Today in the EU

This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on the latest EU response to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the geopolitical 'taboos' involved in the EU's activation the European peace facility program through buying and sending weapons to Ukraine. We also tackle the country's fast-track EU membership application, and Germany’s foreign policy u-turn. I spoke with EURACTIV’s reporters Alexandra Brzozowski and Oliver Noyan to hear more.

On the bloc’s actions to become independent from Russia when it comes to energy supply, we ask: what are plans are on the table - and how feasible are they? To break down the main components of the EU energy ministers meeting, I was joined by EURACTIV’s Energy and Environment reporter Kira Taylor.

This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on the Russian invasion in Ukraine. How did we get to this point? What will European leaders decide in terms of sanctions? And - what does the future hold for relations between the West and Russia? I spoke with EURACTIV’s senior editor Georgi Gotev and EURACTIV’s reporter on Global Europe Alexandra Brzozowski to hear more.

We also spoke about the cancellation of Nord Stream 2 and what the last nail on its coffin was. To break down the main points of the repercussions I’m joined by EURACTIV’s Niko Kurmayer and Oliver Noyan.

This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on inflation in Europe, what is driving it and why, and what role the European Central Bank in ensuring stability. I spoke with EURACTIV’s Jobs and Economy Editor, Janos Amman, to hear more.

We are also talking about the EU African Union summit in Brussels. After two years of delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the competition over influence on the African continent is as strong as ever. The EU has put forth proposals for new investments to forge a prosperous and sustainable partnership. To break down the main points of the summit, I’m joined by EURACTIV’s Benjamin Fox.

This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on the EU’s proposed green investment label for nuclear and gas, which prompted several countries, including Germany, to consider legal action. EURACTIV’s energy journalists, Kira Taylor and Niko Krumayer joined me to break it down.

We are also talking about how and why Europe’s most used cookie consent system is deemed incompatible with EU privacy rules. How does it work now, and what should be changed in the future? I spoke to EURACTIV’s digital and media editor Luca Bertuzzi to get the answers to the main questions.

This week, our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on Viktor Orbán’s visit to Moscow amid Russia's tensions with the EU and the West in general. To break down what was discussed, how the visit was perceived, and what Putin and Orbán took away from their meeting, I spoke with EURACTIV’s Vlagyiszlav Maksimov.

We are also talking about another meeting during the last week of January. EU ministers decided on the general directive that EU countries must follow from the beginning of February regarding the digital COVID certificate. We wanted to know what was decided, what new measures are in place, and what travellers must prepare before they depart. I was joined by EURACTIV’s health reporters, Giedre Peseckyte and Amalie Mersh, to answer all of our questions.

This week, our podcast focuses on the escalation at the Ukrainian and Russian border, diplomatic efforts to maintain peace in the region, and what Russia wants from Ukraine and the West.

To understand the situation as it unfolds, I spoke with EURACTIV’s Alexandra Brzozowski and Krassen Nikolov from EURACTIV Bulgaria.

We are also talking about the presidential race in Italy. Why does it matter, who are the most credible names, how does the voting system work, and how can the election of the President influence Italian politics?

To break it down for us, I was joined by EURACTIV’s Italians; more specifically, I spoke with reporter Eleonora Vasques, agrifood and health editor Gerardo Fortuna, and our digital editor Luca Bertuzzi.

This week our podcast focuses on the rise of the suicide rates amongst Europe's youth, the increase of depression among EU citizens, what has been done and what can we do better. To shed some light on how European countries are facing these issues, I spoke with EURACTIV’s editor,  Alice Taylor and Laura Marchetti, policy manager at Mental Health Europe.

We are also talking about the new EU taxonomy, what it includes, the teething issues, and why we have had reactions from climate activists such as Dominika Lasota and Louisa Neubeur from Fridays for Future. To break down for us, I was joined by EURACTIV’s energy and environment reporter, Kira Taylor.

This week our Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on Kazakhstan, the demonstrations that caused significant unrest across the country, Russia’s involvement, and possible measures coming from the EU. To shed some light on the story, we spoke with EURACTIV’s Senior Editor, Georgi Gotev and Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, associate professor of international affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.

We also discuss the first informal meeting of foreign and defence ministers under the French EU Council Presidency, including the hot topics on the agenda and the upcoming military strategy document. To hear more on that, I spoke with EURACTIV’s Alexandra Brzozowski and Matthieu Pollet, who are following the meeting from Brest.

In the first episode of 2022, EURACTIV’s Beyond the Byline focuses on the tension between Russia and Kyiv and the EU’s role in it. A story that started some months ago requires close attention and possibly action from the West. To shed some light on what is happening on the Russian and Ukrainian borders, I’m joined today by EURACTIV’s Alexandra Brzozowski.

Regarding another ongoing issue, this time in Spain, recently published reports show that the past year was the deadliest on the western Euro-African border. Over 12 months, 4,016 people lost their lives on the dangerous Canary Route. I spoke with EURACTIV’S reporter for Spain, Pol Afonso Fortuny, to hear more about this story.

In the last episode of the year, our Beyond the Byline podcast revisits some of the stories that caught our attention in  2021.

From the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that has changed our lives over the past two years to the new climate goals and legislation by the European Commission, the international tax regime, and the pushbacks against migrants in the Aegean, 2021 was an eventful year.

To wrap up what has happened in these 12 months, I spoke with EURACTIV’s reporters Giedre Peseckyte, Oliver Noyan, Kira Taylor, Janos Aman, and Mathew Tsimitakis.