“Zeroing in on Europe’s diversity – Regional answers to global challenges”
INFORMATION BOOKLET
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ABRANTES 2014 – 30TH NATIONAL SELECTION CONFERENCE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT PORTUGAL “Zeroing in on Europe’s diversity – Regional answers to global challenges”
INFORMATION BOOKLET
APPEJ – Associação Portuguesa do Parlamento Europeu dos Jovens/European Youth Parliament Portugal Rua da Concórdia 45, 4465-601, Leça do Balio, Porto, Portugal www.pejportugal.com · appejovens@gmail.com
TABLE OF CONTENTS 4 5 6 7 9 11 12 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 29 30 31
Welcome word from the Head-organisers Welcome word from the President The session Programme Session elements Dress codes explained Venues Meet the Organisers Meet the Board Meet the Chairpersons Meet the Media Team Meet the Jurors Participating Schools Committee Topics and Introductory Paragraphs Legal notes Checklist Contacts
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WELCOME WORD FROM THE HEAD-ORGANISERS Dear participants of Abrantes 2014, We are Ana and Miguel, the session’s Head-organisers, and we would like to hereby welcome you to what will surely be a very special adventure! Right now, what we ask of you is that you keep an open mind, be ready for many challenges and give it your best during all the moments that will make up the session. For our part, we can promise you that, due to the richness of moments you will go through, Abrantes 2014 will be a life-changing experience on various levels. Likewise, you will have the chance of meeting many inspiring people from all over Portugal and Europe – from your own Chairpersons to the entire Officials’ team and, especially, all your soon-to-be-fellow Delegates, you will not be alone on this adventure… and that is also what will make it so special! Until then, we strongly recommend that you carefully read through this booklet, acquaint yourselves with the programme, the session elements, your work and all other requirements herein and, of course, that you feel at liberty to get in touch with any questions you may have. Very much looking forward to welcoming you all in Abrantes, Yours, Ana Nunes and Miguel Paiva Head-organisers, Abrantes 2014
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WELCOME WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear all, As I type these words, the session is only a month away and, while much work is already behind us, quite some more still lies ahead. From now on, though, that work will be extending beyond the Officials’ team and to all other participants – namely, the Delegates, the heart and soul of any session, the reason we do what we do – and that is why I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome you, all of you, to Abrantes 2014 – 30th National Selection Conference of the European Youth Parliament Portugal!
If you will allow me, I would also like to take the next few lines to acquaint you with what is and will be going on and, while we are at it, let you in on my personal hopes and expectations for the session. As I said, we will all be gathering in Abrantes in exactly one month and, while that probably feels like a very long time to most of you, it actually is not… especially when you think of what you will have to do in that time. Over the next days and weeks, you will be choosing your topic preferences, according to which you will be allocated to your Committees. Once that has happened, you will receive an Academic Preparation Kit that will be more thorough than any we have had at past National Selection Conferences of EYP in Portugal. Once in possession of that preparation kit, you will be asked to… exactly!, prepare. Additionally, to help you prepare as best as you possibly can, you will be asked to put together your own Fact Sheets and Position Papers (more on those in the preparation kit, soon). All of that will happen until a week before the session begins, so I am guessing one month no longer feels like that much time, does it? Either way, we will be here to help you, already now and all throughout the session! So… what do I hope for? What are my expectations? First of all – and more broadly –, I hope that Abrantes 2014 will serve as the landmark event it was thought up to be: a celebration of twenty-five years of EYP Portugal and of thirty NSCs! In that spirit, it is my sincere hope that we will be able to take our work to the next level, raising the bar higher than ever and setting even more ambitious standards for our autumn NSC. Additionally, I hope that all of you, Delegates, brandnew or with some past EYP experience, will take this moment as a stepping-stone in your lives, opening up to the reality of Europe, getting to know more about it and its peoples, its day-to-day politics and the role you as
individuals can take in shaping them. To that effect, we will be hosting a number of foreign participants; we will be engaging in a series of different activities (most notably, for its unprecedented nature, a Press Conference that will take place before the beginning of the General Assembly, on Saturday); we will be… oh!, wait, this last one is a surprise… Ultimately, and in spite of a very demanding programme, I hope we will all have the chance to spend time together, getting to know one another and, as is often the case at this type of event, forging friendships that will last us a lifetime. Now, I am well aware of how terribly hypothetical this all may sound; but that is precisely why I am challenging you to help me – help all of us – make it a reality! For my part, I can tell you that I am greatly looking forward to welcoming, listening to and learning from all of you in Abrantes and, of course, that I will be entirely at your disposal, already from today and until well after the session has ended. Yours, in anticipation, Tiago Correia Machado President, Abrantes 2014
PS. Just like the Head-organisers, I very much recommend that you read through this booklet carefully and take the time to prepare adequately and perform all tasks required of you. Should you have any questions, the Organisers and myself will be here to help – just get in touch!
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THE SESSION Overview
Abrantes 2014 – 30th National Selection Conference of the European Youth Parliament Portugal will be held in the city of Abrantes, right in the centre of Portugal. From Thursday, April 24th to Sunday, April 27th, 2014, more than 110 young people from all over Europe will gather to experience a four-day programme, packed with all the fundamental EYP elements, as well as other, complementary activities. For more detailed information about the various elements that will make up Abrantes 2014, please see ‘Programme’ and ‘Session elements’, on pages 7–10, below. All session Officials are asked to arrive one day earlier (by 10:00 WEST on Wednesday, April 23rd) to attend Teambuilding for Officials and receive training in their respective competence areas. Arrivals and pick-ups will be arranged directly with the Officials. All Delegates must arrive at Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes (see ‘Venues’, on pages 12–14, below) by 09:00 WEST on Thursday, April 24th. Arrivals will be coordinated with each Delegation’s responsible Teacher(s).
“Zeroing in on Europe’s diversity – Regional answers to global challenges”
With the session taking place close to the geodesic centre of Portugal, the chosen theme will play a crucial role in defining the core of the discussions, which will put a strong emphasis
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on regional development and policymaking in Europe. To find out more about the Committee Topics that will be discussed at Abrantes 2014, please see ‘Committee Topics and Introductory Paragraphs’, on pages 21–28, below. Also, the session theme is not to be confused with that of the Theme Party. To find out more about that, please see ‘Session elements’ and ‘Dress code explained’, on page 11, below.
Selection
During the session, the seven most suitable Delegates will be selected to represent EYP Portugal at the 77th International Session of the European Youth Parliament, which will take place from October 31st to November 9th, 2014. To learn more about who will be selecting the seven Portuguese Delegates and how they will be selected, please see ‘Meet the Jurors’ and ‘Evaluation procedure and criteria’, on page 19, below.
PROGRAMME
The following is the final version of the programme. Complete adherence is expected of all participants. Should any last-minute changes occur during the session, the participants will be informed by the Organisers and will be expected to comply with their instructions. For any further questions regarding the programme, please see ‘Leaving the official programme’, under ‘Legal notes’, on page 29, below or contact the Organisation (see ‘Contacts’, on page 31, below).
Day 0 – Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014 (Officials only) Until 10:30 Arrival of Officials (at Parque de São Lourenço) 11:00–13:00 Teambuilding 13:00–14:00 Lunch-break 14:00–15:30 Teambuilding/Training (separate teams) 15:30–16:00 Transfer to Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes 16:00–17:30 Training I (separate teams) 17:30–18:00 Coffee-break 18:00–20:00 Training II (separate teams) 20:00–20:30 Free time 20:30–22:00 Officials’ EuroVillage 22:00–00:00 Evening activity Day 1 – Thursday, April 24th, 2014 (Teambuilding and EuroVillage) 07:00 Officials’ wake-up call 07:30–08:30 Officials’ breakfast 08:30–10:00 Individual planning time 10:00–10:30 Planning the kick-off Until 09:30 Arrival of Delegations at Escola Prática de Cavalaria 09:00–10:30 Check-in
10:30–11:00 Transfer to Aquapólis 11:00–11:30 Kick-off 11:30–13:00 Teambuilding I (outdoors) 13:00–14:00 Lunch-break 14:00–16:30 Teambuilding II (outdoors) 16:30–16:45 Transfer to Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes 16:45–17:15 Coffee-break 17:15–19:45 Teambuilding III (indoors) 19:45–20:30 Free time/dress change 20:30–22:30 EuroVillage 22:30–00:00 Evening socialising Day 2 – Friday, April 25th, 2014 (Committee Work and Theme Party) 07:00 Wake-up call 07:30–08:20 Breakfast 08:20–08:30 Gathering 08:30–08:50 Transfer to Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu 08:50–09:00 Settling in 09:00–11:00 Committee Work I 11:00–11:30 Coffee-break 11:30–13:30 Committee Work II 13:30–14:30 Lunch-break 14:30–17:00 Committee Work III 17:00–17:30 Coffee-break 17:30–20:00 Committee Work IV 20:00–21:00 Dinner 20:00–20:30 Chairs’ dinner 20:30–20:45 Chairs’ transfer to Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes 20:45–21:00 Settling in 21:00–01:30 Resolution-typing 20:40–21:20 Dress change 21:20–21:40 Transfer to São Lourenço by Trincanela 21:40–23:30 Theme Party 23:30–23:40 Gathering 23:40–00:00 Transfer back to Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes Day 3 – Saturday, April 26th, 2014 (Opening Ceremony, Press Conference, General Assembly and EuroConcert) 07:00 Wake-up call 07:30–08:20 Breakfast 08:20–08:30 Gathering 08:30–08:50 Transfer to Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu 08:50–09:00 Settling in 09:00–09:30 General Assembly procedure 7
09:30–12:00 General Assembly preparation 12:00–13:00 Lunch-break 13:00–13:15 Settling in 13:15–14:15 Opening Ceremony 14:15–15:15 Press Conference 15:15–15:45 Reception 15:45–16:45 Resolution I 16:45–17:45 Resolution II 17:45–18:15 Coffee-break 18:15–19:15 Resolution III 19:15–19:30 Gathering 19:30–20:30 Dinner 20:30–21:15 Dress-change 21:15–21:30 Settling in 21:30–23:30 EuroConcert 23:30–00:00 Transfer back to Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes Day 4 – Sunday, April 27th, 2014 (General Assembly and Closing Ceremony) 07:00 Wake-up call 07:30–08:20 Breakfast 08:20–08:30 Gathering 08:30–08:50 Transfer to Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu 08:50–09:00 Settling in 09:00–09:15 Resuming the General Assembly 09:15–10:15 Resolution IV 10:15–11:15 Resolution V 11:15–12:15 Resolution VI 12:15–12:30 Gathering 12:30–13:15 Lunch-break 13:15–13:30 Settling in 13:30–14:30 Resolution VII 14:30–15:30 Resolution VIII 15:30–15:45 Coffee-break 15:45–16:45 Closing Ceremony 16:45… Departure of Delegations 17:15–18:45 Officials’ feedback meeting 18:45… Departures of Officials
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SESSION ELEMENTS
All EYP sessions have at least three elements in common: Teambuilding, Committee Work and General Assembly. At Abrantes 2014, we will be having those three… and some more. Read on to learn all you need to know about those.
TEAMBUILDING
(Dress code: comfortable) On Thursday, following a ‘kick-off’ activity involving all the participants, the Delegates will gather in their respective Committees, together with another seven Delegates from a different school (including an international Delegate) and a Chairperson (who can be either Portuguese or from a different European country). Coming from different backgrounds and, most likely, never having met before, the Delegates will, by the end of the day, have got to know one another and learnt how to work as a closely knit team. Under the guidance and facilitation of their Chairpersons and the Board of the session, the Committees will engage in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities; some physical, others demanding creativity, communication and problem-solving skills, but all of them fun and engaging, these activities are designed to help these mixed groups of people work as teams – and, specifically, as members of the same Committee, who will be tackling the same issues during the Committee Work.
EUROVILLAGE
(Dress code: casual will do; regional/ national costumes preferred) Each School Delegation at Abrantes 2014 will put together their own stand, featuring items from their city or region (or country, for international Delegates) – souvenirs, information brochures, national flags,
everything is welcome – and, of course, many culinary specialties to be sampled. The EuroVillage will serve as everyone’s dinner on Thursday, too, so be sure to leave no one hungry. Also, while it will be possible to heat up pre-cooked dishes, we would advise that you rely mostly on dishes that can be served cold or at room temperature. Cooking whole dishes will not be possible. Finally, while typical beverages are welcome, the Delegates (regardless of their age) will not be allowed any alcohol and beverages with alcoholic content above 16% vol. will not be permitted.
EVENING SOCIALISING
(Dress code: casual) On Thursday evening, following the EuroVillage, the participants will be given some additional time to socialise and get to know one another in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. This will happen within the facilities of Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes.
COMMITTEE WORK
(Dress code: smart) This is, perhaps, the central part of any session. The Delegates of each Committee will come together, now working well as a team after a full day of Teambuilding, and sit down to discuss their given topic. Their goal is to write a Resolution on that topic with which they can all agree and, of course, defend at the General Assembly. This is no easy task: people from very different backgrounds often
have as many different perspectives and will almost certainly have to reach compromises if they are to find agreement within the established time. To help them through, each Committee will continue being accompanied by an experienced Chairperson, an older EYP Alumnus/a, who will ensure that all voices are heard and that the Resolution reflects the ideas of the whole group. While discussions may be heated, the end result will doubtlessly be that the Delegates will have learnt an incredible amount about the issue and really thought about the implications, developing and redeveloping their own views. The skills learnt during the Committee Work – discussing, debating, persuading, negotiating and compromising – will prepare the Delegates not only for the General Assembly, but for life. At Abrantes 2014, we will have nine hours of Committee Work, a considerable increase from past sessions.
THEME PARTY
(Dress code: themed) “Work hard, party hard…” or so goes the saying. This is true also at EYP sessions, where, following a full day of Committee Work, the Delegates will have the chance to unwind and party for a few hours. This party, however, will also serve to highlight a very special day in Portugal: on April 25th, we will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution with the theme “Liberty/ Freedom”. To honour it, the participants will have to bring an adornment – or even a whole outfit – that relates to it. Choose wisely (or just be silly?) and we are sure this will be an evening to remember.
PREPARATION FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(Dress code: work-formal) On the morning of Saturday, the Delegates will first gather in the small auditorium of Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu to go over the General Assembly procedure. Afterwards, they will break into Committees and will spend the rest of the morning writing speeches and revising their positions for the General Assembly.
OPENING CEREMONY
(Dress code: work-formal) Following lunch, all participants will gather in the large auditorium, where the Opening Ceremony will take place. This will be the first truly formal (and, incidentally, also public) moment of the session and, as its name makes clear, will mark the moment when the Parliament will go into session. Several important personalities will be addressing the Delegates, motivating them to debate and make their voices heard and, after the European Anthem has played, the President will declare the session to be officially open.
PRESS CONFERENCE
(Dress code: work-formal) Before the first Debate begins, there will be a one-hour Press Conference, gathering all participants, with a particular focus on the Delegates and the session’s Media Team, as well as external media (local, regional and national newspapers, television and radio networks). On the one hand, this press conference will surely help bring greater visibility to the work of EYP and the opinions of Portuguese and internationals youths; on the other hand, it will provide the Delegates with a good opportunity to practise their argumentative and public speaking skills ahead of the first three Debates of the General Assembly. 9
GENERAL ASSEMBLY
(Dress code: work-formal) Once the Press Conference is over, and following a short cocktail reception, the participants will all gather for the first of eight Debates at the General Assembly. For each Debate, the Resolution being proposed will be presented, defended, attacked, debated and voted on. As such, it will be of paramount importance that all Delegates are familiar with not only the topic of their own Committee, but also those of others. While it is true that, in several cases, the European Parliament has gone on to discuss issues brought up by EYP Resolutions, the aim of this activity is not to exert political influence, but rather to provide an educational experience for the individuals taking part.
EUROCONCERT
(Dress code: formal or performance-related) EYPers tend to possess a multitude of talents, reaching well beyond public speaking and arguing for their opinions during heated debates. In recognition of the many artistically gifted amongst us, this event will offer every participant a chance to showcase their abilities, be that by playing an instrument, singing or dancing. If you would like to perform at the EuroConcert, please see the ‘Checklist’, on page 30, for further instructions.
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CLOSING CEREMONY
(Dress code: work-formal) Following the five remaining Debates on the second day of the General Assembly, representatives of EYP Portugal and of the various teams of Officials will hold a series of speeches, helping the participants reflect on what we are certain will have been a lifechanging experience. In the end, we will close the session in the same way we will have opened it: with the words of the President of the session, right after the European Anthem.
DRESS CODES EXPLAINED
As you may have noticed, different moments require different sets of clothes. In this section, you can find a short explanation of what each dress code means. Please remember that, while their descriptions are indicative, these dress codes are, for the most part, mandatory. Also, bear in mind that Abrantes can be chilly, even in late April, so be sure to check the weather forecast (try: http://www.accuweather.com/en/pt/abrantes/275481/ weather-forecast/275481 for some of the most accurate predictions around) and pack accordingly.
COMFORTABLE
This is how you should dress for the Teambuilding. While we all know that first impressions count, please bear in mind that you will be performing a series of outdoors activities, some of which more-or-less physically demanding, so make sure you wear clothes that are comfortable and can get dirty. Depending on the weather, you might also need a warmer jumper.
CASUAL
This is what you can wear outside the official moments of the session, namely during the evening socialising on Friday and any other free time. Basically, whatever you feel comfortable in is an option, as long as it is decent.
SMART
This is what you must wear for the Committee Work. While ‘smart’ attire may be difficult to pin down, it definitely excludes tennis shoes, sports trousers or jeans and t-shirts. In other words, we would recommend… for the gentlemen: a pair of dressier shoes and trousers, a button-down shirt with a jumper and/or a jacket; for the ladies: either that or a dressier skirt, with a shirt and a jumper and/or a jacket.
might be time to bring out that special bow tie; for the ladies: this is when you can add a bit of glamour… or a bit of bling! If you will be performing at the EuroConcert, then you have much more liberty in choosing what to wear, as long as it is in keeping with the nature of your performance and within the limits of the decorum that is expected of all participants.
THEMED
As you have just read, this session’s Theme Party will be all about celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution – aka the Revolution of April 25th –, which, in 1974, gave back Portugal and the Portuguese a long-gone and much-yearned-for democratic government. To celebrate in style, you are asked to bring an accessory/ornament that, in your opinion, symbolises liberty and/ or freedom. Better yet, make it a whole costume! PS. Red carnations, while nice, are too obvious. As such, we highly suggest that you take the time to think it through and go for something more creative. Good luck!
FORMAL
This is what you must wear for all the more formal moments of the session, all throughout Saturday and Sunday. For the Opening Ceremony, the Press Conference, the General Assembly and the Closing Ceremony, formal attire that is appropriate for a work/business environment will be accepted. This means, for the gentlemen: a business suit, dress shirt, dress shoes and a sober tie; for the ladies: either a suit, a tailleur or a combination of a sober, knee-length skirt, a dress shirt and an appropriate jumper will do. In all cases: nothing flashy, please. For the EuroConcert, while remaining formal, your choice of attire can add a little bling. For the gentlemen: it 11
VENUES PARQUE DE SÃO LOURENÇO ESCOLA PRÁTICA DE CAVALARIA DE ABRANTES
This former Portuguese Army Cavalry School will be our accommodation during the session. Officials, male and female Delegates will be staying in three separate wings, where they will have their respective bedrooms and bathrooms. In addition to providing us with beds and breakfast for the duration of the whole session, Escola Prática de Cavalaria will also host several of our activities, including the second part of Teambuilding (with each Committee taking a different room), the EuroVillage (which will take place in the dining hall) and the evening socialising on Thursday (taking place in one of the common rooms).
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Within a very short bus ride from both Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu and Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes, this beautiful, large urban park offering various leisure facilities, a small lake and plenty of trees, will be the perfect spot for the Officials’ gathering and Teambuilding on Wednesday morning.
AQUAPÓLIS
Located right on the Tagus’ riverfront, this recently-renovated prime location will serve as the venue for the Delegates’ Teambuilding during the first half of Friday. Boasting sweeping views and more than enough space everyone, this will be the perfect venue for the Delegates to relax and get to know one another in a natural, welcoming environment.
SÃO LOURENÇO BY TRINCANELA
Located within the Parque de São Lourenço complex, this restaurant and café comes equipped with its own party room, complete with lights, sound system and, weather permitting, a balcony overlooking the lake. This is where the participants will gather for the Theme Party on Friday. 13
ESCOLA SECUNDĂ RIA DOUTOR SOLANO DE ABREU
One of many schools to receive a complete overhaul over the past years, this secondary school is located within walking distance from our accommodation venue, which will greatly reduce the number of required bus transfers during the session. Amongst its facilities, we will be using: on Friday, a whole wing of classrooms for the Committee Work; on Saturday and Sunday, the small auditorium for the General Assembly procedure, the previous days’ classrooms for the preparation in Committees and the large auditorium for the Opening Ceremony, the Press Conference, the General Assembly, the EuroConcert and the Closing Ceremony.
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MEET THE ORGANISERS
Ana Nunes Head-organiser
Miguel Paiva Head-organiser
The team of Organisers are a central piece to any session, and Abrantes 2014 is no different. During the several months of preparation leading up to the session, they have been – and will keep on – working tirelessly to ensure everything, from programme to venues, are ready to welcome all of you. During the session, they will be the ones in charge of logistics, transport, food and all the many other ‘invisible’ tasks that must be performed for the event to run smoothly for all the participants. In other words: you may not get to see much of them, but, when you do (and you will, we promise you that), be sure to spare a smile and a “thank you!” – it will mean the world to them and we all know that happy people work better. For now, you can start by putting a name to the face of each of these committed eleven individuals.
Rita Pereira Organiser
Ana Andrade Organiser
Bruno Moreira Organiser
Carolina Santos Organiser
Cláudia Soares Organiser
Joana Cavaco Organiser
José Feio Organiser
Maria João Carneiro Organiser
João Nuno Diegues Organiser
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MEET THE BOARD The Board of the session will be composed of three people, including the President and two Vice-presidents (one international and one from Portugal). These are all older Alumni that have gathered considerable experience within the organisation and, thus, are able to lead and coordinate the work of the Chairpersons, as well as the interactions between the various teams, both amongst themselves and with the other participants. On top of that, it will also be their task to run the General Assembly, making sure all parliamentary procedures are adhered to. Prior to the session, they are responsible for the academic side of things, including not only defining the Committee Topics, but also supervising the creation of a high-quality Academic Preparation Kit, and, right before the session begins, guiding the Chairpersons through a full day of training.
Tiago Correia Machado (PT) President
Magdalena Pietras (PL) Vice-president
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Jo達o Moreira (PT) Vice-president
MEET THE CHAIRPERSONS The Chairpersons play an important role at any session. At Abrantes 2014, there will be eight Chairpersons, one per Committee (the Board members will not be chairing any Committees, leaving them more time to better address the needs of all the participants). Like all Officials, the Chairpersons are older Alumni that have gathered relevant experience within the organisation and, thus, are able to lead and coordinate the work of the Delegates, from the activities of the Teambuilding to the debates of the Committee Work and, of course, their performance at the General Assembly. Prior to the session, they will each be tasked with putting together an Overview for their Committee Topics, which will then be sent to the Delegates in the form of an Academic Preparation Kit. To better prepare to facilitate the work of the Delegates, these eight individuals will also be doing considerable research and, right before the session begins, will be attending a full day of intensive training. The team is composed of equal numbers of international and Portuguese Chairpersons, all of whom have all been selected by a panel quite some months ahead of the session. Needless to say, you will be seeing them around pretty much all the time, but, until then, have a look at their faces, learn their names and the Committees they will be chairing.
Bérengère Gouraud (FR) Chairperson, INTA
Franziska Hülß (DE) Chairperson, AFET
Tamer Özgen (TR) Chairperson, EMPL
Victoria Savvidou (GR) Chairperson, IMCO
Mónica Leal (PT) Chairperson, ENVI
Henrique Vieira Mendes (PT) Chairperson, REGI
Rita Ferreira (PT) Chairperson, LIBE
Tiago Pereira (PT) Chairperson, ECON
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MEET THE MEDIA TEAM
Oleksii Prylipka (UA) Editor
Iryna Garbuz (UA) Editor
EYP events can be extremely intense and, even in the case of a four-day session, we are sure we will reach that last day and wonder: “Where did it all go?” The Media Team – which will consist of ten individuals, including two Editors, two Video-editors and six Journalists – will be there to capture and help preserve the memories of the different moments and elements of the session. To do that, they generally will resort to a series of media, from traditional (printed issues of a magazine that will be distributed to all the participants) to social (Facebook, Twitter and a variety of live-streaming services that will allow the session to open its doors to those not taking part in it). Just like the Chairpersons, the members of the Media Team have been selected several months ahead of the session and present a good balance of Portuguese and international individuals. 18
Janne Vanhemmens (BE) Video-editor
João Brandão (PT) Video-editor
Beatriz de Almeida Rodrigues (PT) Journalist
Gabriel Pais (PT) Journalist
Joana Gordinho (PT) Journalist
Kim van Winkel (NL) Journalist
Olena Yermakova (UA) Journalist
Teresa Wemans (PT) Journalist
MEET THE JURORS EVALUATION PROCEDURE AND CRITERIA
Arnolds Eizenšmits (LV) Head of the Jury
Ana Isabel Gonçalves (PT) Juror
The three elements that compose the Jury of Abrantes 2014 are all older, very experienced EYP Alumni. All of them have been Jurors at previous National Selection Conferences in various countries, having also taken on different roles as Board members in their respective National Committees and chaired at, vice-presided and presided to School and Regional Sessions, National Selection Conferences, International Fora and International Sessions. Amongst them, they count more than 80 EYP events of all sorts, having amassed a combined total of 18 years of experience in the organisation.
Anna Győry (HU) Juror
Even if the evaluation procedure and criteria used at National Selection Conferences can somewhat vary from National Committee to National Committee, the differences are never too substantial. In Portugal, the Jurors will continuously observe the performance of all Delegates throughout the Committee Work and the General Assembly, taking turns and comparing notes until they reach a final verdict. As for the criteria the Jury will be looking at and evaluating, they are quite clear and straightforward. In no particular order: 1) knowledge of the topic and pertinence of the interventions; 2) creativity and originality of the stances taken; 3) language fluency and oratory coherence; 4) evolution throughout the session; 5) posture and attitude in the debate.
ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS
At EYP Portugal, we firmly believe that, while the event is called a National Selection Conference, its main purposes go well beyond the mere selection of Delegates. This is not to take away the prestige of being selected to represent one’s country at an International Session; however, we believe the focus should be put on ensuring all the participants have the best personal experience they possibly can have. To that end, we prefer to leave the results unannounced at the session and communicating them to all the participants one week after the session has ended.
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PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
There will be 64 Delegates at Abrantes 2014, spread over eight Committees and coming from as many schools namely: - Externato Infante D. Henrique (Braga); - Escola Secundária Doutor João de Araújo Correia (Peso da Régua); - Escola Secundária Infanta D. Maria (Coimbra); - Escola Secundária João Gonçalves Zarco (Matosinhos); - Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu (Abrantes); - Escola Secundária do Entroncamento; - Escola Secundária de Moimenta da Beira; - Olve College (Belgium). Additionally, we will have two more international Delegates coming from a surprise country. How exciting!
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COMMITTEE TOPICS AND INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPHS AFET – Committee on Foreign Affairs | chaired by Ms Franziska Hülß (DE) “I think we need to change the perception that one region’s gain is another region’s pain. We in the European Union are against the mentality of bloc against bloc. We believe the European Union and Russia have all to gain from a cooperative attitude. We should work on how to move our partnership from a partnership of need into a partnership of choice through a New Agreement.” –José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, in Moving into a Partnership of Choice, European Commission SPEECH/13/249 , ‘Russia–European Union – Potential for Partnership’ Conference, Moscow, Russia, March 21st, 2013
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“In the absence of such results, the European Union will decide on additional measures, such as travel bans, asset freezes and the cancellation of the EU–Russia summit. The Commission and the EEAS will take forward preparatory work on these measures. Any further steps by the Russian Federation to destabilise the situation in Ukraine would lead to additional and far reaching consequences for relations in a broad range of economic areas between the European Union and its Member States, on the one hand, and the Russian Federation, on the other hand.”
– Herman van Rompuy, President of the European Council, in Statement of the Heads of State or Government on Ukraine, European Council, Brussels, Belgium, March 6th, 2014
Cooling relations between the European Union and Russia? In the light of the protests in Ukraine, Russia’s disrespect of Georgia’s and Ukraine’s sovereignties and territorial integrities, and an unusually short European Union–Russia summit in January, how should the European Union position itself with regard to its relations with Russia?
Being the European Union’s (EU) largest bordering state, third-largest trading partner and playing a significant role in its energy sector as the main source of oil and natural gas, relations with Russia are of particular importance for stability and common security. The current basis for cooperation lies in a Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, which, signed in 1994 and in force since 1997, provides a political, economic and cultural framework for relations between Russia and the EU. Additionally, the two blocs cooperate in a number of challenges of bilateral and international scope, including climate change, drug and human trafficking, organised crime and the peace process in the Middle East. While there is enormous potential in EU– Russia cooperation, Russia is likely to remain a difficult partner for the foreseeable future. Following the collapse of the pro-Russian regime in Ukraine, Russia deployed a military intervention in the country, building up its forces in Crimea and along other regions bordering Ukraine. In a way, the military
support for secession in Crimea rings similar to Russia’s actions in Georgia, where the former has pushed its borders by eleven kilometres into the region of Abkhazia – a manoeuvre enacted as an alleged precautionary measure during the XXII Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. From the onset, these actions have been condemned as illegal and invasive by international and EU leaders alike, with rising tensions between Brussels and Moscow having already led to an unusually short EU– Russia Summit, earlier this year, and promises of many more sanctions to be implemented in the future. Ultimately, both blocs are fundamental players on the world stage and, as such, cooperation in the fields of economy, diplomacy and energy are not just necessary, but pretty much inevitable, if we wish to maintain any stability in the region. It will be the task of the Committee on Foreign Affairs to set the tone and the style of approach the EU will pursue from now on. 21
ECON – Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs | chaired by Mr Tiago Pereira (PT) “I expect that the future and governance of the Troika will become part of the wider institutional discussions in the process of deepening EMU. Realistically, a deeper fiscal union will not be achieved overnight: for the Commission, the guiding principle is that stronger solidarity can only be pursued in return for stronger responsibility – and it can only emerge in a profoundly democratic process. The European Parliament is at the core of this debate.” –Olli Rehn, Vice-president of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs and the Euro, in Mr Olli Rehn at the ECON Committee Hearing on the Troika Report, European Commission SPEECH/14/14, Strasbourg, France, January 13th, 2014
Per aspera ad astra? Nearly four years since the beginning of the Troika interventions and with feeble signs of recovery on the horizon, it is now time for an assessment. Whereas radically different interpretations of the impact of these austerity measures have been voiced by national parliaments, the media, financial institutions and the civil society, how best can the European Union pave the way to a full-fledged recovery of its Member States’ economies?
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Since the financial crisis harshly hit European countries back in 2008, austerity measures have been implemented across most Member States of the European Union (EU) with different consequences. With similar procedures and Troika interventions, we have seen dissimilar effects: Ireland and Greece, for instance, show that even if the problems are similar, standardised solutions will not work. Is, thus, austerity an effective solution to general problems or should different countries and their respective economies be approached differently? What are the limits to these different approaches? What is fair and, most importantly, what would be effective? As it is, financial consolidation has been relatively quick to happen in the Member States where austerity has been enforced. Yet, unemployment rates keep rising, reaching almost 30% in Greece. Youth unemployment rates, especially, keep breaking record-highs, even four years after the first interventions
took place. In other words, austerity has proven to work as a short-term solution for many economies, but what about its long-term social and industrial implications? On the one hand, civil society actors and the media often portray austerity as being part of the problem, rather than its solution. On the other hand, national parliaments – frequently with the support of financial institutions – have tended to hold fast to the belief that, though hard, austerity is indeed the only answer. Ultimately, the question remains as to whether the European economies are on their way to a speedy recovery or whether austerity is leading us into even greater hardship, unnecessarily stretching our path back to stability and real growth. It will be the task of the Committee on Economic Affairs to reflect on what we have learnt during these four years, develop new ideas and set the course for the future.
EMPL – Committee on Employment and Social Affairs | chaired by Mr Tamer Özgen (TR) “The European Union provides the closest thing to a ‘laboratory’ on open borders, allowing us to examine how reducing barriers to mobility might play out under conditions of economic stability (between, as well as within, countries), large opportunity differentials between countries, and economic strife. Yet many of the results remain to be seen.” –Meghan Benton and Milica Petrovic in How free is free movement? Dynamics and drivers of mobility within the European Union, Migration Policy Institute Europe, Brussels, Belgium, March 2013
Labour migration in Europe – a two-way culture of “something for nothing”? With the recent federal popular initiative “Against mass migration” in Switzerland, the Immigration Bill currently being debated in the United Kingdom, a pan-European rise of the extreme right and the theme of xenophobia recurrently whipped up by the press, how can the European Union invert the trend in anti-migration feelings and ensure that a more harmonised set of labour migration rules are adopted by all Member States in the period leading up to 2020?
Since the financial crisis, the need to lower the influx of migrants to the wealthier Western Member States of the European Union (EU) has been made a flagship issue by a growing number of extreme right-wing political parties. In the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands and Greece, to cite just a few examples, many of these parties have been keen to exploit the fragility of Directive 2004/38/EC, proposing and, in some cases, adopting laws that severely restrict migration. More recently, the February 2014 referendum in Switzerland (which, although a member of neither the EU nor the European Economic Area, has a series of bilateral agreements with the former that virtually replicate the conditions of the common market) has, so far, been the bluntest action against massmigration in the continent. As for labour migration into the EU, there already exists the Blue Card system, aiming to provide qualified workers from the developing countries with EU working permits. Still, the system has received wide criticism from countries fearing potential ‘brain drain’
effects. Additionally, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Ireland are not subject to the Blue Card area, while most Member States have been slow to transpose the Directive into national law, all of which keep the system from functioning efficiently. As of this day, several Member States remain determined to end what they call a culture of “something for nothing”, namely by requiring that immigrants make greater integration efforts, both in their societies and labour forces. Paradoxically, they incur in the same contradiction when they refuse to provide social security to those immigrants and their families. Ultimately, it is the EU’s goal to improve the situation for all and ensure that the freedom of movement and social security of people are respected equally by all Member States. How can regulation harmonising national legislations be implemented? That and other questions will have to be answered by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs.
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ENVI – Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety | chaired by Ms Mónica Leal (PT) “Climate action is central for the future of our planet, while a truly European energy policy is key for our competitiveness. Today’s package proves that tackling the two issues simultaneously is not contradictory, but mutually reinforcing. It is in the EU’s interest to build a job-rich economy that is less dependent on imported energy through increased efficiency and greater reliance on domestically produced clean energy. An ambitious 40% greenhouse reduction target for 2030 is the most cost-effective milestone in our path towards a low-carbon economy. And the renewables target of at least 27% is an important signal: to give stability to investors, boost green jobs and support our security of supply.” – José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission, in 2030 climate and energy goals for a competitive, secure and low-carbon EU economy, European Commission IP/15/54, Brussels, Belgium, January 22nd, 2014
vs. “This result is not satisfactory. We are promising ourselves, Europeans and the European industry, that this new climate policy will be realistic, flexible and cost-efficient. These are very good assumptions. However, if we double the reduction target after 2020, it is not realistic. It is a road to reduce the competitiveness of European industry. (…) Adopting these objectives before the 2015 Paris talks is a mistake. We should not show all our cards today, before our partners say what they mean. Binding objectives on renewables and energy efficiency are not a flexible arrangement. We know well that Member States and individual sectors have different capacities.” –Konrad Szymański, member of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group and co-rapporteur of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, during a European Parliament Plenary Session, Strasbourg, France, February 5th, 2014
An ever-greener Union – but at what cost? Following the European Commission’s policy framework communication of January 22nd, 2014 and the European Parliament’s resolution of February 5th, 2014 on a ‘2030 framework for climate and energy policies’, how should the European Union proceed to ensure the 2030 targets it sets are sufficiently ambitious in environmental terms, yet realistic and safe in industrial and social terms?
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For 2020, the European Commission, in its ‘EU climate and energy package’, established a 20% reduction in the European Union’s (EU) greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, simultaneously increasing the share of energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20% and, finally, a 20% improvement in energy efficiency. The commitment to lower the dependence on carbon-based energy sources and promote ‘green’ growth and jobs are two main bulwarks to achieve these quotas. More recently, new and more ambitious goals were set on the ‘2030 framework for climate and energy policies’ – a 40% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, raising the share of renewable energy usage to at least 27% across the EU, as well as continuing the improvements in energy efficiency. Taking it even further than the ‘20-20-20’ policy programme, there is also a reform of the EU Emissions Trading System, the development of competitive, affordable and secure energy, a new governance system and the creation of a report on energy prices and costs in order
to compare these data with those of the EU’s main trading partners. Yet, criticism abounds. On the one hand, industry stakeholders complain that the proposed goals are too strict and will cost us dearly in terms of production. Even Günther Oettinger, who, as European Commissioner for Energy, helped shape and launch the 2030 climate and energy package, has called it “arrogant or stupid”, dismissing its chances without global commitment. On the other hand, various Members of the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and other interest groups have deemed the proposal weak and short-sighted, calling for more ambitious targets to be made binding. In this triangle of Industries (trying to become more competitive in the global economy), Societies (striving for greater welfare and better living conditions) and the Environment (which we must fight to preserve), it will be the task of the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety to find a balance that, more than simply acceptable, is advantageous for all.
IMCO – Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection | chaired by Ms Victoria Savvidou (GR) “Cryptocurrencies were created by and for people who have simply had enough. They’ve seen the way the world is going and rather than grumble or pretend it’s not happening, they’ve decided instead to make a new one, in their own liberty-loving image. It’s a world where, by and large, Big Brother has no place — which is why, for example, it’s so popular on the black market. But you don’t need to be a crim [sic] to see why cryptocurrencies make sense. Have you noticed how increasingly difficult it is, for example, to conduct the most basic transactions from your bank account? You want to pay for some item, perhaps by bank transfer, and the security’s so tight (thanks to onion layers of EU regulation, probably) you sometimes find yourself being shut out of your own account. Well, with bitcoin you’re your own bank: you transfer your money electronically from your wallet to the payee’s wallet, and that’s it.” –‘Those bitcoin weirdos might just be right’, James Delingpole in The Spectator, January 4th, 2014
vs. “To completely dispel the myth that anonymous financial transactions are a tool of the little guy, our rigorous economic research – led by a former senior IMF economist – conclusively demonstrates that unrecorded financial transactions significantly exacerbate income inequality: making the rich richer and the poor poorer. They are a tool of both political and economic oppression, with serious socioeconomic consequences. The thing about financial opacity is that it is impossible to limit its criminal uses. If you can use an untraceable payment system to buy small amounts of LSD from Silk Road, someone else can use it to buy a sex slave or move a $10million kickback to an offshore bank account. And they will use it because they have hundreds of billions of dollars to move, and – under the status quo – they sometimes get caught (although not often enough).” –‘Why Bitcoin (and other cryptocurrencies) will inevitably become tools of the rich, powerful, and criminal’, E. J. Fagan, Deputy Communications Director at Global Financial Integrity, in Business Insider, December 13th, 2013
From bitcoin to litecoin to… dogecoin? As cryptocurrencies seem poised to become the ‘gold rush’ of the digital era, the lack of unified legislation leaves the door open to excessive speculation, money laundering and the financing of criminal activities, as well as consumers unprotected in cases of theft and without access to refund rights. With different Member States taking different stances on the matter, what measures should the European Union adopt to ensure the security of its Internal Market and the protection of its consumers?
With its 193 Member States, the United Nations lists 180 official or de facto currencies. Traditionally, each of these currencies is tied to a specific country or union of countries; their issuing and circulation are defined by governmental monetary policies and, with few exceptions, for each currency, one central bank has the monopoly of printing banknotes and minting coins. Over the past years, our understanding of currency has, however, changed considerably. The first digital currency based on cryptography – bitcoin – began trading in 2009. Since then, many others have followed, making ‘cryptocurrency’ the word on everyone’s lips. As of March 24th, 2014, at least 388 different cryptocurrencies are known to have existed, of which at least 266 remain actively traded. Being neither backed by any banks nor having had their validity ratified by any governments, cryptocurrencies work because a community of users agree that they have a certain value. As the number of users grows,
so does the number of transactions. Many are believed to correspond to users buying and selling, in an attempt to make a profit out of these currencies’ highly volatile exchange rates; still, the number of actual payments and purchases (several of which allegedly illegal) has also been growing steadily, making this everyone’s concern. At present, there is no single approach toward cryptocurrencies amongst the Member States of the European Union (EU); instead, despite a warning issued by the European Banking Authority in December 2013, most Member States have not taken a stance at all and only some have applied – or will soon apply – their own sets of rules. Bearing in mind the goals of ensuring market stability and the protection of its consumers, it will be up to the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection to decide how the EU should proceed.
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INTA – Committee on International Trade | chaired by Ms Bérengère Gouraud (FR) “Europe’s 23 million SMEs account for two thirds of jobs in the private sector and 59% of total value added in the non-financial business economy in 2010. Around 80% of new jobs over the past five years have been created by SMEs. (…) While 25% of EU-based SMEs were involved in exports to the Internal Market and beyond in the last three years, only 13% of EU SMEs are internationally active outside the EU through trade, investment or other forms of cooperation with foreign partners.” –Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions ‘Small Business, Big World – a new partnership to help SMEs seize global opportunities’, COM(2011) 702 final, Brussels, Belgium, November 9th, 2011
David vs. Goliath: In an age when the majority of economic growth takes place outside the Internal Market, micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises are faced with one of their hardest battles – internationalisation. Building on the ‘Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan’ and the ‘Small Business, Big World’ partnership, and bearing in mind the ongoing negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, how can the European Union guarantee the best conditions for smaller businesses to thrive beyond its borders?
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The European Union’s (EU) financial crisis has, to some extent, also become an economic, social and political one. Internally, this is reflected in high unemployment rates and little to no economic growth in various Member States. On a broader perspective, the EU is facing ever-fiercer international competition for market shares, growth and innovation. These evolutions are closely intertwined with further ones in western societies, namely the increasing role of technologies and the need to ensure models of sustainable development. Being the greatest source of job creation and innovation fostering in Europe, micro-, smalland medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) can provide powerful ways of addressing those challenges. Developing MSMEs, however, means overcoming various obstacles. The complex intermingling of national and European legislations, decision-making
processes and economic interactions is one of them. Additionally, the boom of developing countries and the expansion of the digital sphere have to be tackled, if we are to ensure that EU MSMEs have all the conditions to prosper in a globalised economy. The EU has already developed a framework to ensure that MSMEs cope with economic and social challenges, namely by adopting the ‘Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan’ and the ‘Small Business, Big World’ partnership, but those may not be enough – especially in the light of the upcoming Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the United States. It will be the job of the Committee on International Trade to find ways of turning these complex interactions into further opportunities for MSMEs to thrive and go on strengthening and empowering the EU in the global markets.
LIBE – Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs | chaired by Ms Rita Ferreira (PT) “Corruption seriously harms the economy and society as a whole. Many countries around the world suffer from deep-rooted corruption that hampers economic development, undermines democracy, and damages social justice and the rule of law. The Member States of the EU are not immune to this reality.” –Report from the Commission to the Council and the European Parliament ‘EU Anti-Corruption Report’, COM(2014) 38 final, Brussels, Belgium, February 3rd, 2014
Corruption in our backyards: While most legal instruments and institutions aimed at tackling corruption in the Member States already exist, results remain unsatisfactory. Building on the ‘Fighting Corruption in the EU’ communication and on the findings of the ‘EU Anti-Corruption Report’, and taking into account disparities amongst the Member States, what further measures can the European Union implement to help eradicate corruption within its borders by 2020?
Over the past decade, several anticorruption legal instruments have been negotiated by international authorities; most notably, the ‘United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime’ (UNTOC 2003) and the ‘United Nations Convention against Corruption’ (UNCAC 2005). Their implementation, however, has been insufficient and corruption remains a problem within the European Union (EU), being felt at local, regional and international levels. While the nature and scope of corruption differ amongst Member States, these crimes affect the EU as a whole, reducing investment levels, interfering with the Internal Market and affecting public finances. According to the European Commission, corruption costs the EU an astounding €120bn per year – this is nearly 1% of the Member States’ combined Gross National Incomes, the same they contribute to the annual budget of the EU! Alarmed by these numbers, the European
Commission recently published the first ‘EU Anti-Corruption Report’. At the unveiling press conference, Cecilia Malmström, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, said that “corruption undermines [the] citizens’ confidence in democratic institutions and the rule of law, it hurts the European economy and deprives States from muchneeded tax revenue”, adding that the “Member States have done a lot in recent years to fight corruption, but today’s report shows that it is far from enough.” A Eurobarometer survey published the same day shows that three quarters (76%) of Europeans think corruption is widespread and one out of twelve (8%) say they have experienced or witnessed a case of corruption in the past year. And what about you? What is your stance on this matter and, most importantly, what do you believe the EU can do to eradicate corruption by 2020? These and other questions will have to be answered by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.
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REGI – Committee on Regional Development | chaired by Mr Henrique Vieira Mendes (PT) “There are many things that are uncertain about the future. But it is clear to me that the future lies online. For so many areas of life. Do we want European leadership? European competitiveness? A bright European future? If we do – in any area –, we need a continent prepared for the digital age.” –Neelie Kroes,Vice-president of the European Commission and European Commissioner for Digital Agenda in A vision for Europe, European Commission SPEECH/14/49 , World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland, January 22nd, 2014
No continent for digital illiterates: While high-speed internet access is now available in all Member States, digital literacy levels vary greatly amongst and within regions and most goals of the Digital Agenda for Europe are yet to be implemented. With this in mind, how can the European Union act to promote the uptake of Information and Communications Technologies throughout its least developed regions, aiming to eradicate the digital divide amongst them and, ultimately, bolster their economies and development?
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“The future lies online…” and yet, intraand interregional disparities in levels of digital access and literacy remain a pressing issue in Europe. Information and Communication Technologies are a powerful means to greater social inclusion, connecting and empowering those who access and master them; obversely, they can also aggravate exclusion, shutting off those who can neither access nor handle them. As the need for e-inclusion becomes more relevant, the European Union (EU) is focusing on improving its citizens’ skills to use digital media and operate in a growingly digital world. Naturally, different regions face different obstacles, be those slow connections, insufficient offer within the market of Internet Service Providers or a lack of widespread knowledge amongst their populations. Furthermore, even within the same region,
gender, age, socioeconomic and education backgrounds all contribute to different skill and access levels. With this in mind, it will be up to the Committee on Regional Development to think of how the EU can effectively implement policies that, while not holding back the development of more advanced technologies and the deployment of a fully functional Digital Single Market, will also ensure higher levels of digital uptake and literacy, i.e. the necessary knowledge to benefit from said technologies. Analogously, and as a growing number of tasks are carried out online, how can the EU act to, taking into account its regions’ different needs, promote synergies amongst them that will help democratise this new right to e-be?
LEGAL NOTES The following rules and requirements are valid all throughout the session, from the moment of the participants’ arrival and until their departure. The Organisers and the European Youth Parliament Portugal will not take any responsibility for any situations arising from a lack of observance of these rules. Likewise, the participants are ultimately responsible for their conduct, their wellbeing and the safety of their objects. General dietary requirements The Organisers will, if duly and timely informed, ensure that the participants’ general dietary requirements (vegetarians, vegans, etc.) are met. For this, we ask that all participants inform us with enough time in advance and ensure the confirmation of their requests, being responsible to get the right food and beverage types once at the session, according to their confirmed requests. The participants who make no special requests will be served the standard options and we ask that they comply with those. Medicine and substance allergy policy To prevent any potentially problematic situations, no member of any team of Officials may, at any time or under any circumstances, provide minors with any form of medicine – generic or otherwise and regardless of prescription requirements. As such, we remind all participants (particularly those under the age of 18) to bring with them any type of medicine they may need, especially those of regular, prescribed intake, as it will not be possible for any Official to provide them. Regarding allergies or intolerance to any substances, we ask that you be aware and inform us accordingly, whether the substance(s)
in question be present in medicines or in any types of food or beverage (e.g., coeliac disease, lactose intolerance, etc). Regarding food and beverage allergies, the Organisers will, if duly and timely informed (please clearly indicate and list all foods and beverages you can/cannot consume), ensure that viable alternatives are made available at all moments when food is served. In cases of a normal food-service-queue, these foods and beverages will be served at the participants’ request. In cases of self-service moments, they will be set separately from the remaining foods and beverages. In all cases, they will be available in quantities consistent with the number of timely requests. As such, we ask that all participants make any requests in time, ensuring their confirmation, and that, once at the session, they be responsible for getting the right food and beverage types. Smoking policy We remind our participants that, in Portugal, in accordance with Law No. 37/2007 of August 14th, people below the age of 18 are not allowed to purchase or consume tobacco products of any kind. While we will not act as vigilantes, the Organisers reserve themselves the right to ensure minors do not smoke throughout the session and will confiscate and withhold for the duration of the session any tobacco products in their possession. We would also like to remind our participants aged 18 and above that they are not allowed, under any circumstances, to provide any tobacco products to underaged participants. Alcohol and drug policy While Portuguese law allows individuals aged 16+ to consume beer, wine and cider
with alcoholic content of up to 16% vol. and individuals aged 18+ to consume whichever alcoholic beverages may be legally purchased within the country, exceptions can be made to group events of various natures (e.g., school events). As such, at sessions of EYP Portugal, the Delegates are not allowed the consumption of any type of alcohol, while the remaining participants may, according to their age (and taking into account also the laws in their countries) consume beverages with alcoholic content of up to 16% vol. Regardless, consumption level must remain adequate and cannot interfere with the participants’ ability to behave appropriately at all times – particularly in the performance of the duties inherent in their designated roles. Breaking these rules will result in the participants’ (Delegates or otherwise) dismissal from the session programme at their own risk and expense. As far as the consumption of drugs (‘soft’ or otherwise) goes, the EYP and, thereby, EYP Portugal operate a zero-tolerance policy. Any participants caught in possession, acquiring, selling or attempting to, soliciting, offering and/or consuming drugs of any kind will be immediately dismissed from the session. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, in Portugal, as per Law No. 30/2000 of November 29th: 1) the possession and/or consumption of any kind of drugs remain illegal; 2) incidents involving the possession (but not the consumption) of small quantities of ‘soft’ drugs will not elicit a criminal procedure, but will still result in administrative punishments, including the confiscation of the drugs and the possible (very likely) application of considerable fines; 3) incidents involving the possession of larger quantities of ‘soft’ drugs, the consumption of
any quantities of ‘soft’ drugs or the possession and/or consumption of any quantities of ‘hard’ drugs will result in a temporary arrest, be criminally prosecuted and possibly result in a prison sentence of one to twelve years. EYP Portugal reserves the right to, depending on the gravity of the offence, report the offenders to the police. General rules of conduct All participants (or, in case of participants who are under the age of 18, their parents/legal guardians) will be asked to sign EYP Portugal’s code of conduct, including rules regarding general expected conduct, as well as all further disclaimers and the rules already covered in this booklet. We ask that you take that code of conduct with seriousness and that you observe those rules from the moment of your arrival, all through your stay at the session and until your departure. Leaving the official programme Managing an event with more than 110 people is not an easy task. As such, to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible, the Organisers will need to be able to know where to find all participants at all times. This means that you cannot leave the session for any amount of time without express permission from the Head-organisers and, for participants other than the Organisers, the Editors, the President or the Jurors, your immediate superior(s) – if you are a Delegate, your immediate superior will be your Chairperson; if you are a Chairperson or a Vice-president, that will be the President; if you are a Journalist or a Video-editor, those will be your Editors. 29
CHECKLIST If you have read this far, congratulations! To make it easier for you, here is a quick checklist of all the things you will have to keep in mind, take care of and/or bring with you to the session. Arrange your travel to and from Abrantes. If you are a Delegate, this will be coordinated by your Teacher(s) and you are expected to arrive at the Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes until 09:00 on Thursday, April 24th and your departure can take place from the Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu from 16:45 on Sunday, April 27th. If you are an Official, you are expected to arrive directly at Parque de São Lourenço by 10:30 on Wednesday, April 23rd and your departure can take place from the Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu from 18:45 on Sunday, April 27th. The Organisers will be in touch to plan transfers from your arrival points to the meeting point on Wednesday, but please make sure you book your travel to allow enough time for these transfers. If this is the case for you, make sure you get your visa in time. If you require a formal invitation letter, please be sure to request it to the Head-organisers. Make sure your travel documents and/or your ID are in order and bring it/them with you to the session. Make sure you have valid travel and/or health insurance that is/are valid in Portugal. If you are a Delegate, this will be coordinated/ taken care of by your Teacher(s). If you are an Official, please make sure you take care of this, 30
yourself (or ask your parents/legal guardians to do it, if you are a minor). Complete and submit your travel and participation form. If you are a Delegate, this will be taken care of by your Teacher(s). If you are an Official, please make sure you take care of this, yourself (if somehow you did not receive this e-mail, please get in touch with the Head-organisers). Transfer your participation fee. If you are a Delegate, this will be taken care of by your Teacher(s). If you are a Portuguese Official, please take care of this, yourself. International Officials are exempted of this. For Delegates: choose your top-three preferences from the Committee Topics above and send them to <organizacao-ssn@ pejportugal.com> by no later than Friday, March 28th. Failure to do this will result in your random allocation to any Committee. For all prospective EuroConcert performers (Delegates or Officials): record and send your performance videos to <organizacao-ssn@ pejportugal.com> by no later than Sunday, April 6th. You will be informed by the Organisers of whether or not your performance has been selected. If so, please remember to bring everything you will need for it, including but not limited to: your performance outfit, a USBstick with music or audio track, any instruments or other equipment your performance requires. On that note, please take into account that, this time around, we will unfortunately not be able to provide you with a piano… but you are free to bring your own electronic keyboard, if that is an option.
This goes for all participants, especially for the Delegates: once you have received the Academic Preparation Kit (which will be sent to you on Wednesday, April 2nd), read it carefully and use it as a stepping stone to your own research. Also, while you should obviously prioritise your the topic of your Committee, you should still make sure you dedicate enough time and attention to the others’, as that will be the only way of ensuring a good level of debate at the General Assembly. In addition to a guide on how the European Union and its institutions function and the Overviews for each Committee Topic, the Academic Preparation Kit will also include instructions for further preparatory work, so make sure to keep an eye out for those and stick to the deadlines therein. While Internet will be available during some moments of the session, it may be difficult to print any materials (especially if this requires printing many pages). As such, you should definitely print out and/or save offline copies of all your research materials and documents and bring them with you to the session. If possible, we would highly recommend that all Delegates bring their laptops and/or smartphones. If you do, please remember to bring all necessary chargers. Chairpersons must all bring their laptops and chargers. Journalists must bring their laptops and, if possible, also their cameras and all respective chargers. Video-editors are reminded to bring their laptops, cameras and all other materials used in the recording and editing of videos. If you are an international participant, make sure that you check whether any electrical current adaptors
are required for you to connect your devices in Portugal and then remember to pack those, too! Prepare your regional/national foods, beverages and costumes, as well as any other representative items (brochures, flags, etc.) for the EuroVillage. Also, remember to pack them within easy reach, as all foodstuffs (especially perishable ones) will have to be handed over to the Organisers during the check-in. Check the weather forecast for Abrantes and pack accordingly, remembering to include: 1) enough sets of clothes as per the programme and the dress codes above; 2) if you are performing at the EuroConcert, whatever outfit you wish to be wearing; 3) your outfit/costume for the Theme Party; 4) all toiletries and any medication that you are on and/or believe you will need; 5) a bath towel and any other specific personal accessories you will want to have with you. ‘Like’, subscribe to and engage with the official Facebook pages of EYP Portugal and of Abrantes 2014 (see ‘Contacts’, below). Frequently check your e-mail accounts: on top of all the information we will be sending you, if you are a Delegate, you can also expect to hear from your Chairperson after the allocations have been made and the Academic Preparation Kit has been sent out.
CONTACTS
All general queries should be addressed to the Head-organisers of the session. Any more specific queries may be taken up with EYP Portugal. Matters of an academic nature will be dealt with by the Chairpersons, who will contact their Delegates directly. APPEJ – Associação Portuguesa do Parlamento Europeu dos Jovens/ European Youth Parliament Portugal E-mail address: appejovens@gmail.com Website: www.pejportugal.com Official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/EYPPortugal Abrantes 2014 – 30th National Selection Conference of EYP Portugal E-mail address: organizacao-ssn@pejportugal.com Official Facebook page:www.facebook.com/macao.abrantes.2014 Head-organisers E-mail address: organizacao-ssn@pejportugal.com (reaches both) Telephone numbers: Ana Nunes – (+351) 91 913 53 10 Miguel Paiva– (+351) 91 270 21 85 Session President E-mail address: tiagocorreiamachado@homail.com Telephone number: (+351) 91 616 40 97
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Under the patronage of the Municipality of Abrantes
With the support of Escola Prática de Cavalaria de Abrantes
With the support of Escola Secundária Doutor Solano de Abreu
With the support of Instituto Português do Desporto e Juventude, I. P.
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