2013-02 7th National Selection_Resolution Booklet

7th National Session OF

EYP-Ukraine

RESOLUTION BOOKLET 6-10 February, 2013 Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine

PROGRAMME OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sunday, February 10 Opening of General Assembly 1. Special Committee on Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering 2. Committee on Employment and Social Affairs Lunch 3. Committee on Foreign Affairs 4. Committee on Regional Development 5. Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Coffee Break 6. Committee on Industry, Research and Energy 7. Committee on Culture and Education 8. Committee on International Trade Coffee Break Closing Ceremony

2

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE S PECIAL C OMMITTEE ON O RGANISED C RIME , C ORRUPTION AND M ONEY L AUNDERING Generating an estimated $32 billion dollars annually, human trafficking is the fastest-­‐‑growing criminal activity in the world along with arms and drug trafficking. Alarmed by the widespread of this phenomenon in both the EU and its neighbour countries, the European Commission adopted the "ʺEU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-­‐‑2016)”.

Is this a sufficient answer to this hideous crime? Which steps can be taken to protect the victims of human trafficking?

Submitted by:

Kingsley Ajakpa (UA), Valeriya Boyko (UA), Vladyslav Bryanyk (UA), Khrystyna Franchuk (UA), Mykhailo Iskra (UA), Ekaterine Jikia (GE), Vitaly Koshitsky (UA), Bogdan Kozub (UA), Lyuda Krasnytska (UA), Natalia Lehka (UA), Inna Shcherbyna (UA), Nazar Tkachuk (UA), Olena Yermakova (UA), Kristina Chelmakina (Vice-­‐‑President, UA), Nora Wilhelm (Chairperson, CH)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Noting with deep concern that 2.7 million people are being trafficked each year around the world, out of which 66 per cent are women, 13 per cent girls, 12 per cent men and 9 per cent boys ,1 B. Keeping in mind that human trafficking includes practices such as: i)

forced labour or services,

ii) sexual exploitation, iii) slavery and servitude, iv) debt bondage, v) forced removal of organs, C. Affirming that human trafficking is caused by: i)

the low level of awareness about the issue among the citizens of the EU and its neighbouring countries,

ii) poor economic conditions, such as poverty and unemployment, which increase the vulnerability of particular groups of people making them potential victims of human trafficking, iii) high business profits for the perpetrators, D. Contemplating the low level of international cooperation between governments as well as non-­‐‑ governmental organisations (NGOs) regarding violations of human rights, such as human trafficking, E. Fully aware of the existence of the United Nations Palermo Protocol on Trafficking in Human Beings and the Council of Europe Convention on Actions against Trafficking in Human Beings, 1

The Globalization of Crime: A Transnational Organized Crime Threat Assessment, UNODC, 2010 3

F.

Noting with regret that only 61 countries have a special law on human trafficking and that there is no special penalty for this hideous crime,

G. Observing that the work of the police and investigators lacks transnational coordination and efficiency, resulting in a very low conviction rate, H. Convinced that free border crossing inside the Schengen Area and ineffective border security systems in the post-­‐‑soviet countries due to corruption facilitate human trafficking, I.

Affirming that the lack of international monitoring systems and the difficulty to find data on human trafficking result in the inability to evaluate the efficiency of the implemented measures,

J.

Seeking more rehabilitation centres and programmes for victims of trafficking and more educational centres for specialists who work with them,

K. Realising that the influence of the EU is limited and restricted to recommendations within the Member States and the neighbouring countries, L. Further noting that sovereign countries might only accept the “EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-­‐‑2016)” (the Strategy) and other measures to stop human trafficking if they are provided with an incentive, such as the EU membership or another kind of political or financial incentive, M. Viewing with appreciation the Strategy as an important step towards the eradication of human trafficking; N. Further noting several drawbacks of the Strategy, including: i)

the insufficient precision and explanation of the actions stated,

ii) the exclusively dispositive character of the proposed measures;

1.

Calls upon the creation of a joint convention introducing a common set of laws in order to eradicate human trafficking and protect the victims both in the EU Member States and neighbouring countries;

2.

Has resolved to provide financial support to EU neighbouring countries in order for them to adopt the aforementioned convention and launch the process of international data collection on citizens for the purpose of human trafficking investigations;

3.

Encourages educational courses for different segments of society, such as:

4.

a)

safe reintegration into the community,

b)

self-­‐‑development opportunities, such as affordable education and employment,

c)

trainings for psychotherapists working with the victims of human trafficking,

d)

providing capacity building of police officers, security workers and border customs officers on human trafficking counteraction,

e)

introductory courses on human trafficking in European school curricula as a preventive measure;

Urges the implementation of the following prevention and punishment measures for traffickers: a)

systematic reporting of the traffickers’ names to international security organisations,

b)

transnational cooperation between police forces, 4

c)

banning the criminals from holding a certain position and engaging in certain activities, in particular governmental positions and activities similar to the occupation previously held by the trafficker,

d)

prohibition of entering venues related to the previously held occupation,

e)

establishment of permanent control by the authorities of former traffickers, including regular checks of their location and current occupation;

5.

Supports the further diffusion of educational materials on human trafficking in educational establishments and employment centres;

6.

Reaffirms the necessity of raising awareness of human trafficking by: a)

increasing the media coverage on the issue,

b)

promoting events like the EU Day Against Trafficking in Human Beings (October 18),

c)

encouraging NGOs to implement counter human trafficking projects;

7.

Draws attention to the risks of online recruitment which may lure an applicant into a human trafficking situation and the need to promote state employment websites;

8.

Proclaims the establishment of a special European State Counter-­‐‑Trafficking Agency;

9.

Authorises the confiscation of convicted traffickers’ money and property followed by their donation to the Agency;

10. Designates the abovementioned Agency to be responsible for the witness and victim of human trafficking protection and the provision of the following elements across Europe: a)

rehabilitation programmes,

b)

psychological counselling,

c)

medical treatment,

d)

assistance with job search,

e)

a safe living environment,

f)

reintegration support;

11. Endorses the improvement of the Strategy in terms of formulation and efficiency.

5

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON E MPLOYMENT AND S OCIAL A FFAIRS In March 2012, Spain and Greece passed the unenviable landmark of 50 per cent youth unemployment. According to the European Commission, such rise in youth unemployment in some Member States could pose a “serious threat to social cohesion”. Facing the challenge of incredibly high youth unemployment rates in Europe: What labour market reforms are necessary to implement in order for the current generation of European youth not to become irreversibly excluded from the labour market?

Submitted by:

Tinatin Akhvlediani (GE), Artem Hrytsak (UA), Natalia Snegur (UA), Yaroslav Nemesh (UA), Peter Vladimirov (UA), Katherine Taraban (UA), Valeria Tkachenko (UA), Valeria Nikitenko (UA), Julia Chepa (UA), Ievgenii Burlaka (UA), Kateryna Bolonnikova (UA), Anastasiya Pryymachuk (UA), Roksolana Pidlasa (Chairperson, UA), Francesco Colin (Chairperson, IT).

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Observing difficulties in school-­‐‑to-­‐‑work transition decreasing the chances of graduates to find a suitable job, B. Noting with deep concern the fact that the lack of informal education, such as training courses and internships, leads to insufficient qualifications of the young generation, C. Aware of the existence of four million unfilled vacancies in all the EU Member States, as reported by the European Commission (EC), D. Deeply concerned by mismatches in demand and supply in the labour market, E. Deeply disturbed by the brain drain within the EU caused by unsatisfactory economic conditions, F.

Deeply regretting social problems caused by youth unemployment such as: i)

higher crime rates,

ii) a variety of psychological illnesses, which may lead to extremely negative consequences, iii) the decrease in life span among the youth, G. Alarmed by the high level of unemployment resulting in budget deficit and the plummeting of numerous Member States’ Gross Domestic Products (GDPs), H. Contemplating an unfavourable legislative background unable to support business start-­‐‑ups and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), I.

Realising the fact that, according to the EC reports, the level of youth unemployment in Spain and Greece has reached 56 and 57 per cent respectively, causing the exclusion of the young generation from the labour force;

6

1.

Recommends the establishment of career consultation centres coordinated by Member States’ Ministries of Education which will be responsible for: a)

providing expert guidance for future graduates,

b)

supporting professional orientation for senior students;

2.

Further recommends the urgent implementation of the Employment Package launched by the EC;

3.

Calls upon the Member States to enrich higher education curricula with mandatory internships and probation, in order to provide graduate with professional experience and social skills;

4.

Encourages the introduction of a Europe-­‐‑wide survey investigating demand and supply in the labour market;

5.

Calls for governmental financial support for educational programmes focusing on highly demanded fields in order to tackle the mismatch in the labour market;

6.

Urges the European Central Bank and Central Banks of the Member States to provide financial incentives for business start-­‐‑ups and SMEs creating new vacancies, such as tax benefits and lowering interest rates.

7

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON F OREIGN A FFAIRS Lack of civil liberties and thousands of political prisoners keep Belarus – the last dictatorship in Europe – outside the democratic shield of the Council of Europe, whilst the “Tymoshenko case” caused Ukraine to be downgraded amongst the partly free countries in the 2012 Freedom in the World report. How and to which extent should the EU respond to political repression in the neighbouring countries?

Submitted by:

Ivan Chaika (UA), Okechukwu Egbete (UA), Marichka Ihnatova (UA), Mari Kapanadze (GE), Ilya Koshytsky (UA), Kostyantyn Lyabuk (UA), Inna Ostapenko (UA), Mike Rozhkov (UA), Elizaveta Skorobreschuk (UA), Oleksandra Tychina (UA), Victoriya Yashchuk (UA), Mykola Zhuk (UA), Iryna Garbuz (Chairperson, UA), Marko Fischer (Vice-­‐‑President, DE)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Deeply concerned by: i)

open cases of fraud and restrictions against opposition parties participating in elections in Ukraine, as well as the “Tymoshenko case”,

ii) political repression, occurring cases of preferential justice and the lack of an independent judiciary system in Belarus, B. Taking into consideration political, economic and personal pressure of external actors on the aforementioned states, C. Deeply disturbed by the lack of civil liberties, democracy and respect of human rights in certain post-­‐‑ soviet countries, further leading to the rise of authoritarian forms of governance in Eastern Europe, D. Aware of the loopholes in the legislation of neighbouring countries, resulting in a decline of democratic standards, as well as of the discrepancy between existing political model and constitutional principles, E. Observing the divergent stance of the Belarusian society towards their political system leading to an absence of common vision regarding the future of the country, F.

Taking into account the different sanctions applied by the EU to address the unfavourable development in Belarus such as the blocking of bank accounts and ambassadorial withdrawals,

G. Realising that the Ukrainian society is divided between pro-­‐‑European and pro-­‐‑Russian sympathies and recent violation of democratic principles are restraining further development of the EU-­‐‑Ukraine relationship, H. Drawing attention to the limited ability of the EU to change the situation in Ukraine and Belarus due to: i)

the lack of a legal basis for the EU’s political interventions in these countries,

ii) the dependence of Ukraine and particularly Belarus on Russia and its subsequent influence on the governments in both states, 8

I.

Emphasising the crucial role of Ukraine for both Russia and the EU amid: i)

strong economic and trade relationships,

ii) the desire of both stakeholders to achieve access to the Ukrainian market; 1.

Encourages the EU’s neighbouring countries to increase their efforts to achieve a common standard for both their national legislation as well as that of the EU;

2.

Calls upon the EU to strongly urge Belarus to immediately release and rehabilitate all political prisoners;

3.

Supports the creation of guidelines for the aforementioned countries in order to achieve equality of the de jure and de facto situation regarding civil liberties, democracy and human rights;

4.

Encourages Russia, considering its officially respectful attitude toward civil liberties, to positively influence the state of democracy and human rights in Belarus;

5.

Requests that if the previously proposed measures regarding Belarus prove to be unsuccessful, the EU shall consider further action, including peace-­‐‑keeping actions;

6.

Endorses a productive and long-­‐‑lasting co-­‐‑operation between the EU and Ukraine in order to decrease Ukrainian dependence on Russia;

7.

Recommends to promote Ukraine as a competitive and potentious partner for the EU, emphasising the mutual benefit for both parties from further co-­‐‑operation;

8.

Suggests to ammend the Association Agreement between the EU and Ukraine by adding a guarantee for a full EU membership of Ukraine as soon as all the requested reforms regarding democracy and civil liberties have been fully implemented;

9.

Urges Ukraine to fully respect the democratic and civil rights of its citizens, release all political prisoners, create a stimulating environment for small and medium enterprises and guarantee safety for European investments;

10. Further recommends that, in return for the implementation of the measures proposed in Operative Clause 9, the EU shall grant the following benefits to Ukraine: a)

visa-­‐‑free entrance to the EU for a specific group of Ukrainian citizens such as students, NGO representatives, artists, scholars and athlets,

b)

more favourable provisions of the EU-­‐‑Ukraine Trade Agreement for Ukraine;

11. Declares accordingly that, should these changes not been adopted, the EU shall: a)

cease all forms of direct budgetary financial support to the Ukrainian government,

b)

call upon the International Monetary Fund to suspend further state loans to Ukraine;

12. Raises awareness of the necessity of a more objective and complete European media coverage of events and developments in Ukraine.

9

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON R EGIONAL D EVELOPMENT Urban green space is vital for city-­‐‑dwellers, because it provides such benefits as recreational and educational opportunities, aesthetic experience and a healthy environment. However, with growing land and real estate prices and current level of urbanization, the development of green areas often collides with industrial and commercial interests. Economy versus ecology: how can we sustainably transform our cities to be a greater part of the green economy?

Submitted by:

Anna Burkut (UA), Pavlo Fedoriv (UA), Valeriya Korinovska (UA), Oksana Krupii (UA), Anastasiia Lavoshnikova (UA), Varvara Loskutnikova (UA), Mariya Petrenko (UA), Yura Poritskii (UA), Evhenii Shatskyi (UA), Maria Shcherbak (UA), Volodymyr Sytnyk (UA), Dmytro Kharchenko (Chairperson, UA), Laura Léotoing (Vice-­‐‑President, FR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Bearing in mind the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards stating that every city should have a minimum of 9 square metres of green space per capita, B. Taking into account that close to 45 million people living in the European Union (EU) have limited access to green spaces in urban areas, with just 2 to 13 per cent of the city area occupied by green spaces, C. Aware of the increasing urbanisation and high population density in Europe, D. Recognising the demographic and immigration reasons for population growth in urban areas leading to the lack of resources, such as living space, energy, clean water and air, E. Concerned with the lack of awareness, motivation and involvement of the city-­‐‑dwellers in the process of solving environmental and land management issues, F.

Reaffirming the importance of green areas, as well as all the benefits they offer the city-­‐‑dwellers,

G. Deeply disturbed by the lack of professionalism, scientific awareness, corruption and ignorance among the local authorities, H. Noting with regret the presence of ineffective city planning and development leading to social instability and environmental negligence, I.

Alarmed by the environmental pollution caused by factories, plants, transport emissions and mass public events,

J.

Realising the improper usage of large territories for dumps and landfills and the poor organisation of the latter,

K. Deeply concerned by the damaging impact the urbanisation has both on the society and the environment due to ineffective distribution of natural resources and high costs of environmentally friendly initiatives, L. Deeply conscious of the prejudice against green spaces being economically beneficial, M. Taking note of the lack of investments into green initiatives, 10

N. Affirming the definition of green cities by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as environmentally friendly cities that: i)

offer a high quality urban environment for all city-­‐‑dwellers,

ii) facilitate the progress towards sustainable development and consumption of natural resources, iii) enable effective funding distribution for environmental programs within the city, O. Contemplating the fact that according to the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 30 per cent of energy used in buildings could be reduced with net economic benefits by 2030, P. Guided by the estimation that within twenty-­‐‑four hours twenty trees will absorb the air pollution produced by driving a car for sixty miles;

1.

Encourages governments to make it compulsory for local authorities to adhere to the “green space” standard in the process of urban planning and reconstruction;

2.

Recommends independent agencies and public counsels to further control the implementation of environmental standards and legislation;

3.

Urges the municipal governments to use the support of the EU funds and private investments available in order to: a)

reconstruct old or unused buildings to preserve space for urban green areas,

b)

provide stakeholders with trainings on the implementation of effective city planning strategies;

4.

Calls for planting trees on the ineffectively used territories as well as in the most polluted and degraded zones;

5.

Further calls for using green roofs as a means of providing green areas in the cities with the highest population density;

6.

Further recommends the development of eco-­‐‑friendly city public transportation systems;

7.

Further encourages city-­‐‑dwellers to limit the use of private cars replacing them with bicycles and walking in order to decrease land used for roads;

8.

Expresses its hope that the local authorities would take responsibility for the implementation of city planning laws for green initiatives in cities;

9.

Supports the implementation of legislation establishing size standards for construction in order to prevent a high concentration of entrepreneurs in urban spaces and move their offices outside the cities’ limits;

10. Realising the need to make European urban production greener thus bringing considerable employment opportunities; 11. Calls for environmental non-­‐‑governmental and non-­‐‑profit organisations (NGOs and NPOs) to improve the quality of existing urban green areas by planting new trees, modifying roads and buildings, establishing new parks and recreation zones; 12. Emphasises the need to tackle the issue of combat illegal landfill sites; 13. Further authorises municipal governments to involve experts in landfill planning in the re-­‐‑planning of existing landfill sites in order to decrease the area they occupy.

11

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON C IVIL L IBERTIES , J USTICE AND H OME A FFAIRS While Russian keeps being the mother tongue for more than 20 per cent of the population of the Baltic countries, a number of minority languages, such as Welsh, Irish, Basque and Galician, struggle to survive due to the overwhelming pressure from the more widely spread English and Spanish. Language as a part of cultural heritage and civic identity: How should the EU ensure the protection of minority languages and their cultural added value, in order to fully respect the equal status of linguistic minorities?

Submitted by:

Ibrahim Alonge (UA), Denys Andrushchenko (UA), Yelyzaveta Buben (UA), Polina Budyanska (UA), Iulian Doni (MD), Anna Kalakutska (UA), Alyona Kovtun (UA), Alexandra Krivoruchko (UA), Yana Kumpanenko (UA), Alexander Melnic (UA), Vladislav Prokopenko (UA), Olha Sholok (UA), Taras Turianyn (UA), Ndubueze Egbulefu (Chairperson, UA), Marilou Pelmont (Chairperson, FR)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Fully aware of the existence of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and its generally efficient role in protecting minority languages, B. Observing draw backs, gaps and limitations present in the Charter, C. Fully convinced that languages are a unique part of every culture and identity, D. Bearing in mind the difference between regional and minority languages, E. Noting with regret the inability of minority language speakers to protect their rights and language, F.

Noticing the declining interest of minority language speakers in developing and maintaining their native languages,

G. Deeply concerned that majority languages might overwhelm minority languages, H. Deeply regretting the fact that many governments do not support and promote some or all minority languages spoken on their territory, I.

Taking into account that minority languages are not widely used in mass media, social networks and the entertainment industry,

J.

Observing the fact that minority languages are not represented in the regional economic structure of European countries,

K. Emphasising that young people often lack knowledge of the languages of their region, L. Taking into consideration that minority languages are seen as a cause of separatist tendencies in some countries; 12

1.

Calls for the creation of specific committees on minority languages on the regional, state and European levels;

2.

Recommends the implementation of cultural tools promoting minority languages, such as:

3.

a)

Exposure through internet sources,

b)

Mass media, including television, newspaper and radio;

Supports an increased integration of minority languages into the education process by: a)

Adding innovative language classes in schools involving games, songs, plays and cartoons,

b)

Establishing minority language classes for adults;

4.

Trusts that Public Relation campaigns and promotional videos will insure the popularity of minority languages;

5.

Further requests the provision of grant and tender systems for local business operating in minority languages;

6.

Urges the support of literature, music and films produced in minority languages by providing grants and special funds;

7.

Recommends the organisation of minority language competitions by state authorities and the private sector;

8.

Endorses the creation of cultural establishments in every region of a minority language with a unique atmosphere;

9.

Stresses the importance of regular cultural events for minority language areas.

13

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON I NDUSTRY , R ESEARCH AND E NERGY With the current dependence on energy imports from the third countries and constantly rising fuel prices, energy efficient technology can be seen as Europe'ʹs biggest unexploited energy source. What strategy should the Member States’ governments adopt in order to reach sustainable energy consumption, as well as the development and diffusion of energy efficient technology?

Submitted by:

Stefaniya Chub (UA), Orest Firsov (UA), Liliya Illiushko (UA), Anna Illyashyk (UA), Sviatoslav Kalantieiev (UA), Yurii Moroz (UA), Avtandil Pataridze (GE), Olena Polovina (UA), Oleksii Prylipka (UA), Nadiia Telenchuk (UA), Oleksandr Yaroshchuk (UA), Uchenna Egbete (Chairperson, UA), Anna-­‐‑Helena Saarso (Chairperson, EE)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Deeply concerned by the strong dependence of European countries on conventional energy resources, B. Alarmed by the dependence of European countries on energy imports from third countries, C. Fully aware of the increasing need for finite energy resources, D. Emphasising the lack of cooperation between European countries on a united energy strategy, E. Further noting flaws in energy systems such as: i)

Low efficiency,

ii) Lack of energy-­‐‑saving filtering systems, F.

Observing the lack of proper insulation of public buildings,

G. Taking note of inefficient usage of recycled waste as an energy source and production material, H. Further noting the lack of involvement of the private sector in the introduction of efficient energy technologies due to the lack of incentives, I.

Deeply concerned by the power of monopolies in the energy supply market leading to: i)

High fuel prices,

ii) Political friction and intimidation between European countries and some supplier countries such as Russia, J.

Recognising the lack of research on alternative energy sources and development of sustainable and safe energy technologies,

K. Noting with regret the indifference of people towards their individual carbon footprint, L. Realising that energy efficient technologies are not affordable leading to their improper or no implementation or the absence of such; 14

1.

Calls upon European governments to provide incentives for companies investing in energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies in the form of: a)

Reduced taxes,

b)

Subsidies;

2.

Further requests public and private bodies to provide grants for investments in the energy efficiency research and projects;

3.

Emphasises the need for the combination of efficient and renewable energy sources on the international level;

4.

Further urges European countries and non-­‐‑governmental organisations (NGO) to organise and promote tenders for new initiatives, projects and research;

5.

Expresses its hope that European governments will prioritize green initiatives and the improvement of existing technologies in the energy sector;

6.

Further urges European countries to adopt of a mandatory energy efficiency monitoring system for businesses and industries;

7.

Emphasises the need for the energy market to be open to new suppliers;

8.

Endorses the improvement of the license and patent trading system;

9.

Encourages the implementation of energy efficiency standards in state construction, such as Passive House Standard;

10. Further encourages the construction of trade-­‐‑in points and the provision of favourable conditions for exchanging used electronics for new ones; 11. Recommends the introduction of new technologies for energy extraction in recycling plants; 12. Further recommends reducing energy losses by using energy filters and condensators; 13. Calls for an increase in awareness on sustainable energy issues by: a)

Conducting conferences,

b)

Promoting these through social networks,

c)

Organising media campaigns

d)

Implementing educational programs in schools;

14. Calls for the implementation of energy saving methods in elements of infrastructure, such as street lights, billboards and transport systems.

15

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON C ULTURE AND E DUCATION Higher education in Europe: According to the Times Higher Education Report, most of the top-­‐‑ ranked universities are located outside Europe, with such countries as Ukraine having no higher education facility in the world'ʹs top-­‐‑1000. While the new Erasmus for All programme, to be launched in 2014, aims to unlock potential of young people regardless of their economic background, top-­‐‑ranked universities often impose high tuition fees. Which actions should be taken in order to boost the quality of education in the European Universities?

Submitted by:

Vasyl Antoniuk (UA), Solomiia Dmytruk (UA), Iryna Dobrohorska (UA), Irina Ivasishin (UA), Iryna Lukianenko (UA), Pavel Lysenko (UA), Iryna Narozhna (UA), Valeriya Radkevych (UA), Alexandra Shabelnikova (RU), Anastasia Somyk (UA), Alex Syrota (UA), Vira Sytnyk (UA), Anton Verkhovodov (UA), Tetiana Korniichuk (Chairperson, UA), Daniels Griņevičs (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Deeply concerned by the lack of financial support for universities due to differing economic situation in the European countries, B. Realising the difficulties students encounter in acquiring information about exchange programmes, C. Noting with regret the absence of a common European system for applying to higher education establishments, D. Bearing in mind the necessity of an internationally recognised educational credit transfer system, E. Taking into account the difficulties foreign exchange students can experience when settling in the local community, F.

Observing the non-­‐‑correspondence of the current European education system with the demands of the labour-­‐‑market, which results in the inability to secure working places for graduates,

G. Emphasising the need to create a common educational standard for European universities, H. Desiring higher mobility of professors, I.

Recognising that student self-­‐‑governing bodies of the universities do not have enough authority over the decision making processes of the respective universities,

J.

Convinced that an educational approach focussing on a wide spectrum of subjects and a large number of faculties at universities is likely to result in a lower quality of education,

K. Seeking to develop a system of preparatory courses for high-­‐‑school graduates applying to universities, L. Encouraging experience sharing amongst students with regards to exchange programmes;

1.

Expresses its appreciation towards the Bologna Process; 16

2.

3.

Congratulates the Erasmus for All programme for taking first steps in reaching its aims, in particular: a)

to unlock the full academic potential of young people regardless of their economic background,

b)

to improve the student and faculty mobility;

Authorises the creation of a Common European Education Platform based on the Eurydice Network, which includes: a)

a database of universities and exchange programmes,

b)

information on financial support opportunities, such as grants, loans and scholarships,

c)

a common European Application System,

d)

a student network platform for sharing exchange experience;

4.

Further invites non-­‐‑governmental organisations (NGOs) and the EU authorities to support the inclusion of the EU aspiring countries and neighbouring states into the higher education system of the EU;

5.

Calls for simplifying the social integration of exchange students via: a)

intercultural communication courses at the universities,

b)

interaction groups consisting of exchange students and local volunteers;

6.

Further invites every university to establish self-­‐‑governing bodies that include representatives of the students councils, university management and the local government;

7.

Calls for an improvement of the cooperation between European Universities within the framework of the European University Foundation (EUF);

8.

Requests the creation of the Vacancies and Employers Database by universities’ employment departments;

9.

Approves of the potential for combining academic and work experience when participating in an exchange programme, as described in the Joint Statement of Erasmus Student Network and the EUF;

10. Supports constant research on the changing labour market demands and the subsequent adaptation of the educational programmes accordingly; 11. Urges to reform the education system by: a)

amending the Bologna Declaration in order to enable the students to choose and change the courses during the first two years of studies in the universities included in the Bologna Process,

b)

ensuring supranational control of the implementation of the abovementioned amendment;

12. Further requests to narrow the specialisation of small and medium sized universities by the respective authorities; 13. Encourages the creation of a working group consisting of the representatives of national governments, the EU institutions and other stakeholders to analyse the cost-­‐‑efficiency of higher education in Europe and develop recommendations for increasing its accessibility.

17

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY T HE C OMMITTEE ON I NTERNATIONAL T RADE With 645 violations of intellectual property rights per day, China causes a damage of 56,2 billion Euro to the EU economy on a monthly basis. At the same time, all European countries stay dependent on the cheap imports from China. Emerging powers, rivals, partners: how should the EU-­‐‑China trade co-­‐‑operation look like?

Submitted by:

Mariya Denysenko (UA), Marta Franchuk (UA), Ani Gelashvili (GE), Sergey Koshelev (UA), Anastasiia Kradetska (UA), Irina Kravchuk (UA), Olga Liakhovska (UA), Dmytro Melnyk (UA), Pavel Shevchenko (UA), Angelina Tarashevska (UA), Vasyl Tsyktor (UA), Alexander Zhuk (UA), Lidiia Zhgyr (Chairperson, UA), Nathan Hunter (Chairperson, UK)

The European Youth Parliament,

A. Taking into consideration the EU-­‐‑China Trade and Economic Cooperation agreement of 1985, replaced by the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in January 2007, both aiming to improve future bilateral investment relations, B. Taking note of the existence of the State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO), World Intellectual Property Organisation, (WIPO) and World Trade Organisation (WTO), C. Noting with approval the fact that China’s General Administration of Customs received an award from the Global Anti-­‐‑Counterfeiting Group (GACG), D. Having studied the fiscal gap in the EU-­‐‑Chinese trade revealing: i)

the volume of goods exported to China constituting 113,1 billion Euro, and imported from China constituting 281,3 billion Euro in 2010,

ii) the amount of services exported to China in 2009 compiling 18 billion Euro, while import constituted 13 billion Euro, iii) the size of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to China amounting to 5,3 billion Euro, while the FDA from China constituted 0,3 billion Euro; E. Observing that the European Commission redefined their Sino-­‐‑European relationships in 2007 as «EU-­‐‑ China: Closer futures, growing responsibilities», F.

Guided by the fact that the economy of the EU is heavily dependent on imports from China,

G. Noting with regret the grave economic consequences that the presence of Chinese counterfeit goods at European market has for the EU, H. Alarmed by the lack of efficiency of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) protection, I.

Deeply disturbed by the current low operational capacity of treaties between the EU and China;

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1.

Calls for the improvement of the EU relationship with its existing trade partners, such as Taiwan and Vietnam;

2.

Encourages the EU to increase its own production by: a)

lowering taxes,

b)

offering grants and subsidies;

3.

Further requests the EU to share its experience with China in combating piracy and the distribution of counterfeit products;

4.

Recommends international organisations to encourage the national governments to pass strict legislative guidelines on IPR control;

5.

Approves the EU taking more radical actions towards Chinese exporters of fake products through political and economic measures;

6.

Further invites the arrangement of annual conferences for private businesses from the EU and China aimed to improve the terms of trade for both parties;

7.

Considers giving the executive power to the WTO Council for trade-­‐‑related aspects of IPR to monitor EU-­‐‑ China cooperation in trade as well as the actions of the Chinese government on IPR protection;

8.

Urges the Member States to increase tariffs on Chinese imports in order to compensate for losses caused

by IPR violations in China.

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