Braga 2016 - Committee Topics and Explanatory Paragraphs for Delegates

BRAGA 2016 – COMMITTEE TOPICS AND EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPHS FOR DELEGATES 

COMMITTEE TOPICS 

AND EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPHS 

For Delegates 

BRAGA 2016 |


COMMITTEE TOPICS 

AND EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPHS 

For Delegates 

BRAGA 2016 | 

Compiled by: 

With the contribution of: 

Ş 

Published by: 

Associação Portuguesa do Parlamento Europeu dos 

Jovens/European Youth Parliament Portugal


FOREWORD 

Dear Delegates, 

After many hours spent idealising, researching, 

compiling, discussing and phrasing, we can finally 

present you with the fruit of our labour: the 

ten Committee Topics of Braga 2016 are here, and 

they are a beauty to look at! 

Following much debate, and taking into account 

the unique nature and format of the Forum, we 

will not be using the E(Y)P Committees some of 

you may be accustomed to. Instead, we looked at 

the various Sustainable Development Goals 

(SDGs) and adjusted the scope of each Topic to 

ensure that, in the end, we fulfil the academic 

prerequisites of the Forum’s umbrella theme 

(‘Sustainable Development: Intercontinental 

Partnerships for People, Planet and Prosperity’), 

while also covering as many SDGs as possible. 

As it is, while directly and indirectly falling 

under almost all SDGs, what all ten Committee 

Topics have in common is their undeniable relevance 

in the context of European and Latin 

American cooperation. 

To make it all more streamlined, you will find the 

Topics divided into four groups: i) People, with 

two, covering SDGs 3, 4 and 5; ii) Planet, with 

one, covering SDGs 13, 14 and 15; iii) Prosperity, 

with four, covering SDGs 7, 8, 9, 11 and 12; and, 

indeed, also iv) Peace (which, in practice, stands 

for ‘Peace, Justice and Stronger Institutions’), 

with three, covering SDG 16 (though on three rather 

different issues). Given their multidisciplinary 

nature, several of these Topics will inevitably 

overlap, which makes it all the more interesting. 

In terms of structure and phrasing, you will notice 

that each Committee Topic is preceded by a 

quote from a relevant source (e.g., institutional or 

key actors’ declarations). These quotes are intended 

as means of setting the tone for the discussion, 

but do not necessarily inform or in any 

other way restrict the Topics’ relevance areas or 

the angles from which we will address them. 

Those relevance areas can be inferred both from 

the phrasing of each Topic (which, as you will 

also notice, always follows a specific pattern) and 

the explanatory paragraphs we have included 

after each, so please be sure to read them carefully. 

In general, though, the idea is that we, as 

the Euro-Ibero-American Youth Forum, will operate 

within the European Union–Community 

of Latin American and Caribbean States (EU– 

CELAC) framework, established at biannual 

summits gathering the leaders of the two blocs. 

The second one took place last year, and you can 

find more about it here. 

Later, once we send you the Academic Preparation 

Kit, we will also be including much more information 

and many other resources to help you 

lean all you will need to learn about the various 

bodies playing a role in this legal framework – 

and, from the EU to the CELAC, the UN, the WTO, 

the WHO or the ILO, there will be quite a few! 

At this stage, though, for you to be able choose a 

Committee Topic top-five preference that truly 

interests you, we highly recommend that you 

take some time to familiarise yourselves with the 

actual text of the UN Resolution adopting the 

2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (here or, 

if you prefer more official-looking documents, 

here). It should take you about 45 minutes, but 

we can promise it will be time well spent. 

Very much looking forward to starting our work 

together, we wish you a happy reading! 

The Team of Chairpersons, 

Andrea, Elisa, Isabel, José, Léa, Lewin, Mariam, 

Onur, Pauline, Raphael, Şayen, Siebe & Tiago 

1


PEOPLE 

“We are determined to […] ensure all human beings can fulfil their potential in dignity 

and equality and in a healthy environment.” 

1. SAPU — COMMITTEE ON 

PUBLIC HEALTH 

“The global health threats posed by recent viral epidemics, 

such as avian flu, H1N1, Ebola and Zika, 

have been happening too frequently to be dismissed 

as coincidental. Unless the global public health 

community invests in and develops better health 

systems that provide for the poor, such viruses will 

continue to spread and have severe effects.” 

—David Sanders, ‘Ebola and Zika epidemics are driven by 

pathologies of society, not just a virus’, The Conversation, 

March 30 th , 2016. 1 

Environmental, social, economic, political, structural 

and migratory factors, amongst others, all 

contribute to making global health threats a particularly 

challenging topic area, requiring much 

greater concertation of the measures (to be put) 

in place. In an increasingly globalised world, epidemics 

know fewer and fewer boundaries; the 

global community’s response, however, still does. 

In this context, the Committee will be tasked with 

drafting a Motion for a Resolution that not only 

aims at mitigating the consequences of current 

epidemics (of which the H1N1, Ebola and Zika viruses 

are just a few examples), but also strives to 

minimise the spread of new ones. 

H1N1, Ebola and Zika viruses: A new 

wave of global epidemics? With rising 

criticism to the inadequate reaction of 

world authorities and overall lack of 

international coordination, how best 

can the EU and the CELAC cooperate to 

ensure more effective support to the 

affected regions, and greater concertation 

in research to mitigate the consequences 

of current epidemics and 

minimise the spread of new ones? 

Under SDG 3 (“Ensure healthy lives and promote 

well-being for all at all ages”), this Committee 

Topic is hinged on the argument that the international 

community’s response to global epidemics 

has not been sufficiently far-reaching, 

leaving many exposed to the threat of (new) 

pathogens. 

1 

David Sanders is a Professor Emeritus at the School of 

Public Health of the University of the Western Cape, in 

Cape Town, South Africa. You can access the article here. 

2


2. IGGE — COMMITTEE ON 

GENDER EQUALITY 

“If, together, we can break down the barriers to 

girls’ education, and provide educational and vocational 

opportunities for all girls, then the futures of 

this generation, and their wider communities, will 

be so much brighter. [...] It’s been shown that these 

benefits do not stop after a single generation, but 

are passed down, ensuring a skilled and educated 

workforce for generations to come.” 

—David Bull, ‘Why investing in education for girls is in 

everyone's interest’, The Guardian, February 8 th , 2013. 2 

Education and empowerment: The way 

to break the poverty trap? With girls and 

young women accounting for the majority 

of out-of-school children and illiterate 

adults worldwide, what measures 

can the EU and the CELAC implement to 

close the gender gap in education and 

help pave the way to more dignified lives 

and more inclusive societies? 

be painting a picture too optimistic for the reality 

of some girls. 

The fact that, when actually in school, girls are 

doing better than boys further reinforces the notion 

that access to and continuation in education 

indeed depend mostly on social position and cultural 

factors. These include, but are not limited to, 

lack of funding and low-quality education, as well 

as structural societal oppression and the pervasiveness 

of patriarchal societies. 

In practice, all this leads to women and girls being 

even more at risk of lacking basic literacy skills in 

adulthood, perpetuating sociocultural and political 

gender-based inequalities, including sexual 

and physical violence against women and girls, 

rape, underage – and often arranged – marriage 

(nearly one in three girls in Latin America), ‘son 

preference’, and unequal access to nutrition and 

healthcare. 

With this in mind, the Committee will be tasked 

with drafting proposals which, while primarily 

addressing education, ignore none of the above. 

Combining SDG 4 (“Ensure inclusive and equitable 

quality education and promote lifelong learning 

opportunities for all”) and SDG 5 (“Achieve 

gender equality and empower all women and 

girls”), this Committee Topic will tackle issues of 

gender equality with a special focus on access to 

education and the social circumstances that deny 

girls this basic right. 

The universalisation of education has advanced 

primary school enrolment, currently quantified at 

almost 100%. That figure is considerably lower 

for secondary education, however, and even more 

so for indigenous and poor girls. Ultimately, enrolment 

does not necessarily mean attendance, 

which in turn means that current statistics might 

2 

David Bull is the Executive Director of the UNICEF UK. 

You can access the article here. 

3


PLANET 

“We are determined to protect the planet from degradation […], sustainably managing 

its natural resources and taking urgent action on climate change, so that it can support 

the needs of the present and future generations.” 

3. AMBI — COMMITTEE ON 

ENVIRONMENT AND BIO- 

DIVERSITY 

Ş 

“Around the world, a growing share of the devastation 

triggered by ‘natural’ disasters stems from ecologically 

destructive practices and from putting 

ourselves in harm’s way. Many ecosystems have been 

frayed to the point where they are no longer able to 

withstand natural disturbances… Although the inherent 

links between disaster reduction and environmental 

management are recognised, little research 

and policy work has been undertaken on the subject.” 

—Klaus Töpfer quoted in Hari Srinivas, ‘Environmental 

Management and Disaster Reduction – An Introduction’, 

Concept Note Series E-021, Global Development Research 

Center, Kobe, Japan, April 2015. 3 

Natural hazards vs anthropogenic environmental 

disasters: Blurred lines? In 

light of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, 

the Bento Rodrigues dam disaster or 

the Flint water crisis, what safeguards 

can the EU and the CELAC promote to 

ensure the international community 

are better able to prevent environmental 

crises and reduce their effects on 

ecosystems and populations? 

This Committee Topic encompasses elements of 

all environmental SDGs: 13 (“Take urgent action 

to combat climate change and its impacts”), 14 

(“Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas 

and marine resources for sustainable development”) 

and, especially, 15 (“Protect, restore and 

promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, 

sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, 

and halt and reverse land degradation 

and halt biodiversity loss”). 

When making proposals, the Committee will have 

to consider not only the impact of natural hazards 

and environmental disasters on ecosystems and 

populations, but also that of the measures they 

propose. For that, these key terms should be fully 

understood, including how they overlap, especially 

in light of recent environmental crises (of 

the examples given are but a few). In sum, their 

task will be to find a suitable, sustainable balance, 

aiming to further the realisation of the three SDGs 

in question, as well to ensure scientific progress 

and the good use of natural resources to respond 

to the needs of the People. 

In doing so, they should always bear in mind that 

these phenomena happen all over the world and, 

as such, also affect the entirety of its population. 

If we are to be successful in improving the situation 

worldwide, different actions are not only 

possible, but also very much required. Regional, 

supranational and, especially, intercontinental 

plans of action must be drawn up taking into account 

agreements such as the COP21 and focusing 

on realistically implementing them. This is valid 

also with regard to Euro-Ibero-American cooperation, 

especially in the fields of localised disaster 

relief and aid to affected populations. 

3 

Klaus Töpfer is a German politician and environmental 

politics expert. From 1998 to 2006, he was the Executive 

Director of the UNEP. Hari Srinivas is a Professor of Environmental 

Policy and Sustainability, currently serving as 

Coordinator at the Global Development Research Center. 

You can access the article here. 

4


PROSPERITY 

“We are determined to ensure that all human beings can enjoy prosperous and fulfilling 

lives and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.” 

4. ENTE — COMMITTEE ON 

ENERGY AND TECHOLOGY 

“More than 90% of the world’s primary energy 

currently is supplied by fossil fuels, while more than 

8% comes from nuclear power and hydroelectricity. 

Thus, despite the recent publicity for energy sources 

such as wind, solar, geothermal or biofuels, they 

provide only a tiny fraction of the world’s energy 

and, even then, mainly as a result of subsidies.” 

—Peter Hartley and Kenneth Medlock III, ‘The Valley of 

Death for New Energy Technologies’, Economics Discussion 

Papers 2014 (Ed. Ernst Weber), Business School, University 

of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia, 2014, p. 1. 4 

Renewable energy: Too expensive to 

market? Following the COP21 Agreement, 

and considering the difficulty to 

secure private investment for renewable 

energy technologies at early-stage 

commercial readiness, how can the EU 

and the CELAC work together to foster 

the market uptake of such technologies, 

especially those in later-stage 

readiness levels? 

Under SDG 7 (“Ensure access to affordable, 

reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”) 

and SDG 9 (“Build resilient infrastructure, 

promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation 

and foster innovation”), this Committee 

Topic finds pivotal relevance in a moment of 

global energy transition. 

In the context of research, development and 

commercialisation, it looks at the difficulties 

faced by many enterprises (start-ups or otherwise) 

in launching technologies that allow us to 

use renewable energy sources, especially in crossing 

the so-called ‘Valley of Death’. This refers to 

the period between the stages of final development 

and initial commercialisation when, due to 

highly intensive capital demands and investment 

risks, most technologies struggle to find financial 

support from either state or private entities. 

Together, the lack of long-term policy support 

and this mismatch between technology and commercial 

readiness are the main reasons behind 

the failure in making renewable sources more 

predominant in the two continents’ energy mix. 

Yet, research abundantly shows that, though often 

very expensive in the beginning (especially 

during the later stages of technology readiness 

testing), renewable sources have enormous potential 

that can be realised at reasonable costs. 

Finally, it is important to remember that renewable 

sources need to be smoothly transitioned in 

when replacing fossil fuel sources to, above all, 

ensure safety of supply. Bearing all this in mind, 

and never losing sight of last year’s COP21 Agreement 

on climate change mitigation, the Committee 

will be tasked with proposing solutions 

that aim to overcome barriers to investment and 

build bridges over the Valley of Death. Going 

beyond governments doling out ineffective 

subsidies, the challenge lies in setting up a clear, 

concerted long-term strategy that promotes 

more investment in and, ultimately, achieves a 

greater share of renewable sources in Europe’s 

and Latin America’s total energy consumption. 

4 

Peter Hartley is a Professor at the Rice University and a 

Chair in Resource and Energy Economics at the University 

of Western Australia. Kenneth Medlock III is a Fellow in 

Energy and Resource Economics, the Senior Director of 

the Centre for Energy Studies of the James A. Baker III Institute 

for Public Policy and an Adjunct Professor and Lecturer 

at the Rice University. You can access the paper here. 

5


5. EMFO — COMMITTEE ON 

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAIN- 

ING 

“Technological progress and workforce productivity 

are growing at an exponential rate. The conjoint effect 

of Moore’s Law, vocal recognition, nanotechnologies 

and robotics will result in a ‘jobless 

development’, as 60% of the current work places 

will be lost. […] This will result in a reduction of consumption 

and an exacerbation of social conflicts.” 

—Translated from Domenico De Masi, 2030: Dieci Trend, 

Aspen Institute Italia, Rome, Italy, December 2015. 5 

Technologisation and automation: A 

high-tech railway towards human obsolescence? 

With a growing number of 

NEETs and a shrinking ratio of low to 

high-skilled jobs, how can the EU and 

the CELAC cooperate to ensure their 

citizens are equipped with the skills to 

remain relevant in an increasingly 

knowledge-based economy? 

and training systems and unable to build on previously 

acquired skills or develop new ones, it gets 

even more difficult for them to adapt to an automated 

world. As such, with many workers – especially 

those who perform menial, manual 

and/or repetitive jobs – poised to further be replaced 

by machines, it is now absolutely fundamental 

that the international community work 

together to find answers to the question: what 

will workers do in the future? 

Recognising that not all people possess (or will 

possess) the skills required to carry out the types 

of work that will be left (and others that may 

surge), the issue of training and education, under 

SDG 4 (“Ensure inclusive and equitable quality 

education and promote lifelong learning opportunities 

for all”), will also have to be borne in 

mind as the Committee propose an action plan for 

EU–CELAC cooperation in these matters. 

Under SDG 8 (“Promote sustained, inclusive and 

sustainable economic growth, full and productive 

employment and decent work for all”) and, to an 

extent, also SDG 9 (“Build resilient infrastructure, 

promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation 

and foster innovation”), this Committee 

Topic looks at the future of employment and the 

skillsets necessary for citizens to stay relevant in 

the workforce. 

With unemployment rates rising worldwide, 

more and more people join the so-called ‘Not 

(engaged) in Education, Employment or Training’ 

(NEETs) crowd; left out from the education 

5 

Domenico De Masi is a Professor Emeritus of Industrial 

Sociology at La Sapienza University in Rome and Editor of 

the management journal NEXT. Strumenti per l’innovazione. 

You can access the article (downloads a PDF, in Italian) here. 

6


6. DEUR — COMMITTEE ON 

URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

“The convergence of information and communication 

technologies is producing urban environments 

that are quite different from anything that we have 

experienced hitherto. Cities are becoming smart not 

only in terms of the way we can automate routine 

functions serving individual persons, buildings and 

traffic systems, but in ways that enable us to monitor, 

understand, analyse and plan the city to improve 

the efficiency, equity and quality of life for its 

citizens in real time.” 

—Michael Batty et al., ‘Smart Cities of the Future’, The 

European Physical Journal, Special Topics, November 2012, 

Vol. 214, Issue 1, pp. 481–518. 6 

Smart cities: The way towards a 

greener and more inclusive future? 

With two-thirds of the world population 

projected to live in urban settlements 

by 2050, and in the follow-up of 

the COP21 Agreement, how can the EU 

and the CELAC take advantage of new 

technologies and cooperate in making 

cities more sustainable? 

that could significantly reshape the way our future 

cities are organised. 

When looking for development models, the Committee 

will first need to agree on a working definition 

of ‘sustainable’, bearing in mind that both 

Europe and Latin America are home to cities at 

highly varied levels of development and, as such, 

are also faced with very different challenges, e.g., 

gentrification, on the one hand, and the problem 

of slums, on the other. In either case, matters 

such as excessive traffic, underdeveloped transport 

networks, air, water and noise pollution, 

substandard or insufficient housing, lack of/poor 

coordination of public services, energy dependence 

and efficiency, missing green areas, population 

density, amongst others, will all have to be 

considered. 

It will thus be the task of the Committee to design 

forms of EU–CELAC cooperation promoting sustainable 

and inclusive ‘smart cities’ that better 

respond to the needs of the People and the Planet. 

Under SDG 11 (“Make cities and human settlements 

inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”), 

this Committee Topic concerns itself with the 

rapid growth of cities. 

While improving the functioning of these cities 

(especially megacities) poses many challenges, it 

also carries with it enormous potential for bettering 

the living conditions of large parts of the population. 

In particular, technological advances give 

rise to ‘smart cities’, equipping policymakers 

with previously inconceivable tools and systems 

6 

Michael Batty is a Professor of Urban Planning and the 

Chair of the Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis at the 

University College London. You can access the article here. 

7


7. COIN — COMMITTEE ON 

INTERNATIONAL TRADE 

“One way to accomplish harmonisation is to make 

use of international standards. Countries have 

agreed to this in principle [but] developing countries 

in particular are concerned that even though 

fifteen years have elapsed since the SPS Agreement 

came into force, adoption of international standards 

has not been widespread enough to provide an 

effective platform for increasing market access as 

they had hoped.” 

—Donna Roberts and Timothy Josling, ‘Tracking the Implementation 

of Internationally Agreed Standards in Food 

and Agricultural Production’, International Food & Agricultural 

Trade Policy Council, Organisation for Economic Cooperation 

and Development, September 2011. 7 

The FAO’s Codex Alimentarius and the 

WTO’s Sanitary and Phytosanitary 

Measures and Technical Barriers to 

Trade Agreements: Too many rules, not 

enough trade? In light of the controversies 

surrounding the TPP, the TTIP and 

the recently relaunched talks for an 

EU–Mercosur Association Agreement, 

how can the EU and the CELAC promote 

the adoption of binding, unified international 

food standards that safeguard 

consumer rights without creating unnecessary 

trade barriers, especially for 

low and middle-income countries? 

while also touching upon SDG 8 (“Promote sustained, 

inclusive and sustainable economic 

growth, full and productive employment and decent 

work for all”) and SDG 12 (“Ensure sustainable 

consumption and production patterns”). 

More than simply concerning themselves with 

the validity, the quality or the application of the 

agricultural and food industry safety rules and 

standards currently in place, the Committee will 

be tasked with proposing a joint EU–CELAC action 

plan that aims to take down unnecessary 

barriers to free trade. This is particularly important 

considering that, while ensuring consumers 

rights and health, and preventing social 

dumping, these barriers – especially non-tariff 

ones – have proven to put low and middle-income 

countries at a significant disadvantage to 

trade internationally. 

In doing so, the Committee will also have to consider 

the consequences of their proposals vis-àvis 

free trade agreements already in place (such as 

the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the ongoing 

negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment 

Partnership) and, especially, the recently 

relaunched talks for an EU–Mercosur biregional 

Association Agreement. 

This Committee Topic falls under SDG 2 (“End 

hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition 

and promote sustainable agriculture”), 

7 

Donna Roberts is the Chief of the Food & Specialty Crops 

Branch at the Economic Research Service of the United 

States Department of Agriculture. Timothy Josling is a 

Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International 

Studies and a Professor Emeritus at the Food Research 

Institute of Stanford University. You can access the 

report here. 

8


PEACE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS 

“We are determined to foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies which are free from 

fear and violence. There can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace 

without sustainable development.” 

8. FIAD — COMMITTEE ON 

TAXATION AND CUSTOMS 

“In the past five years, the amount of wealth in tax 

havens has increased over 25%—there has never 

been as much money held offshore as there is today. 

This hidden wealth accounts for at least $7.6 trillion, 

equivalent to 8% of the global financial assets 

of households.” 

—Gabriel Zucman, ‘Introduction’, The Hidden Wealth of 

Nations, University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Illinois, 

United States of America, September 2015. 8 

SwissLeaks, LuxLeaks and Panama Papers: 

Just the tip of the iceberg? With 

billions of euros in state revenue being 

lost to opaque offshore schemes each 

year, how best can the EU and the 

CELAC work together to streamline the 

exchange of fiscal data aimed at facilitating 

judicial cooperation and curbing 

tax evasion internationally? 

Under SDG 16 (“Promote peaceful and inclusive 

societies for sustainable development, provide 

access to justice for all and build effective, accountable 

and inclusive institutions at all levels”), 

and also touching upon matters contemplated in 

SDG 8 (“Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable 

economic growth, full and productive 

employment and decent work for all”), this Committee 

Topic looks at the grey areas and loopholes 

in taxation law exploited by citizens and corporations 

worldwide. 

As recent data leaks from several large consultancy 

firms and banks have shown, tax evasion 

schemes are frequent amongst the global elites. 

Although public and journalistic scrutiny have 

reached a considerable number of multinational 

companies, high-profile politicians, public officials 

and their close associates, and despite many 

states having increasingly scrutinised tax evasion 

in the last few years (especially since 2014), rules 

still diverge greatly between countries and very 

few cross-border transparency initiatives exist. 

This opens the door to complex tax avoidance and 

evasion schemes costing billions in revenue that 

could be used for public services like schools and 

hospitals or to boost jobs and growth. 

Taking all this into account, the task of the Committee 

will be to propose mechanisms to ensure 

that data are further exchanged between the EU 

and the CELAC in order to curb international tax 

evasion. In addition, the currently blurry distinction 

between ‘tax avoidance’ (a legal instance) 

and ‘tax evasion’ (an illegal instance) must be 

clarified, all the while bearing in mind and safeguarding 

the countries’ right to, in their sovereignty, 

set up different tax systems. 

8 

Gabriel Zucman is an Assistant Professor of Economics 

at the University of California, Berkeley. He is also a co- 

Director of the World Wealth and Income Database and the 

author of various publications on global wealth, inequalities 

and tax havens. You can order his book and freely access 

many other resources here. 

9


9. LICI — COMMITTEE ON 

CIVIL LIBERTIES 

“The existence of radical milieus, whether in a concrete 

neighbourhood or in the virtual social space of 

the Internet, can be such a point of attraction for 

vulnerable young people in search of comradeship, 

a new role, identity and status, especially when 

push factors like discrimination, marginalisation 

and humiliation experienced in the family, school, 

neighbourhood and society contribute to a break 

with a past that is experienced as intolerable.” 

—Alex Schmid, Radicalisation, De-Radicalisation, Counter- 

Radicalisation: A Conceptual Discussion and Literature Review, 

International Centre for Counter-Terrorism – The 

Hague, the Netherlands, March 2013, p. 27. 9 

Terrorism 2.0: Time for next-level 

countermeasures? In light of the exponential 

surge in worldwide attacks 

since 2011 despite increased security 

measures, and bearing in mind new 

jihadist recruitment strategies, how 

can the EU and the CELAC cooperate 

to ensure the international community 

adapt their response to global extremism 

in the digital age? 

cooperate, but also due to the complex nature of 

the crime, itself. 

As the radicalisation and recruitment of citizens 

grow and further fluidify the geographical and 

ideological battlefield, the role of social networking 

and digital technologies in spreading terrorist 

messages has become critical. In addition, close 

attention must be paid to terrorism financing, 

something that has been greatly aided by digital 

technology advancements. 

Going past traditional approaches and taking into 

account the many factors that drive people (especially 

youngsters) to embrace terrorist ideals, the 

Committee will be tasked with redefining the how 

the EU and the CELAC cooperate amongst themselves 

and with other key players to find ways in 

which the international community can make use 

of digital technologies to further the de-radicalisation 

and counter-radicalisation objectives set 

forth in recent years. 

This Committee Topic falls under SDG 16 (vide supra). 

In the wake of the exponential surge in terror 

attacks all over the world since 2011, the insufficiency 

of the security-based approach currently in 

place must be acknowledged and improved upon. 

In this context, it is also important to stress that 

past attempts to set up a universally agreed and 

legally binding definition of terrorism have all 

failed, chiefly due to diverging political interests 

amongst different States and their reluctance to 

9 

Alex Schmid is a Visiting Research Fellow at the ICCT, 

the Director of the Terrorism Research Initiative (TRI) and 

the Editor-in-chief of its online journal: Perspectives on 

Terrorism. Until 2005, he was Officer-in-Charge of the 

Terrorism Prevention Branch at the United Nations Office 

on Drugs and Crime. You can access the research paper 

here. 

10


10. CROR — COMMITTEE ON 

ORGANISED CRIME 

“Policies that focus on suppressing drug flows are 

often ineffective in suppressing organised crime. [...] 

Efforts need to focus on ensuring that communities 

will obey laws – by increasing the likelihood that illegal 

behaviour and corruption will be punished via 

effective law enforcement, but also by creating a social, 

economic and political environment in which 

the laws are consistent with the needs of the people.” 

—Vanda Felbab-Brown, ‘Drugs Policy: How to solve the 

problem without generating even greater violence’, The 

World Today, August & September 2012, Chatham House, 

London, United Kingdom, pp. 18–19. 10 

War on drugs: Is brute force the way? 

Considering the collateral damage of 

a mostly militarised intervention in 

the area, how can the EU and the 

CELAC further cooperate within and 

beyond the framework of the CO- 

POLAD II to better respond to safety 

concerns and socio-economic factors, 

and more accurately target the 

roots and consequences of international 

drug trafficking? 

This includes, but is not limited to, the populations 

in the affected areas, especially those who, 

lacking strong government officials that safeguard 

their well-being, are subject to the semiautonomous 

political power held by local drug 

lords. In addition to this, the job opportunities 

created by drug trade will have to be taken into 

account, especially with a view to replacing them 

with feasible, legal alternatives. 

In doing so, and while temporarily bound by the 

framework of COPOLAD II (the second phase of 

the Cooperation Programme on Drugs Policies 

established between the EU and the CELAC, in effect 

for the 2014–2019 period), the Committee 

must also draw an action plan that takes into account 

the differences in nature between drug 

markets in the EU and in Latin America in order 

to fully reach the Goals and Targets established in 

the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

Under SDG 16 (id.), this Committee Topic looks at 

the phenomenon of international drug trafficking, 

especially between Europe and Latin America. 

When considering ways for further cooperation 

and improved response, the Committee will 

have to take into account not only the socio-economic 

factors at the root of drug trafficking, but 

also the various safety concerns and side-effects 

towards any risk groups. 

10 

Vanda Felbab-Brown is a Senior Fellow at the Centre for 

21 st Century Security and Intelligence in the Foreign Policy 

programme of The Brookings Institution. She is an expert 

on international conflicts and non-traditional security 

threats. You can access the article here. 

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BRAGA 2016 – COMMITTEE TOPICS AND EXPLANATORY PARAGRAPHS FOR CHAIRPERSONS

Braga 2016 - Committee Topics and Explanatory Paragraphs for Delegates

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