Location(s) Varies | Years active Since 1994 | |
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Frequency Biannual (spring & autumn) Previous event Autumn 2015: Berlin, Germany Next event Spring 2016: Budapest, Hungary Participants 180 students per session | ||
The Model European Parliament (MEP) is an international simulation of the working of the European Parliament for students aged 16–19. The aim of the programme is to give young people an insight into the workings of the European Parliament and raise their awareness of European citizenship. Two sessions are held each year, each involving 180 secondary school students.
Contents
Format
The format of the MEP resembles that of the actual European Parliament: approximately 15 delegates of different nationalities form a committee that debates a certain topic extensively and drafts a resolution, a non-binding piece of legislation outlining the key issues of the topic and proposing solutions. The drafting process is followed by lobbying, during which delegates may debate and propose amendments for other resolutions. The finale of a session is the General Assembly (GA). During this, resolutions and amendments are debated and voted upon by all of the delegates. Any successful resolutions are then forwarded to the European Parliament, the European Commission and the Council of the European Union. The elder members are titled as Presidents or Chairs, while the youngers are entitled as delegates.
Participating countries
As of 2013, participants come from all 28 member states of the European Union and two candidate countries: Republic of Macedonia and Turkey. Each country can choose five delegates in any way they deem appropriate. Many hold regional and/or national sessions using the same format but with a smaller scope.
List of international sessions
The following international sessions have been held or announced:
Model European Parliament Baltic Sea Region
The Model European Parliament Baltic Sea Region (MEP BSR) is an international organization that includes eight member states of the EU situated in the Baltic Sea Region, but also welcomes delegates from Iceland, Norway and Russia (Kaliningrad). The MEP BSR, which is organised and managed by the Model European Parliament BSR Association, uses the same format as the main international MEPs, but with ten delegates representing each country rather than five.
List of MEP BSR sessions:
Model European Parliament Central and South East Europe
The Model European Parliament Central and South East Europe (MEP CSEE) is an organisation largely similar to MEP BSR, but it invites students from member states Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, candidate countries the Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, and neighbouring countries Moldova, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
List of MEP CSEE sessions:
- 2015 Autumn: Romania, Bucharest
- 2016 Autumn: Bulgaria, Sofia
Model European Parliament Western European Region
A Western European version was launched in Autumn 2016 with the participation of Belgium, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.
List of WEMEP sessions:
- 2016 Autumn: Netherlands, The Hague
Similar projects
The European Youth Parliament and Model European Union are separate projects, but follow the same format as the Model European Parliament to some extent.