RESOLUTION BOOKLET 1st GENERAL ASSEMBLY DAY
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Programme | 24/04/2021 .......................................................................................................... 2 Welcome Words ........................................................................................................................ 3 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - LIBE ................................................................................................................................................... 4 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety ENVI ........................................................................................................................................... 6 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development - AGRI ... 8 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education - CULT ..................... 10 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Industry, Technology and Research – ITRE . 12 Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality – FEMM ................................................................................................................................................. 14 #FACTSMATTER....................................................................................................................... 16
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Programme | 24/04/2021 10:00-10:30 Opening remarks 10:30-11:00 General Team Building 11:00-12:30 General Assembly (LIBE & ENVI) 12:30-13:00 Coffee Break 13:00-14:30 General Assembly (AGRI & CULT) 14:30-15:30 Lunch Break 15:30-17:00 General Assembly (ITRE & FEMM) 17:00-17:30 Coffee Break 17:30-18:30 Closing Ceremony
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Welcome Words Dear delegate, Yes, YOU! The one reading this digital document. For some reason, that we will never find out and perhaps you do not even know, you have decided to spend this Saturday with us. That already makes you special in a way. You have embarked on a journey and you really do not know what to expect. Well, welcome to the European Youth Parliament, where providing the unexpected is what we do. We hope our event is the beginning of a long journey for you. This may be short and digital– but as we say, good things come in small packages – and we certainly hope to see you again. So, let me now briefly explain to you what this Resolution Booklet is exactly. General Assemblies are an integral part of our sessions. In our events they usually come right after Teambuilding and Committee Work, where teams get formed and discuss the topics each session has. In this event, as we only have General Assembly, the Academic Team has drafted Resolutions for you. A Resolution is comprised by 3 key elements: the aim (the bold letters under the topic), the Introductory Clauses (aka the Bullet Points) and the Operative Clauses (the ones with the numbers). The aim of the Resolution answers to a simple question: “Why have we decided to what we will do?”, the Introductory Clauses are basically “What has made us discuss the topic?”, while the Operative Clauses simply are “What will we do to resolve this issue?”. What you now have in your digital hands is the result of a work of 6+1 remarkable individuals, your Chairpersons, Annemarie, Jo, Katie, Luke, Maria and Victoria, and our Vice-President, Elena, that have spent time and effort drafting and preparing your Topic Outlines and the Resolutions in this booklet. It is also the work of a great duet, our Editor, Anastasia and our Media Team Member, Dimitris, that have visually interpreted your topics. However, it is also the work of a great network, the European Youth Parliament, as we have been influenced by the innovative ideas and inspired by the outcomes of previous sessions all over Europe. We would like to extend our gratitude to the Young Europe Ambassadors’, working on climate and energy for the amazing work that they did, and I would personally like to encourage you to follow their (and our) work. The European Youth Parliament above all has taught me one life hack: “When life gives you lemons, you enjoy your lemonade and even add a tint of mint.” So, let us enjoy our lemonade this Saturday together. Sofia Magopoulou President of the 1st General Assembly day of EYP Greece
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs - LIBE Flattening the “Infodemic” curve: With over 50% of Europeans believing they have been exposed to disinformation online and the mass wave of misleading or false information on the web, how can we create a safer digital space in which the fundamental rights of all users of digital services are protected? Chaired by Annemarie Eigemann (DE)
The European Youth Parliament aims to fight mis- and disinformation in digital media platforms by efficiently working with Social Media platforms and all Member States together and by educating the youth and the older generations. More than ever, we have to raise awareness of the dangers of the internet and teach how to research and identify misand disinformation and create a safe digital space. • • • • • • •
Alarmed by the amount of mis-and disinformation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Recognising the serious threat to health by the unofficial online anti-vaccine campaigns, Gravely concerned by the high risk of coming across and sharing mis- and disinformation unknowingly, Realizing the use disinformation by various States to create a diversion in opinions and distract citizens to gain a geopolitical advantage, Recognising the current exchange between social media platforms and the EU and the transparency on active regulations and technologies fighting mis-and disinformation, Expressing its concerns about the conflicts and violence caused by citizens due to mis- and disinformation, Appreciating the enlightening work of the European Science-Media Hub through articles and interviews with experts;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Appreciates the efforts of the European Commission on the implementation of the Media Literacy Week for two consecutive years; 2. Requests the European Commission to further expand the EU Code of Practice on Disinformation as an official Directive of the European Union; 3. Encourages the European Commission to draft a legislative proposal on a common European Union Fact Checking Mechanism, that will work on all policy making levels; 4. Encourages the inclusion of the EU’s Cyber Defence Policy Framework, as a part of the EU's common security and defence policy (CSDP); 5. Calls upon the European Commission to establish a Directorate General that will monitor and debunk fake news on a European level;
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5 6. Calls upon Member States to establish a quick response to conflicts or violence based on mis- and disinformation; 7. Suggests Member States to adapt their penal codes in order to include the spread of disinformation in their provisions; 8. Recommends the further promotion of the official websites and social media of European Union Institutions on a European and a national level in order to encourage citizens information through official resources; 9. Urges the creation of a platform for all Member States and relevant stakeholders to exchange best practices on innovative technologies and research; 10. Further invites the promotion of digital media campaigns targeting adult recipients to fight fake news and raise awareness on the importance of self-fact checking; 11. Invites Member States to introduce to their official education curricula, classes or courses aimed at increasing media literacy and developing critical thinking; 12. Recommends the Citizens to use the European Science-Media Hub (ESMH) to research information on COVID-19.
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety ENVI A straw in the ocean: With Europe producing 58 million tonnes of plastic every year but only 30% being recycled, how can the EU reduce plastic waste and ensure plastic materials are recycled or discarded in an environmentally-safe way? Chaired by Luke Bishop (IE)
The European Youth Parliament aims to ensure plastic, including Single Use Plastics (SUPs) is recycled in an environmentally friendly way. We aim to decrease the amount of plastic waste entering the seas and destroying the environment. Furthermore, we aim to educate our citizens on the dangers and consequences of plastic pollution on the environment, wildlife, and health. We aim to continue the progress of the EU towards reaching the targets stated in the Paris Agreement. • • • •
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Deeply concerned by the fact that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight in 2050, Noting with regret that only 41.9% of plastic waste was recycled in the EU in 2017, Aware that biodegradable plastics such as PLA and PHA1 account for less than 1% of the world-wide plastic consumption, Deeply alarmed by the increased consumption of Single Use Plastics (SUPs) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a slower implementation of the Single Use Plastics Directive, Recognising the unknown effects of plastic ingestion by humans through food and water sources, Noting with deep concern that plastic waste is polluting the environment and harming wildlife at increasing rates, Commending the efforts of countries such as Bangladesh, Rwanda and Kenya in banning disposable bags and other single use plastic products such as plastic straws and water bottles;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Encourages Member States to introduce a EU-wide tax on multinational companies who refuse to comply with targets stated in the Paris Agreement;
PLA and PHA are biopolymers made from renewable resources. They are made from natural resources which can biodegrade. 1
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7 2. Urges the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV) to collaborate and further assist with multinational companies in setting up their own recycling schemes, with a focus on less waste consumption; 3. Instructs the European Environment Agency (EEA) to establish a task-force which will: a. monitor the Member States efforts to decrease plastic consumption in their countries, b. research into the consequences of plastic ingestion on humans, c. provide guidance into decreasing the consumption of SUPs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic; 4. Invites Member States to provide consumer incentives to recycle plastic, such as the Palpa system in Finland; 5. Calls upon the European Commission to encourage the implementation of environmental studies at a primary and secondary level in pan-European national curricula; 6. Recommends the European Commission to initiate multimedia campaigns to further promote recycling and environmentally friendly practices within the European community; 7. Directs the European Commission to create a Zero Waste Europe by 2030, instead of the target of 2050 set out in the aforementioned Paris Agreement.
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development - AGRI Farmers for a sustainable future: With the future of the Common Agricultural Policy focusing even more on environmental care, how can the EU and its Member States support farmers towards the adoption of more eco-friendly techniques? Chaired by Victoria Saad (DE)
The European Youth Parliament aims to enable a future, where food is produced in an environmentally friendly, eco-conscious way, in line with the Green Deal. Farmers will utilise sustainable methods, keeping in mind planetary boundaries. Future agriculture will focus on the implementation of scientific discoveries to ensure food safety worldwide. • • • • • •
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Aware that agriculture accounted for EUR 60 billion of the EU budget in 2019, Deeply concerned that farming accounted for 8.72% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the EU in 2017, Reminding that the European Green Deal foresees a carbon-neutral EU by 2050, Alarmed by the increased erosion that is affecting 25% of the EU’s agricultural land, Concerned about the negative impact of the increased number of droughts and intense rain periods on agriculture, Noting with concern that although 65% of consumers are willing to spend more money on environmentally friendly products, only 26% actually choose to purchase these, Fully alarmed that 42% of EU citizens are lacking information and education about environmental issues;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Suggests that the European Commission and the European Council update the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) to strictly align to the goals set in the Paris Agreement as well as the Green Deal; 2. Proposes that the European Commission establishes guidelines for 90% of the CAP funds of 2028-2034 to be allocated for the second pillar of the policy with a focus on promoting environmentally sustainable farming and only 10% utilised for the first pillar; 3. Calls upon the European Commission and Member States to adapt the funding allocation specified for the CAP to provide additional funds dedicated to farmers employing environmentally friendly agricultural methods; 4. Asks the European Commission to introduce a carbon tax on food items for agricultural products with high GHG emissions imported in the EU and distribute the revenue among farmers who are adapting more eco-friendly methods; 5. Asks the European Commission to introduce a carbon tax on food items for agricultural products with high GHG emissions imported in the EU and distribute the revenue among farmers who are adapting more eco-friendly methods;
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9 6. Calls upon the European Commission to introduce a carbon tax on food items for agricultural products with high GHG emissions imported in the EU and distribute the revenue among farmers who are adapting more eco-friendly methods; 7. Welcomes Member States to promote a more plant-based diet and raise awareness regarding environmental issues by: a. informing citizens on the environmental impact of their diet, b. adding informative courses in their educational system, c. launching media campaigns focused on the relation between our diet and the environment.
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Culture and Education - CULT Past the Boomers’ Era: With an unprecedented shift to online learning impacting the way students learn across the EU, how can we “update” educational systems to fit the digital age guaranteeing equal access and promotion of digital literacy across the EU? Chaired by Jo Papadopoulou (GR)
The European Youth Parliament aims to improve the quality of digital education We aim to provide equal online learning opportunities to all learners regardless of their area of residence and/or socio-economic background. Finally, we aim to fight digital illiteracy across all Member States. • • • • • • • • • •
Taking into account the shift towards online learning brought by social distancing and protective measures to combat the pandemic, Acknowledging the challenges accompanying the transition to a digital environment, Keeping in mind that online learning was not widely implemented prior to the pandemic, Aware of the varying levels of internet access across the EU, Noting with regret that more than 20% of young people do not possess basic digital skills, Alarmed by the fact that only 39% of teachers in the EU felt well prepared for online learning, Recognising the digital gap and inequalities related to socio-economic backgrounds and living location, Considering that not all students’ home environments allow for distance learning, Further aware of the steps required to ensure accessibility of education for students with learning disabilities, Deeply concerned by the lack of sufficient funds allocated towards education;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Appreciates the effort of the European Commission to enhance digital skills and offer high-quality education through the Digital Education Plan 2021-2027; 2. Invites the European Commission to: a. conduct research on the current state of online learning and the experiences of learners and teachers alike through online surveys, b. use the data collected to create a “Digital Education” Index to showcase the quality of digital educational systems and offer suggestions for their improvement, c. invest in further research and development of online learning platforms and tools,
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d. financially aid Member States for the provision of digital education workshops presenting the results of the research; Invites the European Commission to: a. conduct research on the current state of online learning and the experiences of learners and teachers alike through online surveys, b. use the data collected to create a “Digital Education” Index to showcase the quality of digital educational systems and offer suggestions for their improvement, c. invest in further research and development of online learning platforms and tools, d. financially aid Member States for the provision of digital education workshops presenting the results of the research; Asks Member States to closer collaborate and share good practices on the use of digital tools and implementation of digital plans for education; Further instructs Member States to allocate funds from the EU Recovery Plan towards: a. providing low income and rural families with the necessary tools for digital education (e.g. electronic devices), b. improving their digital infrastructure, especially in less developed areas, with the assistance of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (REGIO); Recommends Member States to bridge the digital gap by: a. providing digital literacy classes in school for students, b. organising trainings focused on online learning methods and the use of digital tools for educators; Proposes Member States to open libraries and community centers with proper restriction measures for students without internet or computer access to carry out their learning responsibilities; Further encourages educators to educate themselves on how to make online learning accessible for a. students with various disabilities, b. students coming from disadvantageous family backgrounds; Suggests Member States to raise awareness on the importance of online learning tools and their application for students, educators and the general public through workshops.
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Industry, Technology and Research – ITRE Energising the society: With the citizens and local communities playing an active role in energy transition and the Green Deal ambitions, how can we ensure the participation of the youth and of marginalised people in energy decision-making policies and empower active energy citizenship? Chaired by Maria Kalampaliki (GR)
The European Youth Parliament aims to democratize energy transition by including the citizens and communities in the dialogue and linking more explicitly the European Green Deal to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Recognising the vital role of educating the citizens, we aim to transform the european way of life by adopting measures in key areas, such as education, transport and energy, towards a sustainable future and a more democratic and inclusive policy making. • • • • • • • • • •
Taking into account the shift towards online learning brought by social distancing and protective measures to combat the pandemic, Acknowledging the challenges accompanying the transition to a digital environment, Keeping in mind that online learning was not widely implemented prior to the pandemic, Aware of the varying levels of internet access across the EU, Noting with regret that more than 20% of young people do not possess basic digital skills, Alarmed by the fact that only 39% of teachers in the EU felt well prepared for online learning, Recognising the digital gap and inequalities related to socio-economic backgrounds and living location, Considering that not all students’ home environments allow for distance learning, Further aware of the steps required to ensure accessibility of education for students with learning disabilities, Deeply concerned by the lack of sufficient funds allocated towards education;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Strongly encourages National Governments to engage the youth in the decisionmaking processes through the promotion of self-organised, institutionally recognised, well-resourced and accountable opportunities for participation; 2. Calls upon the creation of regional or local councils on Energy and Climate Change with the support of Regional Authorities and the Committee of the Regions; 3. Invites the European Commission and newly established Council on Energy and Climate to facilitate the creation of regional and local councils on Energy and Climate across Member States;
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13 4. Urges the European Commission to establish the European Council on Energy and Climate consisting of citizens and relevant NGOs; 5. Encourages the collaboration on a European level of the existing nongovernmental organisations, civil society and research institutes of Member States to ensure that everyone is given ownership and responsibility in the energy transition, and in reaching climate justice; 6. Asks Member States to Improve citizens’ opportunities to engage in local decisionmaking by supporting the organisation of events similar to the Citizens’ Energy Forum across different regions; 7. Calls upon the European Commission to Incorporate youth and other marginalised groups in the Conference for the Future of Europe; 8. Calls upon the European Commission to help make energy transition accessible for the public through the establishment of a platform of Popular Science related to energy; 9. Further recommends Member States to invest in the development of national educational programmes fit for the digital age to promote the understanding and engagement to energy related topics; 10. Calls upon the European Commission to allocate further funds towards the development and implementation of renewable energy technologies, while ensuring pan-European accessibility and pragmatic application in rural areas of the EU; 11. Urges the Member States to further align their national strategies to achieve the SDGs and closely monitor progress towards achieving the SDGs.
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Motion for a resolution by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality – FEMM Who is afraid of Virginia Woolf? : With recent reports highlighting the gendered impact of the Covid-19 crisis disproportionally against women, how can we ensure an equal and inclusive recovery? Chaired by Katie Breeds (UK)
The European Youth Parliament aims to reduce the differential effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on women, such as supporting the recovery of industries with majorityfemale workforces, mitigating the increased care burden in the home, building stronger violence prevention programmes and investing in female health. • • • •
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Fully aware that female unemployment (8%) is higher than male unemployment (7.2%) as of October 2020, Concerned that the unemployment gap is expected to widen, Noting with deep concern that mostly women step down from their jobs to take on care responsibilities for children and elderly relatives, Alarmed by industries with majority-female workforces, such as retail and hospitality, experiencing the greatest job losses as a result of measures to prevent disease transmission, such as lockdowns, Further noting that previous economic recovery plans centered around protecting jobs in industries with majority-male workforces, such as construction, Profoundly concerned by the sharp rise in domestic violence since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic Deeply alarmed by the impact the rise of domestic violence had on persistently under-funded violence prevention services, Bearing in mind that less than 2.5% of medical research is dedicated to women’s reproductive health, Taking into account that 1 in 3 women will suffer from a reproductive or gynaecological health problem in their lifetime, Further noting that over half of menstruating women report a change in their cycles since the beginning of the pandemic;
The European Youth Parliament, 1. Regrets that the EU Recovery Plan does not address the challenges faced by women as a result of the 2020 pandemic year, nor reference gender equality issues; 2. Urges the EU to integrate gender equality into all investments and programmes, with clear, measurable targets and goals following the example of Canada’s Gender Budgeting Act;
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15 3. Encourages Member States to invest in industries with majority-female workforces, such as the care sector, which will see a higher financial return and facilitate women back into employment; 4. Appreciates the European Parliament’s calls to Member States to provide financial incentives to men to do flexible working, so care responsibilities to children and elderly relatives are more evenly shared; 5. Condemns that no Member State has a disaster plan to deal with surges in violence against women during times of natural disasters and pandemics; 6. Appeals to Member States to play an active role in building up violence prevention services and schemes to support victims of domestic violence through: a. allocating funding to helplines and shelters, b. passing legislation to protect victims of violence; 7. Welcomes the University of Oxford’s recently launched, large-scale study of the impact of the pandemic on women’s reproductive health; 8. Requests the European Commission to help decrease the gender health gap and the differential levels of funding allocated to female health in medical research through the establishment of a fund for research into female health.
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#FACTSMATTER: In figures and visually interpreted what is the current situation #AGRI •
In 2019, agriculture accounted for €60 bln of the EU.
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Farming accounted for 8.72% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU in 2017.
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Organic area made up 8.5 % of total EU agricultural land in 2019.
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Μanagers of farms with only or some organic area are generally younger than managers of nonorganic farms. Μore than one in five managers (22.8 %) is between 45 and 54, one in four (25.1 %) is between 55 and 64 and one in three (33.3 %) is over 65 years of age.
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EU farms used 173 million hectares of land for agricultural production in 2016, 39 % of the total land area of the EU.
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Agricultural activities in the European Union produced 435 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2018.
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Only 39% of teachers in the EU felt well or very well prepared to use digital technologies for teaching (“TALIS 2018 Results (Volume I): Teachers and School Leaders as Lifelong Learners”, OECD 2019)
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42% of EU citizens have an insufficient level of digital skills (“Human Capital and Digital Skills”, European Commission 2020)
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Digital divides related to gender, socio-economic background and urban/rural areas persist (“Bridging the Digital Divide”, OECD 2018)
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More than one in five young people fail to reach a basic level of digital skills across the EU (“Do young people in the EU have digital skills”, Eurostat 2020)
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The amount of time children devoted to school activities during the COVID-19 crisis fell from 7.4 hours to 3.6 hours daily (“COVID-19 and Educational Inequality: How School Closures Affect Lowand High-Achieving Students”, IZA Discussion Papers 2020)
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Innovative instructional approaches, which stimulate learner autonomy, motivation and engagement were lacking (“Digital Education Action PLan 2021-2027”, European Commission)
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Access to the internet varies significantly across the EU, ranging from 74% of households in the lowest-income quartile to 97% in the highest-income quartile (“ICT usage in households and by individuals”, Eurostat 2019)
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Almost 60% of respondents to the open public consultation on the Digital Education Action Plan had not used distance and online learning before the crisis.
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It is predicted there will be more plastic than fish in the Ocean by weight in 2050.
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Only 41.9% of plastic waste was recycled in 2017 in the EU.
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Countries such as Bangladesh, Rwanda and Kenya are banning or have banned disposable bags and other single use plastic products such as plastic straws and water bottles.
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It is expected that 75% of the single use masks and other waste related to the pandemic will end up in landfills or our oceans.
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Within the EU workforce, women comprise 82% of shop cashiers, 86% of personal care workers, 93% of childcare workers and 95% of domestic cleaners.
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40% of jobs lost by women during the crisis were in retail, accommodation, residential care, domestic work and clothing manufacturing.
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Despite rising employment in the summer, women only gained half as many jobs as men.
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The pandemic has seen support services such as shelters and counselling hotlines for intimate partner violence overwhelmed. Respect, the UK’s national domestic violence charity, has seen a 97% increase in calls, 185% increase in emails and 581% increase in website visits.
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There is 3x the risk of blood clots for women who take the contraceptive pill than getting the AstraZeneca vaccine.
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Most of our medical understanding comes from the perspective of men: studies of men carried out by men. Less than 2.5% of research is dedicated solely to reproductive health, despite the fact that 1 in 3 women will suffer from a reproductive or gynaecological health problem in their lifetime.
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The majority of cases in Europe of the AstraZeneca vaccine’s rare blood clot side-effects are found in women.
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#ITRE •
The EU has launched one of the most ambitious agendas with its European Green Deal, that is linked to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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The National Energy and Climate Plans lack many socio-economical aspects as not all the stakeholders were consulted in the process, especially the younger generations.
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The citizens play a key role in the energy transition. Their education is essential to encourage responsible energy consumption, decrease the EU energy dependency and achieve the Energy Union.
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While mis- and disinformation in media dates back to the 1860s, it has only reached its peak with the internet and social media platforms.
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Mis- and disinformation is a dangerous and serious threat to global health.
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40% of health-related links posted on social media contained “fake news”.
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Countries like Russia and China use state media to engage in disinformation campaigns to gain a geopolitical advantage.
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An easy access to personal health data from computer systems to fight the spread of disinformation could easily be taken advantage of by developers or third parties and would constitute a violence of the patients´ or citizens´ right to privacy.
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UNDER THE AUSPICES OF
