One year into the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas, European countries remain divided over their military support for Israel. Despite international efforts to broker peace, arms exports have continued to play a critical role in the conflict, with major suppliers like the US and Germany providing significant military aid. However, countries like Italy and Spain have halted arms deals, citing concerns over the humanitarian crisis and potential violations of international law. As tensio...
Oct 08, 2024•13 min•Ep. 150
As the European Union accelerates its push for net-zero emissions, it is looking to boost lithium production across various member states. This essential mineral, crucial for electric vehicle batteries, has sparked interest in mining projects not just in Serbia, but across Portugal, Spain and France. While lithium is a key component of the EU's green transition, concerns are rising over the environmental impact of increased mining activities. Experts warn of water pollution, biodiversity loss, a...
Oct 07, 2024•15 min•Ep. 149
The Legal Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (JURI) met on Thursday (3 October) to start the vetting of commissioners-designate to see who is fit to join the Commission's new line-up. Although the vetting process is based on the nominees providing the necessary information, the JURI Committee has a crucial role in scrutinising financial declarations to identify potential conflicts of interest. Which are the commissioners-designate that are already raising concerns due to their business...
Oct 04, 2024•12 min•Ep. 148
EU foreign ministers this week discussed the possibility of incoming migrant flows to the bloc amid concerns over Israel's ground offensive in southern Lebanon, the European Commission told Euractiv. In Lebanon, more than one million people have been displaced so far, with around one in 10 having fled to Syria. To cope with the unfolding humanitarian emergency, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Bikati has appealed for $400 million in aid. In this episode, host Giada Santana and politics reporter Nic...
Oct 03, 2024•14 min•Ep. 147
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is meeting with the European Commission in Brussels today, for the first time since he won a landslide victory in the UK general elections, last July. He promised to rekindle the relationship with Brussels after the Tories focused on delivering Brexit at all costs.Starmer has, however, been handed a list of leftover issues that he may need to settle on the UK's divorce from the bloc before his reset can fully take shape. In this episode of 'Today in the EU', Giada ...
Oct 02, 2024•13 min•Ep. 146
Former Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte will assume the role of NATO Secretary-General on Tuesday (1 October), marking the start of a new chapter for the North Atlantic Alliance as he takes over from Jens Stoltenberg. A seasoned leader with over a decade of experience, Rutte is expected to face significant challenges and manage high expectations in his new role. NATO allies, while grateful for Stoltenberg’s steady leadership during turbulent times, are eager for change and look to Rutte for guida...
Oct 01, 2024•15 min•Ep. 145
Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPO) won the most votes in Sunday’s election, the first time it has topped the poll in post-war history, in line with forecasts. With 29.1% of the vote, the FPO is set to begin coalition talks, aiming to play a decisive role in forming the next government. However, its victory may be complicated as the outgoing centre-right party has previously ruled out partnering with FPO leader Herbert Kickl. It remains unclear if this stance will hold. In this episode, host...
Sep 30, 2024•11 min•Ep. 144
Discussions about tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) are intensifying following a recent meeting of industry ministers in Brussels on Thursday (26 September). Member states are split on supporting these tariffs, with undecided countries like Sweden and Germany potentially abstaining. China’s Commerce Minister Wang Wentao toured Europe earlier this month to lobby against the tariffs. Simultaneously, the European Commission and China are negotiating a "price undertaking" agreement that wou...
Sep 27, 2024•18 min•Ep. 143
Facing pressure from Russian aggression in the east, the EU has pledged to build an independent, cross-border military under an ambitious defence strategy. Boosting defence spending is no small task – it would require €500 billion over the next decade, according to European Commission President von der Leyen. Yet, only €1.5 billion is currently allocated for 2025 to 2027. With the stakes high, the European Commission must answer uncomfortable questions: who will fund it, and how much will it cos...
Sep 26, 2024•17 min•Ep. 142
The situation in the Middle East is rapidly deteriorating. Though not officially termed a war, the escalating conflict across Gaza, northern Israel, and southern Lebanon suggests a new regional conflict in the Middle East is rapidly taking shape. Israel's operation against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Beirut, which resulted in the death of one of Hezbollah's leaders, has triggered missile retaliation and caused severe civilian casualties. More than 550 people, among them dozens of children ...
Sep 25, 2024•23 min•Ep. 141
Newly-appointed French Prime Minister Michel Barnier has revealed his government, keeping much of the pro-Macron agenda while making key concessions to the far-right Rassemblement National (RN). With a no-confidence vote looming, Barnier faces immense pressure to balance urgent budget reforms amid rising deficits and demands from conservative and far-right parties. The next few weeks are crucial for France’s political stability, as delays in presenting the 2025 budget raise concerns within the E...
Sep 24, 2024•16 min•Ep. 140
World leaders are gathering in New York for the UN Summit of the Future, which UN Secretary-General António Guterres described as a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" to reshape international institutions, even though leaders of the so-called Permanent Five will be absent. With the Summit taking place just before the high-level week of the General Assembly, discussions are expected to be lively. However, given the vague language of the documents under discussion and the absence of key leaders of...
Sep 23, 2024•15 min•Ep. 139
More and more EU member states are moving away from the notion of a united EU front on migration, opting for individual solutions instead. Germany's recent decision to ramp up border controls at all nine of its borders has been criticised by EU countries like Poland, Austria, and Greece. With the European Commission warning that such actions should only be reserved for exceptional cases, what does this mean for the future of the EU's highly anticipated migration pact? Why are member states incre...
Sep 20, 2024•13 min•Ep. 138
All eyes are on Teresa Ribera, after President von der Leyen tasked the Spanish politician with steering Europe's green transition while ensuring its competitiveness. Despite the prestige attached to the role, Ribera sits as one of the few socialists among predominantly conservative colleagues, with whom she might have to compromise during the next mandate. Who will she collaborate with, and what can we expect from the incoming environment and energy commissioners? In this episode, host Giada Sa...
Sep 19, 2024•15 min•Ep. 137
Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her proposed team of European Commissioners, highlighting significant leadership changes. Six executive vice presidents, including Finland's Henna Virkkunen and Italy's Raffaele Fitto, will oversee key policy areas. Von der Leyen emphasised gender parity, increasing female representation to 40%. But who are the new names, what are the newly created roles and what happens if the team fails to achieve parliamentary confirmation before taking offic...
Sep 18, 2024•15 min•Ep. 136
Thierry Breton, the EU's Internal Market Commissioner, announced his resignation from the European Commission on 16 September, citing tensions with President Ursula von der Leyen. In a public letter, Breton accused von der Leyen of requesting that France replace him in a political trade-off for a more influential portfolio, and criticised her "questionable governance". Just hours later, President Emmanuel Macron nominated Stéphane Séjourné as France’s new Commissioner. But does the new French co...
Sep 17, 2024•13 min•Ep. 135
NATO's Military Committee met in Prague on Friday and Saturday to discuss stepping up NATO's support package for Ukraine, after Russia warned NATO that a strike with Western-made missiles would be considered an act of war. Among other security issues, Allies discussed the establishment of the NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) and launching the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC) as part of NATO's support package to Ukraine. Despite the urge...
Sep 16, 2024•12 min•Ep. 134
EU farmers must comply with strict production standards, and so should third-country producers if they want to export to the EU, according to the latest vote by Parliament's Committee on Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). On Thursday (12 September), ENVI members rejected the European Commission's proposal to lower the maximum residue levels for certain pesticides and fungicides in imported food. The committee turned down the draft because these agricultural chemicals are not auth...
Sep 13, 2024•12 min•Ep. 133
EU antitrust head Margrethe Vestager is wrapping up her tenure at the European Commission with two major victories as the European court of Justice ruled against Apple’s Irish tax arrangements and Google’s anti-competitive practices. These decisions reward her close-to-decade-long battles to tackle Big Tech’s dominance in Europe, marking a significant win for tax justice and fair competition. But can these rulings influence future EU policy as the current Executive Vice-President for A Europe Fi...
Sep 12, 2024•14 min•Ep. 132
Vice-President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump met in Philadelphia on Tuesday evening (5 September) for their first – and likely their only – confrontation before the presidential election. With eight weeks to go, polls show candidates are running a neck-and-neck race that could easily swing both ways. Where do Trump and Harris stand on key policy files? In this episode, host Giada Santana comments on the debate with Dr Liana Fix, political scientist and fellow at the Council on ...
Sep 11, 2024•13 min•Ep. 131
Mario Draghi handed his highly anticipated report on European competitiveness to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, outlining the urgent need to boost productivity to achieve the EU’s political and economic goals. Without significant progress, Europe risks falling further behind global competitors, particularly in the tech sector. The report highlights the importance of a well-coordinated transition to climate neutrality, ensuring that decarbonisation also supports growth. With ...
Sep 10, 2024•20 min•Ep. 130
As Brussels raises concerns about the next European Commission resembling a 'men's club', President Ursula von der Leyen stands firm on the need for gender balance among the nominees. While nine women have been proposed so far, von der Leyen suggested last week that the final count has reached double digits.Who are the remaining candidates, and which portfolios are female commissioners aiming for? In this episode, host Giada Santana speaks with Georgie Bradley, spokesperson for the European Inst...
Sep 09, 2024•16 min•Ep. 129
After months of political deadlock, French President Emmanuel Macron appointed former Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier as France’s new prime minister on Thursday (5 September). Barnier faces the challenge of forming a government in a fractured parliament, where the far-right party Rassemblement National holds key influence. His immediate tasks include avoiding a vote of no confidence and setting a unified policy agenda – marking the end of the political standoff but the start of new challenges. ...
Sep 06, 2024•12 min•Ep. 128
The Strategic Dialogue on the future of agriculture concluded on 4 September after almost eigth months of negotiations involving 29 key players in the agrifood sector. The stakeholders have now presented their recommendations, suggesting that the EU's agricultural policy needs a fundamental overhaul to create a more equitable industry. What form should this shift take? In this episode, host Giada Santana and agrifood hub editor Angelo di Mambro analyse the freshly published report and the future...
Sep 05, 2024•10 min•Ep. 127
As the EU gears up for a new era in defence, the focus is shifting to how the Commission and Parliament will align their differing interests. The new subcommittee's upgrade signals a stronger push for a unified strategy, but uncertainties persist. With a new Commissioner set to take office, how will their approach influence the EU’s defence policy? And with the Mario Draghi report on the horizon, should we anticipate bold suggestions on defence? To dive into what the future holds for EU's defenc...
Sep 04, 2024•16 min•Ep. 126
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won about one-third of the votes in the state elections in eastern Germany. This prompted parties across the political spectrum to rule out coalitions with the extremist group. Enforcing a domestic cordon sanitaire, however, could result in unlikely alliances and fuel discontent among voters. In this episode, host Giada Santana and Berlin-based reporter Nick Alipour examine eastern Germany’s history of far-right extremism, the country’s uncertain polit...
Sep 03, 2024•15 min•Ep. 125
Two months after snap elections, France remains without a coalition or prime minister-elect, despite five days of government consultations. For President Macron, the deadlock means spending vital political capital at a time when the country faces a deficit of around 5.1% of GDP. What are the reasons for the delay, and which names are in the mix for the PM job? To better understand what is happening with the turmoil in France, we are joined by our Paris based Politics and economy reporter, Théo B...
Sep 02, 2024•11 min•Ep. 124
Paris prosecutors have opened a formal investigation against Telegram founder Pavel Durov as part of a probe into organised crime-related activities on the messaging app, in what is a rare case of a tech executive being held personally accountable for illegal activities on a digital platform. But who is the Russian-born founder of the popular messaging app, and what is the French investigation about? And can the European Commission have a say on the role of tech companies in regulating online co...
Aug 30, 2024•12 min•Ep. 123
The nearly 40-year-old treaty that established the border-free travel zone in Europe is under strain as countries like Austria, France, and Germany increasingly flout its rules. While several countries have been criticised for reintroducing controls at their borders, German politicians are now advocating tighter checks at the borders with Poland and Czechia - measures that could be beefed up if the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which is currently leading the polls, wins regional...
Aug 29, 2024•14 min•Ep. 122
Yesterday and today two NGO groups announced the launch of two climate lawsuits against the EU Commission, challenging both the EU’s taxonomy framework and its 2030 carbon emission targets. These legal actions are part of a growing global movement where activists are holding governments accountable for their environmental pledges. In this episode, host Giada Santana and Energy & Environment Editor Donagh Cagney examine the vulnerabilities in the EU’s Green Deal and discuss how recent climate...
Aug 28, 2024•12 min•Ep. 121
