Resolution Booklet | Lier 2021 - Regional Conference of EYP Belgium by EYP Belgium

RESOLUTION

BOOKLET THE CLIMATE IS CHANGING, WE ARE CHANGING.

LIER 2021

REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF EYP BELGIUM

TABLE OF CONTENTS 3

General Assembly Procedure

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

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

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)

Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

THE PROCEDURE OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY GENERAL RULES AND PLACARDS COMMITTEE PLACARDS Raising this placard indicates that the respective Committee wants attention towards something. Raised alone, it means the Committee is ready to be recognised by the Board for a speech or a point. It will also always be raised in combination with any of the other special placards. The authority of the Board is absolute regarding recognitions. POINT OF PERSONAL PRIVILEGE Raising this placard is a request to the Board to ask a Delegate to repeat a point that was inaudible. Failure to understand the vocabulary being spoken does not warrant a Point of Personal Privilege. DIRECT RESPONSE Twice in each set of rounds of debate for one resolution, each Committee may use the Direct Response. Raising this placard will lead to the Committee immediately being recognised by the Board and given the floor as soon as the point being made is concluded. A Direct Response can only be used to refer to and discuss the point made directly beforehand. If two or more Direct Responses are requested at once, the Board will decide which Committee to recognise. In this case, the second Direct Response shall only be held if it can be referred to the first Direct Response, so on and so forth. ● ●

Point: “Why is it the Commission who is implementing this programme, and how will you make this programme accessible for everyone?” Direct Response (Wrong): “Yes, also, how will you make sure the Commission can get funding for the programme?ʼ

This Direct Response is not successful because: (1) although it is about the same topic, it does not directly build on top of the previous point. (2) the point before the Direct Response consisted of two questions, and you may only Direct Response the very last thing said (so the accessibility part but not the Commission part). Instead, you could try the following: ● ●

Point: “Why is it the Commission who is implementing this programme, and how will you make this programme accessible for everyone?” Direct Response (Correct): “I think a programme such as this should be oﬀered in all EU languages to be made more accessible.”

POINT OF ORDER This placard can be raised by only the Chairperson if the Committee feels the Board has not adequately followed the General Assembly procedure. An example of this would be that the Board forgets to allow the proposing committee to respond to the Position Speeches. Not getting recognised for a point that was previously promised does not warrant a Point of Order. Ultimately, the authority of the Board is absolute.

PROCEDURE AND TIME SETTINGS The amount of time used for going through all steps of the General Assembly procedure for an individual proposing committee is 50 minutes. The spare 10 minutes of the scheduled 60 minutes will be le as a buffer for emergencies and for the time used transferring between the procedural steps. RESOLUTION READING TIME- 3 minutes DEFENSE SPEECH- 3 minutes One delegate approaches the podium and delivers a speech presenting the resolution to the General Assembly. It should introduce the topic to the audience, explain the rationale behind the problems, and show the solutionsʼ relevance. POSITION SPEECHES- 3 minutes (2 speeches of 1.5 minutes each) Two Delegates come to the podium and deliver a speech on their fundamental position on the resolution as a whole. The speech may not only be on one or two points but should present a personʼs stance on the spirit of the resolution by using concrete points as examples. Optimally, one of the speeches will be in favour of the resolution and the other against. RESPONSE TO THE POSITION SPEECHES- 2 minutes One Delegate standing on the floor from the proposing committee has the opportunity to address the points raised in the Position Speeches. ROUNDS OF DEBATE- 32 min (4 rounds of 8 minutes each) Delegates make points on the resolution. Points can express approval with a certain clause (Points of Agreement) or propose a way to improve a clause which they think doesnʼt solve the problem effectively (Points of Improvement). Most points should reflect oneʼs opinion on the clause. However, if deemed necessary, points asking a question about a clause can be accepted if they are relevant for making the voting decision (Points of Information) When a Committee is recognised by the Board, a Delegate will stand up and present their point speaking to a microphone from the floor. A point may only include one issue. A er around 4–5 points or Direct Response chains, the Board will conclude the round by allowing the proposing committee to react to the points. This reaction does not have a time limit, but the speaker will be cut off if it seems the speaker has covered everything they can. Rounds 1–3 will be on different thematic areas in the resolution, as indicated in the Resolution Booklet, and round 4 will be on all areas.

SUMMATION SPEECH- 2 minutes One Delegate from the proposing committee approaches the podium and delivers summing up the discussion, reacting to any points that were not yet answered during the Rounds of Debate. However, most importantly, the Summation Speech should be a presentation of rhetorical energy and skill to convince the General Assembly to vote in favour of their resolution; thus, this speech can be more emotional than rational, primarily aiming to convince other Delegates. VOTING- 5 minutes The Chairperson will collect all the Delegatesʼ votes and indicate them on the General Assembly Statistics page on their computer. The possible voting options are positive (Vote in Favour), negative (Vote Against), or empty (Abstention). The latter should only be used in cases of a serious moral impediment to express oneʼs opinion. It will also be marked if a Delegate is not present (Absent). A resolution passes if it receives a simple majority of positive votes.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY (ENVI) Smog no!: According to the European Environment Agency (EAA), air pollution levels remain too high in most Member States, posing the single most significant environmental health risk. What measures should the EU take to minimise the pollution level discrepancies between countries and the potential eﬀects on human health? SUBMITTED BY Alexandra Antoine (BE), Yağız Çetin Muhtaroğlu (TR), Berre Wiels (BE), Lisa Shoshi (Chairperson, NO) The European Youth Parliament aims to reduce air pollution without creating too drastic of a change to the way our society functions. The target is that with education and encouragement from the government, the habits of consumers and producers will be made more favourable for the quality of the air we breathe, BECAUSE ● A worryingly high percentage of Europeʼs urban population in some Member States remain exposed to air pollution concentrations above current EU limits, ● Many Member States remain inactive, and despite excessive pollution levels, and continue to fail to implement existing EU law, ● On average, every inhabitant of a European city incurs a welfare loss of over EUR 1000 a year, as a result of poor air quality, ● The number of cases of lung cancer among European non-smokers has doubled in the last decade as a result of air pollution exposure, ● Some Member States might be reluctant to implement environmentally friendly solutions due to the misconception of stunted economic growth, ● Measures for identifying pollution hotspots are not always accurate and cost-eﬀective, ● Air pollution in urban areas aggravates health inequalities among societal groups; THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT LEGAL AFFAIRS 1. Urges the EEA to establish a group of environment law auditors to check the Member Statesʼ compliance with current EU carbon dioxide emission standards; 2. Invites the European Commission to prosecute all Member States found to be non-compliant with their carbon dioxide emission standards in a swi way;

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY 3. Encourages Member States to decrease taxation on the manufacturing of electric and hydrogenic cars; 4. Requests Member States to introduce more prioritised parking spaces specifically reserved for electric and hydrogenic cars; 5. Instructs the Directorate-General on Environment to finance equipment and service investments companies make to identify sustainability shortcomings in their production processes; 6. Expresses its appreciation for companies, such as Climeworks for their specialised technological advancements in the field of carbon capture; 7. Draws attention to Member Statesʼ previous eﬀorts to increase the usage of solar panels, hydropower plants, and wind turbines; CITIZENS 8. Calls upon the EEA to form a group of experts to create educational materials for EU citizens about the importance of local and seasonal consumption, and sustainable living; 9. Suggests the Member Statesʼ Ministries of Education to provide primary school courses on the importance of pollution reduction and sustainable innovation; 10. Encourages EU citizens to: a. commute by foot, by bike, or by public transportation, b. self-reflect on their food consumption, c. stop purchasing fast-fashion clothing items, d. decrease the usage of luxury cosmetic items.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON CULTURE AND EDUCATION (CULT) Edugaytion: Hungary recently passed a law, which bans talking about LGBTQ+ issues at school, reflecting the general taboo status of sexuality in some parts of the EU. Considering the implications of the lack of sexuality education on the mental health and safety of LGBTQ+ youth, what measures can be taken to ensure that young people in every Member State receive equal health and sexuality education? SUBMITTED BY Kato De Smit, (BE), Vincent van Schependom, (BE), Paulien Verhulst, (BE), Ediz Tuna Ayata, (TR), Mikaela Skår, Chairperson, (SE) The European Youth Parliament aims firstly to tackle the lack of sexuality education in the EU and its eﬀect on the mental health and safety of LGBTQ+ youth by providing sexual and health education parity between Member States. Secondly, it wishes to eliminate the taboos and stigmas surrounding the LGBTQ+ community and encourage equal treatment. Lastly, it aims to improve access to quality mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth, BECAUSE ● The lack of sexuality education on LGBTQ+ issues can lead to greater stigmatisation of diﬀerent sexualities and gender identities, ● The content and accessibility of comprehensive sexuality education vary wildly throughout the EU, with the quality of education children receive being entirely up to Member States, leaving many vulnerable youths without reliable health education, ● Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE)1 is proven to improve health outcomes for both LGBTQ+ and heterosexual youths, ● The stigmatisation of LGBTQ+ people and their gender and sexuality is a leading cause for the higher rates of suicide and self-harm among LGBTQ+ youths, ● Quality health and sexuality education is a cornerstone of securing LGBTQ+ equality; THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT EDUCATION 1. Invites Member States to provide sexuality education as a mandatory part of the curriculum; 2. Asks the European Commission to create a taskforce with the purpose of creating training materials for educators and teachers on diversity-inclusive CSE; 1

Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a form of holistic sexuality education which has been endorsed by, among others, the World Health Organisation.

3. Encourages the International Planned Parenthood Foundation to develop interactive teaching methods for sexuality education such as board games, internet-based games, and educational short films; MENTAL HEALTH AND SAFETY 4. Urges Member States to increase national coverage of LGBTQ+-inclusive mental health facilities; 5. Appeals to Mental Health Europe to raise awareness on LGBTQ+-specific mental health challenges through a public awareness campaign targeting school-age youths; SOCIAL EQUALITY 6. Calls upon the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Association-Europe (ILGA-Europe) to develop an internationally available hotline for advice on gender-or sexuality-based discrimination; 7. Recommends Member States broaden anti-discriminatory legal processes by: a. strengthening statutes and sentencing guidelines2 for discrimination- and hate-motivated crimes, b. improving enforcement of existing legislation through intensified prosecution.

Sentencing guidelines are a set of standards which establish consistent sentencing practices within a jurisdiction.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS (EMPL) Unemployees: Non-discrimination laws regarding people with disabilities in workplaces differ significantly between Member States. With mental disabilities being particularly neglected, what steps should be taken to raise awareness and create more equal employment opportunities for people with mental disabilities in the Union? SUBMITTED BY Angelo Khallouf (BE), Ella McGrath (IE), Elena Oʼ Connor (IE), Angelo Verschuren (BE), Tiana Taliotis (Chairperson, CY) The European Youth Parliament aims to tackle prejudices towards individuals suffering from mental and behavioural disorders in the workplace. Secondly, it wishes to alleviate the negative impact of reduced employment of mentally ill individuals on business productivity, social affairs and the healthcare sector. Lastly, it wishes to facilitate the needs of mentally disabled individuals in the workplace across Member States, BECAUSE ● Stigmatisation and self-stigmatisation of mentally ill individuals negatively affects their employability, ● Mental illnesses are not all diagnosable in alignment with the new classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders, making it difficult for employers and workers to understand their needs in order to facilitate their mental well-being, ● The working strategy of most companies is structured in such a way that the absence or social impairments of an individual suffering from mental illness could pose a risk to the productivity and financial stability of a company, ● Individuals suffering from substance addiction and abusive impulses do not receive employment protection under the Directive 2000/78/EC, ● Work stress imposes a mental health burden on employees, ● Most business operators are unfamiliar with mental health management and detection and thus are unable to adequately support employees with mental illness; THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT EDUCATION 1. Requests the Directorate-General for Education and Culture to create educational materials about mental health that Member States can integrate into their educational curriculums; 2. Invites the Euro Youth Mental Health to include workshops on mental health stigmas for secondary school students into their activity pool; 3. Proposes Mental Health Europe to educate individuals on seeking assistance for mental 10

health struggles through a media campaign including television advertisements, social media promotions, radio discussions, and challenges; LEGAL AFFAIRS 4. Calls upon the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work to improve the Directive 89/391/EEC by including mental health of employees at work into its scope; 5. Instructs the European Commission to amend the Employment Protection Act to include individuals with abusive impulses and substance abuse; WORKPLACE WELFARE 6. Invites the Directorate-General on Health and Food Safety (DG SANTE) to create subsidies for the placement of full-time psychologists in large companies; 7. Urges DG SANTE to assemble a team of travelling psychologists who oﬀer employee consultations in small companies every three months; 8. Asks Member States to develop a health fund to ensure that the first two weeks of work absence due to substance-use rehabilitation are paid and the following absences reimbursed by an amount equaling 70% of the usual salary; 9. Proposes Doctors Without Borders foundation develop rehabilitation facilities in all Member States with free treatment for substance addicts.

MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION BY THE COMMITTEE ON CIVIL LIBERTIES, JUSTICE AND HOME AFFAIRS (LIBE) Colour blindness: With only 15 of 27 Member States having dedicated action plans to combat racism, racial prejudices remain a common issue in the EU, yet invisible in many statistics. What course of action should the EU consider to prevent and combat racism, both institutional and structural? SUBMITTED BY Anastasia Behrmann (BE), Joachim Neuböck (AT), Karlien Boyen (BE), Punim Fotedar (Chairperson, UK) The European Youth Parliament aims to decrease racism on an institutional, social, and educational level across the EU. Through promoting the EU values on inclusion and ensuring diversity in society, we seek to prevent, combat, and eliminate racism on all levels, therefore, equalizing opportunities and improving the lives of those affected by racism, BECAUSE ● There is a lack of effective education in schools and media use in countering racism, ● Political and online hate speech is difficult to stop and incites racism, ● The Member States have significant gaps and differences in the extents of their anti-racism laws, ● Most hate crimes go unreported and many uninvestigated by the police, ● Institutional racism exists in many institutions and systemically discriminates against minorities, ● Coronavirus allowed for the further racist treatment of Romani and Migrant people in the EU; THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT CHALLENGING RACIST VIEWS 1. Calls upon Member States to expand the education on racism by: a. increasing funding of education for disadvantaged minorities, b. including in school curriculums the EU values of anti-discrimination and raising awareness about racism to the younger generations; 2. Endorses social media companies to: a. improve the algorithms of taking down racist comments, b. verify the identities of all social media profiles while still allowing users to post under a name of their choosing;

CHANGING RACISM IN THE LAW BOOKS 3. Requests the Fundamental Rights Agency to add anti-racism values, such as the principle of equal educational opportunities, the concept of no accusations based on ethnicity, and a clear definition of racism, to the European Fundamental Rights Charter; 4. Invites the European Commission to lower the threshold for legally sanctioning Member States when abusing the European Fundamental Rights Charter; RACISM IN INSTITUTIONS 5. Calls upon Member States to provide exclusive scholarships for people of colour to attend education for police and justice system occupations; 6. Appeals to Member States to create positions, for example, in police and healthcare institutions, to monitor racism and to create points of contact for reporting racist incidents; 7. Encourages the European Commission to create a fund for anti-racism projects in Member States; PROTECTION OF RACISM VICTIMS 8. Invites the European Commission to create a platform to assist victims of racism that would engage in: a. creating a telephone line in every Member State to report hate crimes and talk anonymously about racist experiences and possible advice for further steps, b. promoting awareness through advertisements and social media, c. compiling reports about racial incidents in the EU throughout the years; 9. Directs Member States to broaden the protection of minorities by: a. providing access to healthcare, food, and schooling for minorities in times of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic, b. taking more robust stances countering false accusations towards minorities as being responsible for such crises.

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@eypbelgium EYP Belgium Lier 2021 - 8th Regional Conference of EYP Belgium

LIER 2021

REGIONAL CONFERENCE OF EYP BELGIUM