EU Untangled

As the sound of jingle bells draws ever nearer, Victor and Alex take you on a rollercoaster ride of the EU’s highs and lows of the past 12 months. Untangle with us a year of consequential elections, trade headaches, an increased focus on security and deregulation, a major new multi-annual budget for the EU and two failed attempts to oust the European Commission’s president. Tune in for the year untangled – the quick and dirty recap you didn’t know you needed to cheer goodbye to 2025. Hosts and producers: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Research and communication support: Martina Domladovac Further reading Bulgaria and Romania join the Schengen Area (European Commission) Baltic states unplug from Russia and join EU power grid (BBC) Munich Security Conferences 2025: Speech by JD Vance and Selected Reactions (MSC) Competitiveness compass (European Commission) Ursula von der Leyen wins no-confidence votes as opposition struggles for support  (Politico) The 2028-2034 EU budget for a stronger Europe (European Commission) 2025 elections in the European Union (Wikipedia) Acting on defence to protect Europeans (European Commission) New Common European System for Returns (European Commission) EU and US agree trade deal, with 15% tariffs for European exports to America (BBC) EU to freeze €210bn in Russian assets indefinitely (The Guardian) Simplification [on the Commission’s omnibuses] (European Commission) Listen … to other EU Untangled episodes from 2025: From outsider to insider: how to enter the EU? Can Europe cash in on the digital euro? Tastes like Europe: how the EU protects its most famous products? Can the EU regulate AI intelligently? Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME) Can the EU have an army? Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky

What does it actually take to join the European Union, and why does the path to membership often resemble entry into one of the world’s most demanding clubs? In this episode of EU Untangled, Victor and Alex explore the EU’s enlargement history, why countries seek membership, the political and economic conditions they must meet, and how the accession process unfolds. The episode also examines what membership requires in practice, why expulsion is not foreseen in the treaties, and how withdrawal works when a member chooses to leave. Finally, it looks ahead at the rationale for further enlargement, the EU’s potential limits, and the scenarios that could shape its future. Hosts and producers: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Research and communication support: Martina Domladovac Further reading Key European Union achievements and tangible benefits (European Union) About EU enlargement (European Union) How EU enlargement works (European Council) New EU members could join without full voting rights (Politico) Member states can leave the EU, but can the bloc kick one of them out? (Euronews) Could we found a new EU without Hungary and Poland? (euobserver) The Need for an EU Expulsion Mechanism: Democratic Backsliding and the Failure of Article 7 (Res Publica) Dutch PM Rutte: No place in EU for Hungary with anti-LGBT law (BBC) EU slams Hungary, Poland over democratic standards (DW) EU 2.0 Revisited: Between Vetocracy and Rule of Law (Maastricht University) How much do countries benefit from membership in the European Union? (CEPR) Expanding the Neighbourhood: The Benefits of Ukraine Joining the EU (ECIPE) The Economic Benefit of EU Membership (Bocconi University) Estimating economic benefits of the Single Market for European countries and regions (Bertelsmann Stiftung) White Paper on the future of Europe (European Commission) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes: “Can Europe cash in on the digital euro?” “Tastes like Europe: how the EU protects its most famous products?” “Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME)” “Can the EU have an army?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky

What is money in the digital age? Cash, cards, crypto – and now central bank digital currencies. The European Central Bank is working on a digital euro, a new form of central bank-backed money meant to boost Europe’s autonomy, competitiveness, and innovation. In this episode, we explore how a digital euro might work in practice, what benefits it could bring, and why its current design risks falling short. Is this a bold step into the future of payments or a missed chance to rethink Europe’s financial system? Whether you’re curious about the future of cash, the rise of digital payments, or Europe’s place in the global financial system, this episode breaks down what’s at stake as the euro goes digital. Guest: Cyril Monnet, Professor of Economics at the University of Bern and the Study Centre Gerzensee. Hosts and producers: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth. Research and communication support: Martina Domladovac. Further reading: About the digital euro (European Central Bank) “Key objectives of the digital euro” by Christine Lagarde and Fabio Panetta (European Central Bank) Digital euro package (European Commission) “Why the digital euro might be dead on arrival” by Cyril Monnet and Dirk Niepelt (CEPR) “Money is Memory” by Narayana R. Kocherlakota (Journal of Economic Theory) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes: “Tastes like Europe: how the EU protects its most famous products?” “Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME)” “Can the EU have an army?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky X (Twitter)

What do Champagne, Halloumi and Parma ham all have in common? They’re not just delicious — they’re protected. Andrea Zappalaglio helps us unpack the world of geographical indications (GIs), the EU’s unique way of safeguarding products that are deeply tied to a specific place, tradition, and know-how. We unpack what GIs are, why they exist, who decides what makes the cut, and what happens when a dispute bubbles up (yes, even over bubbly). We discuss whether GIs help local communities thrive or if they limit competition. Are they powerful tools in trade negotiations, or barriers to entry? And what happens when climate change or new technology shakes up centuries-old traditions? If you’ve ever wondered why names matter — and how a simple label can carry history, pride, and billions of euros — this episode uncorks the secrets behind the EU’s most flavorful rules. Guest: Andrea Zappalaglio, Associate Professor in Intellectual Property Law at the University of Leeds. Hosts and producers: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth. Research and communication support: Lisa Vallese and Martina Domladovac. Further reading Geographical indications and quality schemes explained (European Commission) How the war on terroir was won – Part 1 (Euractiv) Study on the Functioning of the EU GI System (Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition) Europe’s traditional food scheme becomes a global tourism goldmine (Euractiv) The Future of Geographical Indications (Edward Elgar Publishing) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes: “Can the EU regulate AI intelligently? (with Nicolas Moës, The Future Society)” “Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME)” “Can the EU have an army?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky X (Twitter) Victor Alex

In this episode of EU Untangled, hosts Alex and Victor sit down with Nicolas Moës, Executive Director of The Future Society, to explore the promises and perils of artificial intelligence. They discuss the risks AI poses not only to individuals but to society as a whole. Nicolas explains why the EU is regulating AI and whether the AI Act goes far enough. Finally, they debate whether the EU is falling behind in digital innovation due to overregulation and how smarter rules could actually lead to more innovation. Guest: Nicolas Moës, Executive Director of The Future Society Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth; Lisa Vallese and Martina Domladovac supported the preparation and communication. Further readings EU AI Act (European Commission) DeepSeek: The Chinese AI app that has the world talking (BBC) Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk would like to ‘delete all IP law’ (Techcrunch) How we’re responding to The New York Times’ data demands in order to protect user privacy (OpenAI) Colossus: World’s biggest supercomputer aims 1 million GPUs to shake AI world (Interesting Engineering) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME)” “Can the EU have an army?” “Can the EU engineer innovation?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky Twitter/X

The EU is often seen as a maze of bureaucracy, endless rules, and policymaking so complex it needs a manual, but humor? Not exactly its strong suit. Enter DG MEME, the website that pokes fun at EU politics while making it more understandable, one meme at a time. In this episode of EU Untangled, we sit down with Fabio Mauri, the mastermind behind DG MEME, to talk about how it all started, the creative process behind the scenes, and whether Brussels can actually laugh about itself. Guest: Fabio Mauri, Director-General of DG MEME (Directorate-General for Memes, Satire and Sober Fun) Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth; Lisa Vallese supported the preparation and communication. How to find and follow DG MEME: Website Instagram Facebook Bluesky X Further readings DG MEME’s conversation with Ursula von der Leyen (DG Meme) Book by DG MEME: Brave Old Europe: or how I learned to stop worrying and love the European Union (Amazon) Inside the Commission’s satire department (Politico) DG MEME author: Eurocrats call me ‘troublemaker’ (Euractiv) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “Can the EU have an army?” “Can the EU engineer innovation?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky Twitter/X

Welcome to a “The Week Untangled” by EU Untangled. We look back at the past week to give you a quick and dirty recap of what has happened in the past seven days in and around the EU. Short, crisp and sassy. So, you can recap the week and enter the weekend with a clear conscience, feeling well-informed, knowing that you didn’t miss anything important. Links: The tiny Alpine principality of Liechtenstein is set to get its first female prime minister (AP News) Baltic countries sever final power ties with Russia (Politico.eu) Video from the inauguration ceremony (DG Meme via Bluesky) Macron signals investments of 109 billion euros in French AI by private sector (Reuters) EU launches InvestAI initiative to mobilise €200 billion of investment in artificial intelligence (EU Commission) Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet (Élysée) Trump expands steel and aluminum tariffs to all countries (Politico.com) EU plans radical budget overhaul handing more power to capitals (Financial Times) Austrian government negotiations collapse again (Euractiv) Hegseth calls Ukraine’s return to old borders ‘unrealistic’ (Politico.com) Ukraine war talks start now, Trump says after Putin call (BBC) National strike in Belgium as protesters rally against new government reforms (Euronews) Trump Says He’ll Rework Global Trading Relations With ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs (New York Times) Munich Security Conference 2025 Vance’s Munich tirade leaves Europe guessing on Ukraine (Euractiv) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “Can the EU have an army?” “Can the EU engineer innovation?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky Twitter/X

The European Union is a powerhouse in many ways – a shared market, a common currency, and a united front on everything from climate policy to consumer protection. But when it comes to defense, things get murky. Despite its origins as a peace project after two world wars, the EU lacks a unified defense policy or an army of its own. Why is that? And could or should that ever change? In this episode of EU Untangled, Ionela Ciolan, research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, outlines the current security threats to the EU and what should be done to address them. She also highlights the challenges of the European defense industry and answers whether the EU should have its own army. Guest: Ionela Ciolan, Research Officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth; Lisa Vallese supported the preparation and communication. Selected publications by Ionela Proposal for the European Commission White Paper on The Future of European Defence The 7Ds – Defence Extended The European Union is Getting Serious on Defence Further readings Mission Letter to Andrius Kubilius (European Commission) European defence industry programme (EPRS) EDIS | Our common defence industrial strategy (European Commission) CSDP structure, instruments and agencies (EEAS) Defence expenditures and NATO’s 2% guideline (NATO) Government expenditure on defence (Eurostat) Get realist: How the EU can secure its position amid great power rivalry (ECFR) Defending Europe with less America (ECFR) Europe has a real defense commissioner — just not one appointed by Ursula von der Leyen (Politico) The never-ending debate of the European Army and why it is unhelpful (Heinrich Böll Siftung) Standard Eurobarometer 101 – Spring 2024 (European Union) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “The three towers: how many seats to rule them all?” “Can the EU engineer innovation?” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Threads Mastodon Bluesky Twitter/X

This episode unravels the complexities of the Spitzenkandidat process ahead of the European elections on 6-9 June. Discover what a Spitzenkandidat is, the story behind its creation, and how it works, or doesn’t. From its origins to the current candidates and the tug-of-war between the European Parliament and the European Council, we dive deep into this key element of EU politics. Whether you’re an EU enthusiast or just curious (or confused), this episode will give you the insights you need ahead of the next European elections. Tune in and get untangled with us!  Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth; Lisa Vallese supported the preparation and communication.  Links  Lead candidates: who should head the European Commission? (European Parliament)  MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections (European Parliament)  European elections 2024: all you need to know (EPRS)  Spitzenkandidaten or the lead candidate process (EPRS)  EU election debate exposes weakness of lead candidate system (Euractiv)  The lead candidate procedure isn’t dead – but it’s no longer what its inventors intended it to be (CEPS)  Top jobs timeline: What happens after the European election (Politico)  ‘Very disappointed’ Manfred Weber blames Macron and Orbán (Politico)  Spitzenkandidaten: Democratic fix or political charade? (Euronews)  Listen  … to a few of our previous episodes  “The three towers: how many seats to rule them all?”  “Can the EU engineer innovation?”   “How to land a job in the EU?”  Subscribe  Spotify  Apple Podcast  Google Podcast  RSS Feed  Contact  Website  E-Mail  Facebook  Instagram  LinkedIn  Threads  Mastodon  Bluesky  Twitter/X  The post What is a Spitzenkandidat?  appeared first on EU Untangled.

Join Victor Aguilar and Alex Roth as they tackle the fiery debate surrounding the European Parliament’s odd arrangement of having a “single seat” but multiple places of work. Why do hundreds of parliamentary staff travel monthly between Brussels and Strasbourg? Is this practice a symbol of unity or an outdated extravagance? We discuss the practicality and cost of this system, citing concerns over inefficiencies, environmental impact, and logistical nightmares. But we also highlight the historical and symbolic importance of Strasbourg, arguing that it represents peace and balance within the EU. Could a single place of work simplify the operations of the house of EU democracy, or would it undermine the very ideals upon which the EU was built? Tune in for an interesting debate and explore whether tradition or transformation should prevail in the governance of the European Parliament. Engage with us across our social platforms—your thoughts might just shape the next episode! See EU next time! Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Useful links Video on “Why does the Parliament have two seats?” (European Parliament) Why does Parliament move between Brussels and Strasbourg? (European Parliament) EU parliament’s €114m-a-year move to Strasbourg ‘a waste of money’, but will it ever be scrapped? (euronews) Analysis of potential savings to the EU budget if the European Parliament centralised its Operations (European Court of Auditors) 2023 Environmental Statement covering 2022 (European Parliament) Over 90 percent of EU Parliament staff sick of Strasbourg (EU Monitor) Strasbourg suffers as coronavirus keeps Parliament away (Politico) Keep the European Parliament in Strasbourg to fight Euroskepticism, says city’s mayor (Politico) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes: “Can the EU engineer innovation?” “Tracking the ups and downs of cross-border train travel in the EU” “How to land a job in the EU?” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram Twitter Mastodon LinkedIn The post The three towers: how many seats to rule them all? appeared first on EU Untangled.

Innovation is at the heart of human progress. The printing press, the steam engine, the automobile, and now AI have led to industrial and social revolutions. In modern history, Europe has been the cradle of countless technological innovations, but more recently, it seems to be playing catch-up with other regions. The EU is aware of this, and it has ambitious plans in store to ramp up innovation in the digital age. The million-dollar question is: can the EU succeed? In today’s episode, we discuss what innovation is, why it matters, and what the EU is doing to earn itself a place among innovation champions. About our guest Paul Hünermund is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Innovation at Copenhagen Business School. He is also the co-founder of causalscience.org, a platform for fostering knowledge exchange between industry and academia on causal data science. Liene Briede is the Vice-Rector for Innovation at Riga Technical University and a European Innovation Council Board Member. Over the past ten years, she has worked tirelessly to improve the Latvian and Baltic innovation ecosystem. Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Useful links Horizon Europe (European Commission) New European Innovation Agenda (European Commission) European Innovation Council (European Commission) European Innovation Scoreboard 2023 (European Commission) EU Industrial R&D Investment Scoreboard 2022 (European Commission) Securing Europe’s competitiveness: Addressing its technology gap (McKinsey Global Institute) EIB Investment Report 2022/2023 (European Investment Bank) Startup Heatmap Europe (DEEP Ecosystems) Opening speech by President von der Leyen at the European Innovation Council Launch Ceremony (European Commission) Speech by President von der Leyen at the EU Industry Days 2022 (European Commission) From Spotify to Minecraft, Sweden Proves Fertile Ground for Unicorns (Bloomberg) Artificial intelligence, blockchain and the future of Europe: How disruptive technologies create opportunities for a green and digital economy (European Commission & European Investment Bank) Privacy Regulation and Firm Performance: Estimating the GDPR Effect Globally (Oxford Martin School) How GDPR Changed European Companies’ Tech Stacks (Harvard Business Review) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “Tracking the ups and downs of cross-border train travel in the EU” “How to land a job in the EU?” “Let’s get digital” (the EU’s digital strategy) Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram Twitter Mastodon The post Can the EU engineer innovation? appeared first on EU Untangled.

Let’s be honest, how often do you take the train when crossing borders in the EU? We know flying is anything but sustainable. Yet, the prospect of jetting to our family, friends, or holiday destination fast and (ahem) cheap is all too tempting. Trains have a hard time competing against planes: booking is complicated, trips often take longer, and prices can be irrationally high. We join forces with Philipp Cerny to untangle the complexity of EU cross-border train travel. After all, Europe has one of the densest railway networks in the world, but markets, policy and incentives seem to move like a slow train coming… About our guest Philipp Cerny is a transport policy consultant and the Chief Executive Editor of the European Mobility Atlas 2021. He has worked as an advisor on transport policy at the European Parliament and was a member of the supervisory board of a German railway company. Hosted & produced by: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Useful links European Mobility Atlas 2021 (Heinrich Böll Stiftung Brussels) EU rail transport policy (European Commission) The Single European Railway Area (Council of the European Union) Legislative proposal on multimodal digital mobility services (European Parliament) Fragmented rail system hampers shift to trains, says EU agency boss (Euractiv) Derailed — The desolate state of European railways (Investigate Europe) Community: How to cross Europe by train — or not (Investigate Europe) Listen … to a few of our previous episodes “How to land a job in the EU?” “Let’s get digital” (the EU’s digital strategy) “Brussels jargon: breaking down the lingua franca of the EU Bubble” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website E-Mail Facebook Instagram Twitter Mastodon The post Tracking the ups and downs of cross-border train travel in the EU appeared first on EU Untangled.

Dreaming of landing a well-paid job in the EU institutions? Thinking of having an impact on EU policy? Know that first you must navigate the EU recruitment jungle. Tune in to discover where to find the right information, what to expect from the recruitment exams, and what obscure acronyms such as “EPSO”, “CAST” or “FG IV” really mean. Our guest, Chiara Bellani, who has worked in the EU Commission for several years, helps us untangle the EU selection process. Hosted & produced by: Victor Aguilar & Alexander Roth Useful links Overview EPSO test (EPSO) Information on CAST (EPSO) Upcoming selection procedures (EPSO) Introducing a faster, leaner and more accessible competition model! (EPSO) The European Personnel Selection Office: Time to adapt the selection process to changing recruitment needs (European Court of Auditors) Auditors call on EU institutions to change hiring process (Euractiv) EU shift to online recruitment sparks outrage (politico.eu) Work with the European Union (Humanitarian Designers) Listen … to few of our previous episodes “Let’s get digital” “Brussels jargon: breaking down the lingua franca of the EU Bubble” Subscribe Spotify Apple Podcast Google Podcast RSS Feed Contact Website (new!) E-Mail Facebook Instagram Twitter The post How to land a job in the EU? appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description The European Union has an ambitious strategy to usher in data-driven innovation and stay competitive in the digital age. Proposals such as the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act have been making waves in the EU and abroad, promising to reign in tech giants and protect human rights online. But why all the fuzz? What sets these initiatives apart and can they live up to their promise? What else is in the EU’s digital arsenal and why should we care? Is Europe too early or too late to the digital party? Buckle up, tune in to EU Untangled, and get into digital with us. Links The Digital Markets Act: ensuring fair and open digital markets (European Commission) The Digital Services Act: ensuring a safe and accountable online environment (European Commission) European data strategy (European Commission) Data Act: Commission proposes measures for a fair and innovative data economy (European Commission) Data governance: deal on new rules to boost data sharing across the EU (European Parliament) How Europe has expanded its bid to disrupt Big Tech (TechCrunch) Europe seals a deal on tighter rules for digital services (TechCrunch) The EU’s Digital Services Act — what you need to know (The Stack) Digital Services Act: Wie die EU das Internet künftig regulieren wird (heise online) Thierry Breton’s Spotify Profile (Spotify) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (contact@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post Let’s get digital appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description The EU Bubble (or should we say “babble”?) has developed its own language. Known as “Eurospeak”, “Euro-English”, or “Brussels English” it is a tongue twister of its own: an international version of English filled with all kinds of technocratic terms and borrowed expressions. In this summer edition, EU Untangled uncovers the origins and sounds of this strange language and takes a ride through its highs and lows. Links War of words: who will win the eurojargon battle (Euronews, 09 January 2014) Misused English Words and Expressions in EU Publications (European Court of auditors, September 2014) 22 ugly EU jargon words we really hate (Clear Europe, 14 October 2014) “Parlez-vous Eurospeak?” (Decoding Europe, 14 August 2015) EU jargon: A-Z guide to Brussels-speak (BBC News, 16 May 2016) We need to talk about EU jargon (again) (redThread, 22 February 2018) Glossary (for terms used in the EU) (Interreg Europe) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post Brussels jargon: breaking down the lingua franca of the EU Bubble appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description Much has been said about the EU Vaccines Strategy in recent weeks and months. Coverage from various media can largely be boiled down to the conclusion that despite good intentions, the EU strategy is simply a case of “too little, too late”. But is there more to this story? How does the roll-out of the EU strategy measure up against the rest of the world? And most importantly, what are our reference points? Join Alex, Harpa, and Vic on a deep dive into the EU Vaccines Strategy and discover the good, the bad, and the ethically questionable elements of the complex world of COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Links COVID-19 data Official COVID-19 statistics for the EU/EEA from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EDCD) European Commission data on vaccination rates in the EU The EU’s Vaccines Strategy The EU Vaccines Strategy EU and National Institutions involved in the procurement and distribution of vaccines and data collection in the EU/EEA. The EU’s regulatory process for evaluation and approval of vaccines and key facts on COVID-19 vaccines. “Europe’s Vaccination Problem” (The Daily, 12 April 2021) “How Europe fell behind on vaccines” (Politico, 27 January 2021) “The European Union’s troubled COVID-19 vaccine rollout” (PIEE, 15 March 2021) Supply chains “How vaccines are made, and why it is hard” (The Economist, 4 February 2021) “Inside Pfizer’s Fast, Fraught, and Lucrative Vaccine Distribution” (Bloomberg Businessweek, 4 March 2021) “Why manufacturing Covid vaccines at scale is hard” (Chemistry World, 23 March 2021) “Industrial Policy Saved Europe’s Vaccine Drive” (Foreign Policy, 10 May 2021) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post The EU’s Vaccines Strategy: The good, the bad, and the ethically questionable appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description From the new crowdsourced Icelandic constitution to the abandoned EU constitution A constitution lays the foundations for how a society is organised and the fundamental principles that must underpin all laws and government decision-making. But how much do constitutions really impact our daily lives? Should they be updated to reflect rapid societal changes? How would you even go about making a new constitution in the first place? And whatever happened to the new Icelandic and EU constitutions? Tune in and listen to Vic, Alex, and Harpa ponder these questions with the help of Valgerður, PhD student at the University of Iceland, who is researching citizen participation in constitutional reform in Iceland over the past 10 years. Links Iceland The new Icelandic Constitution petition with over 43.000 signatures (a lot for tiny Iceland!) The Icelandic Constitution in English Germany The Basic Law a.k.a. the German Constitution in English Mexico The Mexican Constitution in English The EU EU treaties Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe About Europe Day and the Schuman Declaration “Ratification problems loom over Convention”, euobserver, 31 May 2003 “EU scraps timetable for ratifying constitution”, The Guardian, 17 Jun 2005 Other The North Korean Constitution in English “15 of the hardest-to-pronounce names – and the right way to say them”, Stuff, 28 Mar 2019 “Longest personal name”, Guiness World Records, 1 January 2021 Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post The curious case of constitution creation appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description “A life-changing experience” might be an accurate way to define the Erasmus+ programme. Over the past three decades, the EU’s flagship programme has allowed over 10 million people to benefit from cross-border exchanges in Europe and beyond. Now, Erasmus+ is undergoing changes of its own caused by a larger budget, a messy Brexit and a ravaging pandemic that has stalled mobility flows all over the world. ESN President Kostis Giannidis joins Victor, Harpa and Alex to discuss the challenges and opportunities lying ahead of an Erasmus+ programme that promises to be more inclusive, more digital and a lot greener. Guest Our guest, Kostis Giannidis (link, twitter), is the president of the Erasmus Student Network (website, twitter). Links Erasmus+ Erasmus+: over €28 billion to support mobility and learning for all, across the European Union and beyond (European Commission) Europe needs a bigger, more inclusive Erasmus programme (European Data Journalism Network) Quietly sprouting: A European identity (The New York Times) Standard Eurobarometer Spring 2019: Public opinion in the European Union (European Commission) The Erasmus acronym: according to the European Commission; according to the European Council Turing Scheme New Turing scheme to support thousands of students to study and work abroad (UK Government) Iceland ´I’m not scared, just tired´: Icelanders lose sleep over earthquake tremors (The Guardian) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post Erasmus+: what does the future hold for Europe’s best-known programme? appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description This episode explores the European Commission’s work programme for 2021 and the EU policies that will steal the show next year. Links European Commission Work Programme 2021 (European Commission) The European Commission’s priorities (2019-2024) (European Commission) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post New Year’s resolutions? EU heard it right! appeared first on EU Untangled.

Description Thanks for tuning in! Victor and Alex are rebooting EU Untangled with a discussion about the European Green Deal. Links Overview: A European Green Deal – overview page (European Commission) A European Green Deal – official communication (European Commission) EU Commission unveils ‘European Green Deal’: The key points (Euractiv) Analysis: Four pillars to make or break the European Green Deal (Bruegel) Criticism: A grey deal? (Corporate Europe Observatory) Basescu: European Green Deal risks pushing ‘two or three countries’ towards EU exit (Euractiv) The EU’s green deal is a colossal exercise in greenwashing | Yanis Varoufakis and David Adler (The Guardian) EU’s climate law faces criticism on all fronts (Financial Times) Is the European Green Deal sufficient? EU GHG Summary (Climate Action Tracker) The EU’s Green Deal may not be enough to reach the Paris climate goals (LSE Blog) CAN Europe calls for an increase of the EU’s 2030 climate target to at least 65% (CAN Europe) About the name: Zur Entstehungsgeschichte des Green New Deal – Revival eines Begriffs (in German) (Heinrich Böll Stiftung) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (mail@untangled-podcast.eu) or check out our website. The post European Green Deal appeared first on EU Untangled.