Rotterdam 2022

22nd National Conference of EYP The Netherlands

30 Years and Counting: On the Past and Future of the European Union

Dear delegate, on this webpage you will find all the necessary information to prepare for and look back on Rotterdam 2022, the 22nd National Conference of EYP the Netherlands. In the past month, the voluntary teams have been working tremendously hard to facilitate this 4-day session in the original format: live, with 150 people from all over Europe, in the Dutch trade metropole of Rotterdam! Take your time to check off the to do list, pack your essentials, study the Academic Topic Overviews and enjoy the media projects. You can also take a look at the program and venues to see what awaits you. In case you have any questions, you can reach out to [email protected] or any of the listed contacts in the teams. See you soon in Rotterdam!

Resolutions

AFCO – DROI – SEDE – ENVI – FEMM – ITRE – AFET – IMCO

Covid-19 regulations

In accordance with Dutch law and cooperation with the local government and our venues, the National Conference of Rotterdam 2022 will be organised physically. To be able to do this safely, there will be a number of regulations at this event. If you have any questions, please contact Minke van der Heide via [email protected], if you are a delegate, or Thomas Musie via [email protected] if you are an Official. In urgent cases at the conference, for example if you have a positive test, please immediately contact the NC Board by calling +31 (0)84 8691833 or +316 20162643!

Testing and QR-codes

To make this event possible, we will have a strict testing policy. Coming together with 150 people, even
considering the measurements already in place, is inherently risky. We intend to minimise this risk by
testing. We therefore ask our participants to:

  • Show a valid QR-code every day of the event. A valid QR-code according to Dutch law can be
    acquired by either being fully vaccinated (14 days after the last injection within the past 9 months), receiving a negative test result less than 24 hours ago, or having recovered from COVID-19 in the pastmonths. If your QR-code needs to be renewed during the session by going to a testing facility, this will be facilitated, please contact either [email protected] or [email protected].
  • Show a negative test result before entering the conference. This test must be done
    before the event, and can be either an antigen-test or PCR-test. This goes for everyone,
    regardless of vaccination or booster status. The only exception to this rule is having been
    recovered from COVID-19 in the last six weeks.
  • Give permission to administer a self-test every day of the conference. The only exception to this rule is having been recovered from COVID-19 in the last six weeks.

Quarantine

Unfortunately it is possible that one of the participants develops symptoms before or during the event, or
gets notified they have been in contact with someone that has tested positive. To ensure safety at our
event, we will be enforcing a strict quarantine-policy. We ask our participants to not come to the event
or leave the event if they have:

  • A positive test or self-test;
  • Developed symptoms related to COVID-19;
  • Received a notification that they have been in contact with someone who tested positive for
    COVID-19, even if the participants are vaccinated and/or received a booster. Under this contact
    falls a minimum of 15 minutes of interaction within 1.5 metres. These 15 minutes do not have to
    be continuous, but can also be cumulative.

Leaving the event can mean going home and quarantining there. It can also mean, especially for those
who cannot go home, being asked to quarantine in a room of the hostel. The participant will be asked to
do an official test, and share the results. If this result is positive, the participant has to leave the event.

For a quick overview of the implications, check out above flowchart.

Measures

At this event, we will be following the rules set in place by the Dutch government regarding events.

  • Distancing At this event, participants will be required to keep 1.5 metres distance from each other at all times. This will be achieved through fixed seating at 1.5 metres distance. We will also be minimising the amount of participants that are together at the same time. Moments like transfers, as well as eating breaks such as lunch will be done in shis. Therefore there will be more space and it will be easier to maintain this 1,5 metres.
  • Masks According to Dutch law, masks must be worn at a venue of higher education, also while seated. The wearing of masks will therefore be mandatory for the part of the conference that is held at a venue of higher education. At other venues, such as the hostel, the rules of the venue will also be followed. Likely, masks will be mandatory at these venues as well, also while seated. While being outside, masks are not mandatory, but participants are always free to wear one. There will be medical masks available at the conference. We prefer medical masks (any type allowed) instead of textile or other non-medical masks.
  • Ventilation To ensure the rooms will be ventilated, we advise our participants to frequently air out their hostel rooms. During the day at our venues, we will make sure to ventilate the rooms frequently by opening the windows.
  • Disinfecting We advise our participants to frequently disinfect their hands or wash them thoroughly for at least 20 seconds with soap. For example before lunch, or aer touching materials that have been touched by many others (bathroom, staircase, etc.). We will be providing disinfectant. We will also be disinfecting surfaces, and for example during lunch there are designated people handing out the food with gloves.
  • Other measures Measures such as coughing and sneezing in your elbow, staying at home when having symptoms and other basic measures will also be in place at this event. We are not able to check whether these measures are followed by all our participants, so we rely on their individual responsibility to ensure their hygiene. We also would like to urge our participants to stay home if they have symptoms, as well as to let the organisation of this conference know as soon as they develop any symptoms during the event. We will also employ bubbles for the committees, to minimise the amount of people one participant is in contact with. 

Introductory information

EYP EXPLAINED

WHAT IS EYP?
The European Youth Parliament is a non-profit organisation that is active all over Europe. They organise events throughout the year, but the most common ones are Regional sessions, national sessions and international sessions. During these sessions, the three main goals are skill development, gaining knowledge and empowering young people. 

WHAT IS AN NC?
The word ‘NC’ stands for ‘National Conference’. This is where you will get together with fellow selected delegates from all the other regional selection conferences from earlier this year. At an NC, you will generally participate in all the elements at a higher level than you are used to from the regionals. 

WHAT COMES AFTER THE NC?
The NC is the last stop in the selection process for most delegates. There is the possibility of being selected for International Sessions or for Regional or National sessions in other European countries, but this is not the prime goal of the session. If this is not the case for you, your EYP journey can still continue to thrive. You can participate in upcoming EYP events both in the Netherlands, as well as in other countries in Europe. You can do this as a delegate or you can become an ‘official’, to either be a media team member, an organiser, jury member or chairperson. 

EYP EXPLAINED

TEAMBUILDING
We will kick off the session with a day of teambuilding. This is one of the core elements of the session, and it is the part in which you will get to know your fellow delegates and chairperson. This is important, because EYP is supposed to be a safe environment for skill development, gaining knowledge and empowerment. You can only participate to your fullest at the session if you trust your committee, can communicate and perhaps most important of all, get along with your fellow delegates. EYP has the long-standing practice of achieving this goal through playing challenging games. Your chairperson, who will be your guide and support throughout the session, will challenge you to a series of games and puzzles. By working together, you will prepare for the other parts of the session by turning your Committee into a well-functioning team. The dress code for this part is casual.

PANEL DEBATE
We will end teambuilding with a very special programme. Interesting speakers who all have a political background will come together to debate current European topics, in the form of a panel debate. You as delegates will be allowed to ask questions and learn from the interesting people we have invited.

EUROCONCERT
Participants will be given the opportunity to display their talents on Saturday. This can take many forms, feel free to be creative! All participants are invited to take part in the Euroconcert. If you want to participate, please make sure to sign up via one of the forms we will send you.

COMMITTEE WORK
Committee Work will take up most of the session’s time. It is also one of the more serious and formal parts of the session. During this part of the session, you will try to build a solid understanding of the assigned topic and brainstorm about the problems, solutions and facts related to the subject. All this will be under the guidance of your chairperson, who has spent the past months trying to get acquainted with the subject as much as possible. You and your fellow committee members will write a high-quality resolution, which will present your vision to solving the biggest issues of your topic. The goal is to reach consensus, supported by well-grounded arguments. The way to do this is to have a personal opinion, stemming from good academic preparation. It is important to remember though that you may try to convince others of your opinion, but should always be open to the opinions of others and respect their views. Eventually, your committee should be able to present a resolution that is supported by every delegate. The dress code is smart casual.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The last day of the session will be all about debate: the General Assembly. All committees will present their resolutions, to which the fellow delegates may respond and create a debate. The time set aside for each topic will be around forty minutes, but the President and the Session Board can choose to prolong this or cut it short. The proposing committee is responsible for leading the debate and defending the debate. At the end of each debate about a topic, a vote will be taken to determine if the resolution will be passed or not. Furthermore, if you are able, you may dress formally for this part of the session, even from behind your screens. It is however not a must.

Venues

Accommodation

StayOkay Rotterdam

Officials Training and Committee Work

Erasmus University College (EUC)

Team Building

Rotterdamse VolksUniversiteit

Panel Debate and Opening Ceremony

Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg

Euroconcert

Reverse Rotterdam

General Assembly

Debatpodium Arminius

Program

When? What? Where?
09.00-10.00 Arrival Officials StayOkay
10.00-11.00 General Team Building Officials StayOkay/Blaak
11.00-12.30 Training Officials EUC
12.30-13.30 Lunch EUC
13.30-15.30 Training Officials EUC
15.30-16.00 Coffee Break EUC
16.00-18.00 Training Officials EUC
18.00-18.15 Transfer back to StayOkay
18.15-22.00 Dinner + evening program StayOkay + other locations
When? What? Where?
09.00-10.00 Arrival delegates StayOkay
10.00-10.30 General Team Building StayOkay/Blaak
10.30-11.00 Transfer to Team Building venue
11.00-13.00 Team Building VolksUniversiteit
13.00-14.00 Lunch VolksUniversiteit
14.00-15.30 Team Building VolksUniversiteit
15.30-16.00 Transfer to OC + PD Venue
16.00-17.00 Scanning QR codes to enter venue Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg
17.00-18.30 Opening Ceremony & Panel Debate Theater Rotterdam Schouwburg
18.30-19.00 Transfer to Committee dinners
19.00-21.00  Committee Dinners Rotterdam
21.00-21.30 Transfer back to StayOkay
When? What? Where?
08.30 – 09.00 Transfer to EUC
09.00 – 11.00 Committee Work EUC
11.00 – 11.30 Coffee Break EUC
11.30 – 13.00 Committee Work EUC
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch EUC
14.00 – 16.00 Committee Work EUC
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee Break EUC
16.30 – 18.00 Committee Work EUC
18.00 – 19.00 Dinner EUC
19.00 – 19.30 Transfer to Euro Concert
19.30 – 21.30 Euro Concert Reverse
21.30 – 22.00 Transfer back to StayOkay
When? What? Where?
08.30 – 09.00 Transfer to EUC
09.00 – 11.00 Committee Work EUC
11.00 – 11.30 Coffee Break EUC
11.30 – 13.00 Committee Work EUC
13.00 – 14.00 Lunch EUC
14.00 – 16.00 Committee Work EUC
16.00 – 16.30 Coffee Break EUC
16.30 – 18.00 Committee Work EUC
18.00 – 19.30 Dinner EUC
20.00 – 21:00 Workshops StayOkay
When? What? Where?
08.30 – 09.00 Transfer to General Assembly
09.00 – 09.15 Set up General Assembly Debatpodium Arminius
09.15 – 10.00 Debate 1 Debatpodium Arminius
10.00 – 10.45 Debate 2 Debatpodium Arminius
10.45 – 11.15 Coffee Break Debatpodium Arminius
11.15 – 12.00 Debate 3 Debatpodium Arminius
12.00 – 12.45 Debate 4 Debatpodium Arminius
12.45 – 13.45 Lunch Debatpodium Arminius
13.45 – 14.30 Debate 5 Debatpodium Arminius
14.30 – 15.15 Debate 6 Debatpodium Arminius
15.15 – 15.45 Coffee Break Debatpodium Arminius
15.45 – 16.30 Debate 7 Debatpodium Arminius
16.30 – 17.15 Debate 8 Debatpodium Arminius
17.15 – 17.30 Small break Debatpodium Arminius
17.30 – 18.00 Closing Ceremony Debatpodium Arminius

To do list

ACADEMIC PREPARATION
It is important that you start the session well prepared and that you do research on your topic beforehand. You will need a basic understanding of your topic to be able to keep up with and contribute to the discussions and you will use your research during committee work. Therefore the Academic Team wrote extensive Topic Overviews for all committees. You are advised to read and study the one for your Committee below. Also, often you will find certain material like EU legislation or facts and figures to be useful in your preparations. If you need help with your research you can always contact your chairperson beforehand. We recommend looking into the other topics as well so that you can participate in all the debates. For the sake of sustainability, we would like to advise you to do your prep-work online.

CONSENT FORMS
Please fill out the right consent form and send it to [email protected] before the 6th of February. If you are an adult (18 years or older) you have to sign the form yourself. If you are a minor (age under 18), a parent or legal guardian has to sign the form for you. You can find the forms in your inbox, sent by [email protected] 

REGISTRATION FORM
It is important that you fill in the registration before the 6th of February to finish your registration. This form contains questions regarding your contact information, emergency contact information, travel information, medical information and your topic preferences. Without this you can’t participate in the event.

Packing list

ESSENTIALS

  • ID and/or passport
  • Health insurance card 
  • Money for Evening Programme around 15 euros for Committee Dinners in cash, plus how much you expect to spend on the (non-obligatory) non-alcoholic drinks and/or snacks during other Evening Programme events.

CLOTHING

  • Casual clothing for Teambuilding (Friday)
  • Smart casual clothing for Committee Work (Saturday & Sunday)
  • Business formal clothing for General Assembly (Monday)
  • Pyjamas

COVID-19

  • A QR code (CTB) that works for the duration of the session 
  • If you don’t have this or need to renew your QR code during the session, please let this know in the delegate registration form and/or email to [email protected]
  • 5 COVID-19 selftests.

ACADEMICS

  • Research material & Topic Overviews for Committee Work (digitally available, preferrably not printed)
  • Pen & Paper
  • Laptop & charger if you have them

PERSONAL ITEMS

  • Any (emergency) medication you may need
    Please note: we are not allowed to provide you with any form of medication. This even includes coughing tablets or painkillers. If you think you may need these, please bring them yourself!
  • Toiletries: Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant etc
  • Towels and showering products
  • Phone & charger
  • Lots of excitement and a good mood!

Topic Overviews

Officials

ORGANISING TEAM

Job Kemperman, Sophie Gatsonides and Dana Kijl Head-Organisers
Event Managers
Saskia van Berloo National Coordinator
Board Representative
Suzanne van Spijker Treasurer
Board Representative

TEAM LEADERS

Anastasia Khairova HR
President
Anouck Guillot BE
Editor
Jarne van der Poel NL
Head of Jury