Brussels, February 3, 2023. Six Spanish university students, selected by Crue Spanish Universities, participated on 2 and 3 February in Brussels in the ConSIMium initiative of the Council of the European Union, which consists of a simulation exercise in which 27 teams from EU Member States experience first-hand the negotiations of their leaders and the decision-making process in Europe.
Natalia Rodríguez Galán, student at the Universidad de Alicante, has been in charge of leading the Spanish team in which José Pérez Bellido, from the Universidad Pablo de Olavide; Lucía Romero Jorge, from the Universidad de Alcalá; Miguel Roses Ariza, from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid; Marina Martínez Marco, from the Universitat Ramon Llull; and Xoel Rodríguez Poy, from the Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. All of them are in the middle of their respective degrees and have knowledge of European affairs.
The Spanish team was coordinated by Rosa María de la Fuente Fernández, member of Crue’s Sectorial Commission for Student Affairs and Vice Rector for Students at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, who, as well as providing its members with the necessary guidance for their prior preparation, accompanied them during the two intense days of work in Brussels.
Young people with great analytical and negotiating skills
‘Our delegation has shown a great analytical capacity to face the challenge of preparing the defence of the Spanish position, as well as great negotiating and consensus-building skills’, stressed Vice Rector Rosa María de la Fuente, while stressing that the young participants ‘are very happy’ to have inaugurated this ‘wonderful project’, which she hopes will continue.
The aim of this simulation exercise was for the 162 participants and their coordinators to better understand the role of the Member States in EU decision-making; to learn more about the functioning of the European institutions, and the Council in particular; to develop a sense of belonging to a European project; to acquire teamwork and negotiation skills; and to learn about the professional opportunities offered by the EU institutions, as well as careers in the civil service.
Among the activities that the different teams had to carry out, the simulation of the Committee of Permanent Representatives of the Governments of the Member States, an internal body of the Council of the European Union with political and administrative functions; the simulation of the General Affairs Council, or the simulation of the European Council, stand out. In addition, one of the students took part in an official press conference on the work carried out in the Council and that of their delegation, which in the case of Spain was led by Natalia Rodríguez.
In addition, the Spanish team met at the end of the first day with members of the Permanent Representation of Spain to the EU (REPER), including the Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador, Raúl Fuentes. The aim of this institution is to promote and defend the interests of Spain and Europe in the decision-making process.
