Committees

1. ECON: Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs
Committee presidents: Jacquie Linden (LUX), Paul O’Brien (LUX)

Cryptocurrency and especially the use of blockchain technologies as a means of decentralized public transaction ledgers are currently booming with many saying it could decrease institutional weaknesses and increase financial inclusion in developing countries. Facebook’s newly announced
cryptocurrency Libra has faced many critics, and tech giants such as Amazon and Google are yet to follow in their footsteps. Which precautions can be taken by the EU in order to benefit from Blockchain technology without harming the European economy? How will these decentralised platforms be able to offer the same services and infrastructure without a central database?

Experts: Wlim Stalmans (Founder of the Blockchain Academy), Felix Weis (Freelance Developer and Bitcoi Traveller)

2. AFET/DROI:Committee on Foreign Affairs/ Human Rights
Committee presidents: Janne Nys (BEL), Evan Duval (LUX)

With gender equality being a fundamental human right, there should be equal ease of access to resources and opportunities to provide for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. However, citizens with other sexual orientations and gender identities are still not treated equally
as trafficking and violence, hostility at the workplace, and underrepresentation in decision making still prevail. How can these issues be addressed within the European Union and should the latter intervene when human rights are violated on both a national and international level?

Expert: Skerdilajda Zamaj (Associate Professor at the University of Luxembourg)

3. AFET/SEDE: COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS/ON SECURITY AND DEFENSE
Committee presidents: Fiona Morrison (GER), Peter Tumulty (IRE)

The question of an EU army and EU foreign policy: should the EU play an important and intervening role in international conflicts only after the cessation of hostilities, or should the EU assume a prominent role in situations whilst violence continues, not leaving that task to individual member states or other international players?

Experts: Dhiraj Sabharwal (Deputy Director at Tageblatt)

4. JURY: Committee on Legal Affairs
Committee presidents: Nathali Machool (NED), Cédric Gunsing (B)

A new directive on copyright in the digital single market has recently been passed, which consists, among other elements, of the controversial Draft Article 11, known as the “link tax”, and Draft Article 15. It requires social media companies to take more responsibility for copyrighted material
being illegally shared on their platforms. Many critics fear the introduction of these articles will lead to the implementation of strict upload filters, which may limit and ultimately censor the Internet. Which measures could be taken to counter a restraint in social media use?

Expert: Iris Depoulain (Commissioner for Copyright at the Ministry of Economy Luxembourg)

5. ITRE: COMMITTEE ON INDUSTRY, RESEARCH AND ENERGY
Committee presidents: Elena Morselli (ITA), Tom Hegarty (UK)

Concerned by the impact of climate change and the total conversion to renewable energy not being an immediate solution, which measures can be taken by the EU member states? How can EU countries secure sustainable energy supplies and independence from foreign fossil fuel imports? Which policies and reforms should the EU pursue to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions whilst trying to maintain global competitiveness?

Expert: Claude Turmes (Minister for Energy and Spacial Planning Luxembourg)