MEMBER OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
MEPs represent their countries as well as their political group during the debates in the European Parliament. You will be assigned to one of the eight political groups, but you will have to find allies in other groups as you try to push through your amendments – while at the same time working with the Ministers in the Council. You will have a direct impact on the proposals passed and if you work hard enough, you could even draft the most significant amendments that make or break the law.
MINISTER
In the Council of the European Union, Ministers from each Member State meet to debate the proposals as presented by the European Commission. Your primary focus as a Minister is to defend the interests of your country and the national government you are part of while cooperating and compromising with your colleagues despite competing interests and values. This can be particularly tricky as voting in the Council is based on qualified majorities, considering not only the number of countries voting, but also the number of citizens of each country. Simultaneously, you must avoid conflicts with the MEPs to make sure the proposals also reach the majority in the Parliament.
PRESS CORPS
Press Corps are a vital part of any political landscape – even if it’s a simulated one. As an MEUG 2019 part of the press corps, you’ll have the opportunity to capture different moments throughout the simulation and then present them according to your role – be it visually, as a photographer or videographer, or publishing the interpretation of your media outlet as a press team member, asking questions at press conferences or even presenting stories as a newscaster. It is thanks to Journalists that all participants can always keep track of all decisions during the extremely fast-paced sessions.
INTERPRETER
Interpreters play a pivotal role at MEUG 2019: they interpret speeches, debates and press conferences, both from English into their mother tongue and vice versa (providing relay interpreting for the other booths), thus ensuring communication among other participants is smooth. Although all participants are expected to be able to communicate in English, Interpreters make the conference more realistic, dynamic and inclusive. Interpreters work mainly in the simultaneous mode, but they also have the chance to try their hand at consecutive interpreting and chuchotage (whispered interpreting), getting the opportunity to hone a variety of interpreting skills in a real-life working environment that provides the best conditions for an excellent interpreting practice.
