Despite the EU's calls to protect vulnerable consumers, energy poverty affects nearly 11% of the EU's population! And without robust energy efficiency measures, the transition to smart markets and grids could aggravate the situation. This is why the European Parliament has asked the Commission and Member States to put in place measures to avoid having more EU citizens not being able to pay their energy bills! Find out more in this EPRS Policy Podcast.

Source : © European Union - EP

As we await the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker to deliver his State of the Union address at the European Parliament on Wednesday 14 September, we take a brief look at the increasing significance of this event and the role of the plenary debate in this annual event. Listen to this EPRS Plenary Podcast for more on the State of the Union.

Member States and the European Parliament are working on a new European travel document to speed the return of migrants staying irregularly in European soil. One of the main reasons is they lack valid travel documents… and the substitute documents used by member states today are not always accepted by the destination countries, as they can be easily falsified. Listen to this EPRS Plenary Podcast for more information.

In this EPRS Policy podcast we're going to talk money, helicopter money! This term refers to additional free money distributed to citizens to re-launch stagnating economies. A partial cure for what ails of the European economy? While some experts argue it would help jump-start the EU economy, others are more sceptical, and warn about the dangers. Find out more in this Policy podcast.

Source : © European Union - EP

Strategic communication is not a new concept, but its significance for the EU's foreign and security policy is increasing, particularly following the propaganda and disinformation practices in relation to the Ukraine conflict, and recruitment practices by jihadi groups. So the European Union is designing a more strategic vision for engaging with stakeholders in its neighbourhood, find out more in this EPRS Policy podcast.

Source : © European Union - EP

Current migratory pressures and flows in the management of the EU’s external borders in some member states have revamped the idea of a European Border and Coast Guard system. The Commission has already put a proposal on the table. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast. NB Please note this item has been postponed to a later plenary session.

The European Parliament’s July plenary is getting ready to vote on a set of recommendations to make corporate taxation fairer and clearer. MEPs welcome the Commission’s plans to draw up a common EU tax haven black list and advocate sanctions against non-cooperative jurisdictions. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.

Taking over one-third of the Union's budget, cohesion policy is one of the EU's main investment tool, and one the EU feels especially proud of! It has helped less well-off regions catch up with the rest, create growth and jobs across Europe. But could it be more effective? Find out more in this EPRS Policy podcast.

Source : © European Union - EP

To ensure the smooth functioning of the EU's internal energy market, individual EU countries negotiating energy agreements with third countries must ensure these deals comply with EU law. But in February 2016, the European Commission proposed an update to the current rules. Find out more in this EPRS Policy podcast.

Source : © European Union - EP

Set aside for decades, Belarus is about to realise its nuclear power aspirations with the help of Moscow. But Chernobyl's painful memories and concerns over safety mean the EU will have to remain vigilant. Find out more in this EPRS Plenary podcast.