China

LYMEC is alarmed by the increasingly repressive and authoritarian nature of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). We are particularly concerned over recent escalations in the region, including China's crackdown on civil liberties in Hong Kong, China's repeated attempts to undermine the sovereignty of Taiwan and its unlawful detention of Uyghurs, Kazakhs and other religious minorities. These actions, added to the decades-long illegal occupation of Tibet, are deeply troubling and expose the autocratic roots of the CCP. LYMEC stands in solidarity with these repressed groups and with all liberals in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and beyond who are standing up to the CCP's regime. LYMEC will also continue calling on the EU and its democratic allies to safeguard the liberal world order and hold China accountable.

Climate change

LYMEC calls on an urgent global response to address climate change with more tangible actions to match the commitments made under the Paris Agreement. Europe’s leaders should ensure increased international cooperation, diplomatic pressure and staying united on the efforts to tackle climate change. New, creative solutions and innovations should be sought in order to save our environment. Therefore, LYMEC wants to strengthen the European Emission Trading System by expanding it to all carbon-emitting sectors.

Common Agricultural Policy

LYMEC supports the aims of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and its vision for a fairer and more sustainable method of farming. Since its introduction in the early 1960s, LYMEC has supported reforms to minimise surpluses and incentivise environmentally sound farming practices. Despite our support, LYMEC believes that the European Commission should develop and implement a safeguard system to ensure that the effects of the CAP do not undermine the positive intentions of the EU’s development policy.

Common Fishery Policy

The state of most fish stocks in the European waters is alarming. Although the EU has had exclusive competence in the area of conservation of biological resources of the sea, the CFP has not been a viable tool to conserve the resource it seeks to govern. LYMEC calls for the next reform of the CFP to include the introduction of an EU-wide system of Individual Transferable Quotas, and a general change in the EU’s external position on this matter. 

Conscription

LYMEC considers that conscription is incompatible with modern liberal values: additionally, it infringes on the rights of individuals to choose their own employment and pursue their own interests. We stand in total opposition to any form of mandatory military or public service in all European countries.

Cyber Attacks

Cyber warfare and attacks are a growing but under-recognised problem. There is a real risk posed by attackers to critical infrastructure and services, and increasingly, free and democratic elections are also vulnerable to cyber attacks. LYMEC calls for greater recognition of this problem by the EU, and for urgent, close and sustained cooperation between Member States to react to and tackle cyber threats. In particular, we call for greater competence and funding to be awarded to the European Union Agency for Cyber Security (ENISA).