Model European Parliament
Frequency	Biannual (spring & autumn)
Location(s)	Varies
Years active	Since 1994
Previous event	Autumn 2023: Prague, Czech Republic
Next event	Spring 2024: Tallinn, Estonia
Participants	180 students per session
Organised by	Model European Parliament Foundation

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.^[1] Two sessions are held each year, each involving 180 secondary school students.^[2]

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.^[3] 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.^[4] The elder members are titled as Presidents or Chairs, while the youngers are entitled as delegates.

Participating countries

General Assembly of a Spanish regional MEP held in the Cortes (legislative assembly) of Castile and León, 2008/2009

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.^[5]

Connections to politics

Famous members of the European Parliament often visit the MEP, hold speeches and participate in debates. Some delegates of the international session in Brussels in February 2023 had the honour to be welcomed by the President of the European Parliament Roberta Metsola. Also the First Vice President of the European Parliament Othmar Karas and the Vice Presidents Rainer Wieland and Evelyn Regner visited the session in several parts of the programme. The General Assembly of the sessions is often held in real Parliamentary or governmental buildings of the hosting country, region or city or the European Union. In 2019 there was a General Assembly in the real building of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. The international session in February 2023 in Brussels had the General Assembly in the building of the European Committee of the Regions. Also national parliaments like the Narodno Sabranie in Sofia,Bulgaria, hosted international sessions in their plenary hall.

List of international sessions

The following international sessions have been held or announced:^[6]

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.^[7]

List of MEP BSR sessions:^[8]

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.^[9]

List of MEP CSEE sessions:

1. 2001 Autumn:  Austria, Vienna
2. 2002 Autumn:  Italy, Capri/Rome
3. 2003 Autumn:  Slovenia, Ljutomer
4. 2015 Autumn:  Romania, Bucharest
5. 2016 Autumn:  Bulgaria, Sofia
6. 2018 Spring:  Slovenia, Ljutomer
7. 2018 Autumn:  Austria, Vienna
8. 2019 Autumn:  Hungary, Budapest
9. 2021 Spring:  Slovak Republic, Bratislava (online)
10. 2021 Autumn:  Romania, Bucharest (online)
11. 2022 Autumn:  Hungary, Szeged
12. 2024 Spring:  Germany, Munich

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, Ireland and the Netherlands.

List of WEMEP sessions:

1. 2016 Autumn:  Netherlands, The Hague
2. 2018 Spring:  Belgium, Lier
3. 2019 Spring:  Germany, Koblenz/Bonn
4. 2020 Spring:  Luxembourg, Luxembourg City
5. 2023 Spring:  The Netherlands, The Hague
6. 2024 Spring:  Belgium, Lier

Model European Parliament Mediterranean Region

The Model European Parliament Mediterranean Region is a non-partisan leadership programme for youth in Mediterranean countries. The aim of the MED MEP Region programme is to develop interest and skills in addressing high level international issues jointly among high-school students. The program is a training ground for future leaders and politicians, and is mainly aimed at Italy, Croatia, Albania, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Malta, Cyprus, France and Turkey^[10]

List of MEP MED sessions:

1. 2017 Autumn:  Italy, Naples
2. 2018: Autumn:  Greece, Athens
3. 2019: Autumn:  Cyprus, Nicosia
4. 2022: Autumn:  Italy, Milan
5. 2023: Autumn:  Spain, Madrid To be decided

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.^[11][12]

See also

• Model United Nations

References