Do you want to discuss topics relating to the EU with other young people? Or meet like-minded people from all over Europe? And form your own opinion on current political topics? Then apply to take part in the national selection process of the European Youth Parliament!
Young people between the ages of 15 and 19 can apply either individually or as part of a delegation consisting of seven people. Teachers can accompany you, or you can take part without an accompanying teacher. Schools are limited to one application a year but it is possible to join forces with a neighbouring school to form a delegation.
Please notice: We are aware of the current Sars-CoV-2 situation. We are organising the sessions according to the federal regulations, including hygiene concepts. It is currently impossible to predict what the situation in April 2021 will look like. We have however decided that the Regional Selection Conferences will be held digitally for delegates. Everyone involved has been made aware of this decision.
Starting on the 9th May until 17th November you can apply with a thematic proposal, a so called topic overview. The applications are assessed by an independent jury consisting of over 70 people, including members of the European Parliament. The best 26 delegations and 18 individual candidates are invited to the Regional Selection Conferences.
The participants’ work during committee work and the general assembly is assessed by a jury. The jury selects the five best delegations and five individuals for the National Selection Conference. There is the additional possibility to be selected for sessions abroad.
Similar to the Regional Selection Conferences a jury assesses participation in committee work and the general assembly and then selects the two best delegations and individuals, who will represent Germany at an International Session. The next International Sessions will be taking place in Milano (Italy), Nicosia (Cyprus) and Novi Saad (Serbia) in 2021.
The European Youth Parliament’s National Selection Process is built on a long tradition as one of the most demanding school competitions in Germany. Since 1990 German school students have had the chance to discuss European politics with other young people from all over Europe, to shape the democratic decision-making processes, and experience Europe for themselves.
This year the competition promises many interesting discussions about current European topics, in-depth committee work, debates following the model of the European Parliament, and an extensive accompanying programme. Alongside the demanding discussions the participants will have the opportunity to get to know each other and the cities, where the events will be taking place - an exciting experience that will be remembered for a long time!
Young people between the ages of 15 and 19, who are interested in politics and Europe, can apply either as a delegation consisting of seven people or as an individual delegate. Only one delegation per school can apply each year. Delegations can be formed by students from neighbouring schools.
The application process for the National Selection Process 2021 is now closed. The application process was open from May, 9 until November 17, 2020.
An application includes a topic overview in English, which is written on a specific topic. This year's selection topic is:
"Digital democracy: In 2019, 50.66% of the eligible voters cast their ballot in the European Elections, marking the highest turnout in more than two decades. Nevertheless, half of all Europeans did not cast their votes. How could and should the EU use digital technologies to bridge the trust gap to its citizens, for example in the fields of e-participation and e-voting?"
Applications consist of a thematic proposal written in English, which tackles a given topic. Here you will find helpful documents:
Guide: How to write a topic overview
Question Overview Application Form
Once you have finished writing your thematic proposal you can upload in the following online form, where you also submit further personal information for all participants. The template including your proposal should be uploaded as a Word document (.doc/.docx). To make the following process easier the name of the contact person and the school should be clearly visible in the title of the document: "firstname.surname_school.docx"
The fee for taking part in a regional session is 25€, for the national session this fee is 60€. These include all accommodation and food during the event. Any travel costs need to be covered by the participants themselves. In the past many participants have been able to receive sponsoring for costs connected to their participation from local companies or MPs.
In addition there is the option to apply for our grant programme, which offers a partial reimbursement for travel costs and participation fees. If you have any questions you can contact our office using the following email address and telephone number: info@eyp.de and +49 (0) 30 629 383 28.
You can find an overview of the competition and help with frequently asked questions in the guideline, which is accessible here:
Competition GuidelineThe applications are assessed by an independent jury. It works independently in that the majority of it is occupied by members who are not dependent on our organisation or the office. Together they examine the students' contributions and work open-ended. All applications are treated and assessed individually. The evaluation criteria announced to the participants also apply to the jury work. The jurors are also prepared for their work and assess applications without distinction of any kind, such as race or ethnicity, gender, religious beliefs, disability or sexual preference.
The following people formed the jury for the National Selection Process 2020: Markus Ferber, MdEP Jens Geier, MdEP Jens Gieseke, MdEP Helmut Scholz, MdEP Ismail Ertug, MdEP David McAllister, MdEP Ulrike Müller, MdEP Rasmus Andresen, MdEP Michael Bloss, MdEP Sabine Verheyen, MdEP Anna Cavazzini, MdEP Niklas Nienaß, MdEP Svenja Hahn, MdEP Daniel Freund, MdEP Christine Schneider, MdEP Moritz Körner, MdEP Delara Burkhardt, MdEP Marion Walsmann, MdEP Marlene Mortler, MdEP Manuela Ripa, MdEP Petra Kammerevert, MdEP Lena Düpont, MdEP Andreas Glück, MdEP Dr. Franziska Brantner, MdB Rita Hagl-Kehl, MdB Dr. Michael von Abercron, MdB Christian Dürr, MdB Mathias Wagner, MdL Raed Saleh, MdL Ralf Wieland, MdL Thomas Röwekamp, MdL Christopher Lucht Dr. Sabine Mannitz Prof. Dr. Timm Beichelt Daniel Göler Dr. Klaus Thoms Dr. Katrin Böttger Uli Brückner Esther Straub Dr. Michael Kolkmann Dr. Matthias Freise Friedel Grützmacher Laura Libera Nora Schneck Laura Thiemt Patricia Kaptouom Katja Ries Martin Hoffmann Lorenz Stree Sebastian GerbethThe National Selection Process is accompanied by a Board of Experts from an educational point of view. This Board supports the organisation in keeping our academic and educational work an a continuously high level. To support a politically and pedagogically valuable choice of topics and their execution at our events, the Board is made up of six members - two Members of the European Parliament, two EYP Alumni with a background in education and two teachers who have participated in our National Selection Process with their students for many years.
For the upcoming competitions of 2020/21 and 2021/22 the Board of Experts consists of: