Editing Model European Parliament

{{Distinguish|Model European Union Strasbourg|European Youth Parliament}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2013}}
{{Infobox recurring event
|name          = Model European Parliament
|logo          = 
File:Official logo of Model European Parliament (MEP).jpg
|image         = 
|imagesize     = 
|caption       = 
|date          = 
|begins        = 
|ends          = 
|frequency     = Biannual (spring & autumn)
|location      = Varies
|years_active  = Since 1994
|first         = 
|last          = 
|prev          = 60th Edition (12 October - 19 October 2024): [[Athens]] (GR)
|next          = 61st edition (22 February - 1 March 2025): [[Strasbourg]] (FR), [[Kehl]] (DE)
|participants  = 180 students per session
|attendance    = 
|organised     = Model European Parliament Foundation
|website       = {{url|https://mepeurope.eu/|mepeurope.eu}}
|footnotes     = 
}}
Model European Parliament is a registered trademark of SC Entire Events SRL based in Romania. Anyone using the logo and name of the event without the owner's consent is subject to EU law.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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Model European Parliament|url=http://www.goethe.de/kue/flm/prj/kub/pol/en4084054.htm|publisher=Goethe Institute|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref> Two sessions are held each year, each involving 180 secondary school students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wymondhamcollege.org/A-World-of-Opportunities/Model-European-Parliament-154/MEP-Norwich-2013-1271|title=Model European Parliament|publisher=Wymondham College|accessdate=20 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304115210/http://www.wymondhamcollege.org/A-World-of-Opportunities/Model-European-Parliament-154/MEP-Norwich-2013-1271|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Guidelines for MEP sessions|url=http://www.mepitalia.eu/mep/gfe/view.php?file=Materiali+sessioni+ed+eventi/Sessioni+Internazionali/2012+Sessione+Internazionale+Madrid/GUIDELINES+MEP+SESSIONS.pdf|accessdate=16 April 2013|author=MEP Foundation|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204600/http://www.mepitalia.eu/mep/gfe/view.php?file=Materiali+sessioni+ed+eventi%2FSessioni+Internazionali%2F2012+Sessione+Internazionale+Madrid%2FGUIDELINES+MEP+SESSIONS.pdf|archivedate=3 March 2016}}</ref> 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]].<ref>{{cite web|title=MEP Netherlands|url=http://www.mepnederland.nl/|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref>
The elder members are titled as Presidents or Chairs, while the youngers are entitled as delegates.

==Participating countries==
[[File:Asamblea autonómica del MEP 2008-2009 (Cortes de Castilla y León).jpg|thumb|General Assembly of a Spanish regional MEP held in the Cortes (legislative assembly) of [[Castile and León]], 2008/2009]]

{{As of|2025}}, participants come from all 27 [[member states of the European Union]] as well as five of the nine [[Potential enlargement of the European Union|candidate countries]] for membership, [[North Macedonia]], [[Turkey]], [[Serbia]], [[Montenegro]] and [[Albania]]. There are also three [[Observer status|guest countries]] of the MEP which also participate, including [[Iceland]], [[Norway]] and the [[United Kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=National MEP organisers |url=https://mepeurope.eu/about/national-organisers/ |access-date=26 January 2025 |website=Model European Parliament}}</ref> 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 narrower scope.<ref>{{cite web|title=What is the Model European Parliament?|url=http://www.mepnorwich2013.org/mep.php|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130704074030/http://www.mepnorwich2013.org/mep.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=4 July 2013|publisher=MEP Norwich 2013|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref>

==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:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mepeurope.eu/all-mep-sessions/|title=All MEP Sessions|publisher=MEP Europe|accessdate=23 February 2023}}</ref>
{{div col}}
#1994 Spring: {{flag|Netherlands}}, The Hague/Maastricht
#1995 Spring: {{flag|Netherlands}}, The Hague
#1996 Spring: {{flag|France}}, Paris
#1996 Autumn: {{flag|Ireland}}, Dublin
#1997 Spring: {{flag|United Kingdom}}, Stowe/Oxford
#1997 Autumn: {{flag|Italy}}, Carpi/Bologna
#1998 Spring: {{flag|Sweden}}, Stockholm
#1998 Autumn: {{flag|Spain}}, Madrid
#1999 Spring: {{flag|Germany}}, Bonn
#1999 Autumn: {{flag|Luxembourg}}, Luxembourg
#2000 Spring: {{flag|Portugal}}, Lisbon
#2000 Autumn: {{flag|Austria}}, Vienna
#2001 Spring: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2001 Autumn: {{flag|Netherlands}}, Rotterdam
#2002 Spring: {{flag|Slovenia}}, Ljubljana
#2002 Autumn: {{flag|Ireland}}, Dublin
#2003 Spring: {{flag|Finland}}, Helsinki
#2003 Autumn: {{flag|Greece}}, Athens
#2004 Spring: {{flag|Poland}}, Warsaw
#2004 Spring: {{flag|Luxembourg}}, Luxembourg
#2004 Autumn: {{flag|Hungary}}, Budapest
#2005 Spring: {{flag|Netherlands}}, The Hague
#2005 Autumn: {{flag|Spain}}, Madrid
#2006 Spring: {{flag|Lithuania}}, Vilnius
#2006 Autumn: {{flag|Slovenia}}, Ljutomer / Ljubljana
#2007 Spring: {{flag|Bulgaria}}, Sofia
#2007 Autumn: {{flag|Italy}}, Rome
#2008 Spring: {{flag|Sweden}}, Stockholm
#2008 Autumn: {{flag|Slovak Republic}}, Bratislava
#2009 Spring: {{flag|Cyprus}}, Nicosia
#2009 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Bonn
#2010 Spring: {{flag|Netherlands}}, The Hague
#2010 Autumn: {{flag|Turkey}}, Istanbul
#2011 Spring: {{flag|Estonia}}, Tallinn
#2011 Autumn: {{flag|North Macedonia}}, Skopje
#2012 Spring: {{flag|Slovenia}}, Ljutomer / Ljubljana
#2012 Autumn: {{flag|Spain}}, Madrid
#2013 Spring: {{flag|United Kingdom}}, Norwich
#2013 Autumn: {{flag|Lithuania}}, Vilnius
#2014 Spring: {{flag|Austria}}, Vienna
#2014 Autumn: {{flag|Luxembourg}}, Luxembourg
#2015 Spring: {{flag|Italy}}, Naples / Rome
#2015 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Berlin 	
#2016 Spring: {{flag|Hungary}}, Budapest 	
#2016 Autumn: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2017 Spring: {{flag|Netherlands}}, Maastricht
#2017 Autumn: {{flag|Finland}}, Helsinki
#2018 Spring: {{flag|Estonia}}, Tallinn
#2018 Autumn: {{flag|Spain}}, Toledo / Madrid
#2019 Spring: {{flag|France}}, Paris / Strasbourg
#2019 Autumn: {{flag|Malta}}, Valletta
#2020 Autumn: {{flag|Sweden}}, Stockholm (online)
#2021 Spring: {{flag|Austria}}, Vienna (online)
#2021 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Berlin (online)
#2022 Spring: {{flag|Romania}}, Bucharest
#2022 Autumn: {{flag|Bulgaria}}, Sofia
#2023 Spring: {{flag|Belgium}}, Brussels
#2023 Autumn: {{flag|Czech Republic}}, Prague
#2024 Spring: {{flag|Estonia}}, Tallinn
#2024 Autumn: {{flag|Greece}}, Athens
#2025 Spring: {{flag|France}}, Strasbourg
#2025 Autumn: {{flag|Netherlands}}, The Hague
{{div col end}}

==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.<ref>{{cite web|title=About MEP BSR|url=http://www.mepbsr.org/about-mep-bsr/|accessdate=15 April 2013}}</ref>

List of MEP BSR sessions:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mepbsr.org/th_event_cat/past-sessions-2/|title=Past sessions|work=MEP Baltic Sea Region|accessdate=6 October 2015}}</ref>
{{div col}}
#2005 Spring: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2006 Spring: {{flag|Estonia}}, Tallinn
#2006 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Bremen
#2007 Spring: {{flag|Denmark}}/{{flag|Sweden}}, Øresund Region
#2007 Autumn: {{flag|Latvia}}, Riga
#2008 Spring: {{flag|Finland}}, Helsinki
#2008 Autumn: {{flag|Russia}}, St. Petersburg
#2009 Spring: {{flag|Poland}}, Toruń
#2009 Autumn: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2010 Spring: {{flag|Sweden}}, Stockholm
#2010 Autumn: {{flag|Russia}}, Kaliningrad
#2011 Spring: {{flag|Lithuania}}, Vilnius
#2011 Autumn: {{flag|Poland}}, Gdańsk/Gdynia
#2012 Spring: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2012 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Leipzig
#2013 Spring: {{flag|Iceland}}, Reykjavik
#2013 Autumn: {{flag|Belgium}}, Brugge/Blankenberge
#2014 Spring: {{flag|Estonia}}, Tartu
#2014 Autumn: {{flag|Sweden}}, Stockholm
#2015 Spring: {{flag|Finland}}, Helsinki
#2015 Autumn: {{flag|Norway}}, Oslo/Nesbru
#2016 Spring: {{flag|Latvia}}, Riga
#2016 Autumn: {{flag|Russia}}, Kaliningrad
#2017 Spring: {{flag|Norway}}, Elverum
#2017 Autumn: {{flag|Latvia}}, Riga
#2018 Spring: {{flag|Poland}}, Iława
#2018 Autumn: {{flag|Denmark}}, Sønderborg
#2019 Spring: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2019 Autumn: {{flag|Austria}}, Vienna
#2021 Autumn: {{flag|Denmark}}, Copenhagen
#2022 Autumn: {{flag|Germany}}, Potsdam
#2023 Autumn: {{flag|Norway}}, Oslo
{{div col end}}

==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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mepcsee.eu/#aboutcsee|title=About|work=The Model European Parliament Central and South East Europe|accessdate=6 October 2015}}</ref>

List of MEP CSEE sessions:
#2001 Autumn: {{flag|Austria}}, [[Vienna]]
#2002 Autumn: {{flag|Italy}}, [[Capri]]/[[Rome]]
#2003 Autumn: {{flag|Slovenia}}, [[Ljutomer]]
#2015 Autumn: {{flag|Romania}}, [[Bucharest]]
#2016 Autumn: {{flag|Bulgaria}}, [[Sofia]]
#2018 Spring: {{flag|Slovenia}}, [[Ljutomer]]
#2018 Autumn: {{flag|Austria}}, [[Vienna]]
#2019 Autumn: {{flag|Hungary}}, [[Budapest]]
#2021 Spring: {{flag|Slovak Republic}}, [[Bratislava]] (online)
#2021 Autumn: {{Flag|Romania}}, [[Bucharest]] (online)
#2022 Autumn: {{Flag|Hungary}}, [[Szeged]]
#2024 Spring: {{flag|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: 
#2016 Autumn: {{flag|Netherlands}}, [[The Hague]]
#2018 Spring: {{flag|Belgium}}, [[Lier, Belgium|Lier]]
#2019 Spring: {{flag|Germany}}, [[Koblenz]]/[[Bonn]]
#2020 Spring: {{flag|Luxembourg}}, [[Luxembourg City]]
#2023 Spring: {{flag|The Netherlands}}, [[The Hague]]
#2024 Spring: {{flag|Belgium}}, [[Lier, 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<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mepeurope.eu/mep-mediterranean-region/|title=MEP Mediterranean Region|work=MEP|access-date=19 September 2018|language=en-US}}</ref>

List of MEP MED sessions:

# 2017 Autumn: {{Flag|Italy}}, Naples
# 2018: Autumn: {{Flag|Greece}}, Athens
# 2019: Autumn: {{Flag|Cyprus}}, Nicosia
# 2022: Autumn: {{Flag|Italy}}, Milan
# 2025: Spring: {{Flag|Spain}}, Madrid

==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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eypej.org/page.3.692.What-we-do.html|title=European Youth Parliament: What we do|publisher=European Youth Parliament|accessdate=4 May 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130524052758/http://www.eypej.org/page.3.692.What-we-do.html|archivedate=24 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://meu-strasbourg.org/index.php/what-is-meu/introduction|title=What is MEU?|publisher=MEU Strasbourg|accessdate=4 May 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518194910/http://www.meu-strasbourg.org/index.php/what-is-meu/introduction|archivedate=18 May 2013}}</ref>

==See also==
*[[Model United Nations]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

{{European Parliament}}

[[Category:Politics of the European Union]]
[[Category:Youth model government]]
[[Category:Youth organizations based in Europe]]