37th National Selection Conference of EYP Greece | Explanatory Articles by National Selection Conference

/ Contents / Contents

/ Welcome Message

/ Committee Topics

/ Explanatory Articles

/ Committee on Constitutional Affairs I (AFCO I)

/ Committee on Constitutional Affairs II (AFCO II)

/ Committee on Culture and Education (CULT)

/ Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL)

/ Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)

/ Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I (ITRE I)

/ Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II (ITRE II)

/ Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs I (LIBE I)

/ Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs II (LIBE II)

/ Committee on Fisheries (PECH)

/ Welcome Message Dear delegates of the 37th National Selection Conference of EYP Greece in Athens, EYP is a lot of things, and it is also an educational organisation. It can teach you about yourself. It can teach you about others. It can teach you about communicating with people with differing viewpoint effectively. It can teach you public speaking. It can also teach you how valuable not communicating is. It can teach you about today. It can teach you about the past and about the future. It can teach you about the EU, and its policies. The theme “ Thinking over the future of Europe: Sustainable development as a political choice for the generations to come” sets the ground for the topics you will be discussing, and we, the chairpersons of the session, are very excited about hearing what you all have to say about establishing the foundations of a sustainable future society. We are committed to turning Athens 2018 into a highly stimulating, safe environment for the development of yourselves and your ideas. It will be your platform to shine and grow, individually and within groups, to challenge yourself and become advocates of the change.

But for us to have those engaging discussions and reach our goal of creating an environment for unleashing the potential of this session, we need your help. We, as the participants, must prepare thoroughly.

We will admit it, preparing for a topic is difficult. Our topics in Athens are complex, entail many issues and non-linear historical advancements, and various stakeholders. Studying for them, understanding the topics thoroughly and seeing what is beyond obvious, sure may seem a lot of work. For that, to help you prepare academically for the session, we will be writing some academic preparation documents. This one, the explanatory articles, is the first of a series of three. The articles are written by the Committee chairpersons to serve as background material. They aim to clarify the topics

and explain why a topic is important for the EU and why is it important for you to discuss. The objective is naturally to keep these overview as unbiased as possible, yet they may not receive unanimous consent. It should be noted that we strongly encourage independent thinking so feel free to disagree. The list of keywords intend to facilitate searching for additional information, may it be, official documents, news or articles, at different types of search engines, websites, and encyclopedias. You should, of course, prepare for your own topic, it should be the area you have explored the most, but do not limit your research to your own topic. Your topic is closely related to at least

one of the other topics and it is always nice to broaden your vision and to see what others will discuss. Remember, there is always more to explore. We wish you successful preparation and interesting reading! Yours, Anastasija, Athina, Bill, Can, Elisavet, Georgios, Giorgi, Grigoris, Ifigenia, Ilias, Kateryna, Luke, Marta, Mārtinš-Marks, Milan, Sofia, Tereza, Vicky, and Xenia The Athens Chairs’ team

/ Committee Topics

Committee on Constitutional Affairs I (AFCO I) Make the EU great again: Emmanuel Macron said” This year will be the year where we have to redesign a ten-year strategy for Europe” in the World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos. With Europe 2020 Strategy coming to an end in two years, what priorities should the European Commission set for a post-2020 European Strategy package to make Europe an economic, social, scientific, political and a sustainable power? The Europe 2020 strategy is the European strategy for creating smart, sustainable and inclusive growth since 2010. Today, with only two years left until the deadline, the targets the EU set with this programme in nearly all areas have still not been met. Progress in the areas of climate change and energy and education are promising. However, there is still some way to go to meet the targets of research and development, investment, employment and poverty alleviation. The world is undergoing a rapid change towards digitalisation. Simultaneously, Europe has devoted itself to meet with the Sustainable Development Goals mentioned in the “2030 agenda for sustainable development” of the United Nations. Which is why the EU should redesign a post-2020 ten-year strategy to adapt to changing world, to become more sustainable while at the same time to become capable of fulfilling the unmet objectives from Europe 2020. The Committee on Constitutional Affairs I will discuss what priorities should the EU set for a post-2020 strategy package. The committee will further discuss the key areas and targets of this new strategy to make Europe an economic, social, scientific, political and a sustainable power?

Committee on Constitutional Affairs II (AFCO II) Multilateralism vs. Protectionism: Despite European leaders saying that the way to sustainable growth and becoming a stronger global actor is multilateralism, the advocacy for less integration and more sovereign Member States is on the rise and Eurosceptic forces are gaining popularity across the Member States. Bearing in mind the reflections and scenarios presented in the “White Paper on the Future of Europe”, what type of organisation shall the EU aim to be in the long run? More, or less Europe? The current structure of the EU receives critics from both ends. Some advocate for more sovereign Member States and support less integration, while others advocate for a move towards a federal union as the path to follow. With Eurosceptic forces

gaining popularity across Europe, the question remains as “What should be the way to go from now?” The White Paper presented by the European Commission sets out the possible future scenarios for Europe. It offers five scenarios for the Union's evolution depending on the choices the Commission will make. The committee on Constitutional Affairs II will discuss various options for Europe and which way is the best for our future. The committee will further discuss the measures that will strengthen Europe. Explanatory video: White Paper on the Future of Europe, http://bit.ly/2E5IlDZ Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) Towards a reskilling revolution: Due to the constantly evolving labour market and the penetration of Industry 4.0 applications, many low-skilled and middle-skilled jobs are under the risk of being replaced by automated technologies. How can the EU Member States ensure their citizens are equipped with the skills, competencies, and qualifications needed for the digital era to achieve sustainable employment? Modern society and economy are changing due to technological progress and globalisation. By 2025 almost half of all jobs in Europe will need highly skilled workers. In the future people will also need some level of digital skills for 90% of all jobs. Though, recent statistics show that 40% of Europeans have no digital skills and 37% percent of the workforce lack the required high or middle digital skills. This skill mismatch shows that Europe is not making the best of people’s skills. A transformation of education and training is required to bring knowledge and skills needed for growth and employment. Innovating and modernising education are the key priorities in several flagship initiatives of the Europe 2020 Strategy, yet with only two years left until the deadline, only half of our future, children, have access to digitally equipped education. The Committee on Culture and Education I will discuss how should these skills and competencies be defined, acquired and recognised. The committee will further discuss reskilling, training and digital education policies, digital competence frameworks and measures to be taken to adapt this transformation and ensure a sustainable labour market. Explanatory video: New Skills Agenda for Europe, http://bit.ly/2ysG1lZ

Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Time to Close the Gender Gap: Given that economic and societal inequality remains between men and women despite legislative measures and promotional work, what further steps can the EU take to reach equal participation and equal pay in the workplace? Gender equality in the workplace means providing equal opportunities for women and men for labour market participation, economic independence and to access to decision making positions as well as adopting the equal pay for equal work concept. Europe is one of the front-runners when it comes to closing the gender gap in employment and the gap decreased continuously between 2010-13. But since then it has been plateauing at around 12 percentage points and has stopped closing especially for prime-age employees. But what happens if they have equal levels of participation? Although women are generally more successful in gaining qualifications, their careers are often more interrupted, they have lower pay and their careers are flatter. Data from October 2016 show that women still account for less that one in four board members in the largest publicly listed companies registered in the EU Member States. As a consequence, they earn less than men over their life cycle, and their pensions are lower. The Committee on Employment and Social Affairs will discuss measures stakeholders should take in order to promote gender equality in the workplace. The committee will further discuss current good practices around Europe in establishing gender equal labour markets, and what benefits gender equal economies may bring to Europe. Explanatory video: Closing Europe’s gender gap, http://bit.ly/2Epx3K7 Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Food in a Green Light: What actions should the EU take to transform its food system to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring sustainable food production systems by 2030 and the European Union's long-term sustainability goal of 'living well, within the limits of the planet’ by 2050? Europe’s food system is a large and complex one. The food supply chain, including agriculture and fisheries production, processing and manufacturing accounted for 26% of the EU’s final energy consumption in 2013. All these activities within the EU have an impact on the environment. 8

The European Environmental Agency Report ‘Food in a green light’ argues that reducing the environmental impacts of the food system requires more efficient and sustainable use of natural resources, changes in production, food choices and diets and reducing environmental risks by phasing out the use of harmful chemicals throughout the food chain. The Committee on Environment, Public Health, and Food safety will discuss the changes needed to transform the current food system into a more sustainable one. The committee will further discuss the measures that will make this transformation feasible for the European society. Explanatory Video: Good food, fresh thinking - a look at our food system, http://bit.ly/2BXUhSr Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I (ITRE I) #RenewEurope: Europe is developing the foundations for a world-leading green economy, but it is still largely dependent on fossil fuels. How could the Member States be encouraged to implement the Paris Agreement and move towards a more sustainable economy? Europe has positioned itself as a global leader in the transition to lower-carbon energy and the more sustainable use of resources. The region is making significant progress, e.g. Europe’s economies are less-emissions intensive, on average, than those of other developed regions. Despite the efforts, the European economy is still heavily dependent on fossil fuels, which is much less environmentally-friendly compared to renewable sources and vulnerable to geopolitical uncertainty, and new investments in renewable energy have declined since 2011. Nonetheless, European leaders’ call for multilateralism and solidarity and new technologies are increasingly creating opportunities to drive the transition to a more sustainable, cleaner energy and more careful resource use. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I will discuss the opportunities to drive the transition to a more sustainable economy. The committee will further discuss the measures stakeholders can take to encourage the Member States to utilise these opportunities. Explanatory Video: the Council reaffirms that the Paris Agreement is fit for purpose and cannot be renegotiated, http://bit.ly/2EjKGdZ 9

Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II (ITRE II) Internet of Energy: Experts estimate that by 2020 the global market for smart grid technology will be almost € 400 billion. What actions should the EU take to exploit the potential of smart technologies to keep urban energy grids stable by balancing the power generated from renewable resources with the electricity consumed? The EU is undergoing big changes in its electrical systems. The transition towards a low-carbon economy means a growing role for renewable energy sources, greater energy efficiency and an increase in electricity demand due to an electrification of transport and other systems. At the same time, it means that more flexible generation capacity is needed to satisfy demand since many renewable sources have variable electricity generation capacity such as wind and solar. In order to respond effectively to these changes, the EU promotes the development of smart grids. Currently built smart grids contribute to a more efficient use of energy, increasing the share of renewables in the energy mix, reducing the infrastructure required to supply electricity, and curbing overall energy consumption. Yet in practice, significant variations exist among the Member States in their deployment of smart metering, the precise energy cost savings are uncertain and there remain concerns about security and data protection. The Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II will discuss the opportunities Internet of Things can bring to the energy industry. The committee will further discuss the measures to encourage the Member States for their deployment and the interoperability of smart grids, and for supplying secure and more affordable energy to their citizens. Explanatory Video: The Energy Internet Explained, with Jeremy Rifkin, http://bit.ly/20AHP1V Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs I (LIBE I) Sharing Responsibilities: Europe has been struggling to formulate a united and lasting strategy in dealing with immigration. How should the EU act in order to unblock the discussion and move towards a holistic, forward-looking migration policy? In 2017, over a hundred and fifty thousand refugees and immigrants came into the EU. Numbers were much higher in 2015 and 2016. Brussels struggled to come up with a workable common response, and national governments took matters into their own hands. 10

EU Member countries remain divided over how to replace the “Dublin Regulation” - which establishes the Member State responsible for the review of the asylum applications, with frontline states such as Italy and Greece wanting a mandatory system to relocate the refugees across Europe and Central European countries such as Hungary and Poland strongly opposed such an idea. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs I will try to identify the reasons behind the clashing opinions among the Member States and among European Institutions. The committee will further discuss about the actions the EU should take in order to come up with a common refugee policy. Explanatory Video: The European Refugee Crisis and Syria Explained, http://bit.ly/1NA1MRo Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs II (LIBE II) Towards an Inclusive Growth: How should the European stakeholders act to utilise migration and refugee influx as an engine for economic growth, and create a secure, prosperous, and diverse society that provides an opportunity for everyone? In the short term, the refugee influx will lead to rising costs, arising from the need to provide food, shelter and first aid. In the long term, on the other hand, the refugee influx could be positive for the European economy by, for example, addressing the EU’s alarming demographic trends. Depending on their education, skills, and willingness to work refugees might improve the ratio of active workers to non-active workers (e.g. prisoners) and also contribute to innovation, entrepreneurship and GDP growth. Regarding the labour market, migrants can fill important niches both in fast-growing and declining sectors of the economy, and contribute to labour-market flexibility. Simultaneously, some argue that, as many of the refugees are low-skilled, the economic challenges will outweigh the opportunities. Taking the current situation and related EU regulations, the Member States cannot kick any of the legitimate refugees or asylum seekers out of the European borders. Therefore, as the European Parliament stated, the EU and its Member States should target the potential gains from the current influx by, inter alia, successful economic and social integration of the refugees. The Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs II will discuss how can the Member States economically adapt to and benefit from the massive refugee influx. The committee will further discuss the measures that should be taken and policy recommendations that should be made in order for the successful integration of the refugees. 11

Explanatory video: The Social Inclusion of Migrants in Europe, http://bit.ly/2BIqW2G Committee on Fisheries (PECH) Farmed in the EU: Bearing in mind the increasing demand for fisheries and increasing pressure on wild fish stocks, what should the EU do to promote sustainable aquaculture in the industry? Consumption of fish as food has doubled in the last twenty years and is expected to continue to rise. Wild fish is no longer able to supply the world population and therefore aquaculture, i.e.the farming of fish, shellfish, and aquatic plants, is essential for food safety. On the other hand, it may have negative environmental impacts. Poorly run fish farms pollute the water with their waste and harm the marine ecosystem. Thus to supply the demand for seafood while not harming the environment sustainable fish farming is necessary. The Committee on Fisheries will discuss how we can turn aquaculture into a fully sustainable industry while increasing the aquaculture production to be able to respond the growing demand as well as preserving the wild fish stocks. Explanatory Video: Aquaculture and Sustainability - Science for Environment Policy, http://bit.ly/2FPfTT6 12

/ Explanatory Articles

/ Committee on Constitutional Affairs I (AFCO I) Make the EU great again: Emmanuel Macron said “This year will be the year where we have to redesign a ten-year strategy for Europe” in the World Economic Forum 2018 in Davos. With Europe 2020 Strategy coming to an end in two years, what priorities should the European Commission set for a post-2020 European Strategy package to make Europe an economic, social, scientific, political and a sustainable power? by Elisavet Sidiropoulou (GR) Index Terms: Europe 2020 Strategy, future of Europe, Europe 2030, EU sustainable development, European Semester, EU White Paper. “The future of Europe is the future of its people” Structuring a 10-year long strategy is an ambitious act. It stems from high expectations, showcases the will to face the challenges of the future, and provides a valuable tool to seize the opportunities that lie on the horizon. French President Emmanuel Macron presented his vision of a European Union (EU) that stands as an economic, social, green, scientific, and political power. What he demanded from the EU Member States for the next decade was more ambition1. Consequently, the spotlight turns towards what the main vision should be when EU leaders design the strategy of the next decade. The Europe 2020 Strategy frames an agenda that consists of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth objectives. These, target the key areas of research and development (R&D), poverty and social exclusion, climate and energy, employment, and education. These main objectives

are converted into national targets in order for each EU Member State to be able to contribute to the common goals in line with its abilities and special circumstances2. Nevertheless, two years before the expiration of Europe 2020, most of the goals are yet to be achieved, with the

strategy’s progress suffering a considerable impact due to the extensive complications of financial and economic crisis3. Greece’s progress is also strongly linked to the country’s economic downfall. The

unemployment rate remains one of the highest amongst the EU Member States, causing

Politico, 2018. Emmanuel Macron: “France is back at the core of Europe”. EUR-Lex, 2010. “Europe 2020 A strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth”. 3 Eurostat, 2017. “Smarter, greener, more inclusive?”. 1 2

particular harm to the younger generations of the country. Social exclusion levels have not declined yet, while an increasing number of people remains at the risk of poverty. Lastly, lower GHG emissions have been achieved as a side effect of the economic crisis. On a more positive note, Greece has successfully surpassed its educational targets, has been continuously

improving in terms of share of renewable energy, has stabilised its energy efficiency, and is steadily working towards increasing the national expenditure on research and development.4 Once faced with the failure of past goals, it is crucial to openly discuss, clearly define, and

determinedly set our future targets and priorities. The future of Europe is the future of its

people, thus citizens ot the EU should consider what actions can be taken and what a long-term planning should look like. Instead of dismissing future predictions, it is time to seriously consider what lies ahead and how the EU can remain a leading transnational power that safeguards its citizens’ interests and provides them with opportunities. In an ever-changing and globalised world, the EU pays special attention to revising past actions in order to formulate future proposals. One of the Union’s guiding steps on the path to the next

decade is the United Nations’ (UN) internationally adopted 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The EU is, therefore, set to follow and synchronise with a broader policy

perspective that balances international cooperation with the EU’s policy frameworks and priorities5. The challenge lies in learning from past weak strategy implementations and in adopting an all-inclusive approach towards the future of Europe. The Europe 2020 Strategy is one that focuses on smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. As the EU moves towards a new decade full of opportunities and challenges, an interesting concept could be that of a strategy that encompasses global policies and interlinks sustainable development with socio-economic factors that put the average EU citizen in focus. It is of primary importance for the EU to make use of both internal and external frameworks and develop umbrella policies that cover the wide range of becoming an economic, social, scientific, political and sustainable power.6 Food for Thought: 1. Which key areas should the EU prioritise when redesigning a potential 2030 Strategy? 2. How can EU leaders plan a more ambitious future for Europe?

Ibid. Eurostat, 2017. “Europe 2020 indicators”. 6 German Development Institute, 2016. “Towards a Sustainable Development Union”. 4 5

3. Why has the EU failed to fulfill most of the Europe 2020 goals so far? Were the goals unrealistic to begin with or was the execution of the strategy too weak? Links for further research: -

European Union Politics, an infographic on the Europe 2020 Strategy: http://bit.ly/2ogPdEC

United Nations, the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals: http://bit.ly/1Kjkn0B

European Commission, the mid-term review of the Europe 2020 Strategy: http://bit.ly/2BA2sYC

Ecomaps, an infographic on the 2030 energy efficiency target: http://bit.ly/2EPa7nH

/ Committee on Constitutional Affairs II (AFCO II) Multilateralism vs. Protectionism: Despite European leaders saying that the way to sustainable growth and becoming a stronger global actor is multilateralism, the advocacy for less integration and more sovereign Member States is on the rise and Eurosceptic forces are gaining popularity across the Member States. Bearing in mind the reflections and scenarios presented in the “White Paper on the Future of Europe”, what type of organisation shall the EU aim to be in the long run? by Xenia Constantinou (CY) & Georgios Tangilis (GR) Index Terms: multilateralism in the EU, protectionism in the EU, globalisation and the EU, Euroscepticism, White Paper on the Future of Europe “Today is the right time to discuss and learn from the mistakes we have made, to plan a better future.” We are the generation that grew up with the concept of the European Union(EU) and everything it stands for. As the European citizens, we have the right to free movement, residence, and employment across Europe. We are free to trade and transport goods, services and capital across borders and enjoy legal protections of the EU law. Nonetheless, we have also been the witnesses of an EU in crisis. Over the past years, Europe suffered the most serious financial and economic crisis since World War II. The worst was avoided. The internal market and the integrity of the Eurozone were preserved. Slowly but surely, economic growth and confidence are now returning to Europe. Measures taken after the beginning of the economic crisis of 2008 have not always been successful. Social fairness and democratic legitimacy suffered, as many new instruments had to be created outside the legal framework of the European Union. We need to take action to build a stronger EU both economically and socially. Today is the right time to discuss and learn from the mistakes we have made, to plan a better future. Criticism against European integration is not a new phenomenon; it has always been present ever since the Union’s establishment almost 60 years ago. Nonetheless, Euroscepticism has been on the rise in the last decade.

One of the main reasons for that was the recovery measures taken by the EU for the resolution of the effects of the economic crisis, which have been heavily criticised for being unevenly distributed among Member States. Specifically, the European Central Bank governing the Eurozone has been criticised for being inflexible and inefficient at coping with the Eurozone economies. Bail-out programmes, which aimed at helping the struggling economies in Southern Europe, created further polarisation and disillusionment between the sovereignty of Member States and the bureaucratic power of the EU. The result was a growing disparity between less economically developed regions and more economically developed regions of Europe. Furthermore opposition had been noted against the European Single Market for free trade deals, despite it being a fundamental function that has made the EU a large trading bloc which raised the standard of living across Member States. Heightened threats from terrorist attacks have caused issues in terms of security while migration and the refugee crisis have placed particular strains on affected Member States’ national governments and the role of the EU on the issue. Most crucial, nonetheless, has been the United Kingdom’s choice to leave the EU. Brexit has caused destabilisation of the EU and has further weakened the forces in the EU that favour integration. Exit talks between the EU and the UK have not been characterised by compromise, especially with regards to the free movement of labour, Single Market access, and transition time limits. The EU refuses to compromise on fundamental principles, thus leaving great uncertainty as to how Brexit will be shaped in the immediate future. To cope with the issues afflicting the EU, the Commission’s White Paper was created in the 2015 Rome Summit, outlining different paths for the future of EU27. The White Paper contains the following five scenarios which are not absolute and can be combined accordingly. Scenario 1: Carrying on Scenario 2: Nothing but the Single Market Scenario 3: Those who want more, do more Scenario 4: Doing Less, more Effective Scenario 5: More cooperation. 18

Food for Thought: 1. While it is impossible to predict how the greatest political project in history will transform under current existential pressures what is the direction that Europe is headed to?

2. What should happen to the now-endangered EU principle of free movement across Europe?

3. Will the Euro be part of a future EU? Is a common currency needed to forge deeper integration or not? 4. Which are the most crucial problems the EU is currently facing in your opinion? Links for further research: -

Heinrich Böll Stiftung, Article on Juncker’s White Paper: http://bit.ly/2HPMt9c

European Commission, Commission presents White Paper on the future of Europe: Avenues for unity for the EU at 27: http://bit.ly/2mKCPJV

European Commission, President Juncker's Political Guidelines: http://bit.ly/2m0Ueyb

The European Council, Bratislava Declaration and Roadmap: http://bit.ly/2FzL6uO

Wall Street Journal, The Four Forces Shaping the Future of Europe: http://bit.ly/2GLkGpe

/ Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) Towards a reskilling revolution: Due to the constantly evolving labour market and the penetration of Industry 4.0 applications, many low-skilled and middle-skilled jobs are under the risk of being replaced by automated technologies. How can the EU Member States ensure their citizens are equipped with the skills, competencies, and qualifications needed for the digital era to achieve sustainable employment? by Sofia Sdrali (GR) Index Terms: sustainable labour market, technological advancements, digital literacy, skills agenda for Europe, digital skills gap. “Ensuring the competent workforce through education, as well as constant re-skilling and training of the workforce, are the key priorities of the EU” In a fast-paced globalised world, automation, digital literacy and innovation are changing the fundamental nature of work. In this constantly changing environment, the European Union (EU) faces an unprecedented problem: digital illiteracy and the subsequent unemployment. Almost half of the Europeans do not have basic digital skills7, while in Greece, only 46% of the population possesses these skills8. In a country already plagued by a severe economic crisis, with unemployment rates reaching 47.3% (2016) in the ages of 15-249, digital education is a necessity for ensuring a sustainable labour market. The technological advances which rapidly result in the automation of the workplace, increase the efficiency, safety, convenience, production and profit. On the other hand, they lead to a

significant change in the labour market and skills required from the employees. Technological innovation results in less demand for mid-skilled and low-skilled workers, and more demand for workers with high level skills that complement new technologies.This can lead to financial

stagnation on a national level, since the workforce will not be competent with regards to the

European Commission (2017): The digital skills gap in Europe. https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/digital-skills-gap-europe 8 European Commission (2017): The digital skills gap in Europe. https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/news/digital-skills-gap-europe 9 Eurostat (2017): Youth unemployment figures, 2007-2016. http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/File:Youth_unemployment_figures,_20072016_(%25)_T1.png 7

technological advancements, as well as on a European and global scale, causing not only economic but also social and political turmoil. Ensuring the competent workforce through education, as well as constant re-skilling and training of the workforce, are the key priorities of the EU when addressing this problem. However, citizens themselves can also ensure a place in a sustainable workforce by being more conscious of the latest digital advancements, by trying το acquire the necessary skills and by focusing on self-education. Finally, private companies in accordance with non governmental organisations and governments should take action and truly address this issue by pushing the creation of measures and programs that will ensure a sustainable working environment in this rapidly changing digital era. Food for Thought: 1. How can the EU ensure the competent workforce for a technologically demanding labour market? 2. What measures can be taken in the field of education to create digitally competent workers? 3. How can the EU enable training and constant digital education for the employees? Links for further research: -

Gerd Leonard, TFAStudios, Digital transformation: are you ready of exponential change?: http://bit.ly/1UmGV4e

European Commission, New skills agenda for Europe: http://bit.ly/28LCzEV

Growth Tribe, The digital skills gap and future of jobs in 2020: http://bit.ly/2ysG1lZ

European Commission, Digital Skills and Jobs: http://bit.ly/2vooo2d

McKinsey & Company, Technology, jobs, and the future of work: http://bit.ly/2y3yeLN

/ Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) Time to Close the Gender Gap: Given that economic and societal inequality remains between men and women despite legislative measures and promotional work, what further steps can the EU take to reach equal participation and equal pay in the workplace? by Marta Zaragozá Navarro (CH) Index Terms: gender pay gap, “glass ceiling”, occupational segregation, discrimination against women at the workplace, parental leave, recognition and valuation of unpaid work, reconciliation of work, family and private life, sexual harassment. “When women leaders like me do not feel the inequality, we tend to forget that something is not working” - Ida Auken, Member of the Danish Parliament, at the Annual Meeting 2013 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Workplace gender equality is achieved when people are able to access and enjoy the same rewards, resources and opportunities regardless of gender. Being the 5th goal of the United

Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, gender equality is not only defined as a fundamental human right, but also as a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. However, according to the European Parliament, it would take Europe 70 years before equal pay is achieved, 40 years before housework is equally shared and 20 years before gender balance in politics is achieved10. It is hard to economically explain why gender inequality at the workplace persists as, when it comes to equal participation and equal pay in the workplace, the benefits stemming from

more inclusive workplaces have been proved to surpass the cost of dealing with discrimination. After all, there are high economic, social, and political costs of tolerating discrimination at work, which is currently generating social and economic disadvantages. Despite the recent progress that has been made with more women entering the workplace -due to numerous

initiatives being carried out11-, many shortcomings persist. As a matter of fact, the gender gap in employment still persists across Europe and the world. According to a recent report aimed to rank where gender inequality is the highest, Northern European countries such as Sweden

10 11

European Parliament, 2017. Closing Europe's gender gap. European Commission, 2018. Gender equality.

are found to have the best overall balance between men and women in work; opposite to Greece which is to be found on the worst top 312. Today, there is an urgent need to combat discrimination denying people the possibility of taking some occupations, depriving them of a job or not rewarding them according to their merit only because of their gender. The elimination of discrimination is key to achieving decent work for all women and men, which “is founded on the notion of equal opportunities for all those who work or seek work and a living, whether as labourers, employers or self-employed, in the formal or the informal economy”13. Nevertheless, women are still earning less than men over their life cycle, their pensions being hence lower. Indeed, the gap in the workforce between men and women remains rooted within societal and legislative flaws. Today, sexual

harassment at the workplace still exists; an unjust gender pay gap as well, even though women tend to have more academic background than men. A gender concentration in certain sectors

exists, revealing that gender stereotypes still exist in our society. Moreover, many more men than women occupy administrative/executive positions, the “glass ceiling” phenomenon continues to rule the labour market and the equal sharing of domestic responsibilities

between men and women, allowing women to allocate more of their time to their career, is far from achieved. Food for Thought: 1. Why would reducing the workforce inequalities contribute efficiently to the better development of today’s society? 2. What are the main reasons why shortcomings persist when it comes to today’s current initiatives aiming at reducing gender inequalities at the workplace? What further measures should be implemented? 3. What are the best practises you find most relevant? What further steps should the EU take? 4. How should occupational segregation be tackled? 5. How can the “glass ceiling” phenomena acting as an invisible barrier to success -mostly for women- be prevented?

12 13

Glassdoor, 2016. Which Countries in Europe Have the Best Gender Equality in the Workplace? International Labour Organisation, 2007. “Equality at work:Tackling the challenges”.

Links for further research: -

TED Talks, Michael Kimmel, Why Gender Equality Is Good for Everyone -Men Included-: http://bit.ly/1NkD4GH

ILO Women at work trends: http://bit.ly/1Swl9ye

EurWORK, European Observatory of Working Life, gender pay equity in Europe: http://bit.ly/2FBG3Kj

Australian Government Workplace Gender Equality Agency, The business case for gender equality: http://bit.ly/2GPkyFj

European Parliament, The policy on Gender Equality in Greece: http://bit.ly/1mgmfB5

/ Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Food in a Green Light: What actions should the EU take to transform its food system to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of ensuring sustainable food production systems by 2030 and the European Union's long-term sustainability goal of 'living well, within the limits of the planet’ by 2050? by Athina Karameliou (GR) & Luke Piercy (ES) Index Terms: food security, food loss, genetically modified foods, organic food, sustainable food production system. “The EU currently wastes 89 million tonnes of food annually equivalent to 179 kg per capita, 50% of which is healthy and edible.” The Western world has adopted a diet more and more dependent on sugar and fat, characterized by little diversity. This has a negative impact on the health of the citizens with

growing numbers of diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Besides, rising world hunger and

malnutrition percentages are highly contradictory with food overconsumption tendencies of the developed world.

Consumption habits have also pressed the food production system to meet the demands,

having costly effects on the environment.The amounts of food that is wasted, either as household surplus or as food market excess, is disproportionally high to the energy required to produce it. Moreover, the increasing food demand also pressures the food industry to become more productive, causing food prices to increase as well. However, this creates an inequality in access to good quality and adequate quantity food for all.

It is easily understood that each step of the food system, i.e. production, processing, distribution, consumption, needs to be adjusted accordingly to ensure healthier and enough food to the growing population.

On a European scale, the current food system has posed a large amount of new problems affecting the whole EU. The amount of energy necessary to cultivate, process, pack and bring food to the table accounted for 17 % of the EU's gross energy consumption in 2013, equivalent 26

to about 26% of the EU's final energy consumption that same year14. Βiodiversity is also threatened, with tropical forests disappearing, many plants and animals becoming endangered and 33% of productive land being degraded15. The current global animal extinction rate is the highest it has ever been, currently being 10 time worse than what scientists had predicted it to be by now16. The aforementioned problems the EU is dealing with are the main reason for the the current

food system being unsustainable. Natural resources are under pressure, with water sources either running dry or becoming polluted. More than 1.4 billion people live in places where water cannot meet the agricultural, municipal, and environmental needs17. Land degradation, biodiversity loss and greenhouse gas emissions pose a great threat of environmental issues

the EU needs to resolve. The EU currently wastes 89 million tonnes of food annually equivalent to 179 kg per capita, 50% of which is healthy and edible. These figures are yet more striking when we consider the amount of economic, energy, and human resources needed to obtain this

food, and the enormous environmental impact its production, packaging, and distribution have. In the EU, food waste is expected to rise to about 126 million tonnes a year by 202018. Now, there is a demand for all stakeholders, government and health authorities, producers, consumers and business people, to define together the actions needed to resolve this issue. Simultaneously, citizens can contribute as wellby adopting more responsible food buying and consumption habits to meet their needs and acquiring technical knowledge on the

environmental impacts of food and ways they can limit them, e.g. stimulating sustainable food production by preferring organically grown food. In order for food sustainability goals to be reached a more coherent food policy also needs to be adopted. Food for Thought: 1. How can food production be sustainable for both the environment, society and labour market?

JRC Science and Policy Report, 2015. Energy use in the EU food sector: “State of play and opportunities for improvement” 15 Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), 2015, “Status of the World's Soil Resources. Technical Summary” 16 Conservation Biology, Volume 29, No. 2, 452–462, 2014. “Estimating the normal background rate of species extinction” 17 European Commission, 2014. “Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment on Measures Addressing Food Waste to Complete SWD (2014) 207 regarding the Review of EU Waste Management Targets” 18 European Parliament, 2017. “Resource efficiency: Reducing food waste, improving food safety” 14

2. What changes are needed to transform the current food system into a more sustainable one? 3. What everyday activities can result in adopting more sustainable food consuming habits? 4. What measures can be taken to combat the unequal access to food globally? 5. What are the already existing methods of organic food production? Links for further research: -

UN Environment, Why do we need to change our food system?: http://bit.ly/1UqFJPP

European Commission, Living well, within the limits of the planet: http://bit.ly/2ETGL4w

European Environment Agency, Food in a green light - A systems approach to sustainable food: http://bit.ly/2GHaAFV

/ Committee on Industry, Research and Energy I (ITRE I) #Renew Europe: Europe is developing the foundations for a world-leading green economy, but it is still largely dependent on fossil fuels. How could the Member States be encouraged to implement the Paris Agreement and move towards a more sustainable economy? by Grigoris Makris (GR) & Milan Dragačević (RS) Index Terms: EU’s climate and energy plan, fossil fuel dependency, renewable energy prospects for Europe, multilateralism climate change and the EU, greenhouse gases. “An eco-friendly way of transportation, recycling or lowering the energy consumption should be a part of our lives.” Sustainable economy requires a sustainable use of energy as a way to preserve the environment and natural resources. To move towards this goal, the EU follows the Paris

Agreement, which is the most important collective approach on climate change on a global scale. It sets ambitious goals for the 195 signatories. These goals include keeping the global

temperature rise well below 2o C above pre-industrial levels, increasing the ability to adapt to the adverse impacts of climate change and making finance flows consistent with a pathway towards low greenhouse gas emissions and climate-resilient development.

The EU has already taken a stance on climate change with the 2020 Climate & Energy Package

and later on with the 2030 Climate and Energy Framework. The EU has pledged to lower it’s greenhouse emissions by 20% until 2020 and by 40% until 2030. While it has not yet reached its targets, the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have decreased since then. A great contributor to that is the Emissions Trading System, through which companies receive or buy emission allowances, which they can trade with each other. The EU has also set a target to increase the total energy consumption from renewable energy by 20% in 2020 and by 27% in 203019. The share of energy from renewable resources in 2016 was 17%20

Despite all the measures taken, fossil fuels yet remain the main source of energy21. The investments in renewable energy have been gradually declining since 2011.22 Furthermore, a total number of 70% of fossil fuels are imported. It is obvious that fossil fuels are not suitable European Commission, 2018. EU Climate Action EUROSTAT, 2018. Renewable Energy Statistics 21 EUROSTAT 2017. EU Statistics on Energy Savings 22 European Parliament, 2017. European Energy Industry Investments 19

for a sustainable economy. Their burning emits greenhouse gases, which as evident harm the environment, they are not infinite and their import makes the EU less self-sufficient. It is crucial to decrease the energy dependence on fossil fuels by using renewable energy sources, as well as promoting the usage of more efficient technologies to decrease the energy consumption. The environment and the society are closely linked to each other. In Greece specifically, a country largely dependent on tourism and agriculture, the adverse effects of climate change will endanger the quality of life of both this and future generations. These effects potentially include possible droughts, a decrease in rainfall, a rise in the number of heat wave days, evidently an increase in forest fires and the rise of sea levels2324. The contribution of the people in society might, to some extent, limit the damage caused. It is important to act against the problem instead of ignoring it. Choosing an eco-friendly way of transportation, recycling or lowering the energy consumption should be an essential part of everyone's life. Food for Thought: 1. How can the EU decrease the amount of energy imports? 2. How can the EU use the renewable energy resources to become economically independent? 3. Considering the global effect of climate change; how can the EU’s policy be improved? 4. What should be the role of the EU regarding the USA imminent departure from the Paris Agreement? Links for further research: -

National Geographic, Youtube Climate Change with Bill Nye: http://bit.ly/1Za2D3f

European Commission, 2020 Climate and Energy Package:

DIANEOSIS, 2017. The Impact of Climate Change on the Greek Economy. WWF, Greece on Climate Change.

23 24

http://bit.ly/2HHEWJF -

Glo-be,Five frequently asked questions about the Paris Agreement on climate: http://bit.ly/2ENMzwq

CAN Europe,EU governments show lack of commitment to Paris Agreement: http://bit.ly/2xFiESK

Make wealth history, The two sides of climate change: http://bit.ly/2FnkH3b

European Commission, International Climate Finance: http://bit.ly/2olqi2Q

/ Committee on Industry, Research and Energy II (ITRE II) Internet of Energy: Experts estimate that by 2020 the global market for smart grid technology will be almost € 400 billion. What actions should the EU take to exploit the potential of smart technologies to keep urban energy grids stable by balancing the power generated from renewable resources with the electricity consumed? By Kateryna Hlebova (UA) Index Terms: smart grid EU, smart meters, benefits of smart meter, risks of smart meters, active energy consumption. “Smart metering and smart grids implementation can reduce emissions in the EU by up to 9%.” Do you know how electricity gets to your house? I bet you are imagining a large power plant generating huge amounts of energy that is transported through energy grids right to your house. Well, you are not that far from the truth. Traditionally, energy is transmitted one-directionally from power stations across vast

distances, and then distributed to end-users. However, with renewable sources of energy coming into wider use, it is getting more challenging to provide a stable electricity supply, since they produce variable amounts of electricity25. Not to say a word of increasing energy demand, which has to be met nowadays.

Distributed energy resources, e.g. solar panel on your neighbour’s house, connected to an electric network seem to be helpful for solving these issues, but the infrastructure has to be rethought and redesigned in order to harness their full potential.Instead of extending the physical infrastructure, which is costly and disruptive to local communities, the European Union (EU) is trying to make use of smart technologies. These mostly include smart grids which, by enabling two-way communication, make energy distribution and load balancing more efficient, as well as smart meters, and smart appliances, that allow decreasing households’ energy consumption and costs. Smart metering and smart grids implementation can reduce emissions in the EU by up to 9% and annual household energy consumption by similar amounts26.

25 26

EDSO for smart grids. Why smart grids? European Commision, 2018. Smart grids and meters.

Even though smart grids sound so cool, there are some issues on the way of their wide integration, such as the lack of distinct technology standards for smart meters and home-area

network communications, and/or uncertainty about the level of regulatory support for necessary investments27.

Apart from that, consumers are the ones who have to support the idea of active consuming, since they are the ones who carve the energy demand, as well as the demand for

smart-enabled services. They can install smart meters in their houses, give preference to smart appliances, initiate local energy production projects or support them and much more. Even though these changes have to be made to meet the increasing energy demand, reduce the costs for electricity, and make a step towards the greener future, a lot of people are still reluctant to adopt smart technologies due to the fear of, for example, radiofrequency radiation 28

from smart meters or having their data exposed or controlled.

Food for Thought: 1. How can we ensure urban energy grids become more stable? 2. What are the obstacles of the smart technologies implementation and how can they be addressed? 3. How can the EU enable knowledge sharing of smart technologies among Member States? 4. To what extent should the EU promote smart technologies considering the Member States’ financial, social, and technological discrepancies? Links for further research: -

Big Think, The Energy Internet Explained, with Jeremy Rifkin http://bit.ly/20AHP1V

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association, Smart Grid: What is it and why is it important? http://bit.ly/2sTlqGE

27 28

McKinsey & Company, 2010. How Europe is approaching the smart grid. American Cancer Society, 2014.Smart Meters.

European Commission, Smart grids in Europe: outlook and large scale application http://bit.ly/2BQy5gC

Citizens Utility Board, Smart Grid: What you need to know http://bit.ly/2EYyCvt

/ Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs I (LIBE I) Sharing Responsibilities: Europe has been struggling to formulate a united and lasting strategy in dealing with immigration. How should the EU act in order to unblock the discussion and move towards a holistic, forward-looking migration policy? by Giorgi Beroshvili (GE) & Ifigenia Moumtzi (GR) Index Terms: refugee crisis, common European migration policy, emergency relocation scheme Europe. “It is vital to figure out a common migration policy.” 2015 was the year when Europe experienced the greatest refugee influx since Second World War29. Most of the refugees originated from the Middle East, the region which has been swept away by the wave of uprisings and revolutions. Particularly, the Syrian civil war30 has led to millions of people losing their homes and fleeing the country, seeking asylum in Europe. In 2015 and 2016 alone, 1.3 million asylum applications have been made in Member States in order to obtain refugee status.31 Dublin Regulation, which remains as the main EU legal act dealing with the refugees, determines that asylum seekers must register for asylum application in the first European country they enter. Therefore, these countries carry responsibility for examining these applications. Due to their location on the migration path, the Frontline States,

notably Italy and Greece, have experienced the highest pressure.32 Considering the tension in the region, almost 30,000 asylum seekers have been relocated from Italy and Greece to different Member States under the Emergency Relocation Scheme33. Other than that, Germany alone has welcomed over 800,000 asylum seekers within its borders. After Germany, Hungary has received the second highest number of asylum applications. In September 2015, the European Commission proposed to set up the Emergency Relocation Scheme. This was intended to serve as a burden-sharing mechanism in order to support Italy

and Greece. Under the scheme Member States pledged to relocate the number of refugees from the frontline states. However, this mechanism has been criticised due to its inefficiency Guardian, 2015. Winter is coming: the new crisis for refugees in Europe. BBC, 2016. Syria: The story of the conflict. 31 Eurostat, 2015. Record number of over 1.2 million first time asylum seekers registered in 2015. 32 HRW, 2015. An Agenda for Action. 33 European Commission, 2018. Member States' Support to Emergency Relocation Mechanism . 29 30

and several Member States such as Hungary and Poland have not relocated a single refugee in accordance with the agreement. There have been proposals made regarding the change of Dublin III Regulation, since it has been proven to be ineffective in terms of balancing the burden among the Member States. The regulation has been revised in 2013 and it remains as central document in Common European Asylum System (CEAS), which is aimed to create a joint standard for transferring the refugees across the Europe. Moreover in May 2016, the European Commission presented the draft

proposal for Dublin IV Regulation34, which will reform the existing legal act. The main object is to make Dublin System more transparent and effective by introducing the fairness mechanism. The mechanism would relocate refugees from a Member State if its asylum quota 35

, considering its size and GDP, is exceeded by over 150%.

The action is being taken in the Mediterranean Sea too - more than 250,000 lives have been saved in 2015 alone. The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) has been

reformed in the following year in order to ensure secured external borders. In cooperation with EUROPOL, the European Migrant Smuggling Centre has been opened which will track down the illegal routes through the Mediterranean.

Several Member States have been hindering the process of balanced migrant sharing under the relocation scheme. The plan has been challenged by Slovakia and Hungary but in September 2017, these actions have been dismissed by the Court of Justice36. Even as the migrant crisis reaches a rather coordinated stage, it is far from being over. The migrant influx remains concentrated to the frontline states, who struggle with even increasing number of refugee camps inside their borders. There is lack of clean water and food in the camps and situation is getting worse every day. It is vital to figure out common migration policy which is both humane and mutually agreed by the Member States. Food for Thought: 1. How can the EU ensure to make the relocation schemes more appealing to the Member States? 2. Does the EU need to take more action regarding the Frontline States? 3. Should there be a joint action plan instead of several relocation schemes?

European Commission, 2016. COM(2016) 270 final. European Commission, 2015. COM(2015) 240 final. 36 Court of Justice of the European Union, 2017. Press Release No 91/17. 34 35

4. How can the EU enhance the cooperation between the Member States in terms of migration policies? Links for further research: -

Council on Foreign Relations, Europe’s Migration Crisis: http://on.cfr.org/2oyLy4b

BBC, Migrant crisis: Migration to Europe explained in seven charts: http://bbc.in/1N7F6YJ

European Commission, The EU and the migration crisis: http://bit.ly/2GL3DDS

Eurostat, Asylum Statistics: http://bit.ly/1xHP3Yh

/ Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs II (LIBE II) Towards an Inclusive Growth: How should the European stakeholders act to utilise migration and refugee influx as an engine for economic growth, and create a secure, prosperous, and diverse society that provides an opportunity for everyone? by Mārtiņš Marks Gataviņš (LV) Index Terms: integration of the migrants in Europe, migration and economic growth. “GDP of the EU is predicted to increase by 0,2-0,3%, if refugees would be integrated into society.” 856 723 refugees have arrived at the coasts of Greece during the year 201537 because of the conflicts in the Middle East, particularly in Syria and Iraq, and in Africa. Consequently, the refugee crisis has brought immigration policies to center stage of European affairs and has

made European policymakers start looking at the issue in a long-term perspective.38 According to current trends, many young Europeans are either economic or educational migrants, or seek to migrate in or out of the European Union; therefore, the issue can be of great concern to every EU citizen. The issue has a great impact on both migrants and the citizens of EU countries. Often times the anti-migrant attitudes, fostered by various cultural and historical factors or even more often by fear, create misconceptions. Migrants are frequently accused of taking away jobs from EU citizens. In fact, an EU-wide survey, conducted by the Brussels European and Global Economic

Laboratory, proved that 28% of EU nationals think that immigrants take jobs that the locals should rather have.39 Yet, an apparently dramatic situation could also have positive turnouts:

the refugee and migrant influx could be a source of great economic growth for Europe, if dealt with accordingly40. Additionally, if in the short-run the refugee influx could cause moderate economic growth, in the long-term GDP of the EU is predicted to increase by 0,2-0,3%41, if United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), 2018. Refugee And Migrant Arrivals to Europe in 2017. 38 Bloomberg, 2018. How Can Europe Face Up to Reality on Immigration. 39 Brussels European and Global Economic Laboratory (Bruegel), 2018. People on the Move: Migration and Mobility in the European Union. 40 International Monetary Fund (IMF), 2016. The Refugee Surge in Europe: Economic Challenges. 41 European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS), 2015. Economic challenges and impacts of the refugee influx, Briefing in Dec 2015. 37

refugees would be socially, economically, and politically integrated into society. Regardless, despite the plethora of research on the issue, some of the EU Member States remain skeptical. Food for Thought: 1. How can the EU identify the benefits that mass migration could bring? 2. What aspects should the EU and Member States prioritise when approaching the issue? 3. How should the EU approach the issue without penalising the economies of the Member States? Links for further research: -

The Guardian, “IMF says refugee influx could provide EU economic boost”: http://bit.ly/2oojpgu

Equinet, factsheet on equality bodies and integration of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers: http://bit.ly/2EEOqUh

Debating Europe, “Refugees and the Economy”: http://bit.ly/2GuG9CB

Annachiara Destro, “The Social Inclusion of Migrants in Europe”: http://bit.ly/2BIqW2G

International Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, “Talk with refugees, not about them”: http://bit.ly/1TamnxO

/ Committee on Fisheries (PECH) “Farmed in the EU: Bearing in mind the increasing demand for fisheries and increasing pressure on wild fish stocks, what should the EU do to promote sustainable aquaculture in the industry?” by Anastasija Lončarević (RS) & Vasileios Fragios (GR) Index Terms: fisheries, sustainable aquaculture, wild fish stocks, fish farms, marine protected areas (MPAs). “Can aquaculture develop in a sustainable way?” A 2016 report42 by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) explicitly stated that global fish consumption has reached an all-time high, causing a massive interest in fisheries - areas where fish are harvested for commercial purposes. It has also been the first time people consumed more farmed than wild-caught fish.Thus, it comes as no surprise that aquaculture is

one of the fastest growing global food production systems, having to fill the gap caused by overfishing of the wild stock. Aquaculture now provides almost half of the world’s supply of seafood, accounting for over 13% of world animal-protein supply. Fish farms are very advanced in terms of safety, biodiversity and technological development in general. On a national level, the domain has been characterized as the “rising star” of Greece’s economy43 and will definitely be a sector of interest for years to come, considering the country’s continuing recession and high unemployment rates. The future of Greece’s aquaculture industry is particularly important for the country,being one of the few sectors that could help pull Greece out of this predicament. It should not be ignored that fisheries are not only important for Greece, but also for Europe as a whole, providing more than 300,000 jobs, massively improving life on coastal areas and can thus be rightfully considered as a booster of employment and eventually, economy. However, any advancement could be put to halt, due to a plethora of drawbacks. According to FAO, 28%44 of fish stocks worldwide are either overfished or nearing extinction and another 47% are near the limits of sustainability. In addition to that, poor management, discharging Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2016. Global per capita fish consumption rises above 20 kilograms a year. 43 Reuters, 2013. Insight: In Greece, fish farms a testing ground for economic revival. 44 United Nations, 2010. Resumed Review Conference on the Agreement Relating to the Conservation and Management of Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. 42

waste and pesticides into the ocean as well as nearing extinction of certain pelagic fish are also phenomena resulting in the disruption of the ecosystem.

Unsustainable fishing practices seem to have pushed natural sources to the limit and thereby are affecting the everyday life and source of income of those who depend on them. With no productive fish left in the sea to harvest, fishermen and fisheries are expected to go out of business in no time. It is a fact that demand for fish is constantly rising, as is that aquaculture needs of wild-fish stocks to base itself on. It is important that everyone understands the negative environmental consequences of fish steadily going extinct in order to start adopting the necessary measures to tackle this problem.

Aquaculture is facing a new era of expansion in Europe. So, can it develop in a sustainable way?

As far as we, citizens are concerned, it is of utmost importance to be more conscious of what we consume and where we consume it from. Practices like eco-labelling45 schemes, which have been introduced by non-governmental organisations could be proven crucial for addressing this problem. In these, consumers are provided with the opportunity to express their environmental and ecological concerns through their choice of products. It is essential that we push for such measures on both a national and a European level and show our determination to find environmentally sound solutions; ones that ultimately sustain us and our lifestyle. Food for Thought: 1. How can the sustainability of fishery be ensured? 2. Can developing fish farms and protecting wild fish stocks be considered two related goals? 3. How can we manage EU fisheries locally under the Common Fisheries Policy regime? 4. How can human capital and social capital improve fisheries sustainability? Links for further research: -

Prevention Magazine,"This is a sustainable fish": http://bit.ly/1OlMm04

Food & Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, 2001. Promoting Sustainable Aquaculture through Economic and other Incentives. 45

TEDx Talks, "To save our fisheries, eat like a fish": http://bit.ly/2orv8eN

BBC Future, "How the world's oceans could be running out of fish": http://bbc.in/1eUStGl

BBC, "Global fish consumption per capita hits record high": http://bbc.in/29k47o1

Explanatory Articles | 37th National Selection Conference of European Youth Parliament Greece Athens, 30 March - 2 April 2018 | m: athens.nsc@eypgreece.org