National Selection Conference

Committee Topics

It is important to research your committee topic. Tips on how to research can be found in the Infromation Section.

Committee on Climate Change (CLIM)

"The Copenhagen Accord was a positive step but clearly below our ambitions." José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission

In light of the perceived failure of the 15th UN Climate Change Conference, how can the EU be a leader and best influence the international community to adopt a more sustainable agenda and mitigate the effects of climate change.

Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE)

"Europe's need for security cannot justify an invasion of privacy. Our citizens are not objects: they are human being." Viviane Reding, European Commissioner for Information Society and Media

Body scanners, phone tapping and internet surveillance - where to draw the boundary between security measures and invasion of privacy for EU citizens?

Committee on Development (DEVE)

"We believe that pioneering entrepreneurs will ultimately find the solutions to poverty. We must understand that people in the developing world don't want hand outs, they want to solve their own problems." Jacqueline Novogratz, CEO of Acumen Fund

Changing the development paradigm: in light of the aid versus trade debate, does micro-financing provide a third way in which to view development solutions in the developing world? And if so, how best can the EU harness these mechanisms together as a means of ensuring economic, political and societal development in Sub-Saharan Africa?

Committee on Transport and Tourism (TRAN)

With global shipping routes under increasing threat from armed pirates: how should the EU respond to this threat to global security and international trade stability?

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs I (ECON I)

"We make plans and investments for many years ahead so it is important that we think about what the world will look like in five or ten years from now. What new regulations there will be, how far ahead of our competitors can we be by acting sustainably and what will our customers expect from us?" Rolf Eriksen, CEO of H&M

'Resetting' the global business agenda: with attention now on how businesses have responded to the global financial crisis and the intensified economic and social disparities that have followed, as well as climate change urgency and the emerging energy markets, how best can the EU lead the way in this new era of corporate social responsibility?

Committee on Internal Market and Consumer Protection (IMCO)

"New technologies offer consumers a must-have tool to access information and participate in daily life and in a democratic society. It must therefore be ensured that existing consumer rights are really enforced in the digital environment and further consideration should be given to the necessity to reinforce and grant consumer's new rights in the digital environment." The European Consumer's Organisation

To feed consumer demands for access and information or to protect against monopolies: how best can data protection, competition in the market, and the freedom of information be balanced so as to achieve the full potential of what web technology offers EU citizens today?

Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI)

Reduced consumption, vertical farming and genetic modification: With the world population set to rise from six billion to nine billion by 2050 and a lack of arable land available, what creative measures can the EU take to ensure a stable, secure and sustainable food supply in light of unprecedented world population growth?

Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET)

"Hardliners who analyze the drawbacks of a diplomatic solution today should, with the same scrutiny, analyze the drawbacks of a military solution. A military strike could set the nuclear program back by a few years - something that would be very welcome. But what would the long-term consequences be? Iran won't simply sit there quietly and accept an attack." Hans Blix, former UN Weapons Inspector and former head of the International Atomic Energy Agency

In light of escalating tensions, what role, diplomatic or otherwise, should the EU adopt to promote a peaceful outcome to the issue of uranium enrichment in Iran?

Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs II (ECON II)

"Greece has some serious problems that can only be tackled by Greece. We can't tackle it from the outside, not in a democratic country, an EU country. The decision should be taken and receive ownership from Greece." Joaquín Almunia, European Commissioner for Economic and Monetary Affairs

With Greece's ballooning deficit and other countries' financial weaknesses, how can the EU help states in difficulty whilst encompassing economic growth for all its Member States?

Committee on International Trade (ITRD)

"Russia and the EU are interdependent. The global financial and economic crisis stresses the need to develop the potential of our relationship, remove obstacles and coordinate our efforts. Regular and frank political dialogue is the right way to manage our relationship and it must prevail in all times, no matter how difficult the issues at stake are." José Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission

How best can the EU develop its trading relationship with Russia? And in what areas and to what extent can this relationship be enhanced and strengthened for the benefit of each of their citizens?M