MEU 2013 Conference

Model European Union Granada 2013 (MEU Granada 2013) is a simulation of how the three main bodies of the European Union (the European Commission, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union) function. It mainly aims to provide young European students with a thorough knowledge of the decision-making process (ordinary legislative procedure) which is carried out in the EU headquarters. Although most of European politics simulations only represent one of the three main EU institutions (either the Parliament or the Council), Model European Union shows the unique feature of having the interaction of the three main institutions: the Council, the European Parliament and the European Commission.

This "institutional triangle" is in charge of defining the policies and adopting the legislation under the form of directives, regulations and decisions which are to be applied throughout the Union. The Commission is responsible for drafting and initiating new EU legislation, while the Parliament and the Council have the task of adopting, rejecting or amending it.

The Commission is played by the Organisers, who draft the directives or the regulations for the simulation in advance. The participants are assigned roles either as Members of the European Parliament or as Ministers of the Council. The discussion on the proposals is made by amending the initial text. These amendments may consist of writing new paragraphs, rewriting or erasing existing ones.

During the simulation some participants will play the role of journalists with the purpose of establishing a link between the institutions and giving a touch of reality to the event.