Thirty billion euros. That’s how much the EU wants to mobilise to build data centres. But this ambition might run up against an obstacle. In recent years, protests against data centres have been emerging across the European Union.

Can local residents influence the AI race? And can Europe make progress on this issue without the support of local communities?

By Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network.

This episode is based on an article written by Alberto Mesas for El Salto and an article written by Tommaso Proverbio for VD News and is co-written with Hélène Pillon from Médianes.

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In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we look at the share of renewable energy production in the EU and how it could be expanded, with insights from Flore Belin, Energy Policy Coordinator at Climate Action Network Europe.

Production by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research and policy.

This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.

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On Saturday 29th August,, Icelanders will go to the polls to answer this question: Should Iceland restart the EU accession process?

The country could match the EU criteria quite quickly, but is it willing to do so? And what would this mean for Europeans and Icelanders?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.

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Armenia could soon take another step towards closer ties with the European Union. Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said on Monday, August 24th, that his country could soon submit its official application to join the EU.

Why does Armenia want to move closer to Europe now? And what could this mean for its relations with Russia?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.

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All migrants, including minors, who arrived in Ceuta on July 30 are supposed to return to Morocco, according to the European Commission. But Spain recently announced it would transfer 500 unaccompanied minors from Ceuta to mainland Spain.

So what happened to the tens of thousands of migrants who entered the Spanish enclave in July?

Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.

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The UK has a new Prime Minister: Andy Burnham, the former mayor of Manchester. Last year, he went as far as saying that he would like to see the UK rejoin the European Union in his lifetime. Since then, he has scaled back his ambitions: Burnham acknowledged a few weeks ago, that this was not the right time to reopen the debate over possible EU membership.

What should Europeans expect from Prime Minister Andy Burnham?

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In some of Europe's most popular destinations, excessive noise has become so common that residents are now demanding what they call a "right to peace and quiet."

How do we keep our cities vibrant without making them unbearable for the people who live there?

Production: By Europod in co-production with the Sphera Network.

This episode is based on an article written by Alexandra Lelito for Krytyka Polityczna and is co-written with Hélène Pillon from Médianes.

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Additional sound at the beginning: Joseph SARDIN

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Everywhere in Europe, various territories are facing growing challenges to maintain access to basic services or general interest services. We are talking about care, mobility, education… The ageing population, coupled with skills gaps and territorial inequalities, is putting pressure on a lot of regions.

Which are the most vulnerable territories? How to guarantee equal access to these services across the EU? And what role does the EU have to play?

To answer those questions, we receive Solène Molard, head of social affairs at Eurocities.

This episode was broadcast by Euradio on July 9. It was produced by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, a European Union-funded program that links research and policy.  

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The European Union is one of the world’s most developed regions; yet deep territorial inequalities persist. According to Eurostat, GDP per capita can vary threefold within the same member state, with capital regions often earning twice as much as the rest of the country.

In this episode of Europe Talks Back, produced with ESPON, Léa Marchal explores why many small and medium-sized cities are losing ground — and whether this trend can be reversed.

Joined by Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, Professor at the London School of Economics and Chair of the High-Level Group on the Future of EU Cohesion Policy, the discussion looks at demographic decline, policy blind spots, and the limits of current cohesion funding.

Are these cities doomed to fall behind - or can smarter investment and stronger local institutions help them thrive again?

Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.

A podcast by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research with policies

“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”

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In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we take a close look at working conditions across the EU. Are they evolving homogeneously? What are the obstacles to fair working conditions?

To answer these questions, we welcome Agnes Parent-Thirion, Senior Research Manager at Eurofound.

Production by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research and policy.

“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”

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