1st Day
Monday, 21st March 2016
MSOI Torino
MSOI thePost
DAILY EU MODEL
TURIN - Today 21st March 2016, after months of preparation, impatience and enthusiasm, at 2 pm this afternoon the second edition of the European Union Model has started.
Studies Centre on Federalism. Mr Greppi has also reminded the collaboration with Europae, Europe Direct and other important organizations who strongly believe in this project. After the participant registration, the Opening Ceremony took place in Regione Piemonte Council Hall in Lascaris Palace, in the historical centre of Turin. The Opening Ceremony began with a distinguished moment of silence, with the entire Hall standing up in memory of the bus accident occurred in Spain this weekend, where 14 students lost their life. Soon after it, the Secretary of MSOI Torino, Giulia Marzinotto, broke the ice with a warm speech and left the floor to Professor Edoardo Greppi, the SIOI Piemonte-Valle d’Aosta section President. He focused his words on underlining the importance of the partnerships and patronages which let this simulation take place: in fact, this experience is supported by the Piedmont Region, the Town of Turin and the European Commission and Parliament themselves, the Law and Culture, Politics and Society departments of the University of Turin and the
Ruffino la Danie , President of the European Consult was then given the floor. She pushed on the importance of youth interest and appeal towards foreign affairs and, as Barbara Forni also underlined, of awareness about public opinion. Lorenzo Vai, Representant of the Studies Centre of Federalism, pointed out the diffiďż˝ culties and obstacles in properly settling and preparing the whole Model, but his words were enthusiastic about the result and ensured that this edition would be even better than the first one. Eventually came the turn of Stefano Saluzzo, from the Law Department, who technically explained the legislative procedure for the writing of the directives. The entire ceremony was followed with attention and enthusiasm by the whole delegation; after a short break the Council and Parliament were respectively split up in order to focus themselves on their different simulation procedures.
COUNCIL HALL - After the Opening Ceremony, the European Parliament met at the Regional Council Hall in order to clarify the main procedures, aims and structures of the working sessions. Lorenzo Vai from the Studies Centre on Federalism briefly introduced the explanations, giving some general information about the bodies attending the Parliamentary sessions -Journalists, Experts and Lobbyists-, the quantitative system of groups with their cleavages and the role of the rapporteur, which brought a lot of questions from the audience. The President of the European Parliament, Vladislav Krassilnikov, has suddenly explained the Members of Parliament the debates, obligations and bans rules during the session, how and when asking for motions, the differences between the General Speaker’s List, the moderate debate and the unmoderated caucus and the voting system, as well as the submission of amendments and the writings of draft resolutions. After a dense and complex clarification of hot points, a simple fake session was open: even if shy, the delegates started trying to become familiar with the General Speaker’s List, the caucus and the motion systems. The first registered member addressed to the Presidency in a very proper way, underlining her excitement and wish a very successful result. Then the motion and voting procedures were simulated with ease and even a bit of fun. See you all tomorrow morning, at 9 pm, for the first session of the EU Model 2016!
The first session of the Council of the European Union of the EU Model Torino 2016 took place today, with the aim of getting familiar with all the rules, methods, and procedures that the Members will employ during the Simulation. Hosts of the meeting were the two Presidents, Federico Zamparelli and Gabriele Pellecchia; the Commissioner, personified by Federico Palmieri, and the Vice-President, Luca Bolzanin The President and his deputy explained, in first place, how to behave towards other Representatives of the States, precisely how to take the floor and how to present amendments. A key point is politeness, together with the importance of truly being the person who speaks for an entire State: this means being always honest and sincere in presenting what the interests of a country are, in complete respect of the other point of view. In order to know each other, and to absorb rules and methods proposed, the Council held a sort of mocking session, completely extemporized, which revealed itself to be so useful to stress some problems that would not have noticed anyways. For example, delegates nce found out how difficult can be to convi someone about a specific point and that there could be points on which it is impossible to agree upon. The Presidency of the Council of the EU could once again give their useful contribute on how to tackle this kind of situations, encouraging any representative to give their best and take advatage of the situations at its most.