Academic
preperation kit
Table of Contents
Welcoming Message . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Topics and explanatory paragraphs
Cluster I - Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Cluster II Environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Cluster III Economy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
topic overviews and cluster infographs
Cluster 1
Afco . . . .
AFet . . . .
CULT . . . .
FEMM . . . .
LIBe . . . .
- Society
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. 11
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Cluster 11 - Environment
AGRI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ENVI I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ENVI II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ITRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
TRAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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welcoming message
Dear Delegates,
We, the Chairpersons of the 79th International Session of EYP, are excited! You hold in your hands
a bundle of keys. Take one, unlock the first door and explore your Topic Overview. Then let curiosity get the better of you and open the next door. Take a sneak peak, or better even: take a
deep breath and make a bold step forward. Immerse yourself in the topics that we are about to
conquer in Tampere. We will meet under the motto Ideas change minds. People the world.
And change we will!
We live in times of founders, entrepreneurs, startups and initiatives, seekers and supporters. You
will be given a voice and you will be asked for your contribution in shaping Europes future. Tampere will have a highly stimulating, safe environment for the development of your ideas. Tampere
will be your platform to grow, individually and within teams, to challenge yourselves and to become advocates of change. And then, for the first time at an International Session setting, you will
have the chance to turn your ideas into action, to complement the session impact with thoughtthrough follow-up projects in your communities, countries and Europe.
Both our world and our generation have a lot of work ahead of them. Our committees are in
the starting blocs to tackle some of the most exciting issues of our times. You wonder about the
miracles and threats of the digital age? Meet delegates of CULT to address cyber-bullying, people in LIBE taking the idea of privacy to the 21st century and visionaries of AFCO devising new
approaches to digital democratic participation. Did you find yourselves recently at a table debating how to enable men and women to fulfil their potential? Pull in the FEMM experts for a fresh
look on gender equality and societal expectations, explore with ECON how to financially educate
customers and work it out with EMPL I and II on how to solve youth unemployment and foster a
culture of entrepreneurship for a growth intensive Europe where citizens are the driving forces of
change.
Maybe you wonder about the role of cultural diplomacy in modern international relations and the
shaken EU neighbourhood or about the role of youth in the developing world? AFET and DEVE
are your go-to-guys. You feel the urge for people and companies to take responsibility in making
tomorrow better? Find AGRI to innovate on how to fight food waste, seek ENVI I to define a new
sustainable lifestyle and hunt DROI down to find opportunities for corporate social responsibility.
Or finally, you wonder how a future, green economy would look like? Look no further and link up
with ENVI II to fight climate change with energy efficient ideas, with TRAN to realise a carbon-free,
green and highly mobile transport area or with ITRE to install power plants at home.
Fifteen topics, a multitude of solutions waiting to be found. Open a lot of doors, be the curious
explorer. Check out all the Topic Overviews in your cluster. There are synergies to take advantage
of, links and inspiration: civil society, enterprises and governments have tried so many things in
the past. Why not learn and use the lessons across sectors, areas and issues? Why not aim for the
best solutions and projects we can?
We have compiled this Academic Preparation Kit to help you prepare for the exciting discussions
and plans ahead. When youve prepared, you can discuss so much more and in so much more
depth! And the follow-up of Tampere can be so meaningful - as in the motto, it can change the
world! Tampere can be a stimulating intellectual journey, it can be a can-do project session, it
can be so good - it can be what you make of it; go and prepare!
We hope you will enjoy the preparation! We, the Chairpersons, loved writing these Overviews for
you. We dream of a session to dream about. This is your key to Tampere, unlock all of its potential!
Yours,
Joanna Dreger
President - Tampere 2015 79th International Session of EYP
On behalf of the Chairsteam of Tampere 2015:
Koka, Isa, Julian, Karin-Liis, Konrad, Julia, Niall, Charlotta, Theodor, Saga, Joao, Fahad, Franzi, Dimitris and Maria.
CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on Constitutional Affairs - AFCO
Digital revolution and participatory democracy: Given the benefits and risks of the Digital Age, how
should we transform democratic participation, especially among young people?
Through digital technology people can communicate and connect instantaneously, thus allowing information and ideas to flow globally. However, its potential to address the worryingly little interest and engagement with politics is still largely untapped. Could the use of digital technology encourage young people
to have their say on public policy and advocate on social and political issues? The Committee is invited to
discuss how digital technology could be used to improve both engagement in the political process and the
alarmingly low voter turnout in European and national elections. The consequences of digitalisation, such
as user anonymity and the challenges of keeping older, less technologically proficient citizens at the heart
of political discourse, will also be considered.
Breaking the chains of societal gender expectations: What should be done to liberate new generations of men and women to define their individual roles in their family and workplace, independent
of gender stereotypes?
Previous generations have grown up with clear models as to the role of a man or woman: a breadwinner
and a stay-at-home-mum; the strong and the weak sex. These models have been criticised and eroded in
recent decades and yet still shape todays reality in the family, the workplace and society. The Committee
will address the causes and consequences of todays gender stereotypes and look for strategies and concrete actions that civil society and the youth can take to enable todays women and men to freely define
their roles, irrespective of such gender stereotypes, so that they can fully realise their individual potential.
Between personal data protection and corporate use of information on the internet: What does privacy mean in the 21st century and what actions need to be taken to implement it?
Internet services and the wider adoption of ICTs in the everyday lives of citizens have created a network society that uses available technology to communicate, travel, shop and work. Companies analyse and trade
their customers consumption and communication patterns and often build their business models upon
them. With the ubiquity of data collection and processing, a redefinition of the notion of privacy becomes
inevitable. How can citizens enjoy the conveniences of modern technology while maintaining control over
their personal data? The 20th century understanding included an initial right to consent to the use of ones
own data by third parties. The Committee is called on to discuss possible future notions of privacy, such as
the concept of post-privacy, and the ethical use of data. The implications of an interconnected society, the
impact it has on citizens ability to act freely and the channels through which reform can be achieved will
also be considered.
Cluster 11 - Environment
Committee on Agriculture and
Rural Development - AGRI
Over 100 million tonnes of food wasted every year in the EU: How can civil society inspire change
in food consumption patterns in order to reduce food waste and strengthen the sustainability of the
food system?
Food waste in the EU is expected to reach an alarming 126 million tonnes by 2020, as currently a staggering 50% of edible food is not being consumed. Wasting food has economic, environmental and ethical
consequences, representing unnecessary household expenditure and a substantial loss in natural resources. While all actors in the food chain play a role, the Committee will focus on civil society and discuss how
food consumption patterns can be influenced, and how social innovation can contribute to reducing food
waste. The Committee will look at strategies, actions and concrete projects that could make the way society
deals with food more efficient and sustainable, in particular at what can be done to minimise food waste
when buying, distributing and consuming.
Renewable materials and green consumer choices: How should consumers be incentivised to shift
towards sustainable lifestyles both at home and when shopping?
Motivating consumers to choose products not only based on their utility but also on their impact on the
world around them is inherently difficult: why should consumers consider criteria that have no immediate
effect on them, such as recyclable packaging, especially since sustainably produced products are often
more costly? At the same time, producers might be more likely to adopt environmentally friendly practices,
if they knew these were more attractive to consumers. The Committee will have to deal with considerations such as: How do civil society and the state influence peoples consumption decisions? What methods
should be used in sustainable production and are they worth the associated costs of implementation and
possible trade-offs?
Combatting climate change by saving energy: Which actions should be taken to increase energy
efficiency in the products we use, the houses we build and the services we consume?
While the debate on cleaner energy often centres on what mix of renewables should be used in energy
production, or whether nuclear should be a long-term option, much less focus goes to how efficiently energy is actually used once it is produced. The EU has already taken measures to phase out some inefficient
appliances, the most famous example being incandescent light bulbs. The Committee will investigate the
role of energy efficiency in the fight against climate change: How could energy audits of buildings, labelling of products on the basis of their energy efficiency and smart home applications be used? What is the
effect of additional regulations on energy consumption on European competitiveness or are there other
approaches and solutions that could deliver progress?
Financial illiteracy in times of increasing over-indebtedness of households: How can European citizens be empowered through financial education to leverage their own resources best?
While the level of over-indebtedness of households in Europe varies between Member States, the general
situation has deteriorated since the start of the financial crisis. The consequences for the affected households include reduced standard of living, social stigma and exclusion, deterioration of health and well-being as well as punitive sanctions for non-payment. Financial illiteracy exposes households to increased risk
of over-indebtedness, with uninformed choices of credit products pushing them deeper into debt spirals.
The Committee is invited to assess the need to address financial illiteracy in Europe and propose a curriculum targeting effective financial management and understanding of the financial system.
Europe in need of jobs and growth: What should the role of start-up culture be in fostering a new
wave of entrepreneurship and stimulating economic development in Europe?
Entrepreneurial talent has traditionally been the driving force of job creation, with SMEs and start-ups offering innovations to society. The USA is well known for its entrepreneurial spirit, but Europe has its own success stories: Siemens, Rolls-Royce, Nokia and BASF have long outgrown their start-up beginnings. Todays
stars are Rovio, Spotify, Shazam, Prezi and Skype. However, less well-known companies have sprung up in
market domains other than that of ICTs: biotechnology, retail, transport, healthcare and more. What can
and should the role of start-ups be in the European economy? How can a favourable environment promote
innovation and start-ups, and further enable serial entrepreneurs or failed entrepreneurs to succeed (again)
in a sceptical society, and what should the role of society be in creating this start-up-friendly environment?
How can entrepreneurial breakthroughs be brought to life in the European market?
Staggering youth unemployment rates in stagnating European economies: What should be done to
increase young peoples chances on the labour market?
Youth unemployment in the EU averaged around 22% in 2014; Member States such as Greece, Ireland,
Italy, Spain and Croatia are faced with even higher averages of unemployment among the youth ranging
from 30% to 55%. The future of the labour market seems bleak as fewer people retire than young workers
attempting to join the workforce. The Committee is invited to discuss the stagnant situation of the labour
market in Europe and the ways in which the youth can be helped to find gainful employment. Which concrete projects could be devised to create more employment or to better match the needs of the labour
market? How can the European labour market be reshaped in order to become accessible and sustainable
and what role does the youth of Europe play in this project to revive its employment potential?
10
cluster I - society
cult
#stopthebully
afet
afco
#culturaldiplomacy
#participation
society
Peoples interest at heart
libe
#privacy
femm
#equality
11
CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on constitutional Affairs - AFco
Digital revolution and participatory democracy: Given the benefits and risks of the
Digital Age, how should we transform democratic participation, especially among
young people?
Chairperson: Charlotta Lahnalahti (FI)
Man is a tool using animal. Without tools he is nothing. With tools he is all.
Thomas Carlyle
2. Whos in play?
Democratic states need citizen participation for the functioning of the representative parliamentary system. Therefore, citizens and their decision on participation/non-participation play an important role. A
first institution to be largely affected is the parliament5, whose actions and agenda setting are greatly
influenced by the electorate. The official policies are done in collaboration with the parliament and when
citizens do not take part in political activities, the world around them changes to a direction defined by the
few who vote. NGOs as stakeholders wish to act for the part of the people who are left unheard or whose
opinions do not stand in line with current politics. Some NGOs have adopted technology in their advocacy is there a way to use technology more efficiently in politics?
1 Voter Turnout - 2014 European elections: Despite 2013 being dedicated as the The European Year of the Citizens,
where the EU citizens would be educated on their rights, the interest and voter turnout in the 2014 European Parliament elections reached an all-time low: 42.54%. (see Annex 1)
2 Political participation: an activity through which the public expresses opinions and ideally exerts influence regarding social decisions through more formal top-down means of politics, such as voting.
Political activism: The use of direct, often confrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike, in opposition to or
support of a cause less formal bottom-up means of politics, such as petitions, demonstrations, etc.
3 Williamson, A., (2010), p.7: The youth is more likely participate online than offline but most of the politically active
people online are between 55-64 years old.
4 Digital Divide in the EU - European Commission, Digital Agenda
5 Being either a national parliament or the supranational, European Parliament
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5. Keywords
Political participation, technological development, democracy, activism, digital divide, youth engagement,
online/offline, right to vote, technology as a tool, access to technology.
6. Useful links
Short video: Technology Bypassing Politics? - Michael Bhaskar
Casemajor, N., Couture, S., Delfin, M., Goerzen, M., Delfanti, A., (2015), Non-Participation in Digital
Media; toward a Framework of Mediated Political Action, Media, Culture & Society.
Glossary of the Democratic Deficit, (2014), European Commission - Summaries of EU Legislation /
Glossary.
Digital Agenda in the Europe 2020 Strategy, (2015), European Commission - Digital Agenda for Europe, A Europe 2020 Initiative.
Internet and Cloud Services - Statistics on the Use by Individuals, (2015), European Commission - Eurostat.
The European Citizens Initiative, (2015), European Commission.
6 AEGG Initiative
7 Hafner Fink, M., Oblak Crnic, T., (2014), Digital Citizenship as multiple political participation? Predictors of Digital
Political Participation in Slovenia, Teorija In Praksa let. 51, 6/2014.
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14
Source: Eurostat
15
CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on Foreign Affairs - AFET
Cultural diplomacy and peoples diplomacy: How should new approaches to foreign
affairs be used to complement the European Neighbourhood Policy towards the EUs
eastern neighbours?
Chairperson: Fahad Saher (NL)
2.
Whos in play?
Any person who interacts with different cultures facilitates a form of exchange, which can take place in
fields such as art, sports, literature, music, science, business and economy and beyond.
These issues by stakeholders from the artistic field, civil society, politics, diplomacy, and academia explore
the transformative role cultural and peoples diplomacy can play in society, and therefore highlight future
possibilities for its constructive use by civil society organisations, and government actors. On this basis,
cultural diplomacy is an intrinsic and necessary component of conventional diplomacy.
1 Cultural Diplomacy, Political Influence, and Integrated Strategy (2008), Strategic Influence: Public Diplomacy,
Counterpropaganda, and Political Warfare, ed. Michael J. Waller, Washington, DC: Institute of World Politics Press,
74.
2 Bratersky, A., (2012), Back in the USSR: the Beatles shaped a generation in Soviet Russia, The Telegraph, November 2012.
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3 Kratochvl, P, (2010), Evaluating the Multilateral Framework of the Eastern Partnership, Institute of International
Relations Prague, pp. 4-8.
4 Cf. ladder of participation for bottom-up approaches: participation in this context refers to ones engagement with
policy processes how that may affect one. There are degrees of participation, ranging from simply being told about
a policy process to having a say and being able to influence outcomes. One way to visualise this is as a ladder, where
each rung represents a greater degree of participation than the rung below.
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5 Cf. Lehne S (2014), Conceptual Flaws and Incoherent Implementation, Recommendations for the EU Leadership
and Faulty Conceptual Framework, Carnegie Europe.
6 Mechanisms of collaboration between the EU and EaP partner states since 1991: The EUs core offerings within the
context of the EaP are Association Agreements (AA), Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreements (DCFTA),
and visa liberalisation agreements. The EU has provided instruments for all three areas, ranging from financial aid to
technical assistance and multilateral platforms.
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5. Keywords
Cultural international relations, public diplomacy, European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), soft power, foreign relations policy, the Eastern Partnership (EaP), complex interdependence.
6. Useful links
The Institute for Cultural Diplomacy provides a deeper understanding of how cultural diplomacy
works.
A Window to Upgrade EU Foreign Policy is a paper published by Carnegie Europe. This paper provides a holistic view of the current state and flaws of the current foreign challenges the EU faces.
NB: the institutional segments of this paper are recommended, but not mandatory reads.
The EU Neighbourhood Information Centre offers an overview of EU supported and funded projects
in the Neighbourhood Region. Key documents and reports about the EU Neighbourhood partnership
gathered between 2009 and 2014 can still be found in the EU Neighbourhood library.
Placing cultural diplomacy in perspective: how talent shows employ cultural diplomacy by utilising
engaging popular formats for traditional local culture. A TED Talk by Cynthia Schneider, cultural diplomacy expert.
19
CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on Culture and education - CULT
The depressing reality of bullying in cyberspace: What should be done
to combat the dark side of the internet and the concequences of cyberbullying?
Chairperson: Maria Manolescu (RO)
1. Why is it important?
In 2014, a 14-year-old Italian girl sought advice on a social network after breaking up with her boyfriend.
Some of the anonymous replies she received included: Kill yourself, Nobody wants you, You are not
normal. The girl eventually jumped to her death from a tall building1.
With the advent of technology, young people from all over the world, who would otherwise be unlikely to
meet, can easily and instantly communicate. The numerous platforms for emailing, instant messaging, chat
rooms, text messaging, picture sharing and so forth, also provide a powerful platform to target peers2,
harass and bully them.
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A presentation at the International Conference on Cyber-bullying in 2012 indicated that more than 2,000
European youngsters had been cyber-bullied in a year.7 Cyber-bullying is a problem that dramatically
affects the lives of tens of thousands of some of the most vulnerable members of society.
Source: Promoting safe and supportive schools8
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2. Whos in play
The struggle to ensure freedom of speech while protecting those who take part in online communications has not yet been tackled efficiently on an EU or national level in Europe. Some national legislatures
have criminalised related offences such as defamation, unauthorised access on someones personal
accounts, stalking, threatening, menacing, harassing or offensive use of the internet or encouraging suicide, but legislative gaps still exist. Due to the media coverage of cyber-bullying cases leading to suicide,
certain online platforms adopted stricter rules however, these can and are often easily circumvented.
The power of change is therefore on a micro-level: what makes young people bully their peers? How
should victims react to it? What can those who witness cyber-bullying do? How best can schools and
parents guide, supervise and support the young, without infringing their freedom of expression and communication?9
5. Keywords
Bullying, cyber-bullying, cyber stalking, cyber harassement.
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6. Useful links
Infographic on Cyber-bullying facts, (2015), NoBullying.com.
Gender distinctions in Cyber-bullying, Soc101Group2.
Bolman, C., Dehue, F., Voolink, T., (2008), Cyberbullying: Youngsters Experiences and Parental Perception, Cyberpsychology & Behavior, Volume 11, Number 2, 2008.
Bullying Suicide Statistics, NoBullying.com.
Cyber-Bullying, (2013), Web Aware.
Cyber-Bullying: Bullies Move from the Playground to the Web, Zone Alarm.
Cyber-Bullying, YPulse Lifeline - Youth Are Acting out Online.
Cyber-Bullying: Social Media Becomes the New School Yard for Bullies, Zone Alarm.
Cyber-Bullied: How Bullies Have Moved from the Playground to the Web, Zone Alarm.
Cyber-Bullying: What is it?, Zone Alarm.
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CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on womens rights and
gender equality - femm
Breaking the chains of societal gender expectations: What should be done to liberate
new generations of men and women to define their individual roles in their families
and workplace, independent of gender stereotypes?
Chairperson: Koka Kapanadze (GE)
Gender Stereotypes
Larkin, M., (2013), Can brain biology explain why men and women think and act differently?
1 What does gender segregation in occupations mean?, European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
2 Less well paid jobs are also the ones that offer more flexibility and less responsibility jobs that women can be
inclined to choose because of conceptions surrounding their role in the family.
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In the age of rising democracy and human rights, its of utmost importance to make sure that women
and men are given equal opportunities, are treated equally, free of any gender-based limitations.
2. Whos in play?
Men and women
European Commission EU institution which drafts proposals for new EU laws adopted The Strategy
for equality between women and men in 2010.
Council of Europe international organisation promoting peace, democracy and human rights published Gender Equality Strategy in 2014
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - supports inter-governmental bodies in their formulation of policies, global standards and norms; assists Member States
in implementing these standards; leads and coordinates the UN systems work on gender equality.
Gender Policy Committee of European Association of Science Editors (EASE) works to advance
gender and sex-sensitive reporting and communication in science since 2012.
Numerous NGOs fight gender stereotypes.
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5. Keywords
Gender stereotypes negative or positive perceptions due to simplistic generalisations of women and
mens differences or roles within their families/societies.
Gender segregation Separation of workplaces according to peoples social construction of gender.
Gender pay gap Differences in earnings of men and women.
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6. Useful Links
Strategy for Equality between Women and Men 2010-2015, European Commission.
Gender Equality Strategy 2014-2017, (2014), Council of Europe.
Gender segregation in the labour market: Root causes, implications and policy responses in the EU,
(2009), XG EGGE, Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities Unit
G1.
United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women.
Gender Policy Committee of European Association of Science Editors, EASE.
The Global Gender Pay Gap report 2014, Video from the World Economic Forum.
How to avoid Gender stereotypes? - Ted Talk, Eleanor Tabi Haller-Jordan.
Global Parity Group, World Economic Forum.
Equality Now, NGO founded in 1992.
We should all be feminists - Ted Talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
United Nations: Speech - The Importance of Gender Equality, Emma Watson.
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CLUSTER 1 - SOCIETY
Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and
Home Affairs - LIBE
Between personal data protection and corporate use of information on the internet:
What does privacy mean in the 21st century and what actions need to be taken to
implement it?
Chairperson: Julian Staben (DE)
Ceci nest pas une paire dyeux. / This is not a pair of eyes.
Source: Bateson, M., Nettle, D., & Roberts, G. (2006), Cues of being watched enhance cooperation in a real-world setting. Biology letters,
2(3), 412-414 (from Figure 1, p. 413)
1 Bateson, M., Nettle, D., & Roberts, G., (2006), Cues of being watched enhance cooperation in a real-world setting,
Biology letters, 2(3), 412-414
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2. Whos in play?
2 The main aim of directive 95/46/EC was to hold European companies to similar privacy standards in order to foster
market integration and protect consumer rights.
3 For example Dropbox, iCloud, Google Drive.
4 Targeted advertising designs advertisements in accordance with a user profile. This profile is compiled from previous websites visited, the users origin, hardware, software, presumed gender, and vast amounts of other personal
data. See the article by Kashmir Hill in the Useful Links section.
5 Big Data from a social perspective implies the ubiquitous accumulation of vast amounts of data that allow impressive predictions about human behaviour and preferences.
6 The project LobbyPlag tries to visualise the influence of lobbying on the draft regulation.
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Critics fear that with the quick advancement of technologies the GDPR is too bureaucratic, inefficient, or
insufficient to take on the immanent and future threats to privacy. Additionally, many users have resorted
to self-protection. NGOs such as the French La quadrature du net and the German Chaos Communication Club host workshops for digital literacy7 and so called crypto-parties where citizens can learn to
encrypt their digital communication. At the same time, a few people have given up the fight and prepare
themselves for a post-privacy society.8
5. Keywords
Privacy, data protection, informational self-determination, surveillance, post-privacy, Big Data, data mining, targeted advertising.
6. Useful Links
7 Digital literacy refers to the ability to make productive use of digital devices such as computers, tablets, and smart
phones.
8 Post-Privacy refers to the idea that in a world of ubiquitous information technology and data processing privacy
cannot be maintained with reasonable effort and therefore calls for total transparency. See the article by Nova Spivack in the Useful Links section.
9 The project Google Flu Trends bases predictions about the flu activity around the world on aggregated search
queries from Google Search.
30
cluster II - environment
environment
ENVI II
ITRE
AGRI
ENVI I
TRAN
energy
efficiency
energy
production
food
waste
sustainable
consumption
green
mobility
increase
single
social
reduce
energy
microgeneration
transport
innovation
food
waste
efficiency
area
GHG
consumers
industry
31
CLUSTER 1I - Environment
Committee on Agriculture and
Rural Development - AGRI
Over 100 million tonnes of food wasted every year in the EU: How can civil society inspire change in food consumption patterns in order to reduce food waste and
strengthen the sustainability of the food system?
Chairperson: Isabel Cantalapiedra (ES)
Food wastage is the decrease in edible food mass that was originally intended for human consumption.
32
2. Who is in play?
Food waste occurs at all stages of the food chain, from producers and manufacturers to distributers and
consumers, with farmers already discarding produce that are not the right shape or size, and inadequate
storage and transport hindering effective resource management at all stages of the chain. However, over
45% of food waste is localised at retail and household level5.
Source: Think.Eat.Save
Toolkit
5 Preparatory Study on Food Waste across EU-27, (2010), Technical Report 054, European Commission - Directorate
General for Environment (C/Industry), pp. 9-12.
33
6 The waste hierarchy gives preference, in this order, to prevention, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and, lastly,
disposal.
7 TED Talk on the global food waste scandal, by Stuart Tristram.
8 Stop Wasting Food! Capmapaign Video.
34
Source: Eat.Think.Save
Campaign
Households discard 25% of the food they buy, which ultimately accounts for
180kg of food per capita per year. With 79 million people living below the line of
poverty in the EU, food waste is an undeniable issue of moral and social equity.
Consumers in developed countries waste as much food as the entire net production of sub-Saharan Africa.
It is estimated that British households throw away 5.4m tonnes of edible food
every year. Only the bread that British households bin each year could alleviate
the hunger of 30m malnourished people.
The European Parliament recognised that spontaneous initiatives taken by
associations to publicise and bring about an anti-waste culture have been extremely successful.
35
5. Keywords
Food wastage, food waste, food loss, stages of the food chain, waste hierarchy, food consumption patterns, environmental impact of food waste, food packaging, food storage and transport, food management, waste management.
6. Useful links
Food waste footprint video, by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Packaging video from Euractiv.
General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020, factsheet and official Decision 1386/2013/EU.
Report on food waste Turning milestones into quantified objectives: food waste for the European
Commission, DG Environment.
The EU FUSIONS project aims to establish a shared vision and strategy on food waste across the supply chain.
10 tips to reduce food waste, from the European Commission.
The freegans creed: waste not, want not, an article by the Guardian.
What do best before and use by labels mean? A guide for consumers and businesses.
Ideas for action.
Additional fun: Food wastage game and quiz.
36
CLUSTER 1I - Environment
Committee on Environment, Public Health and
Food Safety I - ENVI I
Renewable materials and green consumer choices: How should consumers be incentivised to shift towards sustainable lifestyles both at home and when shopping?
Chairperson: Karin-Liis Lahtme (EE)
Source: The European environment state and outlook 2010: Synthesis, EEA.
The biggest concern stems from GHG emissions. The EU is responsible for around 10%1 of the GHG
emitted worldwide. The following infographic indicates the main sources of manmade GHG emissions
globally, two thirds of which is accounted for by fossil fuels in the energy, transport, industry and households sectors.
1 EU greenhouse gas emissions and targets, (2015), European Commission - Climate Action.
37
Source: The European environment state and outlook 2010: Synthesis, EEA.
Consumers are more aware of the impact of their consumption patterns have on the environment; they
have been exposed to a variety of media, indicating the need to change their ways.
The status quo among consumers that sees the persons attitudes and beliefs detached from the final purchase, be it at home or when shopping, persists. In the age of consumerism and better, faster consumption, there is little time that a person can afford to spend on thinking about the environmental impact of
consumer choices.
Source: The Buyers Black Box - The Stimuli Reactor Model, Marketing Diary.
38
It has been easier to shift the attention to producers in not providing sustainable choices without which
one cannot act responsibly towards the environment. Yet, the logic here is simple; if a consumer wants sustainable products, the demand is met with a supply from the producers side. If we posit that consumers
drive the market, then consumer behaviour should be reflected in production. Consumption patterns
have ethical, resource, waste and community impact implications.2. Consumer power is further seen after the purchase has been made, at home as consumption patterns of utilities and home appliances reflect
consumers environmental awareness.
Aware of the associated costs of greener implementation for the producers, this topic focuses the social
innovation rather than the technological innovation behind sustainable consumption. Emphasis is put on
the possible trade-offs consumers face, at home and when shopping, when the motivational and practical complexity of green consumption meet.3
2. Whos in play?
Sustainable consumption involves people, businesses, government regulators and NGOs; all of these
actors are called on to aid the process of change. Social momentum drives technological and political
change to benefit the environment and link consumption patterns to environmental objectives.
2 Hwang, K., McDonald, S., Oates, J., Young, W., (2009), Sustainable Consumption: Green Consumer Behaviour
when Purchasing Products, Sust. Dev. 18, 2031 (2010), Wiley InterScience, DOI: 10.1002/sd.394.
3 Moisander, J., (2007), Motivational complexity of green consumerism, International Journal of Consumer Studies
Volume 31, Issue 4, pages 404409, July 2007, DOI: 10.1111/j.1470-6431.2007.00586.x.
39
40
5. Keywords
Sustainable consumption, green choice, green consumption, consumer choice, sustainable lifestyle,
household efficiency, green startups.
6. Useful links
Consumer behaviour
The 4 factors influencing consumer behaviour, (2014), The Consumer Factor.
Production and consumption systems need fundamental rethink, (2014), European Environment
Agency.
Lakey, G., (2012), Why Green Consumer Choices Arent Enough, yes! Magazine.
Changing consumer behaviour to sustainability, (2012), Euractiv.
Worldwide effects of consumerism
Shah, A., (2005), Effects of Consumerism, Global Issues - Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All.
Claudio, L., (2007), Waste Couture: Environmental Impact of the Clothing Industry, Environ Health
Perspect. 2007 Sep; 115(9): A449A454.
Lifestyle, Pollution Issues.
Our well-being, European Environment Agency.
NGOs & awareness-raising social initiatives
Green 10
Inforse Europe
Cliff, M., (2014), Forget the ugli fruit, meet the ugly fruit bowl! French supermarket introduces lumpy
and misshapen fruit and vegetables - sold at a 30% discount - to combat food waste, Daily Mail (UK).
Vending Machine Sells T-Shirts for 2 Euros but no one will buy, True Activist.
Factors that aid green consumption
Kuneva, M., (2009), Consumers want to make green choices, The Guardian.
Attitudes of Europeans towards green products (2013), Flash Eurobarometer 317, European Commission - Directorate General for Environment.
41
CLUSTER 1I - Environment
Committee on Environment, Public Health and
Food Safety II - ENVI II
Combatting climate change by saving energy: Which actions should be taken to increase energy efficiency in the products we use, the houses we build and the services
we consume?
Chairperson: Joo Moreira (PT)
42
2. Whos in play?
EU - sets up the central energy efficiency targets, the strategies aimed at meeting them4, funding schemes5
that can fuel their integration and relevant legislation and implementation strategies for EU Member States.
Member States - implement policies and the transpose EU legislation into national law. Member States
are required to table National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs)6 every three years and to provide annual reports to the EU.
International Organisations & Initiatives - connect the EU, Member States and the rest of the world,
through autonomous and independent facilitation and deployment of funds, best practises and initiatives.
Organisations such as the European Environmental Agency, the United Nations and World Bank partnership Sustainable Energy for All and the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy are some
examples.
Civil Society - ranging from individuals to independent organisations or institutions that represent the
collective rights and interests of society, the fundamental role of civil society lies on its power of initiative
and detachment from governments or any other political entities, mostly through work developed on a
voluntary basis.
43
44
5. Keywords
Energy efficiency, energy intensity, sustainability, utilities, smart appliances, zero-energy build-ings, retrofitting, eco-labelling, green consumer choice.
6. Useful links
Net Zero House - Explanatory Video.
Zero Energy Home - Explanatory Video.
Tesla Batteries
Elon Musk Debuts the Tesla Powerwall
Teslas Powerwall Home Battery: The Stuff Worth Knowing - Brent Rose, wired.com.
Will Teslas Battery Really Transform our Energy Infrastructure?, Foreign Affairs Magazine.
45
Smart Grids
Smart Grids, World Economic Forum.
Brian Warshay - Upgrading Grid, Foreign Affairs Magazine.
Smart Meters
Vaughan, A., (2009), Smart energy meters in every UK home by 2020, The Guardian.
LaMonica, M., (2014), Will smart home technology systems make consumers more energy efficient?,
The Guardian.
Smart Home Technologies
Braw, E., (2015), The way we live now: the rise of the energy-producing home, The Guardian.
Vaughan, A., (2015), Google-owned Nest launches smart thermostat in the UK, The Guardian.
Hickey, S., (2015), Boiling Point: redesigning the kettle for the 21st century (with video), The Guardian.
Industry, Research and Energy
Braw, E., (2015), Leftover industrial heat to warm Swedens most chilly northern city, The Guardian.
Morris, S., (2015) Straw houses: builders hope past will inspire greener, warmer future, The Guardian.
Open District Heating initiative, Fortrum.
46
CLUSTER 1I - Environment
Committee on Industry, Research and Energy - ITRE
A renewable power plant in every home: What role should decentralised energy production play to achieve sustainability, reliability and affordability in the energy mix
of the future?
Chairperson: Niall Murphy (IE)
2. Who is in play?
Industry
Governments
European
Commission
Civil Society
Community
Power
Eurolectric
Member
States
EREC, EPIA,
EWEA
Greenpeace &
other environmental groups
Council &
Parliament
However, as a recent European Parliament (EP) resolution recognised, the main drivers behind microgeneration will be ordinary citizens.
1 See the Roadmap 2050 and 2030 framework for climate and energy policies
2 What is microgeneration
3 Renewables
4 Chadwick, M., Clark, D., (2012), The Rough Guide to Community Energy
47
Energy Grid
Design
Managing
Community
Projects
Reliability
If consumers are also producers, and if consumers patterns of energy consump-tion are
broadly similar, then the net-work will suffer
from oversupply when energy demand is low
and shortfalls when energy demand is high.
Affordability
Awareness
5 Entchev, E., Tzscheutschler, P., Sasso, M., (2014), Impact of Microgeneration on the Low-Voltage Electricity Grid,
Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme, October, 2014, IEA, Energy Technology Network.
6 Barker, G., (2011), Microgeneration Strategy, Department of Energy and Climate, June 2011.
48
5. Keywords
Microgeneration, community power, smart and micro grids, smart meters, demand management, energy
storage batteries, Renewable Energy Directive, Horizon 2020.
6. Useful links
Euractiv has a useful, though slightly dated, portal on microgeneration.
The Energy challenges and policy review by the EC provides a useful survey of the ener-gy situation
in Europe currently.
An excellent, easily and quickly readable, Rough Guide to Community Energy.
A very insightful episode on microgeneration in Austria and Ireland.
Review of the important Third Industrial Revolution book.
Elon Musk presents the Tesla Battery; The economist gives its view.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change Microgeneration Strategy offers a range of ideas and
solutions.
Detailed report from Oxford University Environmental Change Institute.
49
CLUSTER 1I - Environment
Committee on transport and tourism - TRAN
Green mobility balancing between innovation, investment and user choice: What
should be done to put a brake on the ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions from
the transport sector in the EU?
Chairperson: Dimitris Zacharias (GR)
50
Society is at a crossroads; whilst transportation networks offer benefits for travellers, the environmental
impacts they produce are key challenges for Europes future. Industries and governments can do so much
to limit GHG emissions, yet European citizens have the power to reshape Europes environmental future
and safeguard its air quality.
Travellers and consumers are tasked with using their powers to inspire a modal shift in the transport
industry; with the EU and Member States setting out to enable green mobility and enable passengers
access to products and services, civil society is now elevated to a pivotal stakeholder in this attempt to
balance off the benefits of increasing mobility and the challenges of the environmental impact.
2. Whos in Play?
The key stakeholders of this topic are governmental (national and supranational), industrial (commercial
or manufacturing) , social (users, consumers & travellers, NGOs) and international.
Freight,
Logistics,
Courier
Companies
Commercial
Companies
(Aviation,
Railway, Road,
Maritime)
Civil Society
Government
Passengers
Member States
Governments
Transport and Tourism Ministries
Regional Transport
Agencies
Consumers
NGOs
European
and
National Associations
Social
Initiatives and
Startups
EU
DG MOVE
DG ENV
EP ENVI
EMTA
EPTO
EASA
EMSA
ERA
51
On the other hand, it provides a comprehensive strategy on the way forward founded on three pillars:
1. A Single European Transport Area - harmonisation and limited bottlenecking,
2. Innovating for the Future through Technology and Behaviour - green mobility,
3. Modern Infrastructure, Smart Pricing and Funding - intermodal transport, TEN-Ts, eFreight.
4 Cf. COM(2011)112 - European Commission analysis show that while deeper cuts can be achieved in other sectors
of the economy, a reduction of 60% of GHGs by 2050 with respect to 1990 is required from the transport sector.
52
Curbing mobility is not an option for the EU; at the same time, growing out of oil and increasing mobility both rest on a modal shift in transport patters5 which will rest on a cluster of new technologies6.
Social initiatives such as startups and mobile applications are great vessels of the modal shift in transportation patters; applications and startups in the fields of carpooling7, carbon footprint calculation and optimal
route calculation offer users the opportunity to save time, decrease costs and reduce the environmental
impact. Essentially, the momentum to transform the transport industry in Europe to a greener, better sector of the economy in the hands of ordinary citizens.
5 White Paper on Transport (p.13): To promote more sustainable behaviour, better mobility planning has to be
actively encouraged. Information on all modes of transport, both for travel and freight, on possibilities for their
combined use and on their environmental impact, will need to be widely available. Smart intermodal ticketing, with
common EU standards that respect EU competition rules is vital.
6 White Paper on Transport (p. 12): Such technologies relate to vehicles efficiency through new engines, materials
and design; cleaner energy use through new fuels and propulsion systems; better use of network and safer and more
secure operations through information and communication systems.
7 Carpooling refers to the ad-hoc use of vehicles of through an online request of the user to the owner of the car.
53
5. Keywords
Green mobility, GHG emissions, intermodal transport, TEN-Ts, e-Freight, Single European Sky, Single European Transport Area, optimal routes, Transport 2050, harmonisation of transport legislation.
6. Useful Links
Adaptation of Transport to Climate Change in Europe: Challenges and Options Across Transport
Modes and Stakeholders, (2014), European Environment Agency, EEA Report No 8/2014.
Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area: Facts and Figures, (2015), European Commission,
Mobility and Transport - European Strategies.
White Paper on Transport: Roadmap to a Single European Transport Area - Towards a Competitive
and Resource-Efficient Transport System, (2011), European Commission, Directorate General for Mobility and Transport, ISBN 978-92-79-18270-9, DOI:10.2832/30955.
Reducing Emissions from Transport, , European Commission, Climate Action - EU Action, May 2015.
Nelsen, A., (2014), EU leaders agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030, The Guardian.
Road transport: Reducing CO2 emissions from vehicles, European Commission, Climate Action - EU
Action, May 2015.
Reducing Transport Greenhouse Gas Emissions - Trends and Data, (2010), International Transport
Forum.
EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050 - Developing a better understanding of the secondary impacts
and key sensitivities for the decarbonisation of the EUs transport sector by 2050, (2012), European
Environment Agency.
About, EU Transport GHG: Routes to 2050.
White Paper on the future of the European Transport Policy, (2011), Explanatory Video - European
Commission, Audiovisual Services.
A future beyond traffic gridlock, Bill Ford - TED Talk.
Transport and Environment, Annual Report 2014.
54
EMPL II
Europe 2020
social responsibility
of companies
EMPL I
social protection
vs. free market
droi
Educational
Institutions
Need for gainful
employment
opportunities
globalised
economy
econ
grants/
loans
financial
literacy
deve
Tampere 2015 - 79th International Session
55
Young people are the most precious resource our planet possesses. Providing for youth is not just
a moral obligation; it is a compelling economic necessity. Study after study has shown the benefits
to the young and to their communities of investing in education, reproductive health, job skills and
employment opportunities for young people.
Kofi Annan, Former UN Secretary-General
1 Art. 208, Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and the Treaty establishing the European Community (2007) OJ C306/01
2 Global Employment Trends for Youth: A Generation At Risk, (2013), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Labour Office, Geneva, ISBN 978-92-2-127484-1.
3 The Millennium Development Goals Report, (2014), United Nations.
4 World Demographics Profile, (2014), Index Mundi.
56
2. Whos in play?
European Union and Member States donation is organised through the European Development
Fund to which Member States voluntarily contribute, as well as donations made collectively from the
EU budget.
Developing countries governments often lack social protection measures with their public sectors
suffering from inefficiency and corruption. Their economies largely operate in the primary or secondary sector where wages are lower.
Youth in developing countries are often either under- or unemployed.
The UN provides assistance in terms of support for youth setting up their own organisations.
Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) can have an educational or entrepreneurial focus, many
NGOs have been started by both youth in developed and developing countries.
Private lenders can be bigger organisations such as MasterCard or providers of microloans aimed at
giving youth in developing countries seed money for their projects.
57
58
5. Keywords
Public sector safeguards, grants, microloans, low-quality jobs, tertiary education
6. Useful Links
General
Global Employment Trends for Youth: A Generation At Risk, (2013), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Labour Office, Geneva, ISBN 978-92-2-127484-1.
Erhardt, E., (2013), Youth in developing countries: A generation looking for work, KfW Research, European Commission - European Development Days, November 2013.
Youth Participation in Development - A Guide for Development Agencies and Policy Makers, (2010),
Youth WG of the DFID-CSO Children and Youth Network, March 2010.
EU Context
Gavas, M., Faure, R., Hefer, E., Scott, N., (2014), 10 Things to Know About EU Aid, Overseas Development Institute, EU Development Programme, March 2014.
The European Year for Development: Everyones Year, (2015) European Commission.
Future Leaders, (2015), European Commission - Youth/ European Development Days.
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, Council, the European Economic
and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions, A decent Life for All: From Vision to Collective Action, COM(2014) 335 final, June 2014.
UN Context
About the Global Partnership on Youth in the Post-2015 Development Agenda, (2015), The Global
Partnership for Youth, Office of the Secretary-Generals Envoy on Youth, United Nations.
Secretary-Generals Envoy invites all youth organisations to endorse Global call on youth in post-2015
ahead of ECOSOC Forum, (2014), The Global Partnership for Youth, Office of the Secretary-Generals
Envoy on Youth, United Nations.
United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development, (2010), International Year of Youth
(IYY), United Nations.
Civil Society Examples
About US, National Youth Development Agency (NYDA - South Africa).
SOYDEN Background, Somali Youth Development Network, May, 2015.
What We Do, Becoming I Foundation.
Funding for youth in developing countries
Urban Youth Funds, UN Habitat for a Better Future.
Youth Savings in Developing Countries - Trends in Practice, Gaps in Knowledge, (2010), Youthsaver
Consortium, ed. Deshpande, R., Zimmerman, M., J., The MasterCard Foundation.
59
2. Whos in play?
60
3 Cable, V., Hague, W., (2013) Good Business: Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human
Rights, Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Foreign and Common-wealth Affairs by Command of
Her Majesty, September 2013, Cm 8695.
4 Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
5 De Schutter, O., McCorquodale, R., Skinner, G., (2013), The Third Pillar: Extraterritorial Obligations and Access to
Judicial Remedy, The International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (ICAR).
6 The Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh
7 Birch, S., (2012), How activism forced Nike to change its ethical game, July, 2012, The Guardian
61
Should such mechanisms be subsidiary to proceedings in the states where the harmful practices occur? Under which conditions should an MNE be held liable and what should be the legal consequences of violations?
To what extent could accountability mechanisms deter MNEs from the states in which they have their
seat or engage in cross-border activity? Is there a danger of a race to the bottom of regulatory standards between states competing for foreign investment and cross-border business activity?
What role should product-related measures (import restrictions depending on origin and production) play, given the importance of free-flowing trade?
What role should CSR (and state policies promoting CSR) play in increasing corporate responsibility
and accountability?
What specific challenges do mechanisms of corporate accountability pose for SMEs and to what extent should and could these be accommodated?
5. Keywords
Corporate accountability, Alien Tort Statute, MNEs, global value chain, subcontracting, corporate veil,
piercing/lifting the corporate veil, consumer activism, ethical consumerism, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), environmental and social governance (ESG).
6. Useful links
Macdonald, K, Marshall, S., (2011), What is corporate accountability?, The Internati-onal Corporate
Accountability Roundtable (ICAR).
For NGOs operating in the field, see:
International Roundtable for Corporate Accountability (ICAR).
European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ).
De Schutter, O., McCorquodale, R., Skinner, G., (2013), The Third Pillar: Extraterritorial Obligations and
Access to Judicial Remedy, The International Corporate Accoun-tability Roundtable (ICAR).
ECCJ (2015), The EUs Business: Recommended actions for the EU and its Member States to ensure
access to judicial remedy for business-related human rights impacts.
Grear, A., Weston B. H., (2015), The Betrayal of Human Rights and the Urgency of Universal Corporate
Accountability: Reflections on a Post-Kiobel Lawscape, Human Rights Law Review, 15(1), 2144.
US Alien Tort Statute
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Section: Business and Human Rights, (including the standards and reports referenced on the page).
Short video introduction to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
International Labor Organisation (ILO), (2003), Corporate social responsibility: Myth or reality?, Labour Education 2003/1, No. 130.
62
2. Whos in play?
Working class families and young entrepreneurs have traditionally been the most common victims,
however in the crisis the issue has rapidly threatened to spread into middle class households as well.2
Debt advisory and Member States educational institutions are the main players in fighting financial
illiteracy3.
On the EU level there are consultative organisations such as the European Economic and Social Committee, alongside international organisations like the OECD or the European Financial Inclusion Network.
1 Alleweldt, F., Kara, S., Graham, R., Kempson, E., Collard, S., Stamp S., (2013), The over-indebtedness of European
households: updated mapping of the situation, nature and causes, effects and initiatives for alleviating its impact
Part 1: Synthesis of findings, Civic Consulting.
2 Falanga, A., (2015), The menace of over-indebtedness for the EUs middle class, The Broker Online.
3 Dubois H., (2011), Household Debt Advisory Services in the EU, Eurofound.
63
5. Keywords
Household Over-indebtedness, financial literacy, debt advice, financial education, debt restructuring,
credit culture, European economic crisis.
4 Measuring Financial Literacy: Questionnaire and Guidance Notes for Conducting an Internationally Comparable
Survey of Financial Literacy, (2011), OECD - International Network on Financial Education.
5 Financial Education Project, (2004), OECD.
64
6. Useful links
Falanga, A., (2015), The menace of over-indebtedness for the EUs middle class, The Broker Online.
Comparato, G., Domurath, I., Micklitz, W., H., (2010), The Over-indebtedness of European Consumers
a View from Six Countries, European University Institute - Department of Law, European Regulatory
Private Law Project (ERC-ERPL - 08).
Wisniwski, S., (2010), Over-indebtedness: Evidence, Causes and Consequences, European Fund for
Southeast Europe (EFSE).
Financial Education, European Banking Federation (EBF).
Segmenting the over-indebted population of the UK, (2013), The Money Advice Service.
Kadlec, D., (2013), Financial Education Is All the Rage but Does it Work?, Financial Eduction, Time
Magazine.
S.H., (2014), Financial literacy: Back to basics, The Economist.
Average UK household to be 10,000 in debt by end of 2016, (2015), The Guardian.
Financial Education, (2015), European Commission - Banking and Finance.
Financial Literacy Competencies for Adult Learners.
Gimein, M., (2013), The Worlds Worst Spendthrifts Arent Who You Think, Bloomberg Business.
65
1 Study on Support Services for SMEs in International Business 2013 European Commission, Directorate General
Enterprise and Industry, 2013
2 Why are Entrepreneurs good for the Economy?, Investopedia - Personal Finance
3 Evaluation of Enterprise Supports for start-up and entrepreneurships, (2014), Forfas - Irelands policy advisory
board for enterprise, trade, science, technology and innovation, p.4.
66
2. Whos in play?
Think Small First Principle, along with the Simplification of Start-up procedures, have been implemented in
the EU to encourage thoughtful consideration of SMEs in the creation of policy. We are currently working
towards the targets set out by the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan. Are Member States acting efficiently
and effectively to achieve these goals?
4 A good practice is generally accepted to illustrate an approach that deserves the attention and interest of other
policy makers or practitioners.
67
The European Commission recognises that many SMEs fail shortly upon founding, and the stigma and
difficulties faced by formerly bankrupt entrepreneurs are such that many are deterred from re-starting a
new venture5. They insist that many successful companies exist because their founder did not quit at the
first hurdle6. DG Enterprise and Industry has created a platform from which entrepreneurs can gain advice
as to how to overcome this obstacle.
Organisations such as the European Entrepreneurship Foundation have been providing educational programmes for budding entrepreneurs with the aim of improving the environment in which they start and
grow businesses.
5. Keywords
Sustainable growth, Small-Medium Enterprises, entrepreneurship, grass-root project, stigma of failure.
6. Useful links
Introduction to entrepreneurship
Ekmekiolu, E., (2012), The Impact of Entrepreneurship on Economic Growth, 4th International Congress on Entrepreneurship, Kyrgyzstan Turkey Manas University.
Transport and Environment, Annual Report 2014.
Speech in defence of entrepreneurship - Christian Lindner.
5 A Second Chance for Entrepreneurs, (2011) Report of the Expert Group - European Commission, Directorate
General for Enterprise and Industry.
6 What can we do? A Second Chance for Entrepreneurs - European Commission, Directorate General for Enterprise
and Industry.
68
EU Policy
Models to reduce the disproportionate regulatory burden on SMEs (2007), Report of the Expert
Group, European Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry.
Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry, European Commission.
Promoting International Activities of SMEs, European Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise
and Industry.
Good Practices in SME Policy, European Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry.
Study on Support Services for SMEs in International Business, (2013), ESCIP Consortium, European
Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry.
Education and Entrepreneurship
Parenting and Education that helps would be entrepreneurs flourish TED Talk.
Study on Support Services for SMEs in International Business, (2013), ESCIP Consortium, European
Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry.
Entrepreneurship and failure
Brokaw, L., (2015), Real Innovators dont fear failure, MIT Sloan Management Review.
A second chance to entrepreneurs, European Commission - Directorate General for Enterprise and
Industry.
Entrepreneurship around the world
Pofeldt, E., (2013), U.S Entrepreneurship Hits Record High, Forbes Magazine.
Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute.
Ernst and Young G20 Entrepreneurship Barometer.
Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Education Impact.
69
1 Banerji, A., Blavy, R., Saksonovs, S., Lin, H., (2014), IMF Staff Discussion Note: Youth Unemployment in Advanced
Economies in Europe, European Department and Research Department, p.7.
2 The Challenge of Youth Unemployment Visualization, (2010), World Economic Forum.
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The 7.5 million Europeans under 25 neither in employment, nor in education or training (NEET) are unevenly distributed across Europe with youth unemployment gaps of nearly 50 percentage points between
Spain and Greece on the one hand and Germany on the other.
While a majority of education providers claim to equip their students with sufficient practical skills, only
one third of employers agree. This so-called skills mismatch and lack of Education-to-Employers communication (E2E) is reported to be especially grave for countries with high unemployment rates.3
2. Whos in play?
Member States are the authors of social and employment policy, with the EU holding a coordinating
function.
Low-skilled youth and youth living in disadvantaged areas are more vulnerable to youth unemployment than their well-educated counterparts4 and often fall into structural employment
The European Trade Union Confederation collects national labour unions to lobby for employees
interests.
EURES is the European Job Mobility Portal where employees and employers from all over Europe can
interact.
The civil society initiative Youth Speak by AIESEC gives young people a voice in employment and
education policy.
3 Coughlan, S., (2014), Skills gap damaging young and employers across Europe, BBC.
4 Challenges Facing European Labour Markets: Is a Skill Upgrade the Appropriate Instrument?, (2012), OECD, Intereconomics, DOI: 10.1007/s10272-012-0402-2, p. 7.
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Companies like Ernst & Young and Nestl have launched a private Alliance for Youth:
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5. Keywords
Youth unemployment, skills gap, factor mobility, dual education, active labour market policy, social Europe, brain drain.
6. Useful links
Youth unemployment in Europe, 2014, Euranet, 2014.
Economics Help: Reasons for Youth Unemployment, 2012 - including an overview of important terminology for analysing youth unemployment.
Programmes in place
An overview of the Youth Guarantee Scheme, European Youth Forum.
A video on the Alliance for Youth, Nestl.
Youngest MEP: EU unemployment schemes have no value, (2014), Euractiv.com.
Auditors unaware if Youth Guarantee has provided a single job yet, (2015), Euractiv.com.
Approaches to tackling youth unemployment
Education to employment: Getting Europes youth into work, (2014), McKinsey and Company Report.
Benoit, A., (2014), Three quick views on how to solve youth unemployment, Bloomberg.com.
Berlingieri, F., Sprietsma, M., (2014), Youth Unemployment in Europe - Appraisal and Policy Options,
Executive Summary, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Centre for European Economic Research/ Zentrum fr Europische Wirtschaftsforschung GmbH (ZEW).
Totaro, L., (2014), Italys Renzi Wins Vote on Controversial Labor Law Change, Bloomberg Business.
Bonoli, G., (2010), The political economy of active labour market policy, Working Papers on the Reconciliation of Work and Welfare in Europe, REC-WP 01/2010.
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