RSC Ede & Wageningen 2019 - Academic Preparation Kit

ACADEMIC PREPARATION KIT Ede & Wageningen 2019

Regional Selection Conferences of EYP he Netherlands

Word of Welcome Dear participants,

I am extremely happy and honoured to be the president of a Regional Selection Conference in Ede and Wageningen. Aware of the significance of this year’s selection process, with the Regional Selection Conferences finally extending in lengths, I am even more excited to help shape the future of EYP the Netherlands.

My vision for this event revolves around the desire to provide all the participants with help and support they need to perform well in their roles and take as much from this experience as possible. Being acutely aware of time constraints that exist at regional level events, me and the board will focus on providing the academic team with the basic set of skills and knowledge, which, we hope, they will use for many more EYP events ahead. Though this will come at the expense of some advanced aspects of EYP, we, in the board, strongly believe that we can foster a confident and learning environment, by focusing on the basics first, before diving into everything else the organisation has to offer.

In line with the general vision of this conference, wellbeing is also something we intend to focus on greatly. This will be achieved by providing participants with support and attention, while at the same time, giving everyone enough space and time to take things at one’s own pace, have moments for themselves and have an opportunity to actually enjoy the process.

Regional Selection Conferences have a special place in my heart. Due to their limited size in the number of participants, the environment is often a lot more intimate and ‘family-like’. Therefore, I am really excited for Ede - Wageningen 2019.

With the conference fast approaching, I cannot wait to meet all of you in person, work with you and experience this journey together. Hope you are as excited as I am!

See you soon, Oleg, the President of the conference 2

Table of Contents

REGI

Committee on Regional Development

4

AFCO I

Committee on Constitutional Affairs I

8

JURI

Committee on Legal Affairs

12

TRAN

Committeeo n Transport and Tourism

20

ENVI

Committee on Environment, Public

24

Health and Food Safety ECON

Committee on Economic and Monetary

28

Affairs AGRI

Committee on Agricultur and Rural Development 3

32

R

E

G

I

COMMITTEE ON REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

My house is my castle? Due to an acute rise in prices for real estate in most European cities, many are struggling to find affordable housing. What steps should the EU take to address the housing crisis?

Chairperson: Aniek Wiegand (NL)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Adequate housing is a fundamental need and therefore often considered to be a human right. However, in a number of European countries, citizens struggle to find housing at an affordable price. Over the past years, house prices and rent prices in the European Union (EU) have risen rapidly.1 This confronts more and more people with the challenge to find affordable housing. In 2017, 10.4% of the population in the EU was overburdened by their housing costs, because they had to spend 40% or more of their equivalised disposable income on housing.2 Also, homelessness in the EU has risen3 and is associated with the rising housing and rent prices.4 Especially in urban areas, the house prices are booming.

Metropolitan areas attract people because of employment and education opportunities, but housing has become unaffordable since new construction is not keeping up with the growing demand and because housing prices are increasing more rapidly than people’s income.5 The result is that people across Europe are anxious about their ability to afford decent housing. Therefore, housing is now seen as the most important national issue in Luxembourg and Ireland, and concern has risen in 13 additional Member States since autumn 2017.6

Key Terms and Actors

• Home-sharing platforms - Home-sharing platforms such as Airbnb drive up rent prices, because they make short-term rentals easier for landlords. The result is that some landlords that used to rent property for a long term have switched to short-term rentals. This decreases the supply of long-term accommodation, thus driving up the rent prices.7 • Housing developers - Housing developers set up projects to build new buildings. These projects can be for long term accommodation, such as houses and apartments, short term accommodation, such as hotels or other buildings such as offices and shopping centres. If they build new houses and

1 “Housing Price Statistics - House Price Index.” Housing price statistics - house price index - Statistics Explained. Eurostat, July 10, 2019. https://tinyurl.com/Housing-Price-Index .

2 “Housing Statistics.” Housing statistics - Statistics Explained. Eurostat, June 2019. https://tinyurl.com/ EU-Housing-Statistics .

3 “Homelessness.” Homelessness - Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion - European Commission. Accessed October 17, 2019. https://tinyurl.com/EU-Homelessness .

4 Moses, Joy. “New Research Quantifies the Link Between Housing Affordability and Homelessness.” National Alliance to End Homelessness, December 13, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/y3tc2o4r .

5 Joy, Oliver. “EU Faces Affordable Housing Crisis Excluding Young People From Top-Quality Job Opportunities, Says World Bank.” World Bank, November 8, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-Affordable-Housing .

6 Inchauste, Gabriela, Jonathan Karver, Yeon Soo Kim, and Mohamed Abdel Jelil. “Living and Leaving: housing, mobility and welfare in the European Union, PDF.” Washington, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-report-livingleaving .

7 Barron, Kyle, Edward Kung, and Davide Proserpio. “Research: When Airbnb Listings in a City Increase, So Do Rent Prices.” Harvard Business Review, April 17, 2019. https://tinyurl.com/Influence-Airbnb .

4

apartments, the supply of housing increases. Housing developers naturally respond to increasing house prices because they see profitable opportunities. However, the supply of housing does not increase very rapidly, because there is a serious lack of skills and materials in the industry, problems with land acquirement and a need for planning permits.8 • National governments - The EU has limited competences with respect to housing, as national governments develop their own housing policies. However, many Member States face the same challenges, so the issue of housing is often discussed in the European Union.9 • EU citizens - Across Europe, people are faced with the challenge of finding decent, affordable housing. In 26 of the 28 EU capitals most people disagreed with the statement that finding good housing at reasonable prices was easy.10 Everyone wants to live in a decent and affordable house, so this is an issue that concerns a lot of EU citizens.

Conflicts

Across the European Union, people are anxious about their ability to afford decent housing. This is a growing problem, due to the rising prices of housing, especially in urban areas. House prices are growing faster than income in a majority of EU Member States.11 The cause of this problem is that the demand for housing exceeds supply. There are not enough long term accommodations for the number of people that want to buy or rent a place. The demand keeps increasing because more people are looking for housing in European cities, since they see more employment or education opportunities there. The demand for housing also keeps rising because people are attracted to buy houses by the low interest rates on mortgages. An increase in demand causes an increase in prices. Usually, an increase in prices is followed by an increase in supply, because developers see profitable opportunities. Across the EU, it varies how much developers actually respond to this, often because of regulations and policies in place, making other building projects even more profitable.12 Home-sharing platforms such as Airbnb also influence the supply-side of the market, because they make it easier for landlords to offer short-term accommodation.

This causes some landlords that used to offer long-term accommodation to switch to offering the shortterm one. This means that the supply of housing for people looking for a long-term place decreases In particular, students and young professionals face challenges finding affordable housing. According to research done by ‘Housing Europe’, 2 out of 10 people aged 16 to 29 in the EU lived in an overcrowded house. They also notice an increase in the number of people still living in their parental home. This research gives a number of reasons why young people in particular have to face challenges finding good quality and affordable housing: • Young people are being priced out of the city housing market.

• Many young people choose to rent instead of buying a house, because of high student debts, increased labour market insecurity and tighter access to credit.

• Rent prices are also increasing, preventing young people from saving for a deposit. This means that a lot of young people will not be able to buy a house any time soon.

• Young people are often victims of multiple discrimination by landlords, based on their age or because they are receiving benefits or on a low income.13 8 Hannah, Felicity. “Seriously, Why Aren’t We Building Enough Homes?” Live life richer with Lovemoney.

Love Money, October 13, 2017. https://tinyurl.com/Building-enough .

9 “Housing Statistics.” Housing statistics - Statistics Explained. Eurostat, June 2019. https://tinyurl.com/ EU-Housing-Statistics .

10 Inchauste, Gabriela, Jonathan Karver, Yeon Soo Kim, and Mohamed Abdel Jelil. “Living and Leaving: housing, mobility and welfare in the European Union, PDF.” Washington, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-report-livingleaving .

11 Pittini, Alice, Gerald Koessl, Julien Dijol, Edit Lakatos, and Laurent Ghekiere. “The state of housing in the EU 2017, PDF.” Housing Europe, the European Federation of Public, Cooperative and Social Housing, Brussels, 17 October 2017. https://tinyurl.com/State-of-Housing-2017 .

12 Inchauste, Gabriela, Jonathan Karver, Yeon Soo Kim, and Mohamed Abdel Jelil. “Living and Leaving: housing, mobility and welfare in the European Union, PDF.” Washington, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-report-livingleaving .

13 Pittini, Alice. “Housing the EU Youth” Housing Europe. Brussels, March 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Housing-youth .

5

Steps taken so far

In 2018, there were 208 tax and benefit programmes across the 28 EU Member States. Many were aimed for more affordable housing, but they have had different rates of success. These programmes can be roughly divided into three categories: • programmes for homebuyers and homeowners • housing allowance: typically as cash transfers, aimed at either homeowners or tenants.

programmes for tenants: which include social housing, incentives for housing development, and other programmes aimed at reducing housing costs for tenants14

Article 34(1) of the Charter of Fundamental Human Rights of the EU states that, ’in order to combat social exclusion and poverty, the Union recognises and respects the right to social and housing assistance so as to ensure a decent existence for all those who lack sufficient resources, in accordance with Community law and national laws and practices’. The European Council reached an agreement in Nice in 2000 on the EU’s strategy against poverty and social inclusion, including two objectives with respect to housing: • ‘to implement policies which aim to provide access for all to decent and sanitary housing, as well as basic services necessary to live normally having regard to local circumstances (electricity, water, heating, etc.)’

• ‘to put in place policies which seek to prevent life crises, which can lead to situations of social exclusion, such as indebtedness, exclusion from school and becoming homeless’15

What now?

How can the EU make sure that people are able to find decent, affordable housing?

What should the EU advise Member States with respect to housing policies?

Should the EU set up policies for home-sharing platforms, such as Airbnb, in order to keep housing affordable.

Links for further research

• https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-report-livingleaving This report by the World Bank Group gives a lot of information about housing affordability, and how it can be influenced. On pages 24-25, they describe goals to achieve with housing policies and regulations that might be interesting to have a look at.

• https://tinyurl.com/Influence-Airbnb This article explains how Airbnb increases housing prices.

• https://tinyurl.com/Millennials-Tinyhouses Millennials are often ridiculed, for example because they choose to live in so-called tiny homes. This article explains why millennials choose to do so, and it is not only because they want to follow trends.

14 Inchauste, Gabriela, Jonathan Karver, Yeon Soo Kim, and Mohamed Abdel Jelil. “Living and Leaving: housing, mobility and welfare in the European Union, PDF.” Washington, 2018. https://tinyurl.com/Worldbank-report-livingleaving .

15 “Housing Statistics.” Housing statistics - Statistics Explained. Eurostat, June 2019. https://tinyurl.com/ EU-Housing-Statistics .

6

Introductory Clauses

A. Stressing that adequate housing is a fundamental need that provides people with shelter, security, privacy and a space to relax, learn and live, B. Concerned about the fact that for many European Union (EU) citizens, it is a challenge to find a decent and affordable place to live, C. Aware that house and rent prices, especially in urban areas, have risen rapidly the last few years, and that they are still increasing, because of a high demand for housing coupled with a supply deficit, D. Realising that a rising demand in housing is the result of people moving to a certain area because of employment or education opportunities, E. Considering that a low interest on mortgages, which attracts people to borrow money and buy a house, also drives up the demand, F. Noting a low response in the supply from housing developers to the increasing demand and prices, due to a lack of skills and materials in the industry, a lack of available land and difficulties in obtaining required permits, G. Pointing out that home-sharing platforms cause the supply of long-term rental properties to decrease, resulting in an increase in rent prices, H. Expressing its concern that young people in particular are faced with the challenge of finding decent and affordable housing, and are often forced to a lifetime of renting, because they i.

are being priced out of the housing market

ii.

have high student debts

iii.

are insecure about the labour market

iv.

have limited access to credit,

I. Bearing in mind that Member States’ governments are free to develop their own housing policies, J. Observing that Member States already have many tax and benefit programmes in place, but that success rates vary,

7

A

F

C

O

I

COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS I

A crisis within. Recent controversial actions by the governments of Poland and Hungary have resulted in a trigger of the Article 7 TEU disciplinary process. However, the procedure is proving to be of limited effectiveness. How should the EU ensure that its laws are respected?

Chairperson: Daryna Hoch (UA)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Preserving democratic governance and human rights, functioning market economy, and acceptance of the EU obligations - are the core values of the Union. Polish government’s controversial judicial reform1, and Hungary’s hostile policies, concerning migrants2, education for Roma children3 as well as re-enacting controversial provisions that had been annulled by the Constitutional Court4, raised a question of how to ensure that basic values5 are upheld. Bearing in mind, that the procedure of Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) is too complicated6 and the possible political fallout could be too toxic, it has never been used to its fullest. As a consequence, the leaders of specific countries continue to act without compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, manipulating media, which supports them, proceeding with the implementation of questionable and controversial policies. They lead to a systematic threat to the rule of law, balance of powers, democracy and human rights, which endangers the EU integrity.

Key Terms and Actors

• Copenhagen criteria - principles to which any country wishing to become an EU member must conform, which were established by the Copenhagen European Council in 1993. They include: stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights, respect for and protection of minorities and some other economic criterias7.

• Article 7 of the TEU is a procedure to suspend certain rights from a member state8. A unanimous vote is required to suspend the country’s voting rights and launch sanctions — a move that is likely to be blocked by the allies of a particular state, which creates inefficiency.

• Infringement procedure - another mechanism to ensure the EU law is correctly implemented and respected at national level. It consists of a 3-staged process between the Commission and the EU Member State, at the end of which the Commission can refer the matter to the European Court of Justice. The latter can, in certain cases impose financial penalties9.

1 John, Tara. “Why Poland’s Government Is Being Accused of Destroying Democracy.” TIME, July 21, 2017. http://bit.ly/2mYMDWx 2 Bayer, Lili. “Hungary Says Refugee Ruling ‘Raped’ EU Law.” POLITICO, September 7, 2017. https://politi. co/2mpyhhBм 3 “May Infringements’ Package: Key Decisions.” European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release May infringements’ package: key decisions. Accessed September 29, 2019. http://bit.ly/2oDyVZq 4 “Q&A: Hungary’s Controversial Constitutional Changes.” BBC News. BBC, March 11, 2013. https://bbc. in/2nZsejY .

5 “CONSOLIDATED VERSION OF THE TREATY ON EUROPEAN UNION.” Official Journal of the European Union, May 9, 2008. http://bit.ly/2o08jli 6 EURACTIV. YouTube. YouTube, September 17, 2018. http://bit.ly/2nSRb0B 7 “Lex Access to European Union Law.” EUR-Lex. Accessed September 30, 2019. http://bit.ly/2neM4Ib 8 “The EU’s Rule of Law Toolbox.” European Commission, April 2019. http://bit.ly/2mnKSln 9 “Infringement Procedure.” European Commission, February 20, 2019. http://bit.ly/2oHDHVY 8

• Poland - the first country of the EU, against which Article 7 was triggered. The main reason for such measure was new controversial laws, which could limit the independence of the country’s judicial branch. In total 13 laws have been perceived as a consolidation of power for the nation’s right-wing party, which currently holds the most seats in parliament and the presidency10.

• Hungary - is another country that is under the threat of suspension of its rights due to the “breach of the fundamental values of the EU”. The president of the country, Viktor Orban, is believed to attack independent media, academics, the judiciary, migrants and refugees and the rights of minorities11. Recently Hungary adopted the so-called “Stop Soros” law package to create a special tax on immigration12.

• Court of Justice of the European Union - is an institution that is ensuring EU law is interpreted and applied and followed the same way in every EU country;13. In this case, the Court is the main actor, who is serving as an independent adjudicator in order to ensure the rule of law and a balance of powers and, who has the competence to apply the infringement procedure.

Conflicts

• Rule of law. As countries, like Poland and Hungary, claim to protect the rule of law, EU institutions find more proof that both of them constantly breach the fundamental EU values. Countries, in their turn, still demand more evidence of the breach and openly question EU law, prioritising sovereignty of their states.

• Absence of implementation instruments. Article 7 has proved to be inefficient in its implementation. To determine the existence of a serious and persistent breach of the EU values, the European Council should adopt a decision by unanimity14. This condition makes it possible for states like Poland and Hungary to cooperate to prevent the suspension of their voting rights15. Therefore, the Article 7 has never been used to its fullest, leaving an opportunity for the governments to implement questionable laws, not fearing any practical consequences.

• Raise of radical nationalist movements. As certain Member State governments fail to tackle the issue of far-right nationalist movements rise, e.g. - in Poland16, their activity usually provokes antimigrants feelings in the society. Moreover, in some cases EU reaction is not sufficient to protect specific minorities. For example, migrant policy in Hungary is considered to be one of the worst in the entire EU according to civic organisations, as refugees in Hungary have been caged, starved and denied legal representation17. Such actions and the lack of limitations may encourage other Member States’ governments to follow their example and subject their citizens to an abuse of their rights. In other words, violations of the rule of law may, if there are no consequences, become contagious18.

10 Deutsche Welle. “European Commission Triggers Article 7 against Poland: DW: 20.12.2017.” DW.COM. Accessed September 30, 2019. http://bit.ly/2oI9ohS 11 Köves, Nóra, and Eva van de Rakt. “The Sargentini Report – Its Background and What It Means for Hungary and for the EU: Heinrich Böll Stiftung.” Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, September 19, 2018. http://bit.ly/2o4qmXo 12 “Hungary Passes ‘Stop Soros’ Law Banning Help for Migrants.” BBC News. BBC, June 20, 2018. https://bbc. in/2o7u2rn 13 “Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).” European Union, February 21, 2019. http://bit.ly/2oJEt4P 14 “Rule of Law Framework.” European Commission, July 11, 2019. http://bit.ly/2ndWc3I 15 Wróbel, Aleksandra. “Hungarian Parliament Votes to Support Poland in Fight against EU.” POLITICO, February 20, 2018. https://politi.co/2o6Wf1s 16 Adekoya, Remi. “Extreme Nationalism Is as Polish as Pierogi.” Foreign Policy, November 9, 2018. http://bit. ly/2obKlU2 17 Santora, Marc, and Benjamin Novak. “Hungary’s Migrant Abuse Is ‘Matter of Urgency,’ European Agency Finds.” The New York Times, May 21, 2019. https://nyti.ms/2mBKQGx 18 Kochenov, Dmitry, and Petra Bárd. “Rule of Law Crisis in the New Member States of the EU.” Reconnect Europe, July 2018. http://bit.ly/2nuAyIF 9

Steps taken so far

• Article 7 is the most commonly known mechanism to suspend MS voting rights, that consists of 2 parts. The first one is “preventive measures”, which determines a risk of a breach of the values in Article 2 TEU and can be initiated by either 1⁄3 of Member States, European Commission or European Parliament. The second part is sanctions mechanism, which determines the existence of a serious and persistent breach of values in Article 2 TEU and can only be initiated by ⅓ of Member States or the European Commission.

• A new “Rule of Law framework” was established in 2019 in order to create a conversation, before triggering Article 7, to strengthen the rule of law and to reinforce action on all stages – promotion, prevention and response19. Events in Poland led the European Commission to open a dialogue with the Polish government in January 2016 under the Rule of Law Framework20.

• Some new mechanisms were also proposed like the right of the EU to suspend, reduce or restrict access to EU funding where necessary to protect the EU budget. However, some countries, however, have not yet confirmed their readiness to tie their budgets to Article 2 values21.

• Other tools for the prevention of the breach of values include: EU Justice Scoreboard and The Cooperation and Verification Mechanism22. Another useful mechanism is an infringement procedure, which appeals to the legal part of the breach, rather than political. This mechanism was used against Polish laws on judicial branch in July 201923.

What now?

1. How can the EU effectively address Member States that constantly breach EU values, especially considering the complexity of the Article 7 procedure?

2. How can the EU ensure that each Member State agrees on new sanctions mechanism, for example, the EU funding access suspension, in case of the breach of values?

3. Considering limited competences of the EU, how can it ensure freedom of speech and protection of human rights in countries with a rise of nationalist movements?

Links for further research

• Carnegie Europe. “Central Europe | Article 7: The Cases of Hungary and Poland” YouTube, October 24, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3tQMkHElTU • “Rule of Law Framework.” European Commission - European Commission, July 11, 2019. http://bit. ly/2ndWc3I • “Hungary: Democracy under Threat Six Years of Attacks against the Rule of Law.” FIDH, January 6, 2016. http://bit.ly/2oforiV (pages, 51-59)

19 “Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Union.” European Commission, July 2019. http://bit.ly/2mGXofW 20 “Rule of Law: European Commission Launches Infringement Procedure to Protect Judges in Poland from Political Control.” European Commission Accessed September 30, 2019. http://bit.ly/2oIezyj 21 “Reinsalu Not Sure Whether EU Budget Should Be Tied to Rule of Law.” ERR, September 30, 2019. http:// bit.ly/2mzczYm 22 “Rule of Law Framework.” European Commission, July 11, 2019. http://bit.ly/2ndWc3I 23 “Rule of Law: European Commission Takes New Step to Protect Judges in Poland against Political Control.” European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Rule of Law: European Commission takes new step to protect judges in Poland against political control. Accessed October 3, 2019. http://bit.ly/2ndiRgF 10

Introductory Clauses

A. Reaffirming the existing criteria, which a state should meet in order to become a Member State of the EU, stated in Article 2 of the Treaty of the European Union, B. Alarmed by recently adopted judicial reform by Polish government, that poses a threat on the fundamental rights of the EU, such as the rule of law, C. Further alarmed by the “Stop Soros” law package, adapted in Hungary, which puts migrants’ rights under a constant threat, D. Bearing in mind that the Article 7 procedure is ineffective, due to time constraints and a need for a unanimous agreement by the Member States, E. Expressing its appreciation to the recently implemented “Rule of Law Framework”, which allows a dialogue to be conducted between Member States and the EU before the application of Article 7, F. Taking into account the absence of efficient penalty mechanisms due to disagreements among Member States on specific details of implementation, G. Noting with deep concern the possibility of a spread of contradictory laws among other Member States, following the example of Poland and Hungary, H. Aware that the governmental control over the national media prevents people from being objectively informed about the reforms, thus further increasing government’s influence over the population, I. Realising that the general public often does no poses enough knowledge on the EU law, allowing for manipulation, J. Keeping in mind, that the lack of appropriate measures is harming minorities and migrants in Hungary.

11

J

U

R

I

COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AFFAIRS

Written, therefore true. Despite the efforts of the European Commission, a spread of misinformation, particularly in social media, remains a threat to the democratic process. What should the EU do to ensure that information on the internet is reliable, without jeopardising the freedom of media?

Chairperson: Brendan Delany (UK)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

A 2016 analysis found that the top 20 ‘fake news’ stories about the 2016 U.S. presidential election received more engagement on Facebook than the top 20 election stories from 19 major media outlets.1 Such reports of misinformation available on the internet have been appearing more and more in recent years.2 Fake news posts are spreading for various reasons, one of which is to sway voters in a certain direction, thereby manipulating the outcome of elections. Examples of elections that have been influenced by this phenomenon include the 2016 Brexit referendum in the UK3 and the 2017 French national elections.4 However, freedom of media remains an important principle of a democratic society5, which makes it challenging to impose legislation combating the spread of misinformation. On the other hand, the democratic process can only work if citizens are well-informed and make their decisions based on facts.

Currently people might be affected by untruthful information, possibly influencing their opinions. Thus, what steps should be taken to regulate the spread of misinformation while maintaining the freedom of media?

Key Terms and Actors

• Fake news is a recent phenomenon that refers to a spread of false information via traditional online or social media, usually with an aim to influence opinions.

• Freedom of media is the principle, according to which, the communication and expression through various media, including printed and electronic media, should be considered a right to be exercised freely. Such freedom implies the absence of interference from the government.6 1 Chang, Juju, Jake Lefferman, Claire Pedersen, and Geoff Martz. “When Fake News Stories Make Real News Headlines.” ABC News, November 29, 2016. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/fake-news-stories-make-realnews-headlines/story?id=43845383.

2 Vosoughi, Soroush, Deb Roy, and Sinan Aral. “The Spread of True and False News Online.” Science 359, no.

6380 (2018): 1146–51. https://science.sciencemag.org/content/359/6380/1146.

3 Grice, Andrew. “Fake News Handed Brexiteers the Referendum – and Now They Have No Idea What They’re Doing.” Independent, January 18, 2017. https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/michael-gove-boris-johnson-brexit-eurosceptic-press-theresa-may-a7533806.html.

4 Toor, Amar. “France Has a Fake News Problem, but It’s Not as Bad as the US.” The Verge, April 21, 2017. https://www.theverge.com/2017/4/21/15381422/france-fake-news-election-russia-oxford-study.

5 Kelsen, Hans. “Foundations of Democracy.” Ethics 66, no. 1 (1955): 66. https://www.u-cursos.cl/derecho/2011/1/D121B0310B/1/material_docente/bajar?id_material=359324.

6 “Freedom of the Press.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 7, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_ the_press.

12

• The democratic process is the process in which citizens exercise power by voting. Citizens must be well-informed in order to make decisions during elections.7 • Social media platforms are being used to spread misinformation to the masses, due to the accessibility of the content, its fast spread and large user bases8. Some of these platforms, such as Facebook, are trying to reduce the amount of fake content by implementing policies in their terms of service.9 • The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union, has the power to make policies regulating the spread of misinformation.

• Journalists have the power to spread or debunk fake news. Their integrity and commitment to their code of ethics10 is vital in keeping information truthful and calling out fake news if needed.

Conflicts

• Due to the sheer amount of content available, it is impossible to find every instance of misinformation and remove it manually. Therefore, algorithms can be be put in place to do so.

However, those algorithms are fallible,11 and can wrongfully remove correct information.

• Opinions differ on what constitutes misinformation, and if misinformation should even be removed at all. Some might say removing certain posts on social media violates the principle of freedom of media, especially if imposed by a governing body.

• It is difficult to ensure that those who decide which posts should be removed on social media would not use that power for their own benefit. For example, an organisation close to the Hungarian government pledged to fight fake news in Hungary, yet it has been silencing the government’s political opposition and critics under the guise of doing so.12 • Finally, it is often in the best interests of those with the power to combat the spread of misinformation not to do it. For example, Facebook benefits from the revenue generated by the spread of fake news13, and elected politicians could benefit from fake news that incites people to vote for them in the next election.

Steps taken so far

• In an attempt to reduce the effects of fake news, fact-checking websites such as Snopes.com and FactCheck.org have published guides for spotting and avoiding sources that contain fake news.

• In 2016, Facebook began to warn its users about inaccurate news and partnered with independent fact-checkers to label false pieces of information, warning readers, who intended to share them.

• Artificial intelligence is one of the more recent technologies being developed in the United States and the EU to recognise and eliminate fake news through algorithms. In 2017, Facebook targeted 30,000 accounts related to the spread of misinformation regarding the French presidential election.14 7 “Democracy.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 7, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy.

8 Mahdawi, Arwa. “Is 2019 the Year You Should Finally Quit Facebook?,” The Guardian, December 21, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/dec/21/quit-facebook-privacy-scandal-private-messages.

9 “Working to Stop Misinformation and False News.” Working to Stop Misinformation and False News | Facebook Media. Accessed October 7, 2019. https://www.facebook.com/facebookmedia/blog/working-to-stop-misinformation-and-false-news.

10 “Journalism ethics and standards.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 13, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ ournalism_ethics_and_standards.

11 Pringle, Ramona. “When Algorithms Go Bad: Online Failures Show Humans Are Still Needed.” CBC, October 1, 2017. https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/algorithms-facebook-jew-haters-1.4313851.

12 Kingsley, Patrick. “Orban and His Allies Cement Control of Hungary’s News Media.” New York Times, November 29, 2018. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/world/europe/hungary-orban-media.html.

13 Chang, Juju, Jake Lefferman, Claire Pedersen, and Geoff Martz. “When Fake News Stories Make Real News Headlines.” ABC News, November 29, 2016. https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/fake-news-stories-make-realnews-headlines/story?id=43845383.

14 “Fake News, Response.” Wikipedia. Accessed October 7, 2019. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fake_ news#Response.

13

• The European Union has outlined an Action Plan (“Action Plan against Disinformation”) to step up efforts to counter misinformation in the EU and beyond focusing on four key areas. This plan serves to build the EU’s capabilities and strengthen cooperation between Member States. This shall be achieved by improving detection, analysis and exposure of disinformation, facilitating stronger cooperation and joint responses to threats, enhancing collaboration with online platforms and industry to tackle disinformation and raising awareness and improve societal resilience.15

What now?

• How do we determine which sources can and cannot be considered ‘fake’?

• Who gets to decide what should and should not be removed?

• What should be the role of the European Union in the fight against misinformation?

Links for further research

• A short video with some ideas on what the EU could do to regulate fake news: https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=7pvE1-MCgdo • An interesting article relating to the philosophical question of what “truth” is and what function it has in modern society: https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/24/opinion/campaign-stops/the-age-of-posttruth-politics.html • An article exploring what could be done to fight fake news in the climate of post-truth politics: http://theconversation.com/fake-news-emotions-and-experiences-not-more-data-could-be-theantidote-123496

15 “Action Plan against Disinformation.” European Commission, December 5th, 2018. https://ec.europa.eu/ digital-single-market/en/news/action-plan-against-disinformation.

14

Introductory Clauses The European Parliament,

A. Affirming the need for more regulations on the spread of misinformation, B. Deeply conscious of the importance of freedom of media in a democratic society, C. Deeply concerned by the spread of misinformation on the internet influencing citizens’ decisions and corrupting the democratic process, D. Acknowledging the fact that there are no universally accepted criteria of what constitutes fake news, E. Approving of the EU Action Plan against Disinformation, F. Bearing in mind the sheer amount of information present online, making any manual fact checking very difficult, G. Aware of the dangers of granting power to remove misinformation to those with incentives to abuse it, H. Disturbed by the possibility of foreign governments and corporations meddling with national elections by spreading misinformation, I. Alarmed by some media corporations having incentives to allow the spread of misinformation due to them gaining revenue from it,continue text...

15

A

F

C

O

II

COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS II

Who gets to decide? A lot of criticism has been voiced about the process of selecting a new European Commission president, since the last European Parliament elections. What approach should the EU take to ensure an effective, yet democratic Commission president selection?

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Chairperson: Lars van der Ent (NL)

In May 2019, EU citizens had a chance to exercise their democratic rights by voting for members of the European Parliament (MEPs). Subsequently, it was up to the European Council to put forward a nominee for the EU Commission president. The European Council, however, nominated German defence minister Ursula von der Leyen. The nomination process received widespread criticism1, because it is regarded as an example of the democratic deficit within the EU institutions2.

Instead of choosing one of the lead candidates - Spitzenkandidaten - of the political parties, the European Council opted for a non-parliamentary-elected candidate3. This nomination process is widely criticised for being undemocratic and is seen as an example of bureaucratic back-room politics, since EU citizens did not elect Von der Leyen to the parliament4. Since the EU is already denounced for a lack of democratic inclusion5, how should the EU approach this problem?

Key Terms and Actors

• The European Council is the institution which consists of the leaders of the EU Member States.

The European Council decides upon the course of the EU concerning major issues and proposes nominees for the European Commission, including the president.

• The European Parliament is the legislative body of the EU. Citizens elect its members (MEPs) which vote on bills and laws proposed by the European Commission. The parliament also elects the Commission president. It does not have the right of initiative to propose new legislation.

• The European Commission is the executive body of the EU. Each Member State offers a commissioner to deal with a certain portfolio. The Commission proposes laws and ensures that current laws are carried out correctly.6 1 De La Baume, Maïa and M. Herszenhorn, David. “MEPs lash out at EU leaders over top jobs package”.

POLITICO. July 5, 2019. Accessed on October 4, 2019. https://www.politico.eu/article/meps-lash-out-at-eu-leadersover-top-jobs-package-ursula-von-der-leyen-european-commission-president/ 2 De La Baume, Maïa. “Von der Leyen’s nomination gets mixed reviews from MEPs”. POLITICO. July 3, 2019.

Accessed on October 13, 2019. https://www.politico.eu/article/urusla-von-der-leyen-european-parliament-reaction/ 3 Gros, Daniel and Russack, Sophia. “The nomination of von der Leyen”. CEPS. July 12, 2019. Accessed on October 12, 2019. https://www.ceps.eu/the-nomination-of-von-der-leyen/ 4 Mudde, Cas. “European governments are fuelling Euroscepticism”. The Guardian. July 15, 2019. Accessed on September 28, 2019. “Turnout by year”. 2019 European election results. May 24, 2019. Accessed on September 28, 2019. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/15/european-council-fuel-euroscepticism-governments-eu 5 Porchez, Mathis. “The questionable “democratic deficit” of the European Union”. The New Federalist.

December 19, 2018. Accessed on October 4, 2019. https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/the-questionable-democratic-deficit-of-the-european-union 6 “Institutions and bodies”. European Union. May 22, 2018. Accessed on September 28, 2019. https://europa.

16

• Spitzenkandidat is the lead candidate of a European political party. The lead candidates are put forward to be the nominees for the Commission president. The European Council is expected to select the spitzenkandidat of the party with the most seats in parliament, though this agreement is informal and not codified in the treaties.7 • Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union8 describes the election process of the Commission president, stating that the European Council must propose a candidate whilst taking into account the European parliamentary election results. The European Council must act by a qualified majority.

• Qualified majority voting is a way of voting in which a proposal or law is passed when 55% of the Member States vote in favour and those Member States constitute 65% of the EU population. 9 • Back-room politics is a way of decision-making without a democratic oversight. This process is secretive and not transparent10.

• Democratic deficit is the lack of democratic participation in an institution, making that institution seem isolated from the people11

Conflicts

The EU is being criticised for a ‘democratic deficit’12. Critics argue that the lack of democratic legitimacy is often seen as a major cause for euroscepticism13. On the other hand, the nomination system for Commission president must also protect the legitimacy of the Member State leaders and their interests.

Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union states that the European Council must put forward a candidate for Commission president, whilst “taking into account EU Parliament election results”.

However, with a new parliament in 2019 being more fractured than ever14 and no consensus between Member States as to which candidate to nominate, the European Council selected a nominee that had not been active in the EU elections. With an already existent lack of democratic participation15, the current nomination procedure for Commission president candidate is causing a rise in euroscepticism.

In 2014, the spitzenkandidaten system was introduced as a first step towards the democratisation of EU governance.16 Nevertheless, it is arguably a solution invented behind closed doors, intended to solve a back-roompolitics problem. Besides, the approach is not legally binding. Although the new procedure offers a clear candidate for the post of Commission president, the European Council still has to present a nominee, decided upon through a qualified majority. While determining a nominee, Member States also include

eu/european-union/about-eu/institutions-bodies_en 7 Hurst, Luke. “European elections 2019: What is a spitzenkandidat?”. Euronews. May 24, 2019. Accessed on September 28, 2019. https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/24/european-elections-2019-what-is-a-spitzenkandidat 8 “ Document 12008M017”. EUR-Lex. Accessed on September 29, 2019. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/en/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A12008M017 9 “Voting system.” Accessed on October 3, 2019 https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/council-eu/voting-system/qualified-majority/ 10 Cobuild Advanced English Dictionary. Accessed on October 14, 2019 https://www.collinsdictionary.com/ dictionary/english/backroom 11 “Democratic Deficit”. EUR-Lex. Accessed on October 13, 2019. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/summary/glossary/democratic_deficit.html 12 Porchez, Mathis. “The questionable “democratic deficit” of the European Union”. The New Federalist.

December 19, 2018. Accessed on October 4, 2019. https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/the-questionable-democratic-deficit-of-the-european-union 13 Aphacetche, Theo. “How to debunk Euroscepticism”. Accessed on October 12, 2019. https://eu.boell.org/ sites/default/files/how_to_debunk_euroscepticism.pdf 14 Gramer, Robbie. “How European Politics Is Fracturing”. Foreign Policy. May 28, 2019. Accessed on October 12, 2019. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/05/28/how-european-politics-is-fracturing-european-union-elections-ris e-of-far-right-greens-liberals-centrist-parties/ 15 Porchez, Mathis. “The questionable “democratic deficit” of the European Union”. The New Federalist.

December 19, 2018. Accessed on October 4, 2019. https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/the-questionable-democratic-deficit-of-the-european-union 16 “Understanding the spitzenkandidat process” November 8, 2018. Accessed on October 12, 2019. https:// www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/630264/EPRS_BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf 17

their individual interests in the decision making process.17In addition, with only a few spitzenkandidaten, it is increasingly difficult for the European Council to reach consensus regarding the nomination.

Steps taken so far

• Before 1993, the Commission president was elected solely by the European Council, without any involvement of the parliament18. Since 1993, Article 17 of the Treaty on European Union has attempted to increase democratic participation and required the European Council to consult the EU Parliament regarding the nomination. The parliament also gained the right to veto the nomination19.

• In 2007, with the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon which amended the Treaty on European Union, the election process was changed into its current form. The European Council, through qualified-majority voting, has to present a candidate whilst taking into consideration the EU parliamentary election results. The Parliament must then approve the nominee.

• The new treaty allowed for a wide interpretation of how to conduct the nomination process for Commission President. In 2014, the EU Parliament attempted to increase democratic participation through the spitzenkandidaten system, giving EU citizens a chance to influence the outcome of the Commission president nomination via the ballot paper. In the 2014 EU elections, the political parties agreed to introduce the lead candidate system20. This arrangement was followed when the European Council decided to nominate Jean-Claude Juncker for the EU Commission president, the spitzenkandidat for the EPP. However, in 2019 the European Council decided to ignore the election results and select someone who was not electable in the first place.

What now?

• How should the EU include its citizens to a greater extent, while taking into account that Member States want a say in the nomination as well?

• While considering that a selection system must be codified in EU treaties to become legally binding, how can the EU create a democratic and effective nomination process?

• How can the EU ensure that the nomination process for Commission president is more transparent?

Links for further research

• Infographic about the 2019 European Commission President elections process. http://www.europarl. europa.eu/news/en/hearings2019/commission-president-2019/20190417STO41782/europeanelections-2019-what-s-next-infographic • This video explains how the spitzenkandidaten system works. https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=WOKoeYJeUZE • This article looks at the current problems with the EU parliamentary system and the spitzenkandidaten system. https:// www.thenewfederalist.eu/fixing-the-spitzenkandidaten-system-for-a-more-democratic-eu • This is an opinion piece arguing that the way Ursula von der Leyen was nominated is fuelling euroscepticism. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/15/european-council-fueleuroscepticism-governments-eu • This is an information piece highlighting the arguments in favour of and against the spitzenkandidaten system. https:// www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/630264/EPRS_BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf 17 “Timmermans frontrunner as EU leaders decide against Weber for Commission president”. EURACTIV. June 29, 2019. Accessed on September 29, 2019. https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/timmermans-frontrunner-as-eu-leaders-decide-against-weber-for-commission-president/ 18 Tylindite, Laura. “Election of the President of the European Commission”. European Parliament. February, 2019. Accessed on October 13, 2019. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/630264/EPRS_ BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf 19 Panizza, Roberta. “The Treaty of Lisbon”. Fact sheets on the European Union. April, 2019. Accessed on October 13, 2019. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/factsheets/en/sheet/5/the-treaty-of-lisbon 20 Tylindite, Laura. “Election of the President of the European Commission”. European Parliament. February, 2019. Accessed on October 13, 2019. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2018/630264/EPRS_ BRI(2018)630264_EN.pdf 18

Introductory Clauses The European Youth Parliament,

A. Fully aware of criticism concerning a democratic deficit within the European Union’s institutional framework, B. Acknowledging the lack of democratic transparency and a heavy reliance on the so-called back-room politics, possibly fuelling euroscepticism, C. Appreciating the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon, instructing the European Council, acting by a qualified majority, to take into consideration the election results of the European Parliament when presenting a nominee for the Commission president, D. Observing the neglection of the spitzenkandidaten system with the nomination of Ursula von der Leyen for the EU Commission president in 2019, E. Recognising that the spitzenkandidaten system, or any other selection system, is not codified in the EU treaties and thus not legally binding, F. Aware that the spitzenkandidaten process offers a small number of candidates to select from, complicating the decision for the European Council, G. Conscious of the fact that the nomination process must protect the interests of the national leaders of Member States, H. Further noting that the European Parliament has no right of initiative and, therefore, cannot itself propose a legally binding nomination process,

19

T

R

A

N

COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORT AND TOURISM

Towards a new equilibrium between quality of life and hospitality. Considering the “City in Balance 2018-2022” plan introduced by Municipality of Amsterdam in March 2019, what steps should the EU take to neutralise the negative aspects of tourism while providing accessibility to the world cultural heritage for visitors and retaining quality of life for residents?

Chairperson: Marine David (FR)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Recently, travelling has become easier than it used to be, thanks to low-cost airline companies, sharing platforms such as Airbnb, etc. As a consequence, more and more people are travelling all over the world every year1. The social media also influence our way of travelling. Indeed, 52% of Facebook users say their friends’ photos inspire their travel plans2.

The global tourism sector represented $8.8 trillion in 20183 and is sometimes the main source of revenue of some countries or cities. Yet, mass-tourism in some destinations is thought to cause a decrease in the quality of life of the residents and to harm natural resources and cultural heritage.

When sustainable development is a major theme of the decade, solutions must be found in order to neutralise the negative aspects of tourism while giving access to the world’s cultural heritage for everybody and maintain quality of life of the residents.

Key Terms and Actors

Key terms • Carbon footprint: the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organisation, or community.4 • Overtourism: the impact of tourism on a destination, or parts thereof, that influences the perceived quality of life of citizens and/or quality of visitor experiences in a negative way.5 • Sustainable tourism: tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.6 Key actors Regional level • Local businesses benefit economically from the high influx of tourists, but might have struggles with employing an adequate number of employees due to the depopulation of touristic cities.

• City councils have specific competence in tourism matters, they promote local tourist attractions, provide infrastructure and services to support tourism and manage its impact.

1 “International tourism, number of arrivals”, The World Bank, https://bit.ly/2qiXFqG 2 Frederic Gonzalo, “The Impact Of Social Media in Travel [infographic]”, 2018, https://bit.ly/2B1BAiT 3 “Travel Tourism Continues Strong Growth Above Global Gdp”, World Travel and Tourism Council, 2019 https://bit.ly/2tHcUbq 4 “Definition Of Carbon Footprint in English”, Lexico, https://bit.ly/2VV5You 5 Abstract of “‘Overtourism? – Understanding and Managing Urban Tourism Growth beyond Perceptions”, World Tourism Organization, September, 2019 https://bit.ly/2xiG0Aa 6 “Sustainable development of Tourism : Definition”, World Tourism organization https://bit.ly/2scg1WR 20

• Non-Governmental Organisations such as Parkbus, Planeterra, Meso American Reef Initiative, Travel Foundation, Blue Ventures or Transportation Options (T.O.) tend to promote more sustainable initiatives all over the world. 7 National level • Member States design policies to be implemented on the national level. They develop and maintain infrastructures such as roads, railways and ports; promote destinations to tourists, and ensure their safety. They have the primary competence when it comes to tourism.

European level • The European Union (EU) policy aims to maintain Europe’s position as a leading tourist destination while maximising the industry’s contribution to growth and employment. It also promotes cooperation between Member States, particularly through the exchange of good practices. The EU’s competence in the tourism sector is to support and coordinate the actions of Member States.8

Conflicts

• Tourism in Member States is a major source of economic development. Indeed, in the EU, this sector was responsible for 13 million people employed in 20169. Even though many cities benefit from tourism, their residents often have to face drawbacks it entails, such as congestion, rising costs of housing, food & beverages.

• When it comes to socio-cultural issues, even though tourists have rights to access cities, museums or natural sites, the cultural heritage of Europe also needs to be preserved from potential vandalism or deterioration due to crowdedness or overtourism. In addition, mass-tourism is responsible for diminishing authenticity and a loss of cultural identity through uncivilised behaviour and cultural misunderstandings, leading to stronger forms of host-visitor hostility.

• Last but not least, the environmental impact of tourism must be considered. Increased use of resources, infrastructure, facilities and tourist sites create water, land, air and noise pollution, damage, congestion, overcrowding and solid waste disposal problems. In addition, construction of tourism infrastructure like airports, sea ports and hotels disturb natural or cultural landscapes. 10

Steps taken so far

Local level • The city of Dubrovnik plans to cut the number of cruise ships arriving at peak time and to impose limits on tour operators running day trips to the city. In Venice authorities banning new accommodation from opening up in the historic centre11. In Amsterdam, the overly popular among tourists, “I Amsterdam” sign has been removed in 2018 as a “symbol of mass tourism and the negative effects of it”. 12 EU level • In June 2010, the European Commission adopted the Communication, ‘Europe, the world’s No. 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe’ in order to set out a new strategy and action plan for EU tourism. Among the four priorities for action identified are the following: the promotion of the development of sustainable, responsible, and high-quality tourism and the consolidation of Europe’s image as a collection of sustainable, high-quality destinations .13 7 “Sustainable tourism : companies and organization”, SustainableTourism https://bit.ly/2oVCb2N 8 “Tourism”, European Commission, https://bit.ly/35NdBli 9 “Tourism industries - employment”, Eurostat, 2018, https://bit.ly/2J3c6pl 10 “Research for TRAN Committee - Overtourism: impact and possible policy responses”, from page 37, Policy Department for Structural and Cohesion Policies of the European Parliament, 2018 https://bit.ly/2kPHCOW 11 Hugh Morris, “Tourists and cruise ships could be turned away under new plans to protect Dubrovnik”, The Telegraph, 2017 https://bit.ly/33JkylO 12 Greg Dickinson, “The ‘I Amsterdam’ sign – a ‘symbol of mindless mass tourism’ – has been removed”, The Telegraph, 2018 https://bit.ly/2PxzvzH 13 “Overview of EU Tourism Policy”, European Commission https://bit.ly/2P05b4k 21

• For the European year of cultural heritage in 2018, one of the initiatives of the European Commission in collaboration with key partner was to promote sustainable cultural tourism. Discussions about the idea of the sustainability of cultural heritage together with the economic benefits of tourism took place.14 International level • The UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme represents a new approach based on a dialogue and stakeholder cooperation, where planning for tourism and heritage management is integrated at a destination level, the natural and cultural assets are valued and protected, and appropriate tourism developed. The UNESCO has been a key partner of the European Commission during the discussions about sustainable cultural tourism in 2018.

What now?

• How can tourist hotspots benefit from tourism without compromising quality of life for the residents?

• How can the EU, Member States, Local Governments and NGOs protect natural areas and cultural heritage hotspots while promoting economic growth in these areas?

• How can the EU encourage local governments to take action in order to balance the effects of mass tourism in tourist areas?

Links for further research

• This article written by the Guardian explains how the identity of the city of Amsterdam changed over the years because of the increase of tourism.

•

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/aug/08/amsterdam-ian-mcewan-mass-tourism-stag-parties-citieseurope

• This websites from the municipality of Amsterdam explain the issues that the city is facing toward tourisms and key actions that the local government decided to take in order to solve the problems.

•

https://www.amsterdam.nl/en/policy/policy-city-balance/#ha013ccf3-56b0-4937-b042-1fe24f307dd3

•

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/jul/17/residents-in-tourism-hotspots-have-had-enough-so-whats-the-answer

•

https://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/six-reasons-mass-tourism-unsustainable

• Another article written by the Guardian, deals about the paradoxe created by tourism and how to solve the issues.

• This article demonstrates how tourism is unsustainable by destroying the environment and cultural identities .

• This video posted by the Telegraph. During his trip to the city, the journalists ask residents how they feel about their city while showing major problems related to over-tourism and a few solutions to tackle them.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bx_a_aDoD0I

14 “Tourism and heritage: promoting sustainable cultural tourism - Sustainability pillar”, European Commission, 2018 https://bit.ly/2VSdNey 22

Introductory Clauses

The European Youth Parliament, A. Keeping in mind that the tourism industry is an important source of income and employment for the Member States, B. Conscious that European cultural heritage should be accessible by everyone, C. Concerned that residents of tourist areas are forced to compromise the quality of their life due to the negative aspects of tourism such as: i.

congestion of infrastructure and facilities,

ii.

rising costs of housing and various goods,

D. Alarmed that mass-tourism can entail a loss of authenticity and cultural identity of cities, E. Aware that mass-tourism might be a reason for an increased number of cases involving uncivilised behaviour and cultural misunderstandings, leading to stronger forms of host-visitor hostility, F. Fully alarmed that mass-tourism leads to depreciation of resources and an overuse of infrastructure and facilities, such as public transport, water and roads, G. Regretting that mass-tourism has a negative impact on the environment through water, land, air and noise pollution, increased carbon output and waste, H. Fully aware that the safety of the cultural sites can be compromised due to the wear-and-tear caused by mass-tourism, particularly in ancient, historical locations, I. Deploring that construction of tourism infrastructure like airports, sea ports and hotels disturbs natural or cultural landscapes, J. Welcoming some measures already taken by some municipalities such as Amsterdam, Dubrovnik or Venice in order to tackle these issues,

23

E

N

V

I

COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT, PUBLIC HEALTH AND FOOD SAFETY

Clean-up plan: with the European Parliament’s recent ban on all single-use plastics coming into force by 2021, what measures should the EU take to effectively tackle the environmental damage that has already been done by plastic pollution?

Chairperson: Laura Hänninen (FI)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Everyday we are surrounded by plastic. Most plastics are used for mere minutes before they are thrown away. However, due to its durability, plastic waste can have a lifespan of hundreds or even thousands of years.1 Most plastics are not biodegradable: they simply break down into smaller pieces.2 The amount of plastic waste in the environment, especially in the oceans, is immense. About 8 million tons of plastic escape into the oceans every year and about 49% of marine litter on European beaches is made up of single-use plastics.3 4 Plastic production has increased exponentially recently, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448 million tons by 2015. 5 The use of plastics offers many benefits like low production costs, durability and versatility, but plastic waste poses many threats.6 Entanglement of marine species in plastic debris causes starvation, suffocation, physical harm and reduced reproductive success. Plastic trash washing up on beaches poses economic threats by harming tourism and property.7

Key Terms and Actors

Key Terms • Microplastics: Include microbeads or degraded macroplastics and have a particle size smaller than 5 mm. They are broken down by wind, waves and the sun and are now found almost everywhere, including Mount Everest and the Mariana Trench. Microplastics can also enter the human food chain through ingestion of for example fish and shellfish.

• Macroplastics: Have a particle size greater than 5 mm. They enter the environment either via dumping or inadequate waste management and pose a threat to animals as they can be mistaken for food and ingested, leading to injuries or starvation.8 9 1 R.Walker, Tony. “International Policies to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution from Single-Use Plastics (Plastic Bags and Microbeads): A Review.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. Pergamon, February 21, 2017. http://bit.ly/2Mc4bYP 2 National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, October 9, 2012. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ 3 Parker, Laura. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained.” Plastic pollution facts and information, June 7, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/ 4 “Single-Use Plastics and Fishing Gear.” 2019. http://bit.ly/35MzFwt 5 Parker, Laura. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained.” Plastic pollution facts and information, June 7, 2019. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/ 6 “Single-Use Plastics and Fishing Gear.” 2019. http://bit.ly/35MzFwt 7 R.Walker, Tony. “International Policies to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution from Single-Use Plastics (Plastic Bags and Microbeads): A Review.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. Pergamon, February 21, 2017. http://bit.ly/2Mc4bYP 8 R.Walker, Tony. “International Policies to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution from Single-Use Plastics (Plastic Bags and Microbeads): A Review.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. Pergamon, February 21, 2017. http://bit.ly/2Mc4bYP 9 Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. Biology: Course Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2014.

24

• Gyres: Ocean currents transport plastic waste to five concentration areas around the globe. These large “patches” are known as gyres, the biggest of which is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.10 Stakeholders Regional • Consumers: Are often dependant of cheap, single-use plastics and unaware of the negative impact and extent of plastic pollution in the environment.

National • Member States (MSs): The MSs and the EU both have power to legislate on environmental issues.

More specifically, the environment is a shared competence of the EU. The competence for the conservation of marine biological resources is exclusive to the EU under the common fisheries policy.11 • Non governmental organisations (NGOs): For instance, The Ocean Cleanup is an NGO based in the Netherlands aiming to clean up 50% of the Great Garbage Patch every five years using passive technology.12 International • The United Nations Environment Programme: The leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the UN system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment.13

Conflicts

Plastic industry is essential to the European economy: in 2017, it had a turnover of 355 billion euros.

It employs more than 1.5 million people in Europe, most of them working in small or medium-sized companies.14 One reason why plastic pollution is so widespread is insufficient recycling possibilities. Most plastic waste is generated in high-income countries. However, because landfill still dominates waste disposal in low- and middle-income countries where waste management receives inadequate funding, they are the main contributors to global plastic pollution.15 16 Because of its customisability, the diversity of recyclable plastic material complicates the recycling process, making it costly and affecting the quality of the end product. Therefore, the demand for recycled plastics is low and accounts for only 6% of plastics demand in Europe.17 We have limited knowledge of plastic pollution. Whereas many studies focus on plastic in the marine environment, few investigate it in onshore ecosystems.18 Also, investigating marine plastic waste by, for example, evaluating the extent of gyres is difficult, because some plastic floats below water surface.

10 National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, October 9, 2012. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ 11 FAQ on the EU competences and the European Commission powers - European Citizens Initiative - European Commission, January 4, 2012.https://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/public/competences/faq?lg=en 12 The Ocean Cleanup. “The Ocean Cleanup.”Accessed October 5, 2019. https://theoceancleanup.com/ 13 UN Environment. “About UN Environment.” 2018. https://www.unenvironment.org/about-un-environment 14 “Plastics -the Facts 2018 An Analysis of European Plastics Production, Demand and Waste Data.” 2018. https://www.plasticseurope.org/application/files/6315/4510/9658/Plastics_the_facts_2018_AF_web.pdf 15 Yang, Hong, Mingguo Ma, Julian R Thompson, and Roger J Flower. “Waste Management, Informal Recycling, Environmental Pollution and Public Health.” Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health. BMJ Publishing Group Ltd, March 1, 2018. https://jech.bmj.com/content/72/3/237 16 Ritchie, Hannah, and Max Roser. “Plastic Pollution.” Our World in Data, September 1, 2018.http://bit. ly/33ouqks 17 “Plastic Waste and Recycling in the EU: Facts and Figures: News: European Parliament.” Plastic waste and recycling in the EU: facts and figures | News | European Parliament, December 19, 2018. http://bit.ly/2IN4S95 18 YooeunChaeYoun-JooAn, YooeunChae, and Youn-JooAn. “Current Research Trends on Plastic Pollution and Ecological Impacts on the Soil Ecosystem: A Review.” Environmental Pollution. Elsevier, May 9, 2018. https://www. sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749117348637 25

Actually, the deep sea could be the largest depository of plastic debris.19 20 Plastic alternatives and biodegradable plastics pose their own problems. Developing and manufacturing them is difficult and expensive. Instead of creating a more circular economy, they can have a greenwashing impact on consumers, who believe buying the single-use item is sustainable because it is not plastic. Also, as their production often costs more than with regular plastics, companies can be less willing to produce them and consumers to buy them. Moreover, they are likely to be disposed of incorrectly, and can have hazardous impacts on ecosystems, much like plastics. 21 22

Steps taken so far

The European Parliament has approved a ban of single-use plastic items like cutlery and straws (to be fully implemented by 2021). MSs need to achieve a 90% collection target for plastic bottles, which also have to contain 25% recycled content minimum by 2025, and 30% by 2030.23 Notably, microbeads are not mentioned in this ban.

One of the five “mission boards” of Horizon Europe is ‘Healthy Oceans, Seas, Coastal and Inland Waters’.24 Horizon Europe includes the European Innovation Council which funds promising innovators.25 The EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan works towards a climate-neutral, competitive circular economy where pressure on natural and freshwater resources as well as ecosystems is minimised.26 The European Strategy for Plastics targets that 10 million tonnes of plastic are to be recycled in the EU by 2025. For comparison, 4 million tonnes were used in 2016. To reach this target, 70 companies and business associations submitted voluntary pledges to use or produce more recycled plastics in 2018.27 Nearly all countries have signed a UN treaty that restricts shipment of hard-to-recycle plastics into less economically developed countries without their consent.28 As most plastic pollution originates from low-income countries lacking adequate means of recycling, this treaty decreases the probability of plastic waste ending up in the environment. Nevertheless, it does not decrease the amount of plastic produced.29

19 R.Walker, Tony. “International Policies to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution from Single-Use Plastics (Plastic Bags and Microbeads): A Review.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. Pergamon, February 21, 2017. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X17301650 20 National Geographic Society. “Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” National Geographic Society, October 9, 2012. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/great-pacific-garbage-patch/ 21 Boyd, Olivia. “The Plastics Problem: Are Natural Alternatives Doing More Harm than Good?” The Guardian.

Guardian News and Media, October 31, 2017. http://bit.ly/33pPwyU 22 “What’s the Real Price of Getting Rid of Plastic Packaging? - BBC Worklife.” BBC News. BBC. Accessed October 14, 2019. https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180705-whats-the-real-price-of-getting-rid-of-plastic-packaging 23 “Parliament Seals Ban on Throwaway Plastics by 2021: News: European Parliament.” Parliament seals ban on throwaway plastics by 2021 | News | European Parliament, March 27, 2019. http://bit.ly/2ILLEQU 24 “Horizon Europe - the next Research and Innovation Framework Programme.” European Commission European Commission, September 23, 2019. http://bit.ly/33qwjgG 25 “Statement by Commissioner Moedas on the European Parliament’s Vote on Horizon Europe.” European Commission - PRESS RELEASES - Press release - Statement by Commissioner Moedas on the European Parliament’s vote on Horizon Europe. Accessed October 14, 2019. http://bit.ly/33qWKmv 26 “Commission Delivers on Circular Economy Action Plan.” European Commission - European Commission, March 8, 2019. https://ec.europa.eu/commission/news/commission-delivers-circular-economy-action-plan-2019-mar-04_en 27 “European Strategy for Plastics - Voluntary Pledges.” Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs - European Commission, September 23, 2019. http://bit.ly/31exQVE 28 Holden, Emily. “Nearly All Countries Agree to Stem Flow of Plastic Waste into Poor Nations.” The Guardian.

Guardian News and Media, May 10, 2019. http://bit.ly/2B7nqMP 29 R.Walker, Tony. “International Policies to Reduce Plastic Marine Pollution from Single-Use Plastics (Plastic Bags and Microbeads): A Review.” Marine Pollution Bulletin. Pergamon, February 21, 2017. http://bit.ly/2Mc4bYP 26

What now?

1. How can the EU influence MSs to make their plastics recycling more efficient?

2. What can the EU do to protect animals and humans from plastic pollution, ie. entanglement of ingestion of macroplastics, and microplastics and toxins in the food chain?

3. How should our knowledge of plastic pollution be deepened and spread to the EU citizens?

4. How can the EU influence corporations to reduce their plastic packaging or research and develop plastic alternatives?

Links for further research

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyWPpB8- A short Ted-Ed video on the different possible “journeys” of a plastic bottle.

• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/-The world’s plastics pollution crisis explained.

• http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181005STO15110/plastic-in-theocean-the-facts-effects-and-new-eu-rules-Facts and figures about plastics in the oceans from an EU point of view.

• http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/society/20181212STO21610/plastic-waste-andrecycling-in-the-eu-facts-and-figures-Plastic waste and recycling facts and figures in the EU. • A Plastic Ocean - Documentary on Netflix

Introductory Clauses

A. Noting with approval the EU single-use plastic ban and equivalent legislative efforts made around the world, B. Recognising that the plastic industry is highly profitable and employs over a million people in the EU, C. Aware of the huge amount of plastic waste in the environment, especially in the ocean, where it may cause animal entanglement, physical damage, suffocation and starvation, D. Noting with regret that single-use plastic in particular makes up about 49% of marine litter on European beaches, E. Alarmed by the lack of awareness and attention to the issue of plastic pollution among consumers, F. Deeply concerned by the lack of research on the issue of plastic pollution, G. Keeping in mind that inadequate waste management in low and middle-income countries is one of the main reasons for plastic pollution, H. Realising that plastic alternatives and biodegradable plastics cannot replace plastics at a sufficient level.

27

E

C

O

N

COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC AND MONETARY AFFAIRS

Protests that matter: with students-organised “Fridays for Future” climate strikes on one hand and French “Yellow Vests” movement on another, how can the EU ensure both effective climate policies and affordable resources, while taking into account the interests of the general population?

Chairperson: Anastgasia Milcev (BE)

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Around the world, governments are facing a significant increase in protests1. Yet many of them will soon become irrelevant, since humanity has only 11 years left to adopt efficient climate policies before the effects of climate change become irreversible2. According to the United Nations report, we are in the middle of a 6th mass extinction3. Moreover, a 2014 study from NASA revealed that we are only a few decades away from an “irreversible collapse” due to the excessive use of our limited resources4.

Thus, an increasing number of demonstrations aims to address the issues of climate change. Despite a large number of protests happening in favour of new climate policies, some are organised to express a concern about the consequences that environmental regulations will have.

Climate emergency related, “Fridays for Future” and the “Yellow Vests” are the most controversial demonstrations that have flooded our news in 2018 and 2019. In the first case, the citizens have decided to rise against the passive attitude of their governments by walking out on the streets of major European cities. However, the trigger of the latter ones - Yellow Vests - was an increase in taxes of fuel, which was seen as unsustainable5. The reason for participants’ outrage lies in the inability of the government to find an effective climate solution that is not a burden for lower-income groups.

Key Terms and Actors

• “Fridays for Future” is an international movement of students leaving school on Fridays or Thursdays to take part in the climate marches. This movement was started by Greta Thunberg, a 16-year-old Swedish activist who has been fighting against global warming since 2018. She became famous when instead of going to class, she decided to protest in front of the Swedish Parliament against its inaction concerning global warming6. Since then, Greta has become an icon of young people concerned about the future of the planet.

• “The European Commission” is an institution of the European Union that is responsible for proposing legislation and implementing decisions, such as the 2030 and 2050 climate and energy 1 Ivan De Luce and Juliana Kaplan - World on fire: 13 major protests happening around the globe right now: https://bit.ly/2VGQPqI 2 General Assembly Seventy, third session, high-level meeting on climate and sustainable development Only 11 Years Left to Prevent Irreversible Damage from Climate Change, Speakers Warn during General Assembly High-Level Meeting: https://bit.ly/2Q420H6 3 Aylin Woodward - 18 signs we’re in the middle of a 6th mass extinction: https://bit.ly/2Mk4tNz 4 Jolene Creighton - A timeline of death: How long until we exhaust all our resources?: https://bit.ly/33xHeoY 5 Ben Mcpartland - Yellow Vests: Who were the rioters who wreaked havoc and destruction in Paris?: https:// bit.ly/2qhe3rV 6 Tabitha Whiting - The story of 16 years old Climate Activist Greta Thunberg: https://bit.ly/2kSjA5O 28

frameworks. The European Commission carries out various projects and legislation regarding climate change and renewable energy, in different policy areas such as transport emissions, climate and energy targets and climate change adaptation.

• Countries all across the globe are all part of the bigger puzzle of tackling climate change effectively.

Each nation has its own legislation, targets to reach regarding climate change. Globally, national governments’ efforts vary greatly. EU Member States are tackling global warming and carrying out many preventative measures, whereas many developing countries do not have the same legislation in place. The varying histories of each country have shaped the circumstances in which each currently operates and their scope for action.

• “COP”(Conference of the Parties) is composed of 195 States that have ratified the UN Climate Convention. This international convention was adopted in 1992 to control the increase in greenhouse gases caused by human activities, with the aim of avoiding dangerous climate disruption7.

• “Yellow Vests”, named after the yellow vests worn by protesters, is a movement that appeared in France in October 2018. These protests were organised every Saturday in major French cities. The origin of this protest lies in the increase of the domestic consumption tax on energy products8.

Conflicts

The inefficiency of the climate policies adopted by the Member States and the opposition of the lower-income groups against those policies are the major reasons why citizens have decided to stand up against their governments.

On the one hand, our planet is perishing because of our actions9. Indeed, in recent decades, human activities have increased CO2 emissions, which is the leading cause of global warming. In the first place, the strikes against climate change were aiming to sensitise the public on this issue. Currently, it is the politicians whom strikers are trying to reach out to. Despite the urgency of the situation, statesmen did not put enough measures in place to stop the global warming.

On the other hand, actors that have been closely linked with the climate crisis are the ‘Yellow Vests’ protestors. Their insurgency began when a law on increasing the price of motor fuels was adopted. This tax was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, and an already tense situation reached its climax.

In the case of the Yellow Vests, numerous casseurs damaged public property like statues, shops or restaurants, caused violence and provoked debates in large French cities. Many people living outside of Paris due to lower real estate prices, have to drive to work every day, but with an increase in petrol prices, an additional economic expense is added to their already precarious situation10. The frustration of the citizens has forced them to go out on the streets and demand solutions for climate problems that will not penalise the most economically disadvantaged citizens.

Steps taken so far

The international “Conference of Parties”11 has been organised annually since 1992 to deal with climate change. The most famous ones are the COP2112 held in Paris and the most recent one, COP24, held in Katowice, Poland. The main goal is to assess the countries’ progress in dealing with climate change, negotiate agreements and set goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that are the primary drivers of climate change.

The conference also reflects on successful local initiatives. For instance, on a national level the Dutch government presented a law which would ban all petrol and diesel-powered cars replacing them with battery-powered vehicles by 203013.

7 United Nations Climate Change - Conferences of the Parties (COP): https://bit.ly/2DQCxhZ 8 Tom Chitty, Benjamin Hall, Giorgio Tonella and Cristy Garratt - Why is France protesting?: https://bit. ly/2qnTABJ 9 European Environment Agency - How do human activities contribute to climate change and do they compare with natural influences?: https://bit.ly/2ryuEma 10 Annabelle Timsit - France’s fuel protests show how poor people can bear the cost of fighting climate change: https://bit.ly/2DVcJjR 11 Dr. Avik Basu and Dr. Richard Rood - What is the COP: https://bit.ly/2ISDmH9 12 Scenes of reason - COP 21 Agreement: explained: https://bit.ly/1Qp5H6P 13 Fred Lambert - The Dutch government confirms plan to ban new petrol and diesel cars by 2030: https:// 29

The 2030 climate and energy framework14 established by the European Commission aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% by 2030. Furthermore, the 2050 long term strategy15 also adopted by the European Commission, calls the Member States to achieve climate neutrality in the EU and competitive low-carbon economy by 2050.

To solve the crisis of yellow vests, the French president Emmanuel Macron has implemented several measures. First of all, he increased the minimum inter-professional growth wage (known as the SMIC in France) by 100 euros16. Then the overtime hours done by the employees were turned tax-free. Finally, the president decided to abolish the solidarity tax on wealth and to keep it on the real estate wealth.

Following the difficulties that France has been facing since the last presidential elections, president Macron also decided to organise consultations for citizens in order to answer directly to their concerns, with one of the subjects being the effects of policies against climate change.

What now?

1. On a national level, what measures should the governments adopt to fight the climate crisis without affecting the low income households?

2. Are the actions decided on during the conferences like the COP or the United Nation Climate Change Summit really efficient in the process of tackling climate emergency?

3. How should politicians react to public protests concerning climate change? Do you think that the strikes have an impact on their decisions?

Links for further research •

Onze toekomst watch - Youth for Climate https://bit.ly/2MmpKGe

• Friday for future https://bit.ly/2IpPpxI • France Yellow Vest protests - BBC News https://bbc.in/2VVGZRh • Who are the gilets jaune and what do they want - Angelique Chrisafis https://bit.ly/2QwAhBv

bit.ly/2g1dQk8 14 European Commission - 2030 climate & energy framework: https://bit.ly/2tvvYHG 15 European Commission - 2050 long-term strategy: https://bit.ly/2ofhopk 16 France 24, Reuters - Macron raises minimum wage to appease Yellow Vest protesters: https://bit.ly/2C32YOk 30

Introductory Clauses

A. Aware of the economic struggle that some low-income households are facing due to new climate policies, B. Deeply concerned by the lack of sustainable solutions to tackle climate change proposed by the politicians, C. Observing a growing number of students who decided to protest during marches such as “Friday for Future”, D. Regretting that the views of students on climate policy are not often taken into account by policymakers17, E. Recognising the importance of international conferences, such as the COP, in finding common solutions for global warming, F. Taking into consideration the climate strategy established by the European Commision, G. Recognising the needs of lower-income households when it comes to create new policies against climate change, H. Aware of the measures implemented by President Macron,

17 Sarah Kaplan, Lauren Lumpkin and Bady Dennis - “We will make them hear us”: Millions of youths around the world strike for action: https://wapo.st/2VI6aXV 31

A

G

R

I

COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

To eat or not to eat? While Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are being regarded as a big step towards profitable agriculture, there are still public health and environmental concerns associated with their usage.

What stance should the EU take in order to maximise the benefits and ensure food safety?

Introduction, Relevance, Context

Chairperson: Bart Riemers (NL)

As the worldwide population expands, we are seeing an increasing strain on our food sources. As a result, agricultural industries are turning towards advancing technologies, such as Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) to produce higher yields of food and increase efficiency of farms1. Additionally, the issue of Genetically Modified Organisms is an ongoing, nuanced and highly contentious issue2.

Individuals from the scientific and medical fields fall on both sides of the argument, some claiming that GMOs are helping to solve issues concerning hunger, environmental sustainability and an increasing global population3, while others believe they are doing more harm than good4. With studies supporting both sides5, many wonder: Who should we believe? Ultimately, at the crux of the controversy are a number of unknowns about the long-term health effects of GMOs and the impact these plants and accompanying farming methods have on the environment6. As the number of GMOs available for commercial use grows every year,7 it is clear that this issue is central to the future of our food supply.

Thus, how should the EU try to maximise agricultural benefits whilst ensuring food safety?

Key Terms and Actors

Terms: • Genetically modified organism (GMO)8 is an organism, with the exception of human beings, in which the genetic material has been altered in a way that does not occur naturally by mating and/ or natural recombination. This can allow plants and animals, for example, to be bred to give a higher yield or to resist disease.

1 Graeme Taylor, (2018). “Advancing crop protection”. GovernmentEuropa. https://www.governmenteuropa. eu/advancing-crop-protection/86123/ 2 Maghari, B. M., & Ardekani, A. M. (2011). Genetically modified foods and social concerns. Avicenna journal of medical biotechnology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3558185/ 3 Oliver M. J. (2014). “Why we need GMO crops in agriculture”. Missouri medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih. gov/pmc/articles/PMC6173531/ 4 Boyles, J. (2007). Genetically Engineered Foods May Cause Rising Food Allergies (Part One). Institute for Responsible Technology. https://responsibletechnology.org/genetically-engineered-foods-may-cause-rising-food-allergies-part-one/ 5 Buiatti, M., Christou, P., & Pastore, G. (2013). The application of GMOs in agriculture and in food production for a better nutrition: two different scientific points of view. Genes & nutrition. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC3639326/ 6 Nirvana Abou-Gabal, (2016). “Understanding the Controversy and Science of GMOs”. Huffpost. https:// www.huffpost.com/entry/gmos_b_7880026 7 “Food & GMOs”, (2019). The Conscious Club. https://www.theconsciouschallenge.org/ecologicalfootprintbibleoverview/food-gmos 8 “Frequently asked questions on genetically modified foods.” World Health Organisation. https://www. who.int/foodsafety/areas_work/food-technology/faq-genetically-modified-food/en/ 32

• Genetic engineering9 is the deliberate, controlled manipulation of the genes in an organism with the intent of making that organism better in some way.

• Biotechnology10 refers to the use of living organisms to solve problems or develop new products.

Genetic modification is one example of biotechnology; vaccinations and antibiotics were also created via biotechnology.

Actors: • The reaction of farmers to GMOs has been mixed11. Some farmers have quickly adopted the technology. Other farmers, mindful of the controversy surrounding GM products, have hesitated to use GM seeds as part of their agricultural operations. Those who chose to abstain often demand a distance to be kept between GM and regular crops due to a fear of cross pollination and invasion.

• The European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA)12, is an agency of the European Union that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain.

• Since March 2015, Member States (MS) are allowed to prohibit or restrict the cultivation of crops containing GMOs on their territory13, even if they are allowed at EU level.

• Consumer knowledge about GMOs has not increased at the same rate as the adoption of GM crops.

Consumers worldwide are displaying limited understanding, misconceptions, and even unfamiliarity with GMO food products.14

Conflicts

The use of GMOs incites fierce and seemingly unsolvable debates among environmental activists, scientists, government regulators, and representatives of the food and agriculture industries, especially within Europe. Environmental activist groups have been protesting strongly against GMOs for some time15. This is due to fears that GMOs have the potential to cause harm to human and animal health and ecosystems, as well as a fear of a dramatic reduction in plant diversity. Besides, these foods are new inventions and not much is known about their long-term effects on human beings16. For these or religious/ethical reasons, many people prefer to stay away from GM foods. On the other hand, In 2018, the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) released a report17 highlighting the challenges currently faced by the EU agriculture. The report states that the continued depletion of the toolbox available to farmers to protect their crops is having, and will continue to have, significant consequences. Ultimately, if we are to produce more sustainable and nutritious food to meet the growing global demand – in the face of challenges from pests, diseases, eroded soils, lack of water and climate change – GMOs might offer a solution. Although not globally accepted, modern GMO technology proposes numerous advantages and disadvantages that continue to be, a subject of disagreement, both within EU Member States and on a more global scale.

9 “Genetic Engineering”. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/genetic-engineering 10 Verma, A. S., Agrahari, S., Rastogi, S., & Singh, A. (2011). Biotechnology in the realm of history. Journal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178936/ 11 David Kruft, (2001). “Impacts of Genetically-Modified Crops and Seeds on Farmers”. Pennsylvania State University. https://pennstatelaw.psu.edu/_file/aglaw/Impacts_of_Genetically_Modified.pdf 12 “European Food Safety Authority”. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Food_Safety_Authority 13 “Legislative Train Schedule”. Europarliament. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/themeunion-of-democratic-change/file-possibility-for-member-states-to-prohibit-cultivation-of-gmos-on-their-territory 14 Wunderlich, Shahla & Gatto, Kelsey. (2015). “Consumer Perception of Genetically Modified Organisms and Sources of Information” . Research Gate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283790862_Consumer_Perception_of_Genetically_Modified_Organisms_and_Sources_of_Information/citation/download 15 “Several European countries move to rule out GMOs”. European Green Capital. https://ec.europa.eu/environment/europeangreencapital/countriesruleoutgmos/ 16 Phillips, T. (2008). Genetically modified organisms (GMOs): Transgenic crops and recombinant DNA. https://www.nature.com/scitable/topicpage/genetically-modified-organisms-gmos-transgenic-crops-and-732/ 17 Thomas McLoughlin, (2019). “Ban on GM crops is a blight on Irish agriculture”. The Irish Times. https:// www.irishtimes.com/news/science/ban-on-gm-crops-is-a-blight-on-irish-agriculture-1.3767996 33

Steps taken so far

Before any GM foods can be produced or sold in the EU, they need to pass several safety assessments outlined by the Commission18. However, the relationship between the EU and GMOs has always been complicated and disunited. According to EU regulations19, Member States can choose whether to restrict or prohibit GMOs being sold. Some countries have gone even further and banned the production of GM crops on their territory. Furthermore, in 2015, 19 Member States voted to prohibit the cultivation of eight new biotech crops that were waiting to be approved by regulators20. On the EU level, the European Food and Safety Authority (EFSA) conducts the required risk assessments21. GMOs, or food and feed consisting of or containing GMOs, are assigned a unique identifier and are labelled22 as such to ensure traceability and enable consumers to make informed choices. Interestingly, although the EU has been very vocal about its opinions of growing GMOs, Member States are still heavy endorsers of GM products;23 particularly GM crops for livestock. However, the EU has changed and adapted legalisation over the years regarding the use and development of GMOs, stressing the importance of the evaluation, authorisation and traceability of all GM foods to ensure safety.

What now?

• Taking the large number of pros and cons into consideration, should the EU endorse or restrict GM products?

• Considering limited competences of the EU on health care, how can the EU address the health concerns related to GMOs? • How should the EU combat the spread of misinformation on the issue of GMOs?

Links for further research

• Intro: Very informative and understandable, yet objective video on the overall challenges we face concerning GMOs and FAQ. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TmcXYp8xu4 • This is the corresponding article. https://www.theconsciouschallenge.org/ ecologicalfootprintbibleoverview/food-gmos • Here you will find a brief visualisation of the EU’s current approach to GMOs. https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=OpYQf1Kas8U • This article/poster covers statistics and information about what Member States say about GMOs and what they actually do. https://www.europabio.org/sites/default/files/EUMemberStatesandGMOs.pdf • Through this link you will find a very informative and highly recommended article on the position of the EU regarding GMOs compared to the rest of the world and some important facts and statistics. https://gmo.geneticliteracyproject.org/FAQ/where-are-gmos-grown-and-banned/ • Finally, a brief view on the history of EU legislation on GMOs http://www.europarl.europa.eu/ legislative-train/theme-union-of-democratic-change/file-possibility-for-member-states-to-prohibitcultivation-of-gmos-on-their-territory

18 “GMO”, European Food Safety Authority. https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/gmo 19 “Legislative Train Schedule”. Europarliament. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/legislative-train/themeunion-of-democratic-change/file-possibility-for-member-st 20 Theresa Papademetriou, (2014). “Restrictions on Genetically Modified Organisms: European Union”. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/law/help/restrictions-on-gmos/eu.php#skip_menu 21 “GMO legislation”. European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/legislation_en 22 “Traceability and labelling”. European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/traceability_labelling_en 23 “Where are GMO crops and animals approved and banned?”. Genetic Literacy Project. https://gmo.geneticliteracyproject.org/FAQ/where-are-gmos-grown-and-banned/ 34

Introductory Clauses

A. Fully aware that food safety is one of the EU’s most pressing social issues, B. Bearing in mind that, although many EU countries do not grow Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), the EU is one of the world’s biggest consumers of GMOs, C. Observing the negative public stance on GMOs concerning health effects, caused by the lack of research on the long-term effects

D. Recognising the potentially harmful effects of GMOs on biodiversity, E. Aware of the potential production and efficiency increase in the agricultural sector through GMOs, F. Pointing out the potential nutritional benefits of GM crops, as they could majorly improve public health, G. Further recognising that increasing the cultivation of GMOs could lead to i)

minimised use of resources in the agricultural process

ii) a smaller carbon footprint from locally produced crops

35