of the EU’s population and comprise at least 15% of each Member State’s population;

Recognises the need for Member States’ governments to be monitored more closely in regards of following the EU guidelines such as, but not limited to, environmental, economic and social policies;

Demands the suspension of the decision-making rights of a Member State in EU institutions if the aforementioned guidelines are not adhered to.

Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency.

CO- O RGA N I SE R

MAIN PARTN ER

HO N ORARY PATRONS

Prof. Jacek Majchrowski, Mayor of the City of Kraków

Elżbieta Bieńkowska - European Comissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Enterpreneurship and SMEs

Jacek Krupa - Marshall of Małopolskie Voivodeship

Center for Leadership

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