GMOs: bearing the risks and reaping the benefits. What position should the EU take considering GMOs’ capacity to boost production and efficiency worldwide, without disconsidering current issues with intellectual property rights and uncertainty in terms of the health and environmental impact of their application?
“We really need a rethinking of education and a redesigning of our system, so it prepares our children for the future with the skills that are needed for today and tomorrow.” KYLLONENM, Marjo, Helsinki’s education manager. Finland revolutionising its Educational System, teaching by topic rather than subject is just the last example of the different approaches to Education in Europe. Building on the Education & Training 2020 framework, what should the EU’s role be in supporting its Member States’ educational reforms?
The increasing number of refugees coming from the Mediterranean and war zones such as Syria have raised issues of solidarity between Member States. What role should the EU play in upholding the Geneva accords by offering shelter to asylum seekers and war refugees alike, whilst safeguarding its borders and homeland security?
Battle for employment: The social and economic costs of youth unemployment are threatening long-term damage to Member States. With over 20% of under-25 Europeans being unemployed, how should the EU address youth unemployment whilst avoiding pushing the problem to other age groups?
The shared economy and anti-competition laws: innovative shared economy applications, such as Uber and AirBnB, have been met with great resistance throughout Europe. Although potentially beneficial to consumers, they are incompatible with current legislation, disruptive to the labour market, and a threat to government-protected industries.What should the EU’s role be in regulating this new economy?
Since 2012, the EU and the United States have been negotiating the creation of the largest free trade zone in the world under the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. With large scale opposition and protests in Member States, how should the EU stand in the debate between consumer protection, transparency and the advantages of a liberalisation of trade between the world’s two biggest trading blocks?
Although COM(2015)0365 was recently approved to strengthen the EU’s approach towards regional development, much can be done to further improve regional protection tools. In light of the recent failure of support in Greece, what other steps should the EU pursue to ensure adequate regional protection is in place?
Unmanned revolution: with the development of new technologies, Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems will soon flood the market. How should the EU regulate the civilian use of drones to account for privacy risks without undermining its potential?