Model European Communities Project
Encyclopedia
The Model European Communities Programme (MECP) is a yearly political simulation organised by the European School
s. Selected students from each of the 12 schools take on roles as politicians from the 27 member states of the EU, and take part in a 3 day run of council and plenary sessions. It is divided into MEC (Model European Council) and MEP (Model European Parliament).
Each of the 13 European Schools sends one or more delegations of students to the MEC, each of which represents one of the EU's member states. The country represented has nothing to do with the location of the school; for example, the Luxembourg delegation may represent Italy, France or Malta, while Luxembourg itself may be "played" by students from Varese
. Students of all nationalities make up the respective delegations.
Each delegation has its representative for each of the councils, e.g. Head of State
, Economics and Finance, etc. The number of councils has usually been eight; however, due to the accession of 10 new members states in 2004, the 2005 MEC will only contain 4 councils, each attended by 27 national representatives. Additionally, the European Commission is represented in the simulation, as in real life.
Two schools, Luxembourg and Culham
(UK), also provide a team of journalists. Each school produces several issues of a newspaper (often competing to some extent) reporting on the Councils, which are distributed around all the delegates. These papers are edited by one or two of the students. Their names are usually a play on words, such as "EUtopia" or "Eurostar". The journalists address the issues and events of the councils from a variety of angles.
At Alicante in 2008, the European School of Mol provided their video team, VCMol, for Press Coverage and Daily News Reports. These included exclusive interviews with numerous delegates, and news from throughout the day. This provided the politicians with the additional experience of live coverage. Much of the organising of this new feature was handled by Mr. D. Roe and Mr. Mark Hersch
The MEC 2010 will again be held in facilities provided by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
in Alicante.
The councils discuss and amend proposals put forward before the MEC by the Presidency (the member state which is presiding over the Council at the time) and the Commission. These are then symbolically put together and signed at the end of the MEC by the heads of state.
Mainstream parties such as Socialists and Conservatives
have the largest number of seats, again in keeping with the real world, while smaller parties like the Communists and Nationalists have only few members. Since the MECP is a roleplaying activity, the (sometimes extreme) opinions voiced by the members are not necessarily their own. The delegates are charged with accurately representing the interests of their country and the views of their party.
In the Model European Parliament, delegates come from multiple schools all over Europe.
There exists another simulation named MEP (Model European Parliament) based on a Dutch program which was implemented in many other EU countries since 1994. It has nothing to do with the MEC/MEP although the proceedings and the structure are quite similar to each other. The countries taking part have national sessions every year, the international sessions are held twice a year.
The links at the end of this page refer to this MEP program.
European School
The European Schools are co-educational schools providing nursery, primary and secondary. They are established to provide free education for children of personnel of the European Institutions and leading to the European Baccalaureate. Other children may be admitted subject to the availability of...
s. Selected students from each of the 12 schools take on roles as politicians from the 27 member states of the EU, and take part in a 3 day run of council and plenary sessions. It is divided into MEC (Model European Council) and MEP (Model European Parliament).
MEC
MEC started with two teachers, Mr James Campbell (European School of Culham) and Mr Michael Farrar (European School of Brussels I – Uccle).Each of the 13 European Schools sends one or more delegations of students to the MEC, each of which represents one of the EU's member states. The country represented has nothing to do with the location of the school; for example, the Luxembourg delegation may represent Italy, France or Malta, while Luxembourg itself may be "played" by students from Varese
Varese
Varese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
. Students of all nationalities make up the respective delegations.
Each delegation has its representative for each of the councils, e.g. Head of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
, Economics and Finance, etc. The number of councils has usually been eight; however, due to the accession of 10 new members states in 2004, the 2005 MEC will only contain 4 councils, each attended by 27 national representatives. Additionally, the European Commission is represented in the simulation, as in real life.
Two schools, Luxembourg and Culham
Culham
Culham is a village and civil parish on the north bank of the River Thames, just over south of Abingdon in Oxfordshire.-Manor:The toponym comes from the Old English Cula's hamm, referring to the village's position in a bend of the Thames...
(UK), also provide a team of journalists. Each school produces several issues of a newspaper (often competing to some extent) reporting on the Councils, which are distributed around all the delegates. These papers are edited by one or two of the students. Their names are usually a play on words, such as "EUtopia" or "Eurostar". The journalists address the issues and events of the councils from a variety of angles.
At Alicante in 2008, the European School of Mol provided their video team, VCMol, for Press Coverage and Daily News Reports. These included exclusive interviews with numerous delegates, and news from throughout the day. This provided the politicians with the additional experience of live coverage. Much of the organising of this new feature was handled by Mr. D. Roe and Mr. Mark Hersch
The MEC 2010 will again be held in facilities provided by the Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market
The Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market , or OHIM is the trademark and designs registry for the internal market of the European Union. It is based in Alicante, Spain, and its president is António Campinos.- Task :...
in Alicante.
The councils discuss and amend proposals put forward before the MEC by the Presidency (the member state which is presiding over the Council at the time) and the Commission. These are then symbolically put together and signed at the end of the MEC by the heads of state.
MEP
At intervals of around 4 to 5 years, an MEP (Model European Parliament) is held instead of an MEC. The principle is the same, except each student is assigned to a political party, and these parties then debate the proposals in various committees, similar to the councils of the MEC. A notable difference to MEC is that the host school provides a temporary president to begin proceedings; a president and two vice presidents are then elected from the different parties, who then chair the plenary sessions.Mainstream parties such as Socialists and Conservatives
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
have the largest number of seats, again in keeping with the real world, while smaller parties like the Communists and Nationalists have only few members. Since the MECP is a roleplaying activity, the (sometimes extreme) opinions voiced by the members are not necessarily their own. The delegates are charged with accurately representing the interests of their country and the views of their party.
In the Model European Parliament, delegates come from multiple schools all over Europe.
There exists another simulation named MEP (Model European Parliament) based on a Dutch program which was implemented in many other EU countries since 1994. It has nothing to do with the MEC/MEP although the proceedings and the structure are quite similar to each other. The countries taking part have national sessions every year, the international sessions are held twice a year.
The links at the end of this page refer to this MEP program.
Languages
Officially, the MEC is held in the three working languages of the European Schools (English, German and French). In practice this is made possible by interpreters (as in the real European Council). In the absence of interpreters, English is often (though not invariably) used as the de facto working language. The newspapers strive to report equally in all three languages, though once again English often dominates.Recent MECPs
- 1996: MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany - 1997: Copenhague, Denmark
- 1999: FrankfurtFrankfurtFrankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
, Germany - 2000: MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany - 2001: MadridMadridMadrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain - 2002: Göteborg, Sweden (There is no European School in Sweden; the Swedish school which hosted the MEC has been taking part ever since)
- 2003: MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany (European Patent OfficeEuropean Patent OrganisationThe European Patent Organisation is a public international organisation created in 1977 by its contracting states to grant patents in Europe under the European Patent Convention of 1973...
) - 2004: Luxembourg (MEP, see above)
- 2005: AlicanteAlicanteAlicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain (First MEC with 25 member states)- The MEC in Alicante was hosted by the OHIMOffice for Harmonization in the Internal MarketThe Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market , or OHIM is the trademark and designs registry for the internal market of the European Union. It is based in Alicante, Spain, and its president is António Campinos.- Task :...
building
- The MEC in Alicante was hosted by the OHIM
- 2006: BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
(Eurocontrol) - 2007: Göteborg, Sweden
- 2008: AlicanteAlicanteAlicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain - 2009: BrusselsBrusselsBrussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Belgium - 2010: AlicanteAlicanteAlicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
, Spain - 2011: VareseVareseVarese is a town and comune in north-western Lombardy, northern Italy, 55 km north of Milan.It is the capital of the Province of Varese. The hinterland or urban part of the city is called Varesotto.- Geography :...
, Italy - 2012: MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Germany (European Patent OfficeEuropean Patent OrganisationThe European Patent Organisation is a public international organisation created in 1977 by its contracting states to grant patents in Europe under the European Patent Convention of 1973...
)