ConSIMium 2025
28 February 20225
A report by Theresa Ebert and Hendrik Harms
Four days in Brussels, two days of intensive negotiations and countless diplomatic talks – as part of the German delegation at ConSIMium 2025, we had the opportunity to experience what it feels like to participate in and contribute to an important EU decision-making process.
In the run-up to the Council simulation exercise, we were briefed in various training sessions on EU legislation and the specific roles we were to play. A few weeks before our arrival in Brussels, we received the two legislative proposals from the European Commission that the simulation was based on. One was the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), which aims to strengthen the European defence industry through joint procurement, and the other was the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which is dedicated to ensuring stable and autonomous access to raw materials. Our task was to negotiate both legislative proposals and reach viable compromises without losing sight of our national position.
However, this challenge only became truly tangible on the eve of the simulation: we, the German delegation consisting of six students from all over Germany, met in person for the first time at the DAAD office. Our delegation, with its broad range of expertise, consisted of Karla Greiner-Bär as Federal Chancellor, Helene Kammerl as Ambassador, Emil Sparmann as Minister, Tim Wenzel as Journalist, Theresa Ebert and Hendrik Harms as National Experts. After being welcomed by Verena Holzapfel, our national coordinator, and Michael Hörig, head of the DAAD office in Brussels, we had an informal meeting with Frank Petrikowski from the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU. Over pizza, he spoke to us about the current challenges facing European politics and gave us some tips for the upcoming negotiations. It quickly became clear that the topics we would be negotiating in the coming days were not theoretical thought experiments, but highly topical issues in the current global political situation.
With this in mind, the first day of the simulation began. After a short night and the obligatory security check, we arrived at the Justus Lipsius Building, the seat of the Council of the EU. Following the official opening of the ConSIMium, the German delegation split up, as it was now time to assume our respective roles. While our journalist made his way to the press area, our Chancellor, accompanied by our Ambassador, walked across the red carpet and made her first doorstep declaration before discussing fundamental political issues with the leaders of the other states. At the same time, the minister and national experts began the first round of negotiations with representatives from other countries. During the exchange of views on national interests and strategic priorities, differences but also similarities between the German positions and those of our European partner countries quickly became apparent.
The next phase of negotiations began with meetings of the working parties, in which the legislative proposals were discussed in detail. The discussions were intense, and it was exciting to see how quickly dynamics developed. After two and a half hours, the first amendments and additions to the legislative initiative had been agreed upon, and the delegations gradually left the Council building.
However, the day did not end with the official close of the meeting. Over dinner, we reflected on the day’s negotiations and developed strategies for the next morning. In addition to the substantive work, there was of course also room for personal exchanges – not only within the German delegation, but also with participants from other countries. Spontaneous conversations with the Austrian delegation over a beer in Brussels city centre after work once again made it clear that relationships are built and opinions exchanged even beyond the formal rounds of negotiations.
On the second day, we focused on the next stage of negotiations: the Coreper meeting, in which the ambassadors, supported by national experts, made final adjustments to the legislative texts. Here, the CRMA was once again discussed intensively, with some unresolved details causing the negotiations to stall. In the end, the Polish Presidency decided that the CRMA would be referred back to the working parties due to outstanding details. For EDIRPA, however, the afternoon saw the decisive ministerial round, in which the 27 Member States had to decide on the final version. After a final intensive discussion, the law was finally adopted by the Council. There was great joy, as we had successfully navigated this challenging agreement process.
Looking back on these intense days, the ConSIMium offered us a unique opportunity to experience first-hand how complex, yet purposeful, decision-making at the European level can be. The nights were short, the negotiations long, and the experience, both professionally and personally, unique. We would like to express our sincere thanks to the DAAD, especially our coordinator Verena, and to the Council for organising the event. We will remember these diverse impressions for a long time to come!
