IVMUN 2016 EUROPEAN UNION STUDY GUIDE TABLE OF CONTENTS TOPIC A: The Refugee Crisis and its related matters for EU..........................................3 Topic Introduction....................................................................3 1. The European Union...........................................................................3 2. The Refugee Crisis in EU...................................................................4 Background Information..........................................................4 I. The Refugee crisis - Key facts.................................................................4 1. The migrants’ countries of origin.......................................................4 2. The migrants’ destinations..................................................................6 3. The migrants’ way to Europe.............................................................7 4. The dangerous journeys......................................................................8 5. Responses from the EU countries..........................................................9 6. Asylum claims approval...................................................................10 II. Humanitarian assistance by EU countries and related organizations.................................................................................11 1. The European commission assistance to the refugees..........................11 2. UNICEF’ humanitarian strategies to ensure the rights and needs of children in the Refugee crisis............................................................................11 Case studies of a few countries...........................................12 I. European countries most affected............................................................12 II. Case studies of EU countries.....................................................................14 1. Germany...........................................................................................14 2. Hungary............................................................................................14 3. Sweden.............................................................................................16 4. France..............................................................................................16 5. United Kingdoms..............................................................................16 6. Greece.............................................................................................17 7. North America.................................................................................17 III. Questions for further consideration.........................................................18 Bibliography.........................................................19 1 The Refugee Crisis and its related matters for EU COMMITTEE’S BACKGROUND...................3 TOPIC B: Terrorism.........................................19 TOPIC INTRODUCTION Topic Introduction.................................................................19 Definition of key terms........................................................................20 Topic Background.................................................................21 1. The European Union: 1. Current situtation..............................................................................21 The European Union was originally formed in 1951 under the name The 2. Resolutions, protocols, and organizations..........................................21 European Coal and Steel Community by six founding countries Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. In 1957, the Major Blocs and Positions on the issue.................................26 same six countries sign the Treaties of Rome, setting up the European Questions for further consideration.....................................28 Economic Community. Over the years, more and more countries decided Bibliography..................................................................29 to join, and The Union reached its current size of 28 member countries with the accession of Croatia on 1 July 2013. Nowadays, The European Union’s six missions is maintaining and building the peace established between its member states; bringing European countries together in prac- tical cooperation; ensuring that European citizens can live in security; promoting economic and social solidarity; preserving European identity and diversity in a globalised world; and promulgating the values that Eu- ropeans share. Important EU institutions and bodies include the European Commission, the Council of the European Union, the European Council, the European Central Bank, the European Court of Justice and the Euro- pean Parliament. These specialized institutions and bodies always work hard to ensure the EU ultimate missions are fulfilled. Since its formation, The European Union has substantial accomplish- ments. The EU has always provided peace for the EU citizens; with growing threats to a peaceful society, the EU has introduced several measures to combat the threats of unrest and terrorism. Secondly, the EU has been a leader in the environmental protection; for example, The EU was the leader in the Kyoto Drive aimed to reduce air pollution and in the Copenhagen process aimed to combat global warming. Besides these achievements, the EU has promoted equal opportunities and fought discrimination, as well as procured safer and cheaper air transportation within Member States. 2 3 2. The Refugee Crisis in EU: The European migrant crisis or European refugee crisis began in 2015, when a rising number of refugees and migrantsmade the journey to the European Union (EU) to seek asylum, traveling across the Mediterranean Sea or through Southeast Europe. They came from areas such as West- ern and South Asia, Africa, and the Western Balkans.According to The European Commission , by the end of February 2016, over 1.1 million people – refugees, displaced persons and other migrants – have made their way to the European Union, either escaping conflict in their country and in search of better economic prospects. Many people arrive in the European Union after perilous land or sea journeys and require basic humanitarian assistance, such as provision of clean water, health care, emergency shelter and legal aid. Many of these displaced people are children who have special protection needs. The Refugee Crisis in Europe is a controversial crisis this year, and it calls for urgent policies of the Eu- ropean Nations to protect the safety and the humanity of the refugees. BACKGROUND INFORMATION I. The refugee crisis - Key facts: 1. The migrants’ countries of origin According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the top three nationalities of the over one million Mediterranean Sea arrivals in 2015 were Syrian (49%), Afghan (21%) and Iraqi (8%).The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. But the ongo- ing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, abuses in Eritrea, as well as pover- ty in Kosovo, are also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere. Source: BBC 4 5 2. The migrants’ destinations 3. The migrants’ way to Europe The refugees are heading for most developed countries with high living The majority of refugees travel across the Mediterranean Sea or through conditions in the EU. Germany received the highest number of new asy- Southeast Europe to get into European countries. The International Or- lum applications in 2015, with more than 476,000. But far more people ganization for Migration (IOM) estimates that more than 1,011,700mi- have arrived in the country - German officials said more than a million grants arrived by sea in 2015, and almost 34,900 by land.The EU’s had been counted in Germany’s “EASY” system for counting and dis- external border force, Frontex, monitors the different routes migrants use tributing people before they make asylum claims.Hungary moved into and numbers arriving at Europe’s borders and put the figure crossing into second place for asylum applications, as more migrants made the jour- Europe in 2015 at more than 1,800,000. ney overland through Greece and the Western Balkans. Hungary had Most of those heading for Greece take the relatively short voyage from 177,130 applications by the end of December 2015. Turkey to the islands of Kos, Chios, Lesvos and Samos - often in flimsy rubber dinghies or small wooden boats. 6 7 4. The dangerous journeys 5. Responses from the EU countries Overcrowding is thought to have been one of the reasons for the disaster. Tensions in the EU have been rising because of the disproportionate bur- According to the IOM, more than 3,770 migrants were reported to have den faced by some countries, particularly the countries where the majori- died trying to cross the Mediterranean in 2015.Most died on the crossing ty of migrants have been arriving: Greece, Italy and Hungary. from north Africa to Italy, and more than 800 died in the Aegean cross- In September, EU ministers voted by a majority to relocate 160,000 ref- ing from Turkey to Greece.The summer months are usually when most ugees EU-wide, but for now the plan will only apply to those who are in fatalities occur as it is the busiest time for migrants attempting to reach Italy and Greece. Europe.The number of deaths at sea rose to record levels in April 2015, when five boats carrying almost 2,000 migrants to Europe sank in the Another 54,000 were to be moved from Hungary, but the Hungarian Mediterranean Sea, with a combined death toll estimated at more than government