Here you can find an outline of the issues which will be studied by the several committees during the interregional MEP-MED conference 2018 in Athens.
Nr. |
Committee |
Issue |
|---|---|---|
1 |
Committee on Foreign Affairs - subcommittee on Security and Defence (AFET/SEDE) |
The question of securing EU external borders. Bearing in mind that the newly established ‘European Border and Coast Guard’ agency has been operating since 2017, how can the EU fully exploit the agency’s potentials in order to effectively respond to the security and migration challenges at the continent’s Mediterranean border? What other measures can the EU take to ensure the protection of its external borders? |
2 |
Committee on International Trade (INTA) |
The question of EU - China trade relations. China is currently the second biggest trading partner of the EU. However, intellectual property theft, government intervention and lack of transparency in China remain obstacles to free trade. Which measures should the EU take to achieve fair trade partnership with China? How should the EU deal with the growing economic influence of China on the development of individual Member States? |
3 |
Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI) |
The question relating to the EU Agricultural Policy. With the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) making up 39% of the EU’s overall budget and the negotiations for the next financial framework well under way, would it be wise for Member States to reduce CAP’s budget? Taking into consideration that the Mediterranean countries rely heavily on CAP for their rural development, what other measures can the EU take towards a sustainable and competitive agricultural policy? |
4 |
Committee on Employment and Social Affairs (EMPL) |
The question of youth unemployment. Youth unemployment rates still remain a war to be won for the EU and Southern European Member States in particular. What measures should be taken to achieve a considerable reduction in youth unemployment? Should European Member States support youth entrepreneurship, seek a different approach altogether or deploy a combination of approaches to amplify youth employment? |
5 |
Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN) |
The question of tourism and sustainability. Taking into account the social and economic impact of mass tourism, what measures can the EU implement to ensure the conservation of Mediterranean coastlines whilst supporting economic growth in such areas? |
6 |
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) |
The question of migration and refugee crisis. Acknowledging that current EU asylum policies have been unable to respond effectively to the significant movement of refugees and are under heavy criticism from certain Member States and civil society, what action should the EU take to create workable policies that ensure responsibility is shared while protecting the rights of refugees? Additionally, how can the EU address irregular immigration effectively? |
