Maxime Cayrou, IEE-ULB’s student, worked as the European Parliament rapporteur from the Socialists and Democrats group, to draw up a resolution project from the communication of the High representative for foreign affairs dans security policy.

This year, the Simulation du Parlement Européen Canada-Québec-Europe (SPECQUE) took place from July 27th to August 4th in Toulouse and Bordeaux, France. Amongst the four texts debated during the week, there was a subject about the Iranian nuclear programme.

For the AFET Commission, the European Commission in this Simulation proposed a communication to the European Parliament concerning the backup of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action from 2015 and strengthening of our relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

I took the role of a rapporteur of the European Parliament from the Socialists and Democrats group. It was one of the main roles of the commission because of the legal for a communication, the text amended by the Members of the European Parliament is the resolution drafted by the rapporteur.

Thus, the work for the simulation started few weeks before the beginning of the SPECQUE. During the drafting of the resolution, some of the propositions were written to create debates and others to influence those.

Main themes of the resolution

  • The return of the USA in the framework of multilateralism and the respect of the international law ;
  • The wish of conclusion for bilateral agreements between the UE and Iran ;
  • To underling the limits of INSTEX mechanism and according the extension of its application field ;
  • The setup of a European delegation in Tehran ;
  • A regional dialogue through the creation of regional structures of political dialogue and the pacification of the Ormuz strait ;
  • Finally, the condemnation of human rights law breaches.

Role play at the SPECQUE

During the first few days of simulation, in commission or in plenary, debates had been very polarized on one side by the European United Left on the other side by Independants on ideological issues about which country should we support : Iran or USA ? So, during the first days, ideas won against technicity and concrete answers to our problematic in the debate. My resolution would have remained unchanged.

Then, in front of the lack of time imposed by this exercise, ideology let place to compromise politic. The different political groups tried to start finding solutions in a spirit of consensus. Many amendments supported by the rapporteur achieved to go further our classical cleavages and to build a coherent resolution in the continuity of mine.

To read the full consolidated text, head over here.

Next year the SPECQUE will be taking place in the city of Quebec, and the ULB’s delegation will be there for more debates!