EU Decoded

The European Parliament has wrapped up another plenary week in Strasbourg. In this episode of “EU Decoded,” we cover the new EU-US Framework Agreement, the push for a stronger and less bureaucratic Single Market, and Europe’s growing cybersecurity and AI challenges.

We also look at the first-ever European Order of Merit, awarded to individuals who have made an exceptional contribution to European integration and to European values.

Tune in for all the latest news from Strasbourg!

Europe is facing a surge of unsafe and non-compliant products entering its market - many of them sold through major online platforms like Temu, Shein, and AliExpress. With billions of parcels arriving each year, concerns are growing over consumer safety and unfair competition.

In this episode of “EU Decoded,” Members of the European Parliament Dirk Gotink and Andreas Schwab share insights from a recent mission to China, revealing the true scale of the issue and what’s being done to address it. From new EU customs rules to holding platforms accountable, we break down how Europe plans to protect its consumers and safeguard the Single Market.

Is the EU doing enough? What will it take to restore balance? Tune in to find out.

In this episode of “EU Decoded,” we break down the key outcomes of the European Parliament’s latest plenary session in Strasbourg. Topics include new efforts to combat cyberbullying and protect children online, proposals to increase the EU’s long-term budget, and energy security challenges linked to the Middle East. We also discuss calls for a common EU definition of rape based on consent and steps towards holding Russia accountable for its war in Ukraine through an international compensation mechanism.

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In the latest episode of “EU Decoded”, we unpack the political developments in Belarus. At the turn of 2025-2026, the United States partly lifted and eased some of its sanctions on Belarusian exports, a key source of revenue for the regime. Shortly after, President Aliaksandr Lukashenka released 123* political prisoners, including prominent opposition figures Viktar Babaryka, Maria Kalesnikava and Ales Bialiatski.

What does this mean for the European Union’s policy towards Minsk? Should sanctions pressure continue while hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars?

In this episode, we also examine Belarus’ ongoing alignment with Vladimir Putin’s Russia in the war against Ukraine, and the use of migration pressure at the EU’s borders as a hybrid warfare tactic.

Our guests:

EPP Group MEPs Andrzej Halicki and Paulius Saudargas

and

Anna Krasulina, Deputy Chairperson of the United Civil Party of Belarus

🎙️ Listen to the latest episode of “EU Decoded” to understand what these developments mean for Europe.

* This episode was recorded before Belarusian authorities released another 250 prisoners on 19 March.

In this episode of “EU Decoded”, we bring you this past week’s plenary session in a nutshell.

From strengthening Europe’s defence to tackling cyberbullying and improving the housing situation, the main goal is to make Europe safer and more prosperous. We also discuss child protection, focusing on the steps to take to make the online space safer for everyone.

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To mark International Women’s Day 2026, in our new episode of “EU Decoded” we ask: Gender equality - why are we still talking about it?

We look at the concrete steps Europe has taken in recent years, from pay transparency rules to help close the gender pay gap to stronger parental and carers’ rights, binding targets for women on corporate boards, and the first-ever EU Directive to Combat Violence Against Women.

Our guest are MEPs Liesbet Sommen and Maria Walsh.

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In this episode of “EU Decoded”, we bring you a wrap up of the latest Plenary session and explore how the European Parliament is addressing the defining challenges of our time.

From strengthening Europe’s defence to reforming migration procedures and supporting Ukraine with a €90 billion package, the focus is on security, unity, and resilience.

We also discuss Europe’s economic competitiveness, with calls to deepen the Single Market and reduce barriers to growth. Finally, we turn to online safety, as we call for criminalising cyberbullying across the EU and better protecting children in the digital age.

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January 2026 is off to an eventful start in geopolitics. In this episode of 'EU Decoded', we break down the key debates and outcomes of the first European Parliament plenary session of the year.

The EPP Group stands firmly with the people of Greenland and condemns the brutal repression of protests in Iran, expressing our solidarity with the Iranian people. At the EPP Group’s initiative, the European Parliament also debated the situation in Venezuela following the extraction of Nicolás Maduro. Beyond geopolitics, we confront the alarming rise of AI-driven exploitation, which overwhelmingly targets women and children.

While facing these challenges, we celebrate Europe’s strength and unity, marking 40 years of Portugal and Spain in the EU with inspiring addresses from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and King Felipe VI.

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Greenland is the world’s largest island and part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with significant autonomy. Located between the Arctic and North Atlantic, it is strategically important for:

-Military bases and missile defence systems.

-Surveillance of Arctic shipping routes.

-Access to rare minerals, including rare earths, uranium, and other critical resources.

U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed statements about acquiring Greenland, calling it vital for U.S. defence and not ruling out force - provoking alarm among Denmark, the EU and other NATO allies. In our newest episode of EU Decoded we focus on Greenland’s strategic significance, US ambitions, and how Europe - particularly the EU and the EPP Group - can protect its interests. Our guests are: the Danish Member of the European Parliament and of the EPP Group Niels Hansen and the Member of the European Parliament and EP’s standing rapporteur on the US, Michał Szczerba.

In this final episode of 2025, “EU Decoded” wraps up the European Parliament’s last Strasbourg plenary session of the year. We decode some of our key EPP Group successes this week, such as reversing the disastrous ban on internal combustion engines and balancing climate goals with industrial competitiveness and jobs. Plus, after negotiations led by the EPP Group, the Omnibus I simplification package was backed by a large majority and will simplify rules and reduce costs for businesses across the continent. We also dive into our firm stance on phasing out Russian oil and gas while keeping energy affordable for everyone. Tune in!