Resolution Booklet Amsterdam 2016

Programme 08:30 Explanation of the Procedure of the General Assembly 09:00 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) 09:45 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) 10:30 Coffee Break 10:50 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety 11:35 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs 12:20 Lunch 13:20 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs 14:05 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Fisheries 14:50 Coffee Break 15:10 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Regional Development 15:55 Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs 16:40 Coffee Break 16:50 Closing Ceremony 18:00 Departures

2 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Procedure of the General Assembly General rules The wish to speak is indicated by raising the Committee placard. One may speak once he or she is recognised. The authority of the Board is absolute.

Procedure and time settings 1. Presentation of the Motion for a Resolution (the Board reads out the topic); 2. Reading out of the Operative Clauses 3. Points of Information; 4. Defence Speech (maximum 3 minutes); 5. 2 Attack Speeches (maximum of 2 minutes); 6. Response to the Attack Speech (maximum 90 seconds); 7. Open Debate on the Motion for a Resolution; 8. Summation Speech (maximum 3 minutes); 9. Voting procedure; 10. Announcement of the voting results by the Board.

Point of Information One may ask for a Point of Information if it is a request for a brief explanation of the meaning of specific words or abbreviations. For example, asking what the abbreviation EU stands for would be a correct use of the Point of Information.

Point of Personal Privilege Whenever a delegate is inaudible for other delegates during open debate, delegates may request a Point of Personal Privilege. Failure to understand the language being spoken does not make for a Point of Personal Privilege.

Direct Responses Once per Debate, each Committee may use a ‘Direct Response’. Should a Committee member raise the Committee Placard and the ‘Direct Response’ sign during the Open Debate, he/she will immediately be recognised by the Board and given the floor as soon as the point being made is concluded. A Direct Response can only be used to refer to and discuss the point made directly beforehand. If two or more Direct Responses are requested at once, the Board will decide which Committee to recognise. It is encouraged to use the Direct Response during every debate.

Reading out of the Operative Clauses One delegate from the Proposing Committee will be asked to read out the Operative Clauses from the podium.

3 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Point of Order The chairperson can raise these if a delegate feels the Board have not properly followed Parliamentary procedure.

Defence Speech One member of the Proposing Committee delivers the Defence Speech from the podium. It is used to explain the rationale of the overall lines of the Resolution and to convince the Plenary that the Resolution is worthy of being adopted. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes.

Attack Speeches One Delegate from a Committee other than the Proposing Committee delivers an Attack Speech from the podium. It reflects an individual opinion and is used to point out the flaws of the approach taken by the Proposing Committee and should propose alternative solutions.

Oftentimes, an Attack Speech is concluded with an appeal to the Plenary not to adopt the Resolution in their present form. On each resolution a total of two Attack Speeches will be delivered. An attack speech may last no longer than two minutes.

Response to the Attack Speeches The Proposing Committee responds to the points raised by the Attack Speeches. They may do so for 90 seconds.

Summation Speech After the last round of debate, one or two members of the Proposing Committee deliver the Summation Speech from the podium. Bear in mind that the microphone can only be passed once. It is used to summarise the Debate, respond to main, selected criticism and to once more explain why the chosen approach is the most sensible. It typically concludes with an appeal to vote in favour of the Resolution. This speech may last a maximum of three minutes.

4 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs Following the Paris attacks and subsequent security crackdowns, calls for greater intelligence sharing in the fight against terrorism have been mounting. How should the EU respond to these calls and what measures can be taken to effectively prevent similar attacks from occurring?

Submitted by:

Roxanne Bongers, Marijn Huijers, Roos Kramer, Elke van Leeuwerden, Narek Sarian, Gilles Simon, Teun Soederhuizen, Amy Steur, Chris Stumphius, Dorian van Raan, Mirna Vrdoljak, Ruben de Vries, DaniĂŤl de Weerd, Maria Bianka Lojanica (Chairperson, NL), Andrei Popoviciu (Chairperson, RO)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply disturbed by the recent increase in terrorist attacks in Europe such as those in Paris, B. Noting with regret the lack of intelligence sharing due to mistrust between Member States, third parties and within the European framework, C. Alarmed by the lack of information sharing due to fear of losing sovereignty, authority, and autonomy, D. Deeply concerned by the inefficiency of national security agencies due to limited staff, E. Taking into account that the broad aim of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)1 is to set boundaries on the collection of the personal information, F. Fully aware of the lack of inclusion of third-country nationalities2 in the European Criminal Record Information System (ECRIS)3, G. Acknowledging that certain Member States do not participate in the Schengen Information System II (SIS II)4,

1

GDPR is a regulation through which the European Commission intends to strengthen and unify data protection for individuals in the EU by only allowing competent intelligence services to collect data if proven to be necessary.

2 Third-Country Nationalities are nationalities of people coming from countries outside the EU. 3 ECRIS is a decentralised system of criminal record data. Information is stored solely in national databases, and exchanged electronically between the central authorities of the Member States upon request.

4 SIS II is an efficient large-scale information system which supports external border control and law enforcement cooperation in the Schengen States.

5 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

H. Noting with deep concern that terrorists have the opportunity to travel freely between Member States because of the lack of border control in the Schengen area, I.

Realising the threat posed by social media and the increased opportunities for communication it offers terrorists around the world,

J. Expresses its appreciation for social media platforms such as Facebook, You Tube, Twitter, and Instagram on their successful approach against the online spread of terrorism propaganda;

1. Urges the European Council to accept the Passenger Name Record (PNR)5 proposal endorsed by the Committee on Civil Liberties on December 10th 2015; 2. Encourages Member States to share intelligence by changing SIS II and ECRIS from decentralised alert-based systems to pan-EU databases; 3. Invites national security agencies to render SIS II more efficient through the sharing of ECRIS information on criminal convictions; 4. Urges the EU to invest in both the enhancement of technical resources available for national security agencies, as well as fund an increase in their working staff capacity; 5. Suggests that intelligence services respect the GDPR while sharing and collecting intelligence; 6. Requests the integration of a European index of convicted third-country nationals within ECRIS; 7. Calls upon Bulgaria, Romania, the United Kingdom, and Ireland to cooperate with the SIS II information system; 8. Recommends social media networks adopt a more intensive approach to tackling online terrorist propaganda by tracking and deleting posts flagged as such; 9. Further invites experts of social media networks which regulate terrorist related content online to provide information to intelligence agencies on potential threats.

5

PNR is a directive whcih obliges airlines to provide Member States security forces with passengers' data in order to help authorities to fight terrorism and serious crime.

6 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy Despite the long-term goals of the EU Energy Security Strategy and the 2030 goals, for the foreseeable future Europe will continue to rely heavily on imported energy resources. How should the Union move towards a more self-sufficient future, while still considering developments such as the proposal to build a second Nord Stream pipeline?

Submitted by:

Alexander Avdeev, Pim van de Brandeler, Samuel Cohn, Lucy Jongen, Andreas Janssen, Lotte Melkert, Noah Sloots, Yves Stevens, Tom Suelmann, Boaz van Tol, Marie Sanne van Vliet, Emma van der Zalm, Elza Linda Purvinska (Chairperson, LV) , Titus Verster (Vice-President, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Taking into account Member States’ differing energy policies, B. Recognising that energy consumption rates have increased rapidly over past decades, C. Concerned by the limited fossil fuel resources within EU territory, D. Emphasising the lack of a transnational energy infrastructure between Member States, E. Realising that the energy security of the EU is at risk due to: i) political conflicts regarding energy supplying countries, ii) the lack of diversity of energy suppliers, F. Alarmed that research on renewable energy sources and energy efficiency conducted by the NER4006 has not received the appropriate due recognition, G. Deeply disturbed by the attractiveness of investing in more profitable short-term strategies for energy security such as the second Nord Stream7 pipeline;

6 The NER400 is a financing and research instrument managed jointly by the European Commission, the European Investment Bank, and Member States. It aims to finance renewable energy installations (facilities?) as they produce energy in order to hasten the deployment of new technology.

7 The Nord Stream pipeline will be a twin pipeline system aimed at transporting natural gas from Northern Russia to the EU in order to diversify the supply routes of the EU’s energy imports.

7 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

1. Urges Member States to increase the energy efficiency of public and privately-owned buildings by through: a) the establishment of a stricter policy on energy efficiency for future building projects, b) the provision of subsidies for owners of existing buildings who wish to improve the energy efficiency; 2. Calls upon Member States to promote more efficient technologies in fossil fuel energy production such as the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) system8; 3. Requests the creation by the European Commission of a platform through which authorities and research teams can cooperate and share ideas regarding renewable energy; 4. Strongly affirms Member States to financially reward companies that increase their use of renewable energy sources; 5. Appeals to Member States to make investment in renewable energy more attractive by means of soft loans for companies who make such requests; 6. Congratulates the Energy Union on its efforts to develop a common approach in energy policies amongst Member States; 7. Encourages further research into increased energy infrastructure across EU; 8. Directs Member States to decrease the non-profitable nature of renewable energy through the provision of subsidies for energy providers investing in renewable energy; 9. Asks EU energy providers to diversify fossil fuel supply routes without increasing the imported share of the EU’s energy supply.

8

Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is the use of power stations to generate electricity and useful heat at the same time.

8 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety With survey results from the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) showing an increase of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) across many hospitals rendering the number of cures to certain infections smaller, and the Action Plan against the rising threats from AMR coming to an end in 2016, what further steps should the EU take the minimise the threats associated with the current and growing prevalence of AMR and halt its future expansion?

Submitted by:

Niels Appelman, Emma Dijkhuizen, Inge-Lien Directs, Holly Donoghue, Eva Eringaard, Noah Hitzhusen, Pien Kiliaan, Linford Pennaertz, Dasja Planidina, Casper Pachoki, Emma Rikken, Laura Korn (Chairperson, NL), Waltter Roslin (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Applauds the work of the European Commission on the 2016 Action plan against the rising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance9, B. Guided by the fact that natural selection, enhanced by the use of antimicrobial drugs, leads to the occurrence of AMR, C. Keeping in mind that prevention is equally as vital as finding a cure when combatting AMR, D. Noting with regret that some Member States have a lack of effective preventive measures to minimise the spread of infectious diseases, E. Acknowledging the fact that the EU holds supportive competence regarding public health policy, F. Alarmed by the misuse of antimicrobial treatment as a preventive measure within the agricultural sector by farmers and veterinarians, G. Deeply concerned about the lack of research on AMR and antimicrobial treatment by both the public and private sector,

9

A European Commission document on the threat of AMR and suggestions on how the EU and Member States should handle the matter

9 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

H. Observing that the current media campaigns are not adequately informing the public about the threat of AMR, I.

Deeply conscious that doctors, especially General Practitioners, feel pressured both personally and by patients to prescribe antibiotics to their patients, even if the necessity is questionable,

J. Taking into account that within the EU antibiotics are prescribed too often and at times incorrectly, K. Fully believing that doctors are aware of the effect which over-prescription of antibiotics has on AMR although this has no impact on their own practice of prescription personal prescription of antibiotics, L. Reaffirming that doctors do not see their practice as contributory to the problem of AMR, M. Emphasising the impact lack of personal hygiene can affect on the probability of acquiring an infection, thus increasing the amount of antibiotics administered;

1. Seeks to expand the timeframe of the European Commission 2016 Action plan against the rising threats from Antimicrobial Resistance by five years; 2. Calls upon the European Structural & Investment Fund (ESIF)10 to fund New Drugs For Bad Bugs (ND4BB)11 in order to conclude current projects and initiate new ones with increased transparency; 3. Proposes that the ESIF increase funding for governmental and semi-governmental research institutes on projects concerning AMR; 4. Requests the European Commission only to allow the preventive usage of antibiotics in animal husbandry when there is a serious threat for an outbreak of an epidemic disease; 5. Encourages the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD)12 to create a subsidiary fund designed by a team of farmers, engineers, economists, and microbiologists aimed at minimising the spread of infections by reducing the size of a herd held in a single closed space; 6. Urges Member States to implement the Antimicrobial Stewardship13 programme;

10

With a budget of €454 billion for 2014-20, the ESIF is the European Union's main investment policy tool ND4BB is a project led by the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), which is a collaboration between the EU and pharmaceutical companies 12 The EAFRD is an EU agricultural fund aimed at supporting rural communities and implementing new policy changes 13 The term ‘Antimicrobial Stewardship’ is defined as ‘an organisational or healthcare system wide approach to promoting and monitoring judicious use of antimicrobials to preserve their future effectiveness 11

10 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

7. Suggests that the ECDC14 combines existing media campaigns with the aim of increased ease of comprehension and attractiveness to citizens as well as adding other platforms, as television advertisements and information on antibiotics packages; 8. Requests improvement of preventive measures in Member States to adhere to the following timeline: a) the establishment of general guidelines for preventive measures by the ECDC, b) the urging of Member States to evaluate their preventive measures, c) the sharing of evaluation outcomes with other Member States via public platforms, d) the organisation of a summit for Member States to pool efforts to respect the guidelines during the European Antibiotic Awareness Day; 9. Invites Member States to implement an educational programme to promote habits of personal hygiene, such as the proper hand washing methods for primary school students; 10. Recommends Member States to ensure that all public lavatories are equipped with the necessary hand sanitation utilities.

14

The ECDC is an independent agency of the EU whose mission is to strengthen Europe’s defences against infectious diseases

11 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Constitutional Affairs In light of the struggle of many Member State to deal with the influx of migrants and refugees entering the European Union and the consequent breaking of conditions of both the Schengen Agreement and Dublin Regulations, how should the EU deal with these Member States and frameworks to cope with current numbers arriving on European soil?

Submitted by:

Leonard de Bruin, Chiara Cirà, Luca Cox, Nadine Jansen, Sofie de Jong, Victor d’Engelbronner, Fadi Fahad, Sytze Ferwerda, Renee van der Post, Arne van Rooijen, Aya Temimi, Anne-Laure Zweep, Melissa Forss (Chairperson, FI), Luc Vorsteveld (Chairperson, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the fact that the voyage of the asylum seekers from their country of origin to the European Union is not safe for reasons such as: i) the inhumane conditions in which refugees and asylum seekers find themselves during their voyage to Europe, ii) dependence on the services of human smugglers demanding large sums of money from asylum seekers and thus violating international human rights, B. Convinced that the Member States are not fully respecting the Reception Conditions Directive15, C. Aware of cultural, economic, political, religious and social disparities between the citizens of the Member States and asylum seekers, D. Expressing its concern regarding long waiting times for employment permits forestalling asylum seekers’ access to recruitment, thus further hampering integration into the receiving society, E. Fully aware that many refugees decide to move illegally through Europe due to: i) the aspiration to leave Member States at the Southern and Eastern external borders, ii) the willingness to obtain better living conditions in Northern and Western Member States, iii) being met with institutional xenophobia in some Member States, having resulted in adverse political measures and discrimination against asylum seekers, 15

The Reception Conditions Directive establishes common standards of conditions of living of asylum applicants. It ensures that applicants have access to housing, food, health care and employment, as well as medical and psychological care.

12 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

F. Emphasising the analysis showing that an influx of refugees has a favourable economic effect in both the short and medium term16, G. Noting with regret the absence of willingness of Member States to allocate adequate resources to FRONTEX17 in order to combat human trafficking;

1. Calls upon the Member States to allow FRONTEX to become an independent agency within the European Union in order to: i) improve the coordination of the large influx of refugees and asylum seekers in Member States at external borders dealing with the greatest strain, ii) avoid influence of national interests preventing adequate resources and funds of FRONTEX, iii) oppose illegal immigration in order to control the number of refugees and asylum seekers arriving on European soil leading consequently to the violation of the Dublin Regulation, iv) combat human trafficking by cooperating effectively with national authorities and EUROPOL18, currently in charge of the denied asylum seekers and human smugglers; 2. Strongly urges the European Commission to enforce the legislative instruments of the Common European Asylum System19; 3. Encourages Member States to facilitate the integration of refugees in society in order to prevent the negative effects of cultural segregation by providing: i) public housing, funded by the Member States with support of the European Union, ii) language courses provided for both refugees and asylum seekers with the financial support of the European Union; 4. Strongly seeks the increase of financial means allocated to the European Refugee Fund20 in order to create a more efficient asylum and work permission procedure; 5. Requests Member States to cooperate towards an agreement on equal distribution of refugees and asylum seekers in order to balance benefits and disadvantages.

16

European Economic Forecast Autumn 2015 (Institutional Paper 011 / November 2015) FRONTEX promotes, coordinates and develops European border management in line with the EU fundamental rights charter applying the concept of Integrated Border Management.

18 Europol is the European Union’s law enforcement agency assisting the European Union’s Member States in their fight against serious international crime and terrorism.

19 The EU Member States made the commitment to create a Common European Asylum System to tackle the Union's rapidly increasing asylum challenges.

20 The European Refugee Fund (ERF) was a scheme designed to facilitate the sharing of the financial costs of the reception, integration and voluntary repatriation of refugees amongst EU Member States.

17

13 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs Following the European Commission’s recent rulings concerning tax arrangements between both the Netherlands and Luxembourg with Starbucks and Fiat respectively, amounting to illegal state aid, how should the EU proceed in tackling aggressive tax planning practices by multinational companies beyond a case-by-case approach?

Submitted by:

Job Andringa, Frederique Buining, Sterre van Campen, Andro Gerges, Dean Gray, Carmen Koppert, Azza Kushaib, Teun Petersen, Bente Rijnbende, Lianne Smits, Jari Stensen, Ilir Kola (Vice-President, AL), Anja Todorovic (Chairperson, RS)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the fact that tax havens21, aggressive tax planning, and illegal state aid can destabilise the internal market since they offer a tool which can lead to tax avoidance, B. Fully aware that Member States retain exclusive competence to deal with fiscal policies, and thus the EU cannot take direct legislative action, C. Aware of the lack of collaboration amongst Member States in issues related to fiscal policy, D. Keeping in mind the advantageous position of low corporate tax rate countries when compared with that of countries with higher tax rates, E. Recognising that multinational corporations as well as countries considered tax havens profit from low tax rates, F. Bearing in mind that an increase of corporate tax rates can harm the economy of a country, G. Deeply concerned by the lack of supervision by the European Commission on state aid provided to multinational companies, H. Recalling the importance of the Tax Transparency Package22 as a deterrent from using tax rulings as an instrument for tax abuse;

21

A tax haven is a state, country, or territory where, on a national level, certain taxes are levied at a very low rate or not at all. It can also refer to countries that have a system of financial secrecy in place.

14 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

1. Believes that collaboration among Member States is crucial in tackling aggressive tax planning holistically; 2. Recommends Member States analyse the negative impacts that their fiscal policy can have on other tax systems in place across the EU; 3. Encourages Member States to work towards the harmonization of corporate tax rates; 4. Further encourages cooperation between Member States to set a minimum corporate tax rate; 5. Urges Member States to revise the Tax Transparency Package by: a) sharing the full text of rulings regarding all tax avoidance cases, b) creating a standard format for reports to be submitted by Member States, c) increasing the number of reports to be submitted every year from four to six; 6. Urges Member States to present all state aid deals between their governments and multinational companies in a database which is available to the public; 7. Endorses the improvement of the general supervision mechanism used by the DirectorateGeneral for Competition of the European Commission on already existing state aid deals by conducting more frequent and regular inquiries.

22

The Tax Transparency Package is agreement by Member States on the automatic exchange of information on cross-border tax rulings. Member States are expected to submit regular reports.

15 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Fisheries The European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF) was established in 2014 in order to support the work and livelihoods of fishermen, yet with an ever-rising demand aquaculture accounts for over 20% of all fish consumed in Europe. How should the EU develop aquafarming as a supplementary fishing source and boost economic gains in the sector whilst at the same time ensuring a sustainable fishing future in line with the Europe 2020 strategy goals?

Submitted by:

Alex Derks, Tjalling Fokkema, Lizzy van Gelder, Rens Jansen, Zina Janssen, Willem Langeveld, Marie-Christine de Loë, Wout Sartorius, Sonia Popovich, Claire Veldkamp, Sander Wagemans, Alinda Wu, John McGuinness (Chairperson, IE), Francisca Somann (Chairperson, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Concerned that 88% of European fish stocks, compared against Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY)23, are overfished due to: i) a lack of enforcement among Member States of Common Fisheries Policy24 (CFP) regulations, ii) Total Allowable Catch25 (TAC) quotas being set above maximum sustainable yields, iii) practices amongst fishermen of deliberately exceeding their quotas and dumping the excess overboard afterwards, B. Noting the role that aquaculture26 has to play in the alleviation of pressure on wild fish stocks while acknowledging the following associated drawbacks: i) pollution of the eco-systems in close proximity to aquafarms due to the antibiotics and chemicals used in the rearing process, ii) infection of local wild fish stocks with diseases which can develop and spread quickly in the dense aquaculture fish populations, iii) further depletion of wild fish stocks as smaller species are required in the feeding of carnivorous fish,

23

Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) is the largest yield (or catch) that can be taken from a species’ stock over an indefinite period of time while avoiding extinction.

24 The Common Fisheries Policy is a set of rules governing European fishing fleets and the conservation of European waters. It seeks to make fish a common resource and guarantee equal access for all Member States’ fleets to European waters.

25 Total Allowable Catches are a function of the Common Fisheries policy which sets quotas on the amount of different fish species which can be caught in a given time frame.

26 Aquaculture is the rearing of aquatic animals or the cultivation of aquatic plants for food.

16 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

iv) contribution to the growing human resistance to antibiotics as antibiotics consumed by fish meant for human consumption to prevent the spread of disease during the fish farming process, C. Recognising that the aquaculture industry in Europe has stagnated in comparison to China, where 60% of the world’s fish farms are located, D. Deeply alarmed by the pollution of the European fishing grounds by human activity as a result of: i) chemicals and antibiotics used in the aquaculture process, ii) discarding unwanted or protected fish caught by European fishermen, iii) waste and water polluting emissions produced by European fishing vessels, E. Alarmed by the growing inability of fishermen to compete with the lower prices offered by the aquaculture industry, F. Conscious of the heavy reliance of many coastal communities on the fishing industry for economic prosperity across the EU, G. Aware of the inability of many fishermen to transition towards sustainable fishing methods and aquaculture due to a lack of expertise and capital, H. Noting with regret the lack of awareness among European citizens and politicians of the depletion of European fish stocks;

1. Calls upon the European Commission to expand the CFP to include: a) the protection of marine areas in order to alleviate the pressure on heavily exploited wild fish species, b) a higher minimum mesh size27 for fishing nets to prevent the capture of young fish, c) supervisory power for CFP producer organisations28, to be overseen by the European Commission, to enforce the existing CFP quotas; 2. Urges the implementation of tax breaks for European aqua-farms29; 3. Encourages research into alternative sources for the feeding of carnivorous fish reared in aquafarms; 4. Resolves to reduce the negative effects of antibiotics used in the aquaculture process by: a) setting a maximum fish density per square meter in fish farms, b) supporting the use of vaccinations, 27

Mesh size denotes the size of the holes in fishing nets.

Producer Organisations are voluntary organisations set up by fishermen or fish farmers to assist in the selling of their product, established as part of the CFP. 29 Areas designated to the rearing of aquatic animals and the cultivation of aquatic plants for food.

28

17 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

c) researching alternatives to antibiotics for disease prevention; 5. Requests the reduction of waste and its effects on wild fish in the aquaculture process by: a) isolating aqua-farms from areas of high wild fish density, b) encouraging the use of natural cleaning methods in aqua-farms such as the growth of seaweed, mussels, and algae; 6. Strongly affirms the protection of European coastal communities from economic harm by: a) expanding the European Maritime Fisheries Fund30 (EMFF) to provide further assistance in the diversification of their economies, b) encouraging that new aqua-farms be established in close proximity to coastal fishing communities to provide an alternative source of employment and revenue; 7. Seeks an increase in public awareness on the issues of overfishing by: a) drawing attention to the work done by Marine Stewardship Council31 (MSC) in labelling sustainable fish products, b) running a media campaign to highlight the issue of overfishing.

30

The European Maritime Fisheries Fund was established in 2014 support the work and livelihoods of European fishermen, aid in the transition to more sustainable fishing practices and to aid coastal communities in the diversification of their local economies.

31 The Marine Stewardship Council is an international non-profit organisation seeking to encourage sustainable fishing practices through establishing a labelling system for products made using fish caught in a sustainable manner.

18 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Regional Development With the European Environmental Agency 2015 report claiming about 430,000 European premature deaths occur annually from poor Air Quality in Europe, and results from the Commission Public Consultation on the Key Features of an EU Urban Agenda calling for a more streamlined and ambitious urban strategy, how can the EU best harness local knowledge and provide a framework which can be adopted to the needs of individual Member States and urban areas?

Submitted by:

Femke van Bruinessen, Claudia Bruinsma, Fatlum Cosovic, Dana Huisman, MariĂŤtte Peutz, Paco Pronk, Jim de Ridder, Loraine Reichwein, Marnix van Berckel Smit, Julian Tribble, Ruben de Vrieze, Tom Willaert, Gregor Bauer (Chairperson, CZ), Kimberly van der Laan (Chairperson, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the fact that the health of approximately 75% of the European population is at risk due to extremely poor air quality, B. Pointing out that potentially effective solutions aimed at tackling the causes of air pollution are not being shared among stakeholders, partly due to the inefficiency of the European Observation Network for Territorial Development and Cohesion (ESPON)32, C. Noting with concern the lack of measures tailored to individual cities’ needs, caused by inadequate communication between different levels of governmental responsibility, D. Regretting that European dependence on fossil fuels such as coal and oil has led to a vast increase in air pollution levels, E. Expressing its concern that an insufficient regulation of urban transportation, such as underdeveloped public transportation systems, has had a negative effect on emission rates, F. Acknowledging that the impact of public transportation on air pollution still requires a decrease, G. Concerned by the lack of an effective European approach concerning eco-friendly urban planning, H. Emphasising the importance of infrastructural urban development as a factor in the level of emission rates, 32

ESPON is a programme aimed at supporting and advocating the sharing of knowledge and policy on all governance levels and between various types of policy actors.

19 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

I.

Realising the importance of further development of green areas in reducing air pollution in European cities,

J. Taking into account that the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)33 allocates its budget to the following four categories of regional development: Innovation and Research, Digital Agenda, Support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and low carbon economy;

1.

Suggests the creation of a pan-European information provider to gather information on approaches to urban planning on local, national, and international levels;

2. Further suggests that gathered information be made available to all other governmental representatives in the Union across local, national, and international levels in order to facilitate similar developments when suitable; 3. Has resolved to allocate a greater percentage of the ERDF's budget to research on alternative energy sources, such as nuclear energy, hydrogen fuel, and geothermal energy; 4. Urges the ERDF to subsidise a percentage of the production costs of carbon neutral energy; 5. Proposes the introduction of a system based on the German ‘Umweltzone’ where motorised vehicles that exceed pollution limits are banned from certain parts of the city in other Member States; 6. Expresses its hope to increase the use of public transportation in European cities by lowering prices of more environmentally friendly means of public transportation through ERDF funding; 7. Calls upon local governments to increase the number and size of green areas34 in cities relative to the pollution index, population density, size of the areas concerned; 8.

Further proposes an EU-wide framework concerning urban planning which advocates: a) leaving spaces for green areas, b) guidelines on the future placing of industrial areas to minimise their influence on pollution, c) integrating public transportation into city-planning, d) a revision of road systems to construct or restructure main roads and locate them around city centres, or to construct tunnels.

33

Under the European Regional Policy, the ERDF aims to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the European Union by correcting imbalances between its regions. It comprises over a budget of â‚Ź196.58 billion.

34 Green areas such as, but not limited to parks, rooftop gardens, and urban agriculture.

20 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

Motion for a Resolution by The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs The development of technological advancements in the labour market, including global integration and digitalisation, has led to structural skill shortages and discrepancies in the EU’s workforce. What steps should the Union take to best cope with new skill demands and address the current discrepancies?

Submitted by:

Sophie Barfod, Joachim Cornielje, Kela van der Deijl, Sammy Frenkel, Caroline de Groot, Salma Ismaili, Anouk Jansen, Mees Jansma, Fleur Lycklama á Nijeholt, Barbera de Mol, Nienke Peet, Ties Tensen, Jelle Westerhof, Ali Sinan Amjad (Chairperson, UK), Hidde Fokkema (Chairperson, NL)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Concerned by the fact that society is struggling to keep up to date with rapidly changing technological advancements, B. Observing that there is a skill mismatch and flawed job market caused by the fact that many of Europe’s educational programmes are not analogous to the job market, C. Deeply alarmed by research findings which show that Europe will experience a shortage of over 800,000 IT workers by 202035, D. Noting with deep concern that the number of students undertaking Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM)36 degrees decreased from 5% to 4% between 2004 and 201137, E. Emphasising that many EU citizens do not possess the basic IT skills which will be required in 90% of all jobs in the near future38, F. Conscious that the lack of awareness of initiatives including but not limited to the European Skills, Competences, Qualifications (ESCO)39 causes them to go unused,

35

“Europe could face a shortage of more than 800,000 skilled ICT workers by 2020” - Andrus Ansip, European Commission (EC) Digital Single Market chief 36 STEM refers to an academic grouping of the disciplines of science.

37 Finding of a European Commission report.

38 European Commission initiative, Digital Agenda for Europe, report and findings.

39 ESCO is a portal created by the EU for efficient exchange of CV’s.

21 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands

G. Anxious of the shortage of IT workers in the EU and particularly in Eastern Member States due to of workers both towards Western and Northern European States as well as beyond the Union;

1. Welcomes the availability of technological support in European IT corporations to ensure that employees remain up to date with their personal IT skills; 2. Encourages Member States to allocate funds towards subsidising the studying of STEM degrees; 3. Expresses its appreciation for Google’s Raspberry Pi40 initiative in schools across Europe; 4. Urges the European Data Science Academy (EDSA)42 to propose minimum requirements for information technology studies in secondary education curricula; 5. Asks the EDSA to revise tertiary IT education requirements every three years; 6. Requests that the EDSA, in cooperation with IT companies, establishes departments which solely focus on IT skill development for increasing worker employability; 7. Calls upon the European Commission (EC) to fund European IT corporations and Member States to use the growing number of IT courses to encourage lifelong learning; 8. Suggests that the EC encourage national coalitions43 to promote ESCO by launching a campaign that includes: a) lectures on ESCO for tertiary education, b) presentations from ESCO representatives, c) social media presence, d) TV, radio, and Internet commercials; 9. Proposes Member States in cooperation with banks create a system aimed at providing mortgage benefits for IT workers after having worked in the IT sector for a set period of time.

40

Raspberry Pi’s area credit card sized single-board computer, Google launched an initiative to bring these to schools 42 EDSA is a virtuous learning production cycle aiming to enhance data scientist skills.

43 A national coalition is the combination IT enterprises and government institutions with an aim to enhance digital skills at national, regional, and local level.

22 February 2016, Amsterdam - The Netherlands