How does the General Assembly work? Following Committee Work, the Committees will spend the following day debating their resolutions. This element of the Session is in place to help you develop skills in quick thinking and public speaking. The resolutions will be discussed one at a time, in 45 minute slots. The aim of the committee is to defend their resolution during their slot and gather support for it amongst other delegates. The process, whilst appearing complex at first, is one which will become clearer during your time at the Session. Whilst the procedure will be explained fully, and in comprehensive detail at the Session, an overview of it in its most basic form can also be found here. The procedure may be subject to minor adaptions as a result of innovation on behalf of the chairs team, but these changes will be made clear to you if and when they occur. Furthermore, some stages involve specific delegates performing specific duties, such as speeches, etc. These will be decided on by the committee, not the Chair. Each 45 minute debate slot proceeds as follows;
Step 1 – Defence Speech (3 minutes) A member of the Committee will deliver a speech from the podium that seeks to outline why they believe the resolution they have created is suitable to solve the problem. This speech should be pre-prepared and you are allowed to take notes with you. Whilst the resolution outlines the what, and how, elements of solving the issue, the speech should focus on the why. It should be passionate and creative, and engage all members of the room. The board will time this speech and remind you when 2 minutes and 30 seconds have passed. If you run over 3 minutes, you will be asked to bring your speech to an end.
Step 2 – Attack Speech (3 minutes) The board of the Session will then ask if there is a committee who wishes to deliver an attack speech on the resolution. Again, this will be a pre-prepared speech. Committees will bid for the speech by raising their Committee placard (explained later), and the board will allocate speeches fairly and equally amongst committees throughout the GA. The attack speech should represent a position which disagrees with the overall content and value of the resolution, rather than specific elements. Rather than being directly critical, it should look to emphasise what more can be done to provide a better solution to the problem at hand. The same rules regarding timing exist here.
Step 3 – Response to Attack Speech (1 minute) After the conclusion of the attack speech, a member of the defending committee will be asked to respond to the comments made during the attack speech, with the aim of arguing against the themes of the speech. This will be a product of quick thinking and will be prepared during the speech.
Step 4 – General Debate Following the speeches, open debate will begin. Committees who have points to make on the content of the resolution should raise their placard to indicate this to the board. The board will then proceed to ask each Committee for their points on a basis which ensures equality to speak. A point should be about 30 seconds in length, made by an individual, and focus on a single clause, or previous point to speak about one particular thing. Points should not have multiple focuses. After a number of points have been made, the Board will ask the proposing committee to respond to the round of debate, through one member of the committee standing and speaking for approximately one minute in which they address the points of the round, and offer counter arguments. This process will repeat at least 3 times during the course of the debate.
Step 5 – Summation Speech (3 minutes) This is the penultimate stage of each debate. The board will ask one, or two, members of the proposing committee to the stage. This speech should have two clear parts – the first part should respond to the comments made in the last round of debate. The second part should respond to the main themes of the debate, and use them to present an argument as to why your resolution is still the most suitable approach. Whilst two people may stand at the podium, they may only pass the microphone once – so two 90 second speeches are a good approach to take.
Step 5 – Voting The final step of each debate process, voting is where you vote to pass or reject the resolution. Whilst voting is included to mirror Parliamentary procedure, the outcome is not relevant, nor is it included in the judging process. It is simply a way for you to express your opinion. You present your votes to your chairperson – please note that the whole committee doesn’t need to vote the same way, you’re allowed to disagree! The votes will then be presented by your committee, and the Board will provide you with a result on the resolution.
M OTION THE
FOR A
C OMMITTEE
ON
R ESOLUTION
C ULTURE
AND
BY
E DUCATION
With socio-economically disadvantaged young people frequently becoming involved in criminal activity, how can the EU seek to address the causes of this, and create better support mechanisms for both potential and convicted offenders?
Submitted by:
Augustė Baltrūnaitė (LT), Dovydas Aganson (LT), Emilija Kotryna Trunovaitė (LT), Felipe Moscoso Cruz (NL), Gintė Petrulionytė (LT), Jonas Povilauskas (LT), Jūratė Muzikevičiūtė (LT), Kaja Silva Aulik (EE), Toma Černiauskaitė (LT) Viltė Radzvilavičiūtė (LT), Sara Kalkku (FI, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A.
Noting with deep concern that young people with criminal convictions experience difficulties in reintegrating into society,
B.
Bearing in mind the lack of financial support for higher education that is available to socio-economically disadvantaged youngsters,
C. Aware of the fact that a large proportion of young offenders who have been convicted are likely to reoffend, D. Acknowledging the psychological impact of negative peer influence on young people which originates from their exposure to poor family and social conditions which can result in: i)
destructive and violent behaviour,
ii)
an increased tendency to engage in anti-social activities,
E.
Fully aware that a substantial amount of young people in lower socio-economic groups become involved in crime due to the financial and social pressures of their demographic,
F.
Taking into account that the data collected by SPACE I and II1 is incomplete and therefore a large number of juvenile crimes remain unreported,
G. Noting with deep concern the high unemployment rates in certain Member States (MS) which both directly and indirectly lead affected young people to look for illegal sources of income, H. Alarmed by the high number of young people within Member States who have substantial experience with illegal substances,
1
The Council of Europe Annual Penal Statistics
I.
Noting with concern that poor learning results, early school leaving, and low levels of education often result in young people engaging in criminal activity,
J.
Expressing its appreciation of career guidance methods specifically directed to potential and convicted young offenders such as Join in a Job2 programme;
1.
Recommends that governments of Member States lower company tax rates for a half a year period for companies who employ former offenders;
2.
Calls for Member States to increase the funding directed towards student loans and grants that are made available to socially disadvantaged students;
3.
Supports the establishment of an information sharing and supportive network between organisations providing rehabilitation and reintegration programs for formerly convicted offenders;
4.
Encourages Member States to set up family counseling and parenting skills courses that is mandatory for families constituting of convicted juvenile offenders;
5.
Endorses Member States to offer financial mentorship and management programs for socioeconomically disadvantaged families;
6.
Congratulates “Swedbank� for creation and development of the Institute of Private Finances3 and encourages other companies in the field to adopt such educational activities;
7.
Recommends that police forces in Member States to create community projects with young people in order to appear more approachable;
8.
Expresses its hope towards achieving the full implementation of European Commission’s Youth Guarantee programme4 in all EU Member States;
9.
Urges Member States to promote conscious alcohol consumption by: a)
restricting the advertising of alcohol,
b)
encouraging the establishment of separate independent stores for alcohol and tobacco;
10. Further supports the expansion of non-formal learning experience workshops and internships to be included in the MS national education curricula; 11. Endorses educational institutions of Member States to create a safe and productive learning environment through tutoring from both teachers and students; 12. Calls upon the Member States to implement and further develop programmes similar to Join a Job.
2
Join in a Job, funded by the European Commission, is a project helping former offenders to find jobs and internship offers. It is taking place in Austria, Germany, Italy, Ireland and Poland.
3
https://www.swedbank.ee/about/privatefinances?language=ENG
4
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079
M OTION THE
FOR A
C OMMITTEE
R ESOLUTION
ON
BY
F OREIGN A FFAIRS
Following the resurgence of political tensions in Ukraine, how can the diplomatic influence of the EU be used to move towards the facilitation of constructive reparation dialogue between the countries involved that serves the interest of all stakeholders, and prevents future conflict? Submitted by:
Lukas Ciunaitis (LT), Diana Helme (EE), Thom Lugthart (NL), Martynas Saulytis (LT), Ugnius Škadauskas (LT), Deimantė Rimkutė (LT), Simonas Rubis (LT), Gerda Tarailaitė (LT), Petras Tursa (LT), Michael Rozkhov (UA, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Observing that the European Union (EU) imports 54% of the energy it consumes1 and that one third of these imports come from Russia, B. Noting with deep concern the lack of common stance regarding common foreign and security policy which leads to a discrepancy amongst the positions of Member States, C. Taking into account the recent conflicts between Russia and the Eastern European Partnership (EEP)2 countries, D. Regretting both the initial resignation of the Association Agreement (AA)3 in 2013 and the implementation of the Deep and Comprehensive Foreign Trade Agreement (DCFTA)4 being frozen, E. Deeply concerned that Ukrainian Eastern regions are still under control of separatist forces which has resulted in economic downgrade and security instabilities, F.
Aware of the current economic instability in Ukraine due to insufficient distribution of International Monetary Fund loans,
G. Referring to the failure to fully implement the Minsk Agreements5 because of the presence of separatist forces in Eastern Ukraine, H. Taking note of increased Russian military activities near Eastern European borders which have caused disturbances and could lead to further conflicts, I.
Fully alarmed by the increasing number of violations of human rights in Eastern Ukraine due to the uprisings of separatist forces;
1
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/topics/imports-and-secure-supplies
2
http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-15-4553_en.htm
3
http://eeas.europa.eu/ukraine/assoagreement/assoagreement-2013_en.htm
4
http://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/docs/2013/april/tradoc_150981.pdf
5
The Minsk Agreement was put in place in order to prevent further escalation of a civil war in Ukraine. After the failure of the Minsk protocol, Minsk II was signed between Ukraine, France, Germany and Russia which aimed at increasing the efforts to implement the Minsk protocol and launch an immediate ceasefire.
1.
Recommends European Commission’s Committee on Industry, Research and Energy to support alternative energy supply research in renewable energy in order to become more independent in this regard;
2.
Urges the European Council to revise and develop its Common Foreign and Security Policy;
3.
Advises the European Council to further communicate with NATO and the United Nations to ensure the continued security of Eastern European borders;
4.
Calls upon the national governments of Eastern European countries to translate western media streams into all nationally spoken languages;
5.
Recommends the European Council to create an immediate emergency action plan in order to prevent further conflicts;
6.
Commends the role of economic sanctions imposed by the EU which will remain enforced until the end of 2015;
7.
Encourages the European Commission to prepare more severe sanctions if Russia violates its commitments stated in the Minsk Agreements;
8.
Expresses its hope that United Nations will send peacekeepers and troops to maintain ceasefire, peace and report violations of any party involved;
9.
Has resolved to provide financial aid to the Ukrainian government with a further fulfilling of DCFTA requirements within EEP accompanied by continues reporting on the DCFTA implementation;
10. Calls for the European Commission and NATO to further strengthen Ukraine’s position by increasing military support and providing expertise.
M OTION THE
FOR A
C OMMITTEE
R ESOLUTION ON
BY
H UMAN R IGHTS
The recent attacks on Charlie Hebdo highlighted the conflict and issues which exist between ensuring the right to the freedom of speech, whilst at the same time respecting the cultural sensitivities that prevalent in contemporary European societies. What steps can the EU take to afford sufficient protection to minority groups, without compromising the fundamental human right of freedom of speech?
Submitted by:
Aleksandr Nikolajenko (LT), Augustė Dudutytė (LT), Belle Prinsen (NL), Džiugas Kuprevičius (LT), Gintarė Valėnaitė (LT), Gražvilė Budrytė (LT), Kaspar Laks (EE), Lina Šalčiūtė (LT), Miglė Labeikytė (LT), William Heinz (LU), Amy Campo McEvoy (ES, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Affirming that the European Union (EU) is a democratic institution which protects the freedom of thought, freedom of conscience and the freedom of expression,1 B. Recalling that insurance of freedom of expression and protection of minorities are vital requirements2 which the Member States and aspiring Member States must fulfil, C. Regretting that the lack of understanding towards other genders, sexualities, races, ethnicities, religions and other minorities, can lead to ´hate speech´, D. Further regretting the lack of a universal definition of the term ‘hate speech’ can lead to citizens not understanding the restrictions established by the European Court of Human Rights, 3 E. Expressing its satisfaction towards the “No Hate Movement”,4 F. Observing that insufficient protection afforded to journalists can endanger the freedom of speech due to them feeling under threat and enacting self-censorship as a result, G. Keeping in mind the EU’s efforts to work with media by providing legal assistance, monitoring change in politics and legislation, and organising conferences to discuss the issue of freedom of expression in the media,
1 Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights calls on freedom of thought, conscience and religion, and Article 10, on freedom of expression. http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/Convention_ENG.pdf 2
According to the Copenhagen Criteria, 1993, a country needs to have institutions which guarantee the protection of human rights and “respect for and protection of minorities” in order to be a Member State of the European Union. http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/policy/conditions-membership/index_en.htm 3
Although Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (See above) protects the freedom of expression, hate speech is excluded from the law and is not included within its doctrine. http://www.echr.coe.int/Documents/FS_Hate_speech_ENG.pdf 4
The “No Hate Movement” is a campaign the Council of Europe for human rights online launched to reduce the levels of acceptance of hate speech.
H. Bearing in mind that Member States have different laws regarding the issue of freedom of speech and the protection of minorities; 1.
2.
Recommends Member States to initiate campaigns in education centres from an early age, by: a)
introducing either compulsory or extracurricular lessons, at the Member States’ discretion, in primary schools,
b)
continuing to promote exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+5, between students from different Member States,
c)
involving students in political initiatives, such as the European Youth Parliament and No Hate Speech Movement;
Further recommends initiating social advertisements in public spaces promoting the existence of different minority groups, using: a)
social experiment videos,
b)
social networks;
3.
Requests that Member States work together to clearly define the term ´hate speech´, to avoid cases whereby the boundaries between freedom of speech and the right to minorities are unclear,
4.
Further requests that this definition addresses many of the different minorities and outlines what is considered to be hate speech,
5.
Invites international bodies which aim to increase freedom of speech and organisations which work on minority protection to initiate or continue cooperation by: a)
creating a communication network between them to achieve one main goal,
b)
organising events in which representatives of all the organisations will be present to discuss how to reach the aim of protecting the right of freedom of speech and minorities,
c)
establishing a network between these organisations and the public in order to inform the latter of the outcomes of these encounters;
6.
Proposes that Member States increase the security available for media professionals, thereby ensuring journalists who feel at risk are made aware of who to contact in the case of a perceived threat, and feel secure within their right to the freedom of speech;
7.
Has resolved to analyse threats, attacks and conflicts involving the freedom of speech and minorities which have occurred within the European Union, and to act upon them through updating security procedures accordingly;
8.
Expresses its hope that media organisations will cooperate with the European Commission in order to initiate a system which will assess what journalistic content is deemed offensive, and will classify said content in order to reduce its consumption by groups offended by such material;
9.
Calls upon Member States to coordinate and update their freedom of speech laws with regards to minority protection in order to establish coherent policies throughout the EU.
5
European + offers centres dealing with pre-primary to secondary education the opportunity to improve standards of teaching and learning through, amongst other options, teacher and pupil exchanges. http://ec.europa.eu/education/opportunities/school/institutions_en.htm
M OTION THE
C OMMITTEE
ON
FOR A
R ESOLUTION
E CONOMIC
AND
BY
M ONETARY A FFAIRS
With there being vast differences in both the size and type of economies within the Eurozone, how can the EU seek to best safeguard the financial future and security of Member States joining the monetary union, in particular those of lower economic standing, whilst at the same time ensuring a competitive and open continental economy?
Submitted by:
Adriana Leonora Martinkevich (LV), Aleksandras Gaška (LT), Audrius Vegys (LT), Danielius Aganson (LT), Gabrielius Grubinskas (LT), Haroldas Mackevičius (LT), Maria Helena Paron (EE), Milda Santockytė (LT), Natalia Szczepańska (PL), Laurynas Keturakis (LT, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A.
Fully alarmed by the recent economic tensions between Greece and Germany, that have resulted in the destabilisation of the Eurozone economy and the single currency,
B.
Deeply concerned by the reluctance shown by the involved countries to establish a mutually beneficial compromise,
C. Acknowledging the culturally established opposition to traditional austerity policies that exist in Southern European Member States which lead to a reduction in the efficiency of, and public support for, such policies, D. Taking into account that some Member States have failed to adhere to the terms of the stability and growth pact, causing: i)
A loss of potential economic investment
ii)
Negative impacts on the balance of exchange rates
E.
Realising that an over-dependence on dominant market producers from outside of the Eurozone has led to a lack of competitiveness in the international market,
F.
Aware of the fact that social unrest in struggling countries causes direct economic consequences such as: i)
Reductions in economic productivity as a result of industrial action,
ii)
Misguided short-term government initiatives which often result in substantial economic costs,
G. Observing that the lack of a neutral actor in negotiations can potentially cause further disagreements between Member States subject to economic disagreements;
1.
Calls upon the European Parliament to create a Special Committee on the Financial and Economic Crisis with the aim to impartially evaluate and solve the economic tensions between Greece and Germany by inviting experts from different backgrounds to collaborate;
2.
Reaffirms the need to ensure market competitiveness within the EU by: a)
proposing tax decreases for industries that experience difficulties in competing economically due to imports from outside the European Union (EU),
b)
further requests the European Commission (EC) and the Member States to continue the processes that will lead to the establishment of a common European natural resource market,
c)
recommends the EC, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Member States to increase the funding available for the support of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME);
3.
Urges the EC to change the excessive deficit procedure (EDP) by extending the recommendation compliance deadline from the previous window of three to six months, to a new window of three to twelve months;
4.
Recommends Member States to gradually adapt their austerity1 policies according to the country’s economic stance, mainly focusing on pension reforms by: a)
raising the retirement age,
b)
decreasing the allocated pension allowance;
5.
Further recommends that the EC and Member States work to raise awareness about austerity policies among people from countries in a worse financial situation, by launching social and media campaigns promoting their benefits;
6.
Urges the creation of non-governmental organisations (NGO) which work for the benefit of underrepresented social groups to facilitate the dialogue between the government and relevant trade unions;
7.
Authorises the EC to establish the Institution for Independent Economic Evaluation (IIEE) which would aim to: a)
provide an independent and impartial evaluation for any economic dispute,
b)
present a comprehensive action plan with the aim of reaching a compromise between conflicting parties.
1 Austerity - the policy of reducing government budget deficits. Austerity policies may include spending cuts, tax increases, or a mixture of both.
M OTION THE
C OMMITTEE
FOR A ON
R ESOLUTION
BY
C ONSTITUTIONAL A FFAIRS
With turnout in the European elections remaining extremely low in comparison with that of national general elections, what reforms to the structure and processes of the European Union can be made to generate voter interest, especially among younger generations, and restore a sense of democratic legitimacy? Submitted by:
Arnoldas Gritė (LT), Augustas Alekna (LT), Bartłomiej Styczyński (PL), Daniel van den Akker (NL), Denise Coenegracht (NL), Gabrielė Gotkovič (LT), Julia Izabella Laskowska (PL), Luka Kodikaitė (LT), Marina Tarakanova (LT), Milda Folkmanaitė (LT), Simonas Stipinas (LT), Tomas Vitas (LT), Vytautė Rimdzevičiūtė (LT), Callum Sharp (UK, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the limited power of the European Parliament (EP) in relation to other EU institutions, in particular its lack of power with regard to initiating legislation, B. Recognising that the European Commission (EC) holds considerable amounts of executive and legislative power within the EU, despite the indirectly elected status of its members, C. Realising that European citizens largely remain unaware of the functioning of the EU and its bodies which creates a lack of interest and engagement among voters, D. Concerned with the lack of information available regarding the current affairs of the EU, leading to citizens feeling alienated from the processes involved and from the EU itself, E. Aware that the ease of access to voting can have a major impact on potential turnout, especially for those who are effected by uncontrollable factors, F. Noting with regret that EU law and regulation can be delayed or ignored by Member States, leading to a considerable amount of legislation going unappreciated or noticed, resulting in a perception that the EU does not achieve anything, G. Alarmed by the relatively low turnout of 18-24 year olds in comparison to older generations1, H. Observing that EU institutions are located in different cities which creates communication problems between them and a perception of inefficiency, I.
Observing that EU institutions suffer from basic communication concerns, creating a perception among voters of inefficiency within the EU;
1.
Calls for giving the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) the ability to propose new legislation as to allow them to effectively represent those who elect them;
2.
Supports the direct election of the EC president who would be elected:
1 In the 2009 EP election turnout from ages 18-24 was 29% while turnout from age 55+ was 50% (Source: http://www.europarl.europa.eu/)
a)
through an election system similar to the United States electoral college system2 with Member States acting like federal states,
b)
from an open pool of candidates certified by a signature qualification of 100,000 signees that contains one candidate suggested by the EC;
3.
Encourages Member States to adopt a one year compulsory school course that teaches the basic structures and functions of the EU to students aged 14-18;
4.
Proposes that schools in Member States are supported by EU funding in providing a cultural exchange opportunity to foster greater understanding;
5.
Further recommends that financial support should be given to NGOs and potential NGOs that help inform citizens on the EU and its activities;
6.
Authorises making the actions of the EU and its bodies public, where suitable, to be publicised in order to foster transparency as well as create articles written in simplified language for easy citizen consumption;
7.
Has resolved to create a voting procedure framework which Member States will be encouraged to follow containing: a)
postal voting,
b)
early voting3,
c)
overseas voting4,
d)
and proxy voting5;
8.
Further resolves to develop an E-voting mechanism which is safe and secure with the help of the European Cyber Security Group (ECSG) to be given to Member States so that they may have the option to use it;
9.
Has resolved to publicise through the use of statements and the EU’s website, the laws and regulations that Member States are not following as to create pressure from citizens towards their governments;
10. Suggests that Member States lower the voting age to 16 as to establish a sense of trust among younger voters and increase their voting presence in EU politics; 11. Proclaims that all EU institutions will be relocated to Brussels in the next 5 years as to both improve communication between EU institutions and remove the stigma of inefficiency targeted at the EU.
2
Each Member state will hold a simple majority election on the candidates. The winner of each Member State will receive votes proportionate to the population of that Member State. The candidate with the most votes at the end of all elections will be elected. 3
If an uncontrollable factor is preventing a citizen from casting a vote they may apply to vote in advance.
4
Citizens overseas may vote at the nearest embassy.
5
If an uncontrollable factor is preventing a citizen from casting a vote they may apply to elect a proxy person to vote for them.
M OTION THE
C OMMITTEE
FOR A
R ESOLUTION
ON I NDUSTRY ,
BY
T RADE , R ESEARCH (ITRE)
AND
E NERGY
With European power consumption continuing to rise excessively, how should Member States seek to move away from a dependency on fossil fuels, whilst at the same time respecting the issues and concerns associated with alternative forms of energy production?
Submitted by:
Agata Dohojda (PL), Algirdas Gricius (LT), Artūras Banuškevičius (LT), Charlotte Nijdam (NL), Dalila Khandour (NL), Emilis Gorbačiovas (LT), Jurga Kvekšaitė (LT), Rapolas Markevičius (LT), Rosita Šiaulytė (LT), Silvija Saulė Aleknaitė (LT), Kyle Robertson (UK, Chairperson), Robertas Skliaustas (LT, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the lack of acknowledgement of the environmental issues associated with
the excessive consumption of fossil fuels, such as the Greenhouse Effect, acid rain and the release of toxic mercury, B. Having considered the economic cost of infrastructure investments and the subsequent impact on companies and the private sector,
C. Taking into account society’s lack of knowledge about alternative forms of energy and the limits of fossil fuel reserves, D. Fully aware that following the events in Fukushima, nuclear energy is negatively viewed by the public, E. Welcoming the motivation of energy providers to continue research and development of renewable energy sources by building upon the current investment model, F. Emphasising that not all European Union (EU) Member States are at the same level of financial stability and technological advancement, G. Noting with regret that the EU’s dependency on imported fossil fuels increases political tensions between Member States and major exporters; 1.
Calls for the increased accessibility of information on environmental issues by Member States to their citizens in order to raise awareness of these concerns;
2.
Recommends Member States offer educational programs aimed at informing citizens of issues regarding the environment, such as dwindling fossil fuel reserves, and alternative resources;
3.
Encourages the EU to ensure that energy suppliers offer renewable forms of power to their customers, alongside traditional fossil fuel power;
4.
Suggests that the specific goals for individual Member States’ adherence to existing directives are based on individual resource capacity and GDP1 in order to increase the chances of Member States meeting these goals;
1
http://data.oecd.org/gdp/gross-domestic-product-gdp.htm
5.
Further promotes increased levels of cooperation between Member States in terms of relevant environmental knowledge and technological advancements;
6.
Calls upon the European Commission to apply newly assessed directive goals every ten years, beginning in 2020, by revaluating the progress of individual Member States;
7.
Further recommends that the European Commission continues to investment in infrastructural projects that involve contributions from all Member States collectively, such as ITER2;
8.
Wishes to continue the EU’s support of initiatives such as the EU Emissions Trading System (EUETS), the European Climate Change Program (ECCP), the Global Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Fund (GEEREF);
9.
Approves the further development of the process that would establish a shared power grid between Member States through supporting the European Energy Union3.
2
http://www.iter.org/
3
http://ec.europa.eu/energy/en/news/eu-leaders-confirm-commitment-energy-union
MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS A recent study by the Agency for Fundamental Rights, has found that, despite notable progress in the promotion of LGBT rights, young LGBT citizens still experience active discrimination, with 67% of respondents claiming they were made to feel ashamed of their sexuality and identity. What steps can the EU take to further protect and empower younger generations of LGBT citizens? Submitted by:
Ana Osipova (LT), Antoni Janas (PL), Domantas Grigaitis (LT), Domantas Lasiauskas (LT), Edvardas Monstvilas (LT), Erik Koeken (NL), Indrė Brinkytė (LT), Liisbet Valgiste (EE), Monika Ramonaitė (LT), Radvilė Raubaitė (LT), Ugnė Alškaitė (LT), Yannick Mertens (LU, Chairperson)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply disturbed by the results of a survey conducted by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) stating that up to 70 % of the LGBT community across the EU feel discriminated against, B. Deeply concerned by the lack of awareness amongst many citizens of the European Union (EU) concerning the discrimination faced by many LGBT people, C. Aware of the strong impact that religion can have on public perception regarding the LGBT community, D. Noting with regret the amount of negative and discriminating media output regarding LGBT people, E. Deeply concerned by the psychological and emotional impact resulting from the societal pressures associated with a person’s decision to publicly declare themselves as LGBT, F.
Fully alarmed that victim blaming1 causes most hate-related crimes against LGBT people not to be reported to authorities,
G. Noting with deep concern that the constitution and legal policy of several Member States define the term family as exclusively constituting a man and a woman, H. Noting that there is a crucial lack of unified legislation regarding LGBT rights, especially concerning: i)
adoption,
ii)
civil partnership
iii)
marriage;
I.
Expressing its appreciation of the European Parliament´s Intergroup2 monitoring of the European Parliament (EP) on all matters concerning the support and development of LGBT rights across the EU,
J.
Noting with deep concern the insufficiently specialised medical treatment transgender people receive in certain Member States.
1 2
The act of holding the victim of a crime or wrongful act as partially or entirely responsible for the harm done to them. http://www.lgbt-ep.eu
1.
Invites Member States to hold national referenda on whether to broaden their definition of family within their constitutions by including same-sex marriages;
2.
Urges the unification of LGBT policies throughout the EU concerning the legal recognition of family, civil partnerships, same-sex marriages, and adoption;
3.
Expresses its hope that the European Commission has to amend Article 12 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights3 to include a transgender/intersex-specific clause;
4.
Recommends Member States increase the extent to which they focus on the LGBT community in their sexual education courses;
5.
Calls upon the International Lesbian and Gay Association4 (ILGA) to: a)
cooperate with the Human European Consultancy5
b)
increase the amount of workshops and seminars regarding LGBT matters in all Member States;
6.
Considers the ILGA to increase the amount of volunteers, funding and cooperation between local youth hotlines providing moral support to victims of discrimination;
7.
Encourages local non-governmental organisations to advertise existing possibilities of receiving psychological help concerning LGBT matters in public places;
8.
Further encourages the EP to promote public debates aimed at religious leaders signing antidiscrimination agreements concerning LGBT people;
9.
Designates the EP to promote public discussions with experts on the issues faced by mainstream media in order to facilitate the education of older generations on LGBT issues;
10. Calls for the Human European Consultancy to produce podcasts spread via social media showing the LGBT community from a positive point of view; 11. Designates ILGA to organise global LGBT summits allowing NGOs and national governments to exchange their practices and experiences; 12. Expresses its hope that national governments: a)
draw attention to the negative impact of hate speech,
b)
ensure that LGBT discrimination receives harder punishment;
13. Supports national governments in establishing specialised departments in medical institutions meeting the transition needs of transgender patients.
3
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/charter/pdf/text_en.pdf http://www.ilga.org 5 The Human European Consultancy evaluates and launches projects to raise awareness in the areas of human rights, equal treatment and non-discrimination. 4
Sponsors