Resolution Booklet Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of EYP Finland 4th – 6th November 2016
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
Programme of the General Assembly 08:00 8:15 9:00 9:45 10:15 11:00 11:45 12:45 13:30 14:15 14:45 15:30 16:15
Opening of the General Assembly Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs 2 (LIBE II) Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs 1 (LIBE I) Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education 3 (CULT III) Lunch Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education 1 (CULT I) Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education 2 (CULT II) Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Closing Ceremony
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Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
Procedure of the General Assembly General rules The wish to speak is indicated by raising the Committee placard. Each committee may use only one Committee placard. The authority of the Board is absolute. Procedure and time settings 1. Presenting of the Motion for a Resolution 2. Presenting of the Friendly Amendments 3. Reading of the operative clauses 4. Three minutes to defend the Motion for a Resolution 5. Three minutes to attack the Motion for a Resolution 6. One minute to respond to the Attack Speech 7. General debate 8. Three minutes to sum up the debate 9. Voting procedure 10. Announcing the votes Friendly Amendment A last-minute modification to the Motion for a Resolution by the Proposing Committee. Amendments are to be handed in to the Board at least two Resolutions before the Resolution in question, or as soon as possible for the first Resolutions of the General Assembly. Point of Personal Privilege Request for a Delegate to repeat a point that was inaudible. Failure to understand the language being spoken does not make for a Point of Personal Privilege. Direct Response Once per debate, each Committee may use the Direct Response sign. Should a Delegate raise the sign during the open debate, he/she will immediately be 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.
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Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
Point of Order These can be raised by the Chairperson if a Delegate feels the Board have not properly followed parliamentary procedure. Ultimately, the authority of the Board is absolute. Defence Speech One member of the Proposing Committee delivers the Defence Speech from the podium. It is used to explain the rationale of the overall lines of the Resolution and convince the Plenary that the Resolution is worthy of being adopted. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes. Attack Speech An individual Delegate from a Committee other than that proposing the Resolution at hand delivers an Attack Speech from the podium. It reflects an individual opinion and is used to point out the flaws of the approach taken by the Proposing Committee and should propose alternative solutions. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes. Summation Speech One or two members of the Proposing Committee deliver the Summation Speech from the podium; the microphone can only be passed once. It is used to summarise the debate, respond to main, selected criticism and to once more explain why the chosen approach is the most sensible. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes.
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Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C IVIL L IBERTIES , J USTICE AND H OME A FFAIRS II
Between mourning and fear: given the increasing frequency of (domestic) terrorist attacks in Europe, what steps should Member States take to ensure that societies remain inclusive to people of all cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, and religions? Submitted by:
Katri Amper (Kiuruveden lukio), Maryam Haltam (Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulun lukio) Elina Hämäläinen (Kuopio lyseon lukio), Hedda-Leena Ihalainen (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Katja Korhonen (Myllyharjun lukio), Frida Mitts (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Ragna Moshagen (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Vertti Juhani Peltomäki (Sääksjärven koulu), Veera Sykkö (Vaasan lyseon lukio), Sandra Toivola (Järvenpään lukio), Daniel Vitikainen (Ressun lukio), Henni Wessman (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Jules Genbrugge (Chairperson, BE), Kaya Safa (Chairperson, UK)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the limited focus of Member States’ curricula on teaching about cultural, ethnic, and religious diversity, B. Concerned that the portrayal of certain ethno-religious1 groups in the Middle East by Western media leads to the social exclusion and the marginalisation2 of these individuals in the EU, C. Noting with deep concern the increasing role of far-right movements3 in the rise of prejudice and discrimination against people of certain cultural backgrounds and ethnicities4, D. Alarmed by certain Member States introducing laws restricting religious clothing and symbols in a response to terror attacks in Europe5. 1. Urges Member States to add mandatory lessons about cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds into the national curriculum; An ethno-religious group is an ethnic group whose members are also unified by a common religious background. Marginalisation is a complex process of relegating specific groups of people to the lower or outer edge of society. It effectively pushes these groups of people to the margin of society economically, politically, culturally and socially following the policy of exclusion. 3 Far-right movements can be identified by five key features, namely: nationalism, racism, xenophobia, anti-democracy and the belief in a strong state. 4 According to The Rise of the Far Right in Europe, The Economist, 2016. 5 Examples are: Bulgaria’s burca ban introduced in 2016 and Villeneuve-Loubet’s (France) burkini ban introduced in 2016. 1 2
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
2. Requests the European Commission to fund a social integration programme to increase interactions between refugees and locals, including exchanges between refugees and people convicted of hate speech; 3. Calls upon Member States to require a higher amount of people from different cultural backgrounds to work for state-owned media; 4. Further Calls upon Member States to establish an affordable housing initiative where individuals from different cultural backgrounds can practice their religion and live in an inclusive environment.
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C ONSTITUTIONAL A FFAIRS
E-public, e-participation and e-voting: with nationalistic movements rising in the European Union, how can digital technologies help foster active citizenship and bring the European Union’s institutions closer to the people? Submitted by:
Laura Autio (Kiuruveden lukio), Barna Dorottya Emma (European School of Helsinki), Rufus Långbacka (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Jenni Niemi (Jyväskylän lyseon lukio), Emmi Nulpponen (Hatanpään lukio), Jenna Summala (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Konrad Svahn (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Mariann Jüriorg (Chairperson, EE), Ine Weyts (Chairperson, BE)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the lack of information available to citizens regarding EU legislation and voting procedures because of limited news coverage and an inadequate amount of time spent on the topic in Member States’ curricula, B. Alarmed by the decrease of active citizenship and voting turnouts over the last 35 years1, C. Deeply concerned that European citizens do not feel able to make a difference through active citizenship, specifically voting2, D. Noting with deep concern the disconnection between the EU and its Member States that has led to mistrust across the Union, exemplified by the fundamental disagreements with regard to resolving the refugee crisis, E. Recognising the lack of representation of all the EU’s demographic groups in voting turnouts 3, especially young people4, F. Approving e-voting as an efficient system, G. Pointing out that the required proof of identity5 could lead to fear of losing one’s anonymity;
In 1979 the voting turnout of the European elections was 61.99% and in 2014 it was 42.61%. In 2014 a study showed that more than half of the citizens of the EU do not feel like their voice is being heard. 3 The 2014 EU parliamentary elections voter turnout was 27.8%, which is the lowest recorded for the people aged 24 and younger. 4 Young people with regard to voting in European elections are defined as people aged 18 to 24 and in specific Member States defined by the legal voting age till the age of 24. 5 Giving proof of identity means presenting one or more documents to verify someone’s identity. 1 2
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
1. Urges the European Commission to regulate standardised e-voting alongside the traditional voting method; 2. Calls upon the European Commission to provide a common functional identification system, which guarantees anonymity while voting online; 3. Requests Member States to encourage local media coverage of European elections through simple advertisements and newsletters for all news outlets; 4. Furthermore requests Member States to hold and finance international conferences with Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) and citizens; 5. Recommends the Members States to implement courses on: a)
the EU and its functioning,
b)
the importance of e-voting and e-participation;
6. Requests local governments to encourage the usage of existing e-participation platforms, such as OurSpace, and to incorporate a livestream on the platforms to increase interest.
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C IVIL LIBERTIES , J USTICE AND H OME A FFAIRS I
Between integration, accommodation, and assimilation: considering the large influx of refugees to the European continent from conflict areas in the Middle East, what values should guide Europe Union Member States in designing asylum policies for the new Europeans? Submitted by:
Miguel Adan-Marquez (European School of Helsinki), Uma Fritze (Deutsche Schule Helsinki), Jasmin Haukka (Järvenpään lukio), Sharon Stefannya Hernandez Zarta (Vaasan lyseon lukio), Aarni Hoffren (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Lena-Marie Jorelle (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Gianna Mascioni (DE), Santeri Nousjoki (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Ella Okko (Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulun lukio), Laura Pajarinen (Jyväskylän lyseon lukio), Paula Yu (The English School), Margarida Frango (Chairperson PT/FI), Manon Louvet (Chairperson FR)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by difficult living conditions in refugee camps due to overcrowding1 and a lack of human as well as economic resources, B. Aware that the EU budget2 is tight due to the European debt crisis3, C. Pointing out the disagreements on fund allocation amongst Member States, D. Regretting that different asylum policies amongst Member States4 have contributed to an increased feeling of disunity within the EU, E. Noting with regret unwelcoming attitudes towards refugees amongst some European citizens, exemplified by acts of discrimination, prejudices5, and negative media content, F. Acknowledging the lack of education opportunities offered to refugees’ in their host countries, An example is the Friedland Refugee’s Center which had planned to welcome 700 refugees and welcomed 3000 refugees. 2 he EU budget is composed by each Member State’s payment. The budget in 2016 is 155 billion euros. 4 billion was spent on the refugee crisis. 3 The European debt crisis is a multi-year debt crisis that has been taking place in the European Union since the end of 2009. 4 Disagreement remains on refugee quota’ policies among Member States. Additionally, there are different types of existing processes of applying for asylum. 5 Prejudice is prejudgement or forming an opinion before becoming aware of the relevant facts of a case. These could be judgments about the religious belonging of refugees, conflation between terrorism and migration, or prejudices about the economic impacts of migration. 1
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
G. Alarmed by the lack of recognition of many refugees’ degrees6; 1. Urges the European Commission to set up an exemplary refugee camp to demonstrate the requirements for standard living conditions, thereby ensuring the refugee’s dignity and fundamental rights7; 2. Welcomes Member States to introduce a new tax policy where citizens are provided with the option to donate 0.5% of their tax payments directly to the Member States’ refugee integration budget; 3. Calls upon local governments to facilitate the encounter between locals and refugees by organising intercultural events, such as sports activities, in order to fight prejudices; 4. Requests Member States to integrate refugees’ children into the Member States’ school systems by giving them supportive language classes as well as preparatory classes in order to grant them equal opportunities in the Member States’ educational system; 5. Calls upon Member States to integrate refugees into the labour market more quickly by
creating workshops to teach refugees how to apply for jobs in the host country effectively.
According to Europe Refugee Crisis Facts: Wealthy, Educated Syrians Risking Lives To Leave War, International Business Times, 2015. 7 Fundamental rights are generally regarded set of legal protections in the context of a legal system. In the EU the fundamental rights are defined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. 6
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C ULTURE AND E DUCATION III
Towards mobility and intercultural understanding: keeping in mind the barriers that regional and monirity language speakers face in society, employment and education, what approach should the European Union take towards regional and minority languages within its Member States? Submitted by:
Julie Delval (European School of Helsinki), Alma Koivisto (Tampereen lyseon lukio), Linda Mutalahti (Keravan lukio), Matilda Mäkinen (Kosken lukio), Tega Oke (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Satu Rantanen (Järvenpään lukio), Pauliina Siekkinen (Jyväskylän lyseon lukio), Ronja Schalin (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Henriikka Toivola (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Ville Valli (Vaasan lyseon lukio), Maryia Hermanovich (Chairperson, BY), Saara Kiiskinen (Chairperson, FI)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned by the insufficient ability of regional1 or minority2 language speakers to express themselves in social, civil, governmental, and judicial activities3, B. Alarmed by regional or minority languages not being passed onto future generations due to: i)
a lack of regional or minority language education in schools,
ii)
a reluctance of parents to teach their children a regional or minority language,
C. Fully aware of the narrowed job opportunities and language barriers that minority language speakers face whilst trying to integrate into society, D. Believing that the lack of interaction between different cultures creates negative cultural prejudices leading to societal tension, E. Noting with deep concern that the extinction of a language may lead to the loss of its culture and its’ idiosyncratic way of viewing the world; 1. Calls upon the European Commission to financially support events in Member States, which promote regional or minority language speakers and their culture, with the aim of: A regional language is a language spoken in an area of a sovereign state, whether it be a small area, a federal state or province, or some wider area. 2 A minority language is a language spoken by a minority of the population of a territory. 3 An example: not being understood when using public services in their mother tongue, and not being able to receive service at all in a specific language. 1
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
a)
enhancing unity among people speaking different languages;
b)
ii) ensuring that minority languages do not go extinct;
2. Requests Member States to encourage companies in their respective regional language areas to provide linguistic trainings for their employees in order to be able to offer services in multiple languages; 3. Appeals to the European Court of Justice (ECJ)4 to judge cultural hate crimes more strictly in order to create a safe environment for regional or minority language speakers; 4. Calls upon the European Commission to increase the financial support to European exchange programmes, such as Erasmus+5, in order to further promote intercultural understanding between minority and majority language speakers in Member States.
European Court of Justice (ECJ) ensures that EU law is interpreted and applied in the same way in every EU country. Additionally it ensures that countries and EU institutions abide by EU law. 5 Erasmus+ is the EU's programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe. Its budget of €14.7 billion will provide opportunities for over 4 million Europeans to study, train gain experience, and volunteers abroad. 4
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON E MPLOYMENT AND S OCIAL A FFAIRS
Employment perspectives: With youth unemployment rates varying widely across Member States, how can the European Union provide effective support to tackle youth unemployment in all Member States? Submitted by:
Lauri Hämäläinen (Myllyharjun lukio), Katariina Juhakoski (Mikkelin lukio), Aleksi Koivisto (Deutsche Schule Helsinki), Julie Paukkunen (Järvenpään lukio), Eeva Pere (Nousiaisten lukio), Amisa Puuskamäki (Vaasan lyseon lukio), Miska Viljanen (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Katariina Väisänen (Järvenpään lukio), Sidar Yüksel (Kiuruveden lukio), Barbera de Mol (Chairperson, NL), Wahid Reza (Chairperson, FI)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Noting with deep concern that 19.6%1 of all youth2 across Member States is unemployed3, B. Alarmed by the lack of opportunities for the European youth to gain job experience, C. Noting with satisfaction that the Youth Guarantee4 has been partly successful5 in decreasing the gap between education and work6, D. Deeply concerned by the negative impact that unemployment has on the mental state of the youth7, E. Bearing in mind the increased risk of youth unemployment due to companies being less willing to take risks in the aftermath of the European debt crisis8,
According to Unemployment statistics, Directorate General Eurostat (DG ESTAT), 2016. Youth is defined as people between the age of 15 and 24. 3 Unemployment is defined as people who are eligible and actively searching for work, but have not been able to secure a job. 4 The Youth Guarantee guarantees every EU citizen in participating countries (Finland, Latvia, Portugal, Romania) under the age of 25 a job, apprenticeship, traineeship, or continued education within 4 months after completing a formal education or being unemployed. 5 Compared with September 2015, youth unemployment decreased by 425,000 in the EU-28 and by 243,000 in the euro area. In September 2016, the youth unemployment rate was 18.2 % in the EU-28 and 20.3 % in the euro area, compared with 20.0 % and 22.2 % respectively in September 2015. 6 Youth leaving education do often not have sufficient knowledge to start working. 7 According to Unemployment and Subjective Well-being, Work and Occupations, 2010: the traditional deprivation theory states that unemployment is a major psychological stressor. 1 2
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
F. Appreciating the fact that increased European cooperation opens up job opportunities for EU citizens; 1. Encourages the European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA)9 to expand their activities to developing training programs for young people in order to help them gain the necessary skills for employment; 2. Further calls upon the European Commission to increase the budget of the Youth Guarantee in order to extend the program to more Member States; 3. Urges the European Commission to increase the budget of the EU Youth Strategy10 in order to further encourage youth entrepreneurship; 4. Suggests Member States to provide counselors for students to help with their career prospects and mental health throughout their entire academic path11 in order to prevent social isolation; 5. Calls upon Member States to encourage international cooperation between existing
educational bodies12 and companies regarding the process of getting from education to work life.
The European debt crisis is a multi-year debt crisis that has been taking place in the EU since 2009. The European Alliance for Apprenticeships (EAfA) is a unique platform which brings together governments with other key stakeholders, like businesses, social partners, chambers, vocational education and training (VET) providers, regions, youth representatives or think tanks. The common goal is to strengthen the quality, supply and image of apprenticeships in Europe. 10 The EU Youth Strategy was agreed on by EU Ministers, and it sets out a framework for cooperation covering the years 2010-2018. It has two main objectives to provide more and equal opportunities for young people in education and the job market and to encourage young people to actively participate in society. An aspect of the EU Youth Strategy is supporting youth entrepreneurship. 11 The academic path is the entire period of an individual’s formal education to work life. 12 Such as universities, secondary education, vocational school, etc. 8 9
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C ULTURE AND E DUCATION I
Digital exclusion and cyberbullying: considering that reportedly 6% of kids between the age of 9 and 16 have been victims of cyberbullying, how can the European Union’s educational systems foster attitudes in students that lead to ethical use of digital technologies? Submitted by:
Muntadher Al-Sudani (Kauniaisten lukio), Monica de Quinto Scheider (Helsingin Suomalainen Yhteiskoulu), Vera Djakonoff (Järvenpään lukio), Tiia Elonen (Nousiaisten lukio), Ahmed Hewidy (Ressun lukio), Alexandra Ekaterini Kasdaglis (Hatanpään lukio), Isabela Namaz (The English School), Linn Palmgren (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Oskar Pulkkinen (European School of Helsinki), Monna Savolainen (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Max Smith (Ressun lukio), Lucie Mérelle (Chairperson, FI/UK), Milja Miettinen (Chairperson, FI)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Recognising that interventions aimed at preventing cyberbullying have often not proven to be effective and are not widely adopted in Member States’ curricula, B. Emphasising that students are thereby deprived of the necessary education about the consequences of cyberbullying and consequently students are lacking empathy for victims of cyberbullying, C. Firmly convinced that the Internet contributes to organised discrimination and cyberbullying, particularly through social media, D. Deeply concerned that psychological support for victims of cyberbullying is often inaccessible, not facilitated, or by other means unapproachable in Member States’ educational systems, E. Noting with regret that interventions adopted by Member States to deter cyberbullying have been inadequately able to effectively prevent cyberbullying from occurring; 1. Calls upon the European Commission to provide funding to universities doing research on forms of cyberbullying and methods of prevention; 2. Requests Member States to train teachers, students, and parents with the help of workshops in order to raise awareness of cyberbullying and encourage responsible use of the Internet; 3. Strongly urges Member States to require schools to hire a psychologist to help involved parties overcome the negative emotional and psychological effects of cyberbullying;
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
4. Encourages Member States to include the development of social skill in national curricula at an early age in order to encourage prosocial behaviour1 and tolerance; 5. Urges EU Kids’ Online2 to create a website to offer support to those affected by cyberbullying with the help of trained professionals.
Prosocial behavior - any action intended to help others such as altruism, or the desire to help others with no expectation of reward. 2 EU Kids Online is a multinational research network. It seeks to enhance knowledge of European children’s online opportunities, risks and safety. It uses multiple methods to map children’s and parent’s experience of the Internet, in dialogue with National and European policy stakeholders. 1
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON C ULTURE AND E DUCATION II
On inclusion and equality: guided by the 2016-2018 EU Youth Strategy’s aim to provide more equal opportunities for young people in the job market and to encourage young people to actively participate in society, how should the educational systems of the European Union’s Member States facilitate these objectives? Submitted by:
Ezatolla Barati (Hatanpään lukio), Ana Fernandes (The European School of Helsinki), Heli Huttunen (Oulun Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun lukio), Okko Karvonen (Helsingin yliopisto), Jenna Korjula (Myllyharjun lukio), Jenna Lehtinen (FI), Yifan Lin (Ressun lukio), Matti Lötjönen (Kuopion klassillinen lukio), Elina Nissinen (Mikkelin lukio), Annika Rosqvist (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Sophia Sajantila (Deutsche Schule Helsinki), Wilma Wessman (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Yasmin Kartes (Chairperson, DE), Josef Khomyak (Chairperson, FI)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Gravely concerned by the great differences between systems of education across different EU regions and Member States, which lead to unequal job opportunities for pupils upon graduation, B. Alarmed by the inability of educational systems to effectively teach the knowledge, skills and attitudes related to entrepreneurship, information and communication technologies (ICT), and social interaction, needed to meet the demands of changing industries and the rapid formation of new sectors, C. Keeping in mind that unemployment may result in social exclusion1,2 and negatively impacts an individual’s mental health and social interactions3, D. Noting with regret that social exclusion caused by unemployment may lead to political apathy4, which plays a role in low voter turnout rates,
Social exclusion is the process in which individual of people are systematically blocked from bor denied full access to various rights, opportunities and resources that are normally available to members of a different group, and which are fundamental to social integration within that particular group (e.g., housing, employment, healthcare, civic engagement, democratic participation, and due process). 2 According to Risks and Outcomes of Social Exclusion Insights From Longitudinal Data, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), n.d.. 3 According to Unemployment and Subjective Well-being, Work and Occupations, 2010: the traditional deprivation theory states that unemployment is a major psychological stressor. 1
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
E. Realising that a low level of education may result in unemployment or low-paid jobs, which plays a role in generational poverty5,6; 1. Call upon Member States to co-operate in order to reduce differences between educational systems through: a)
the Open Method of Coordination (OMC)7 sharing practises,
b)
expert groups which have been set up by the EU Work Plan for Youth8;
2. Requests Member States to provide the study materials for mandatory classes free of charge; 3. Furthermore requests Member States to follow the example of Ontario, Canada9 to support students with financial problems; 4. Calls upon Member States to provide large enough funds to schools to employ a sufficient number of career counsellors and psychologists to prevent severe mental health issues; 5. Recommends Member States to provide students with the possibility to attend support groups in order to effectively resolve mental health or personal problems, which may arise due to unemployment; 6. Urges Member States to implement social studies into the national curriculum starting from the first grade in age appropriate forms, such as games and workshops, in order to diminish political apathy amongst youth; 7. Calls upon Member States to support schools in teaching entrepreneurship, ICT, and social interaction related knowledge, skills, and attitudes by: a)
including practical lessons and assignments into the curricula,
b)
cooperating with private companies and NGO’s following the example of Germany’s apprenticeship programs.10
Political apathy is the indifference on the part of any citizen of any country with regard to their attitude towards political activities. 5 Generational poverty is defined as a family having lived in poverty for at least two generations and is distinctly different from situational poverty. 6 According to Overcoming the Silence of Generational Poverty, National Council of Teachers of English, 2003. 7 Open Method of Coordination is a form of cooperation in many policy areas to gain by exchanging good practice on the way they design policies and funding schemes. 8 The EU Work Plan for Youth is a resolution adopted in 2016 to help the EU and its Member States to continue to tackle more promptly and efficiently the continuing high youth unemployment rates, increasing social inclusion and participation of all Young People in democratic and civic life. 9 In the budget of February 2016, the government of Canada said that most college students whose family income is less than $50,000 a year will receive grants large enough to cover their whole tuition. 10 In Germany, training for many vocations is provided by means of a dual programme of training and education. Apprentices spend three to four days a week at a company providing vocational training, where they acquire the practical skills required for their field of work. The remaining one or two days are spent at a vocational school, where apprentices receive a theoretical grounding in their future job. 4
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE
C OMMITTEE ON E NVIRONMENT , P UBLIC H EALTH AND F OOD S AFETY
From food fad to fast-food culture: considering the diversity of eating habits across European Union Member States, how can the European Union pave way towards greener and less wasteful food consumption? Submitted by:
Aada-Maija Hakakoski (Porin lyseon lukio), Emilla Hannukainen (Kuopion lyseon lukio), Iina Hirvonen (Joensuun lyseon lukio), Ronja Holopainen (Helsingin Suomalaisen Yhteiskoulun lukio), Kaisa Hämäläinen (Lahden yhteiskoulu), Annika Kantokari (Gymnasiet Lärkan), Riikka Keskitalo (Järvenpään lukio), Maresa Pallasch (DE), Aino Puhto (Mikkelin lukio), Totti Virtanen (Deutsche Schule Helsinki), Martin Örn (The English School) Ausma Cirulniece (Chairperson, LV), Isabella Servanto (Chairperson, FI)
The European Youth Parliament, A. Noting with concern that consumer ignorance and misinformation1 about the impact of food waste on the environment and economy increase the amount of food waste, B. Regretting that the waste management of food waste from European businesses and households places a burden on the economy of the Member States2, C. Defining unsustainable farming as inefficient use of land and freshwater, deforestation 3, and erosion, D. Taking into account that the low prices of unsustainably produced food lead to the decreased consumption of more expensive ethically produced food4, E. Noting with deep concern that greenhouse gasses and fertilizers created through the process of food production cause environmental problems5;
Consumers often confuse “sell by” dates (designed to help retailers to manage stock) with expiration dates, prompting consumers to throw tons of good food away. 2 In terms of economic impacts, food waste causes high waste management costs. Such waste management costs include the maintenance of landfills as well as transport costs, operations costs in the treatment plants, and separation costs in some cases. 3 Deforestation is the act or result of cutting down or burning all the trees in an area. 4 Consumers tend to make consumption decisions based on availability and pricing of products, rather than ethics and sustainability. Therefore the price gap between unethically and ethically produced foods is a determinant in the persistence of the consumption of unethically produced foods. 1
Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of European Youth Parliament Finland General Assembly, 6 November 2016
1. Calls upon the European Commission to monitor and regulate excessive food production by European companies; 2. Welcomes the European Commission to implement a taxation policy offering tax deductions to all businesses donating food6; 3. Appeals to the European Council to initiate the process of banning factory farming7 in the EU; 4. Requests the European Commission to supervise and regulate intensive agriculture 8 in Member States; 5. Calls upon the Directorate General on Research and Innovation (DG RTD)9 to detect and
monitor the most polluting phases of the food production chain.
Fertilizers deplete the quality of the soil, intoxicate the environment and lead to death of fish, and other aquatic fauna and flora. Fertilizers consist of substances and chemicals which contribute to a great extent in the quantity of greenhouse gases present in the environment. 6 Experiments in the US have accomplished reductions in food waste through offering tax incentives for businesses donating their surplus food. 7 The factory farming industry strives to maximize output while minimizing costs at the expense of animals’ well being. 8 ntensive agriculture is characterized by a low fallow ratio and higher use of inputs such as capital and labour per unit land area. 9 The Directorate-General for Research and Innovation defines and implements European Research and Innovation (R&I) policy with a view to achieving the goals of the Europe 2020 strategy and its key flagship initiative, the Innovation Union. 5
Partners of Järvenpää 2016 – Regional Session of EYP Finland
European Youth Parliament Finland – EYP Finland ry Melkonkatu 24 00210 Helsinki info@eypfinland.org www.eypfinland.org