LNC16 – Resolution Booklet

RESOLUTION BOOKLET 14TH NATIONAL CONFEERENCE OF THE EUROPEAN YOUTH PARLIAMENT LATVIA 20th of august 2016 Daugavpils, latvia

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Programme of the General Assembly 09:00 09:15 10:00 10:45 11:00 11:45 12:30 13:15 14:30 15:15 16:00 16:15 17:00 17:45 18:00 18:45

Opening of the General Assembly Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Development Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Foreign Affairs I Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Lunch break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Human Rights Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs I Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Foreign Affairs II Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs II Coffee break Motion for a Resolution by the Committee on Security and Defence Closing Ceremony

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Procedure of the General Assembly

General rules The wish to speak is indicated by raising the Committee placard. Each committee may use only one Committee placard.

The authority of the Board is absolute.

Procedure and time settings 1. Presenting of the Motion for a Resolution 2. Presenting of the Friendly Amendments 3. Reading of the operative clauses 4. Three minutes to defend the Motion for a Resolution 5. Three minutes to attack the Motion for a Resolution 6. One minute to respond to the Attack Speech 7. General debate 8. Three minutes to sum up the debate 9. Voting procedure 10. Announcing the votes Friendly Amendment A last-minute modification to the Motion for a Resolution by the Proposing Committee. Amendments are to be handed in to the Board at least two Resolutions before the Resolution in question, or as soon as possible for the first Resolutions of the General Assembly.

Point of Personal Privilege Request for a Delegate to repeat a point that was inaudible. Failure to understand the language being spoken does not make for a Point of Personal Privilege.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Direct Response Once per debate, each Committee may use the Direct Response sign. Should a Delegate raise the sign during the open debate, he/she will immediately be recognised by the Board and given the floor as soon as the point being made is concluded. A Direct Response can only be used to refer to and discuss the point made directly beforehand. If two or more Direct Responses are requested at once, the Board will decide which Committee to recognise. In this case, the second Direct Response shall only be held if it can be referred to the first Direct Response, so on and so forth.

Point of Order These can be raised by the Chairperson if a Delegate feels the Board have not properly followed parliamentary procedure. Ultimately, the authority of the Board is absolute.

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

Attack Speech An individual Delegate from a Committee other than that proposing the Resolution at hand delivers an Attack Speech from the podium. It reflects an individual opinion and is used to point out the flaws of the approach taken by the Proposing Committee and should propose alternative solutions. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes.

Summation Speech One or two members of the Proposing Committee deliver the Summation Speech from the podium; the microphone can only be passed once. It is used to summarise the debate, respond to main, selected criticism and to once more explain why the chosen approach is the most sensible. This speech can last a maximum of three minutes.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON E NVIRONMENT , P UBLIC H EALTH AND F OOD S AFETY

A healthy mind in a healthy body: As the number of Europeans suffering from mental health problems keeps rising, how should the EU ensure proper medical treatment and acceptance in society for citizens affected by mental illness?

Submitted by:

Dārta Ašmane (Rīgas Tālmācības vidusskola), Noa Cemeljic (HR), Andris Kamergrauzis (Rīgas Franču licejs), Patrīcija Keiša (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Beatrise Maija Krieviņa (Cēsu Valsts ģimnāzija), Anneliis Saarend (EE), Gunda Sila (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Ērika Terēze Vītoliņa (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Elīna Jekale (Chairperson, LV), Isabella Leandersson (Chairperson, SE)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply concerned that 88% of European countries do not promote mental illness prevention programmes while the countries who do often finance such programmes insufficiently1, B. Alarmed by the lack of data on the size and allocation of mental health budgets among Member States, C. Emphasising that mental illnesses are the cause of up to 30 to 40% of chronic sick leaves, resulting in an estimated 3% GDP loss annually,2 D. Noting with regret that only one-fourth of European citizens suffering from mental illness receive their necessary treatment, often after a long delay,3 E. Disappointed by the inadequate research on mental health which may result in professionals using outdated methods, F. Noting with concern that, according to the Mental Health Integration Index, there is a wide gap in the development of mental healthcare services between Member States, G. Recognising the prejudice against mentally ill people, resulting in: i)

A lack of understanding for the severity of mental illnesses,

The 2008 report published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), “Policies and practices for mental health in Europe,” page 120.

2 WHO’s webpage (www.euro.who.int) underhealthtopics>incommunicablediseases>mentalhealth>mentalhealth.

3 From presentation of a study commissioned by Janssen Pharmaceutica NV on mentalhealthintegration.com under “Europe’s mental illness burden.”

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

ii)

the belief that people affected by mental illness are somehow dangerous to society,

iii) the use of derogatory names in reference to mentally ill people, H. Deeply regretting that the number of European citizens affected by mental illnesses is increasing along with suicide rates, I.

Fully alarmed by the fact that 70 to 90% of citizens suffering from a mental illness are unemployed,4

J.

Viewing with appreciation the efforts made by the NGOs as well as the EU, such as the Green Paper on Mental Health (2005), European pact for Mental Health and Wellbeing (2008) and EUCompass on Mental Health and Wellbeing (2009);

1. Endorses the creation of a network of psychologists ensuring the mental health of employees at their workplaces by collecting and analysing questionnaires and providing support; 2. Proposes that Member States enable people diagnosed with a mental illness to temporarily work from home; 3. Calls for the Erasmus+ programme to extend scholarships for psychology and psychiatry students thus increasing the number of specialists in the field; 4. Recommends publishing online disclaimers on out-dated researches as well as providing access to up-to-date information for public use; 5. Further recommends that the EU offers financial support for both primary caregivers and specialists from countries with the lowest mental health integration index enabling them to participate in European mental health seminars; 6. Encourages Member States to increase the transparency of their mental health budget by: a)

collecting data about the use of their health budget,

b)

setting guidelines for the allocation of the mental health budget;

7. Proposes that facilities for treatment of mental illnesses are decentralised by: a)

evenly distributing them throughout Member States,

b)

financing proper maintenance of the facilities,

c)

increasing the number of facilities rather than the capacity of the existing ones;

8. Calls for the promotion of volunteer programmes that facilitate the integration of people suffering from mental illness who live at home into society; 9. Invites Member States to promote classes for parents and other adults who work with children, addressing: a)

talking with children about mental health disorders,

From the webpage of the Canadian Mental Health Association (www.cmha.ca) under mental health > find help > employments.

4

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

b)

caring for mentally ill children;

10. Further invites Member States to provide the attendants of aforementioned classes with the opportunity to share their experiences with children and mental illness during these events 11. Calls for the funding and implementation of a programme mitigating the effects of mental illnesses by the EU that would include:

a)

online campaigns, discussions and informational posters in public places,

b)

promotion of “World Mental Health Day� in more institutions, workplaces and public places,

c)

the support of cultural projects related to mental illnesses,

d)

recommendations for greater emphasis on mental health in the school curriculum.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON D EVELOPMENT

Deeper cooperation between the EU and the UN: Having adopted the main challenges and opportunities for implementing the Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations, how can the European Union support UN Member States reaching ambitious results?

Submitted by:

Adele Bea Cipste (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Zane Katrīna Freimane (LV), Rita Jevdokimova (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Janita Karra (FI), Kārlis Krēsliņš (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Paula Ozoliņa (Daugavpils Valsts ģimnāzija), Einars Pomerancis (Liepajas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Teodors Tālers (Cēsu Valsts ģimnāzija), Emils Valbergs (Rigas Valsts vācu ģimnāzija), Romāns Galaiko (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply regretting the unsatisfying outcome of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)1, B. Concerned by the lack of cooperation on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)2 between the non-governmental organisations (NGOs), governments and businesses on international and national scale, C. Deeply alarmed by the United Nation’s (UN) Member States’ unequal contribution in achieving SDGs to lack of cooperation between the involved parties based on their capabilities, D. Deeply concerned about inefficient expenditure of money allocated for the SDGs implementation, E. Emphasises the importance of public awareness in successful implementation of SDGs, F. Appreciates the fact that the European Union (EU) is the largest aid donor with 56.5 billion EUR in 2013 of the global development aid, G. Alarmed by the excessive amount of aid provided to least developed countries instead of providing a space for development in different fields;

1. Requests the UN to take into account the importance of the data provided by the Official Development Assistance (ODA)3 and Social Progress index4 and use them in order to: World's time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty in its many dimensions-income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter, and exclusion-while promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability.

2 Adopted by world leaders at the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, which includes a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2030.

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

a)

determine the success in reaching goals made by country’s target plan,

b)

adjust the aid split;

2. Invites national governments to reward NGOs and businesses fostering the SDGs progress by giving them low interest loans and tax reliefs; 3. Further invites the UN to organise working groups and to hold monthly meetings to foster cooperation between the Member States; 4. Urges to use Aid Transparency Index5 to supervise efficient use of funds and make extensive framework to ensure meeting the set criteria; 5. Proposes to reinforce 10YFP6 as the basis for strategy of raising awareness; 6. Calls upon the European Commission to continue supporting least developed countries through the European Development Fund (EDF).

A financial aid given by governments and other agencies to support the economic, environmental, social, and political development of developing countries.

4 The Social Progress Index offers a rich framework for measuring the multiple dimensions of social progress, benchmarking success, and catalysing greater human wellbeing.

5 The Aid Transparency Index is an internationally recognised measure of the state of aid transparency in the world’s leading aid organizations.

6 The 10-year framework of programme’s on sustainable consumption and production patterns is a global framework of action to enhance international cooperation to accelerate the shift towards sustainable consumption and production (SCP) in both developed and developing countries.

3

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON I NTERNAL M ARKET AND C ONSUMER P ROTECTION

From digital governments to digital identities: Considering the sale of private consumer data collected by online platforms to third parties, how can the European Union ensure online privacy and data protection for every individual?

Submitted by:

Teodors Bankovskis (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Elīna Fjodorova (Valmieras Pārgaujas ģimnāzija), Rainers Gangnuss (Rīgas Centra humanitārā vidusskola), Shabana Haydar (DK), Joel Juntunen (FI), Ralfs Lapinskis (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Sandra Liepa (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Kārlis Ruža (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Niklāvs Tamanis (Rīgas franču licejs), Ieva Marija Vītoliņa (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Razvan Lacatusu (Chairperson, RO)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by that 70%1 of European Union (EU) citizens are worried about the misuse of their personal data, B. Reminding that the General Data Protection Regulation2 (GDPR) entered into force on the 5th of May 2016 and aims to ensure online privacy and data protection, C. Having examined that different laws on data protection and online privacy are overlapping across the EU on some disclosure of data procedures, D. Concerned by the lack of public awareness on: i)

usage of individuals’ own private consumer data,

ii)

data held by third parties,

iii) the existence of the legal right to be forgotten, E. Affirming that the terms and conditions of online services are written in an overly complex and extensive manner, being too tedious to comprehend, F. Stressing that consumers do not have an option to retain their privacy when signing the terms and conditions,

Official statistics from Europa.eu The General Data Protection Regulation established by the European Commission intends to strengthen and unify data protection for individuals within the EU. 1 2

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

G. Deeply concerned that governments are breaching the right to online privacy in criminal records when investigating an individual’s entire social connections, H. Taking into account that the GDPR implementation requires comprehensive changes of business practices for non-European companies handling EU personal data, I.

Recognising that the GDPR implementation across the Member States needs to be monitored and coordinated,

J.

Alarmed by the cyber frauds and data leaks which are becoming more frequent due to various vulnerabilities such as: i)

data security system failures,

ii)

lack of training for people responsible for the security of systems storing personal data;

1. Expresses its appreciation towards the GDPR regarding online privacy and data protection which will implement various changes such as: a)

holding regular periodic data protection audits,

b)

updating the right to be forgotten to avoid overlapping in the EU with other regulations,

c)

implementing the one-stop shop3 to supervise data processing activities;

2. Recommends the increasingly widespread usage of the European Computer Driving License4 (ECDL) to educate individuals of all age groups on proper procedures of data protection; 3. Calls for increased cooperation between national education ministries and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as EDUCAUSE5 which aim to further raise awareness on data privacy rights in higher education institutions; 4. Requests the European Data Protection Supervisor6 to propose a terms and conditions template, with a summary suitable for the average user and the key points of the legal agreement; 5. Invites Member States to discuss and set a standardised level of encryption for companies handling personal data in the established European Data Privacy Day7;

Supervisory and cooperation mechanism aimed to ensure more coherence in the application of data protection legislation throughout the EU. 4 ECDL Foundation is an international organisation dedicated to raising digital competence standards in the workforce, education and society.

5 EDUCAUSE helps those who lead, manage, and use information technology to shape strategic IT decisions at every level within higher education.

6 The European Data Protection Supervisor is an independent supervisory authority at EU level with responsibility for monitoring the processing of personal data by the EU institutions and bodies, advising on policies and legislation that affect privacy and cooperating with similar authorities to ensure consistent data protection.

7 Event organised in 47 European countries with the aim of raising awareness and promotes online privacy and data protection best practices.

3

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

6. Supports the implementation of guidelines for providers on how to include an option in the terms of services which would prevent consumers’ personal data being published online without their consent; 7. Urges the European Commission’s Data Protection Officer8 to interdict the unauthorised research of an individual’s personal data solely based on its contact with a person involved in a criminal case; 8. Directs the EU to negotiate agreements such as the EU - USA Privacy Shield9 with other countries; 9. Encourages companies to attend IT security conferences in order to: a)

facilitate trainings on the importance of online privacy,

b)

coordinate European expert groups on data protection,

c)

consider the implementation of white hat hackers10;

10. Instructs the Member States’ National Data Protection Authorities to monitor the implementation of the GDPR in the Member States under the coordination of the European Data Protection Officer.

The Data Protection Officer is required to keep a register of all the processing operations on personal data carried out by the Institution which has appointed him/her.

9 The EU-U.S. Privacy Shield imposes stronger obligations on U.S. companies to protect Europeans’ personal data.

10 A white hat hacker is a computer security specialist who breaks into protected systems and networks to test and asses their security.

8

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON F OREIGN A FFAIRS I

Addressing the Eastern needs: In April 2016, the Netherlands was the only Member State that rejected the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the European Union, which was seen as a treaty for deeper political and economic cooperation.

Given the setbacks with Ukraine, what direction should be provided by the EU to ensure closer cooperation with the Eastern Partnership countries in future?

Submitted by:

Glens Olivers Andersons (LV), Edgars Eglītis (Rīgas 6. vidusskola), Leonārs Ēriks Kaupmanis (Rīgas komercskola), Eleonora Kursiša (Daugavpils krievu licejs), Milla Lehtimäki (FI), Artjoms Ņikuļins (Daugavpils krievu licejs), Roberts Remesis (LV), Elza Ruža (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Toms Timpars (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Christopher Godina (Chairperson, SE), Ella Palkoaho (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Emphasising the existence of a conflict of interest between the EU and the Russian Federation over influence in the Eastern Partnership (EaP)1 countries, B. Alarmed by the reluctance of partner countries2 to join the European Single Market3 due to: i)

the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)4 offering a more attractive option to their own standards,

ii)

the higher costs and different production standards between the Single Market and the partner countries,

C. Aware of the presence of the EAEU leading to partner countries losing interest in the EaP programme due to: i)

similar economic tendencies such as credit and loan systems,

ii)

historical connections from the partner countries being former Soviet Union States,

EaP is a joint initiative between the EU and six of its Eastern neighbours, aiming to deepen the economic and political cooperation between them.

2 Partner countries include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

3 The Single Market refers to the EU as one territory without any internal borders or other regulatory obstacles to the free movement of goods and services.

4 The EAEU is an international organisation for regional economic integration, including the free movement of goods, services, capital and labour. The members of the Union are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic and Russian Federation.

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

iii) trade between the partner countries and migrant workers in Russia enabling economic benefits, D. Concerned by the lack of alternatives offered to partner countries by the EU regarding the energy market increasing their dependence on Russian energy exports, E. Recognising the different interests of the partner countries complicate the formation of a united strategy towards them, F. Deeply alarmed by the increasing military tensions between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and Russia that is hindering the EaP programme’s progress thus destabilising the economic, political and social situation in the partner countries, G. Stressing the European External Action Service’s (EEAS)5 inability to find a solution to the Ukraine crisis due to lack of dialogue with Russia, which has resulted in strained diplomatic relations, hindering the development of partner countries, H. Pointing out the reluctance from some Member States towards the EaP programmes causing hindrance in the cooperation between the EU and partner countries, I.

Concerned by the partner countries losing motivation towards the EaP programme due to the lack of immediate results,

J.

Recognising Russian historical background as the hindering factor for partner countries’ progression towards EU values,

K. Noting with regret the high level of corruption amongst the partner countries that slows down the progress of achieving the EaP goals;

1. Affirms the need for engagement in political and economic measures by High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy6 to ensure peaceful co-existence with Russia; 2. Requests the European Commission to implement a gradual introduction of partner countries into the Single Market based on the citizens’ purchase power and geographical position in order to ease their integration; 3. Supports the work of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) on the behalf of the EU, such as the European Partnership Civil Society Forum7 to counter the lack of proficiency amongst the enterprises in the partner countries by offering expert advice and improving competitiveness; 4. Further requests the European Commission to designate subsidies towards renewable energy projects in partner countries to reduce their dependence on Russia’s energy exports; 5. Proposes that the European Commission establishes a specialised trade system in a Single Market sector on the basis of Association Agreement8;

The EEAS is the EU’s diplomatic service and it carries out the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.

The High Representative coordinates and carries out the Common Foreign and Security Policy and acts as the VicePresident of the EC. 7 The EaP Civil Society Forum aims to strengthen civil society in the EaP countries and foster cooperation and the exchange of experiences between civil society organisations from partner countries and the EU. 5 6

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

6. Invites the partner countries to form a closer economic cooperation by uniting the areas with similar interests in order to propose more common policies; 7. Urges the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to invite Russia, NATO, and partner countries to diplomatic discussions addressing economic and military issues concerning the EaP programme and countries; 8. Reaffirms the EU’s commitment towards the EaP programme to create visa-free travel between the EU and the partner countries in the near future; 9. Suggests that the European Commission devises an exchange programme in the partner countries for work and study , after which they would be offered a visa-free stay in order to get acquainted with the EU values; 10. Calls upon the EEAS to establish a specific framework for discussion between Member States to reach a unanimous policy concerning the direction of the EaP programme; 11. Supports the Group of States Against Corruption (GRECO)9 current work in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia and Moldova and suggests its expansion to Ukraine; 12. Requests that the partner countries increase their transparency by opening records for the wider public in order to combat corruption; 13. Notes with appreciation the cooperation of the European Instrument for Democracy and Human Rights (EIDHR)10 with NGOs in the partner countries which develop deeper political awareness.

Association Agreements are international agreements between the European Union and third countries with the aim of setting an all embracing framework to conduct bilateral relations.

9 GRECO is an organization established by the Council of Europe to fight corruption according to the Council’s anticorruption standards.

10 EIDHR is the EU’s institution expressing its commitment to support and promote democracy and human rights.

8

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON W OMEN ’ S R IGHTS AND G ENDER E QUALITY

Securing work environments: Female underrepresentation in public or private sector is still an ongoing issue, how can the EU support more women in their independent career-building, while also decreasing Gender Pay Gap to the minimum and ensuring safe environments at the workplace without any gender bias or discrimination?

Submitted by:

Simona Alksne (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Aleksandra Gorbule (Daugavpils tehnikums), Anete Krūmiņa (Mārupes vidusskola), Jana Ozoliņa (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Zuzanna Pallon (PL), Vanda Petrak (HR), Laura Ramza (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Markéta Scheinostová (CZ), Arturs Simanovskis (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Ilvija Mežiņa (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Noting with regret that members of both genders make career choices influenced by stereotypes, which are often picked up at a very young age from family, school or other environments, B. Observing that women are commonly over represented in lower-paid sectors while being underrepresented in fields such as engineering, science and technology (STEM), politics, as well as business executive positions, C. Acknowledging the varying underemployment of women in the EU Member States1, D. Recognising that the average gender pay gap in the EU is 16.3%, which is influenced by, amongst other things: i)

direct discrimination,

ii)

the undervaluing of women’s work,

iii) traditions and stereotypes, E. Concerned by the unequal distribution of household labour and parenting responsibilities, which resulting in women’s unemployment or them taking part-time jobs, F. Fully alarmed by the smaller pensions and financial vulnerability of women once they reach retirement due to their lower wage levels per hour and working hours overall,

1

In the EU, the female employment rate was 59.4%, whilst it stood at 70.1% for men based on the data from 2014.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

G. Taking into account that discrimination can take various forms such as unequal financial bonuses, task segregation2, and support from the higher-ups in career development, leading to differences in income and impeding career prospects, H. Noting with concern that women are more likely to face sexual harassment in the workplace, I.

Further noting that employers often neglect to properly investigate reports of sexual harassment,

J.

Cognisant that women are more often involved in unpaid labour than men, which leads to overdependence in their civic relationships and financial instability,

K. Deploring that men and women are treated differently in their workplace due to the stereotypes attached to their gender;

1. Encourages the Member States’ Ministers of Education to ensure that children are treated equally at school and are not put in different classes or in any other way treated differently because of their gender; 2. Endorses the “Women on Boards”3 initiative, objective of which is to attain 40% representation of the underrepresented gender in non-executive board member positions in publicly listed companies, thus following the example of Norway4; 3. Calls upon amending the EU programmes on gender equality such as European Commissions Strategic Engagement on Gender Equality (ECSEGE) 2016-20195, and The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) gender initiative6, to also make them address the promotion of men’s career aspirations in fields traditionally dominated by women; 4. Draws attention to the Equality Pays Off7 initiative, which promotes a globalised economy and a gender-equal employee base in the EU; 5. Urges Member States to create incentives for companies to implement pay transparency8, that is widely endorsed by the European Commission because of its effectiveness in: a)

combating pay discrimination,

Task segregation is a disproportionally allocated amount of work, which creates unequal time spent on a given task among different groups.

3 Women on Boards helps women with making connections, encouragements and right career choices to get to the top within their own company.

4 The Example of Norway – in 2003 Norway passed a law requiring companies to have at least 40% of female board members.

5 ECSEGE promotes gender equality in five key areas: equal economic independence for women and men; equal pay for work of equal value; equality in decision-making; dignity, integrity, ending gender based violence; and promoting gender equality beyond the EU. 6 OECD gender initiative examines existing barriers to gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship.

7 The Equality pays off -initiative, reaching until 2020, helps companies achieve sustainable business success by gaining access to untapped female talent pools.

8 Pay Transparency allows workers to understand their company’s compensation philosophy, strategies and practices, and allows them to discuss their compensation publicly.

2

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

b)

tackling the Gender Pay Gap,

c)

increasing the employees trust in company;

6. Supports ECSEGE 2016-2019, which has set goals such as reducing the pay earning and pension gaps, and increased the female labour market participation; 7. Calls upon Member States to ensure equal distribution of unpaid house work and provision of care for both genders by implementing: a)

shared parental leave,

b)

flexible work schedules including work from home,

c)

availability of after-school care for children with both working parents;

8. Further requests the EU to support and financially assist NGOs9, many of which having already achieved admirable results while promoting the same core values as those of the EU; 9. Seeks to increase female engagement in programmes promoting women’s entrepreneurship, recruiting, training, mentoring, and networking, such as WES10 and ENFEA11; 10. Calls for Member States to ensure that workers have access to hotlines created to support them in dealing with sexual or other types of harassment at the workplace in case their employers fail to react.

Financial support would be achieved by the European Social Fund, which gives benefits to fields of social inclusion, gender equality and equal opportunities.

10 WES – The European Network to support Women’s Entrepreneurship at national level.

11 ENFEA – The European Network of Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors and it focuses on raising awareness about female success stories and encourage entrepreneurship as a career option for women of all ages.

9

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON H UMAN R IGHTS

Inclusive Europe for everyone: In the light of persistent discrimination against various ethnic minorities in Europe by local authorities and national governments, what should the EU do to ensure the integration of minority groups into European societies?

Submitted by:

Natālija Knipše (Rigas Valsts vācu ģimnāzija), Laura Polkmane (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Katarina Radić (HR), Betija Rubene (Babītes vidusskola), Jekaterina Ščemeļeva (Rīgas Purvciema vidusskola), Patriks Švinka (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Sabīne Vonoga (Rīgas Valsts 2. ģimnāzija), Reinis Klāvs Rudzītis (Chairperson, LV), Yelizaveta Skorobreshchuk (Chairperson, UA)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Concerned by the lack of encouragement to ethnic minority representatives to be involved in the national governments as well as lack of information on the opportunity to do so, B. Fully alarmed by the lack of cultural understanding among both state majorities and ethnic minorities resulting in unjustified judgmental behaviour among both parties, C. Deeply concerned by the media representing incomplete, biased and single-perspective information when covering news about minorities, D. Recognising that more than 50% of job recruitment agencies in the Netherlands comply with requests not to introduce minorities, E. Contemplating the considerable pay-gap between the state’s majority and the ethnic minorities in Member States1 due to direct discrimination, F. Pointing out that employers avoid hiring workers of ethnic minorities based on stereotypes and prejudiced beliefs, which leads to their general underrepresentation in labour market, G. Emphasising the importance of the fact that part of minorities are seen as underqualified to be employed, due to their qualifications being acquired outside of the EU, H. Alarmed by the increasing prevalence of far-right movement propaganda promoting an antidiversity view towards ethnic minorities, I.

Noting with regret the physical and verbal violence executed by the police force towards ethnic minorities in Member States,

1

Such as police raids on Roma settlements in Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, France and Italy during the period 2002.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

J.

Recalling that ethnic minorities are excessively dependent on the employer and that their freedom of speech is often limited when employed, whereas if fired, they become vulnerable in regards to discrimination in the labour;

1. Recommends increasing the awareness of ethnic minority groups about their involvement in local politics by advertising workshops and seminars or through social media channels; 2. Calls upon the community centres in Member States to organise events, which would educate both sides on the matter of intercultural dialogue; 3. Encourages the engagement of ethnic minorities in the media industry and production of news; 4. Suggests hiring ethnic minority representatives as local authority employees based on the criteria equivalent to majorities’ representatives in order to prevent confrontations; 5. Recommends creating tax reliefs for established companies with a certain percentage of minority employees, which would be spent on supporting ethnic minorities and furthermore keeping in mind that the tax money will be spent on supporting ethnic minorities; 6. Calls upon Member States to implement an anonymous job application procedure in their application systems, which would disclose personal details of applicant’s ethnic background; 7. Endorses the European Commission (EC) to create an adjusted modification system to recognise wider range of educational qualifications in all Member States; 8. Strongly affirms the ban on hate speech within the national governments, where upon the direct promotion of violence and anti-diversity actions would be blocked in the media; 9. Urges Member States to lower the physical and verbal abuse of power from the side of local authorities by creating and applying sanctions in case of reported violations; 10. Supports the education of minorities at national job agencies on the legal aspects of creating and running an enterprise.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON C ONSTITUTIONAL A FFAIRS I

UK’s complicated relationship with the EU: Since the United Kingdom has been a tricky Member State of the EU due to its number of treaty opt-outs and special statuses, what new measures and legal relationships should be put in place to minimise the impact of the UK’s referendum on its exit from the Union?

Submitted by:

Manca Bregar (SI), Valter Enlund (FI), Kārlis Logins (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Zelma Lapiņa (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Agnese Rekšņa (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Kinga Ścierska (PL), Šarlote Ševele (Rīgas Valsts 3. ģimnāzija), Inese Sniedze Sjomkāne (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Viktor Magnus Salenius (Chairperson, FI)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Recognising that in the referendum held on 23 June 2016 the United Kingdom (UK) voted in favour of terminating its membership of the European Union (EU), and that, consequently, the newly installed government has pledged to trigger Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU), B. Fully emphasising the importance of preparing to create new agreements for continued cooperation in all policy areas and legal documents otherwise abolished by an expected British exit from the EU, C. Noting with regret that the gap between EU regulations and British national regulations would greatly endanger unhindered trade of goods and services across Europe in the event of a full British exit from the EU and the European Economic Area (EEA), D. Acknowledging the importance of continued stock market stability in the City of London1, presently the EU’s largest and most international hub of the financial markets industry, E. Concerned by the decreasing European civic security as a consequence of potential termination of most areas of EU security cooperation between the EU and the UK, F. Recognising the unsustainable situation in British land border regions in Northern Ireland and Gibraltar following customs and border procedures implemented with an expected British exit from the EU, G. Reaffirming the EU’s importance as an export market for the UK, notably for industries producing manufactured goods, financial services and marine food stuffs,

1

City of London is London’s financial district.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

H. Bearing in mind the substantial volumes of EU fishing in the North Sea, which raises dissatisfaction in the UK over continuous pressure from EU competition on the UK fishing industry, I.

Realising the uncertainty of continued welfare guarantees to all non-British EU citizens in the UK as well as those of British citizens in other EU Member States, as caused by the referendum result,

J.

Noting with concern the exceptional socio-economic pressure caused by net migration into the UK,

K. Alarmed by reports of increasing social tensions, xenophobia, and discrimination of foreign citizens and cultures in the UK and other EU Member States, L. Deploring a loss in global influence in an event of the EU’s foreign policy agenda lacking the voice of the UK;

1. Urges the UK to trigger Article 50 of the TEU directly after all necessary preparations for the exit negotiations between the EU and the UK are conducted; 2. Asks the UK to issue an official statement of its aims from the expected negotiation of an exit from the EU no later than one year from the turnout of the referendum held on 23 June 2016; 3. Trusts the Council of the European Union to invite the UK to re-enter the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and to remain part of the EEA in the event of its expected exit from the EU and to further negotiate close cooperation in policy areas not within the EEA’s framework; 4. Proposes to strengthen permanent industry representation in EU decision-making concerning financial markets, through: a)

inviting prominent members of the European financial markets industry to partake in an advisory board to be heard by the European Commission in relevant EU decision-making,

b)

also inviting to this board administrative officials of both the City of London and of other European financial hubs;

5. Calls upon the UK to continue all current and planned information-sharing and security cooperation between EU-wide and UK security agencies, notably an agreement of unconditional cooperation with EUROPOL2; 6. Suggests a comprehensive, bilateral agreement on EU-UK land border regions to be drafted between the EU and the UK, involving Ireland and Spain, during the expected negotiation of a British exit from the EU: a)

guaranteeing continued access to unhindered domicile in these regions through a special permit allowing custom-free flow of goods and services for local inhabitants and entrepreneurs alike,

b)

defining clearly that only permanent residence in the immediate land border regions or a business endeavour taking place in the region will be sufficient grounds for such a permit;

2

Common law-enforcement agency of the EU.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

7. Further proposes a comprehensive, bilateral agreement on fisheries to be drafted between the EU and the UK during the expected negotiation of a British exit from the European Union: a)

Securing continued access to unhindered fishing in the entire North Sea by both UK and EU vessels,

b)

opening the opportunity for the UK to propose bilateral quotas on trade in marine foodstuffs between the EU and the UK;

8. Further requests a comprehensive, bilateral agreement on agriculture to be drafted between the EU and the UK during the expected negotiation of a British exit from the EU: a)

sustaining tariff-free trade between the EU and the UK in all agricultural products,

b)

defining mutually-agreed quotas on all such trade;

9. Recommends the UK to remain a full member of the European Environment Agency, in order for it to harmonise its aspirations in environmental protection with those of the EU; 10. Proposes to clarify the public image of the proceedings in the expected negotiation of a British exit from the EU by means of an editorial board of live updates and analysis: a)

to be funded and followed up by the European Commission in upcoming Eurobarometer3 surveys for potential benefits in renewing online platforms informing EU citizens,

b)

consisting of journalists and political analysts from both the UK and other EU Member States;

11. Calls for EEA-wide support for the potential of a time-limited Emergency Break on the freedom of migration into the United Kingdom, which: a)

stabilises the UK social policy pressure by introducing temporary immigration quotas for people without confirmed work contracts, existing family connections or offers of study in the UK,

b)

gives time for policy-adjustments in order to return to unhindered freedom of movement in all EEA states,

c)

guarantees all students accepted to UK universities and persons with confirmed work contracts unhindered access to permanently move to the UK during the Emergency Break, with guaranteed access to all welfare benefits, including tuition fee loans and EEA-tuition fees at universities,

d)

guarantees the rights of all EU citizens proven permanently resident in the UK at the time of invoking the Emergency Break the right to continued domicile and access to all available welfare benefits;

12. Instructs the HRVP4 of the EU to strongly enhance the observatory status of the EU delegation to the United Nations in New York, notably the delegation’s dialogue with the Secretary-General of the United Nations Security Council.

3

Public opinion survey conducted regularly in all EU Member States.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Fact Sheet

European Economic Area (EEA) Area of all European countries with full access to the fundamental freedom of cross-border movement of goods, services, capital, and people, the so-called “Four Freedoms”. The agreement concerns trade in all industries except for fisheries and agriculture, and does not guarantee freedom from custom procedures. There is no official EEA-cooperation regarding foreign and security policy or justice and home affairs, all such cooperation requires separate agreements. The EEA includes all EU Member States along with EFTA members Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein with the exception of Croatia.

Emergency Brake on Freedom of Movement The EEA agreement allows non-EU signatories of the EEA “safeguard measures” for the protection of their economy and security. Such measures include suspending the free movement of people migrating to that country, and the right to object to EU-legislation, in the instance of a threat to that country’s interests. All agreed measures may only be temporary, and shall be founded on a mutually accepted situation of serious “economic, societal or environmental difficulties”.

European Free Trade Association (EFTA) The Free Trade Organisation composed of non-EU Member States Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. Membership in EFTA is not automatically paired with being a signatory to the EEA.

Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) EU Agricultural Policy supporting European farmers by means of subsidising agriculture in Member States and ensuring free trade of agricultural products. CAP does not concern non-EU Member States in the EEA.

Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) Set of regulations regarding EU fish stocks and trade, guaranteeing equal access to all EU fishing grounds. CFP does not concern non-EU Member States in the EEA.

The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, simultaneously Vice-President of the European Commission, coordinates the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), which is the EU-wide set of agreed policies for foreign diplomacy and foreign policy action.

4

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

European Environment Agency Provides independent research on environment and plays a consulting role in EU environmental legislation.

Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU) Binding legislation on a process of exit from the EU. A Member State wishing to exit the EU is required to give formal notice of that decision to the European Council, or “triggering Article 50”.

After notice has been given, the leaving Member State has 24 months to negotiate the specific terms for the exit from the EU, and if no new agreements of cooperation for the post-exit time have been signed, all relations between the parties will follow standards agreed upon through International Law, e.g. World Trade Organisation tariffs will apply to all trade.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON F OREIGN A FFAIRS II

Reviewing the Balkan qualifications: Taking into account that as of 27 October 2015, all Western Balkan states have signed the Stablization and Association Agreement (SAA) to reinforce their relations with the EU and as a step towards their desired membership, what stance should the EU take regarding potential enlargement in the Western Balkan region?

Submitted by:

Anna Luīze Baratinska (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Antoni Tomkowiak (PL), Beatrise Bensone (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Brina Pirc (SI), Edgars Kalsnavs (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Emīlija Linda Mendelsone (Rīgas Purvciema vidusskola), Henrijs Klaids Skujiņš (Madonas Valsts ģimnāzija), Viesturs Balodis (J. Pilsudska Daugavpils Valsts poļu ģimnāzija), Christian Paratore (Chairperson, IT)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Deeply conscious that the stability of the EU could depend on the stability of the Western Balkan region, B. Concerned about the high level of corruption and political instability in the Western Balkan states, C. Further conscious about several ethnic tensions in the Western Balkan region, such as the one between Serbians and Kosovars, D. Deeply alarmed by the human rights violations committed by the law enforcement authorities of the Western Balkan States regarding freedom of speech and right to asylum, E. Keeping in mind that the economies of the Western Balkan States are strongly dependent on the European Single Market, F. Realising that the Western Balkan states are not able to fulfil the Copenhagen Criteria by themselves, G. Noting with regret that the annual reports on the use of the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance (IPA)1 budget in the Western Balkan countries do not certify the level of efficiency and transparency of the financed projects, H. Bearing in mind that in 70% of the citizens in Western Balkan States expressed their distrust in governmental institutions;

IPA replaces a series of EU programmes and financial instruments for both candidate countries and potential candidate countries.

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

1. Reaffirms the importance of the EU supporting the Western Balkan states in fulfilling the Copenhagen Criteria; 2. Encourages the governments, private investors and banks of the Western Balkan states to invest in their local economy by reminding them of the potential opportunities in case they access the European Single Market; 3. Calls upon the Western Balkan States to adopt the existing entrepreneurship support programs provided by the European Commission (EC); 4. Calls upon the IPA commission to demand more data from local public administrations in order to properly monitor their projects in the Western Balkan states; 5. Expresses its appreciation of and support to: a)

the USKOK2 actions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Former Yugoslav Republic Of Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia,

b)

the PACA3 project in Albania;

6. Requests financial reports of public administration for European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) to evaluate the progresses made by the Western Balkan States; 7. Demands Kosovo to ratify the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR); 8. Urges all potential EU candidate countries to implement their legislative framework according to the ECHR; 9. Designates negotiations on financial aid to the Western Balkan states to ensure their full respect of human rights towards migrants and asylum seekers; 10. Asks for further investigation of the human rights violations in the Western Balkan states for the European Court of Human Rights (ECoHR); 11. Supports the operations conducted by PASOS and OGP aimed at fighting corruption in the Western Balkan region; 12. Urges the Western Balkan countries to keep guaranteeing all citizens their fundamental human rights, keeping in mind that they signed or ratified the ECHR; 13. Suggests the redistribution of a part of the IPA funds from national and regional to cross-border projects; 14. Appeals to the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy to relaunch the negotiations among the Western Balkan States for stabilising local ethnic tensions; 15. Directs Serbia to ratify the Brussels Agreement4 and Kosovo’s government to recognise the rights of the Serbian minority in the country;

Office for Suppression of Corruption and Organized Crime (USKOK) is a specialised department having the mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption.

3 Project against corruption in Albania (PACA) is a technical assistance funded by the EC under IPA 2008.

4 Brussels Agreement is a deal between the governments of Serbia and Kosovo on the normalization of their relations.

2

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

16. Further asks all the EU Member States to recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state in accordance with the International Court of Justice’s Advisory Opinion of 22 July 2010.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

Fact Sheet 1) The European Commission provides support and information to entrepreneurs and SMEs through: •

The Your Europe Business Portal is a practical guide to doing business in Europe. It provides entrepreneurs with information and interactive services that help them expand their business abroad;

•

The Enterprise Europe Network helps SMEs and entrepreneurs access market information, overcome legal obstacles, and find potential business partners across Europe;

•

the SME Internationalization Portal provides information on foreign markets and helps European business internationalize their activities;

•

The single portal on Access to Finance helps SMEs find finance supported by the EU.

2) European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) investigates fraud against the EU budget, corruption and serious misconduct within the European institutions, and develops anti-fraud policy for the European Commission.

3) European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) is an international treaty to protect human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe.

4) European Court of Human Rights (ECoHR) is an institution of the Council of Europe set up to protect human rights in conjunction with the European Commission for Human Rights.

5) Policy Association for an Open Society (PAOS) is a network of independent think tanks in Europe, supports civil society organisations, that foster public participation in public policy issues 6) Open Government Partnership (OGP) aims to secure commitments by the governments to promote transparency, empower citizens and fight corruption.

7) Copenhagen Criteria are the rules that define whether a country is eligible to join the EU. The criteria require that:

•

a state has the institutions to preserve democratic governance and human rights,

•

has a functioning market economy,

•

and accepts the obligations and intent of the EU.

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON C ONSTITUTIONAL A FFAIRS II

Internal market at risk: Year 2016 marks the 30th anniversary forthe Single European Act (SEA) strengthening the free movement of Europeans and making the EU the supranational organisation it is today. With various Member States reinstating border controls and suspending the Schengen Agreement due to the on-going refugee crisis, how should the EU regulate its internal borders to ensure a functioning internal market?

Submitted by:

Annija Katkeviča (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Reičela Heinrihsone (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Klara Kokalj (SI), Martynas Nesavas (LT), Elīna Peiseniece (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Toms Plešs (Valmieras Valsts ģimnāzija), Ivan Popov (SI), Celine Gram Hansen (Chairperson, DK), Laura Orleane (Chairperson, LV)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Takes into consideration the occurring loss of GDP1due to decrease in trade, investment and cross border employment that would result in higher rate of unemployment and underemployment, B. Acknowledging the increase in government expenditure due to additional costs in maintenance of border controls, C. Deeply concerned that the economic expenses for small and medium enterprises and direct expenses regarding import and export will increase due to the reinstatement of border controls resulting in increased prices of goods and services, D. Realising the time needed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the agreement reached by European Commission (EC), European Parliament (EP)and the Council of the European Union on the proposal on a European Border and Coast Guard2, E. Deeply disturbed by the fact that the violation of the “four freedoms”3 will lead to a lack of trust on the fundamentals of the EU as a whole, F. Observes that the reinstatement of border controls will discourage travel within the European Union (EU) due to longer waiting time at the internal borders,

Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a period, quarterly or yearly.

2 European Border and Coast Guard is an institution composed of the already existing European Border and Coast Guard Agency, national authorities and coastguards responsible for border management.

3 “Four Freedoms” are principles that are guaranteed by the European Single Market. Four Freedoms include the free movement of people, goods, services and labour.

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

G. Convinced that the media coverage of refugees and the activities of Eurosceptic parties create a misleading image of the migrant influx and its effects on the Schengen Area and internal market, H. Fully aware that the practice of reintroducing border controls instead of accepting refugees in order to save money might lead to disruption of the European Single Market and bring huge economic damage in the long term, I.

Regretting that the Dublin Regulation and Schengen Information System (SIS)4 has not worked efficiently enough;

1. Requests the EC to ensure the accessibility of a directly controlled platform that provides unbiased information to EU citizens regarding asylum seekers’ impact on the internal market; 2. Calls upon the EC to establish a unified EU-wide border check system in case of reinstated border controls embedding: a)

separate gates for travellers to EU and non-EU countries,

b)

checkpoints for export and import of goods;

3. Encourages the EC to fund all the additional expenses of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) caused by extra time spent at the temporary border controls; 4. Emphasises the importance of ensuring fast and convenient border crossing with the introduction of electronic ID cards and separate gates for work travel of cross-border employees; 5. Hopes that the Customs Authorities in the Member States will perform irregular validation checks for cross border employees in order to prevent citizens from illegal transportation of goods and people; 6. Requests that the EU creates a more effective platform and database for incoming refugees to further control their movements within the EU; 7. Asks for an expansion of the Sweden-based “Arbertsförmedlingen” employment mentoring and integration programme, to the EU-level, after which refugees throughout the EU would be obliged to take part in the programme.

The Schengen Information System (SIS) preserves internal security in the absence of internal border checks, supports external border control and law enforcement cooperation in the Schengen States.

4

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

M OTION FOR A R ESOLUTION BY THE

C OMMITTEE ON S ECURITY AND D EFENCE

National sovereignty endangered: Given Russia’s increasing presence in the Baltic Sea and the associated military incidents, how should the EU Member States respond to guarantee Europe’s territorial integrity and address growing concerns regarding the security situation?

Submitted by:

Mora Brauna (Rīgas Centra humanitārā vidusskola), Stella Helen Constantinidou (CY), Jakub Czajka (PL), Linards Daugavietis (Rīgas Franču licejs), Gabriela Fomina (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Katrīna Kalniņa (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Lauris Krasovskis (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Jaša Levstik (SI), Toms Kristiāns Ozoliņš (Rīgas Centra humanitārā vidusskola), Kristiāna Plāte (Rīgas Valsts 3. ģimnāzija), Kristaps Eduards Šerps (Rīgas Valsts 1. ģimnāzija), Maxime Anceau (Chairperson, FR), Giedre Birmontaite (Chairperson, LT)

The European Youth Parliament, A. Alarmed by the rising number of military force deployment from the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Russia along the Eastern border of the EU, B. Further alarmed by Russia’s navy and air forces breaching the territorial integrity of countries in the regions around the Baltic Sea and Black Sea, C. Noting with concern that the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Baltic States cannot be guaranteed by immediate response from the NATO and the EU1 in the case of military aggression, D. Regretting that only four European NATO countries2 meet the Defence Spending Goal of 2% per GDP, E. Noting with deep concern that there is no common stance between the EU Member States regarding Russia’s alarming actions near Europe’s Eastern borders, F. Deeply conscious that EU Member States are highly dependent on energy resources from Russia3,

According to RAND Corporation Report that was published in 2016, it would take the longest of 60 hours for Russian military forces to overtake outskirts of Tallinn and Riga, whereas NATO first response team takes up to 72 hours to be fully operational.

2 Poland, United Kingdom, Greece and Estonia 3 According to the European Council of Foreign Affairs, many Eastern European countries are importing more than 80% of their annual energy consumption from Russia.

1

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

G. Fully aware of the alarming development of hybrid warfare4around the Euro-Russian border and the difficulty to combat it, H. Deeply concerned by the misinformation and propaganda that Russian media outlets provide to European citizens5, I.

Aware of the influence Russia has on EU Member States through ties with several political parties in the EU;

1. Encourages NATO to review the Defence Spending Goal by implementing the political sanction of suspension from decision making as a result of failing to reach the goal of 2% per GDP; 2. Calls upon the European Commission to amend the Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy of the EU to improve the protection of its Eastern borders of the EU by: a)

creating a single strategy for the Nordic Countries, Baltic States and Poland which establishes a common approach to military procedures, interoperability, planning, training, exercises, information sharing, crisis management, and disaster procedures, as suggested by the Baltic Sea Security Report,

b)

strengthening and increasing NATO Response Force on the Eastern-Border;

3. Invites both NATO and Russia to continue communicating through the NATO-Russia Council6 (NRC) in order to prevent any border violation, recall troops, combat hybrid warfare and proceed negotiations to de-escalate the tensions on the border between The Baltic States and Russia; 4. Expresses its belief that the European Energy Program for Recovery7 and the development of alternative energy sources like biogas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) will decrease the dependence of Member States on Russian energy resources; 5. Suggests the European Commission to draft a proposal on: a)

prohibiting political parties from accepting financial support and investments from countries outside the EU,

b)

stricter transparency regulations the for political parties in Member States;

6. Calls upon the Democracy and Human Rights Education in Europe Network to raise awareness about hybrid warfare and its usage in Europe; 7. Proposes the European Commission to create guidelines for the watchdog organisations8 of Member States in order to help detect misinformation and propaganda in the media;

A blend of hard and soft power; a combination of military and non-military instruments, choreographed to surprise, confuse and wear down the opponent, hybrid warfare is ambiguous in both source and intent, making it hard for the international bodies such as NATO and the EU to craft a response.

5 At the moment government of Russia is controlling three main internationally broadcasting TV stations and their output.

6 Mechanism for consultation, consensus-building, cooperation, joint decision making and joint action taking between NATO and Russia.

7 Grants the financial assistance to the energy sector, especially for the introduction of interconnection infrastructures, energy production based on renewable sources.

4

Daugavpils 2016 – 14th National Conference of European Youth Parliament Latvia General Assembly, 21 August 2016

8. Requests the European Commission and NATO to provide financial support and to disclose information to NGOs such as International Freedom of Expression Exchange (IFEX)9 that work to prevent propaganda and defend freedom of speech.

Non-profit groups that view their role as critically monitoring the activities of governments, industry, or other organisations and altering the public when they detect actions that go against the public interest.

9 Global network of over 100 independent NGOs working at local, regional and international level to defend and promote freedom of expression as a fundamental human right.

8

SUPPORTEd by