European Parliament - EPRS Policy podcasts

Women continue to be under-represented in EU countries at all levels of political decision-making as well as in political parties. The origins of this situation are complex, but one reason stands out: violence against women active in politics discourages many women from entering the political arena. Women politicians are exposed to two severe and intersecting forms of violence: political violence and gender-based violence. Violence against women in politics takes multiple forms, from physical attacks to psychological and symbolic abuse, including sexual and sexist comments, online hate speech and sexual harassment, etc.

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In June 2024, around 400 million EU citizens go to the polls to elect the Members of the European Parliament's 10th legislature. As the only EU institution that represents EU citizens, elections to the European Parliament are a major democratic event, and the only one at EU level that resembles national democratic electoral consultation. European elections, however, differ from the national version, as they are part of a context of multi-tier government, sometimes perceived as 'second order elections'. The main difference is that the European elections are a rather fragmented exercise, since a great part of the electoral process, including the way in which the right to vote is exercised, remains subject to national rules.

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Getting involved in political life: standing for elected office, joining a political party, or following the news; is at the heart of what it means to live in a democracy. People with disabilities are active citizens, keen to participate given the right opportunities. However, they face legal, administrative, institutional and accessibility barriers to taking part. Several EU initiatives encourage people with disabilities to participate in politics. With the 2024 European elections on the horizon, the European Parliament is committed to helping them take part.

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The European Union needs high-performing digital connectivity infrastructure to give all citizens the best access to digital services and to maintain prosperity. As the 2030s approach, the groundwork for the next frontier in mobile communications is being laid ? the era of 6G. However, with the promise of unprecedented capabilities comes a host of challenges. Countries and companies that lead in 6G development and deployment are expected to gain a competitive edge in terms of technological innovation, economic growth, and influence in shaping global standards. The global race to 6G has already begun.

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Digital trade has become a key element in the EU's trade policy. The EU is the world's largest exporter and importer of digitally deliverable services and has a strong market position. Therefore, the development towards more digital trade provides opportunities for European consumers, for the economy and for the EU?s green and digital transition. The key difference between digital trade and traditional trade is the prominence of cross-border data flows. However, certain data are considered 'sensitive' and require protection and/or specific processing conditions.

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Next Generation EU (NGEU) and its centrepiece for investment, the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), are the main EU funding instruments for green and digital measures. Against the backdrop of huge investment needs in these strategic policy areas, 2024 marks a crucial phase in NGEU implementation.

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The world is not on track to keep the global temperature rise below 2°C. Even under the most optimistic scenarios, the temperature rise is expected to overshoot 1.5°C for a while, before falling back below 1.5°C thanks to large-scale carbon removals. While action to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and scale up carbon dioxide removal remains crucial, there is an urgent need to reinforce efforts to adapt to climate change, in order to avoid losses and build resilience.

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European elections represent a crucial moment: they give EU citizens a say in the political direction of the European Union. After declining ever since the first European direct elections in 1979, electoral turn out increased in the 2019 elections to reach 50.6 % largely due to youth participation (according to a post-election Eurobarometer survey). Echoing the 2019 motto 'This time I'm voting', the 2024 one might be: 'I did it again!' The 2024 European elections could be a turning point for youth engagement for several reasons.

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In November 2023, the European Commission presented its annual enlargement reports. Its strategic orientations and recommendations include accelerating the accession process with the Western Balkan countries, opening accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova, and granting candidate status to Georgia. According to the European Parliament's 2022 recommendation on the new EU strategy, enlargement policy is 'the most effective EU foreign policy instrument and one of the Union's most successful policies'.

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Corruption is a major challenge for the European Union (EU), with all its Member States affected by the problem to some extent. The EU has gradually adopted laws addressing a range of corruption-related issues. However, the current legal framework remains patchy, the lack of minimum rules on the definition of criminal offences and sanctions in the area of corruption being one important missing element. Recently, corruption-related issues have been addressed almost exclusively within the EU rule of law framework, a development criticised by various stakeholders, including the European Parliament.

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In July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the EU toy safety legislation. This proposal pursues two main objectives: a) achieving a higher level of child protection, including from the most harmful substances; and b) reducing the number of non-compliant and unsafe toys on the EU market.

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The European Commission estimates that 15 % of Europeans fall victim to a crime every year. In July 2023, the Commission published its proposal for a revision of the Victims' Rights Directive, the key EU legislation on the protection of the rights of victims of crime. Despite progress in recent years, victims still lack access to information, support and protection. Secondary victimisation during criminal proceedings is still common and victims' access to compensation is not sufficiently supported. Vulnerable victims are especially lacking in sufficient specialised support. The Commission is proposing a set of amendments to strengthen the current rules and expand victims' rights.

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Families in the European Union (EU) are increasingly likely to move and travel between the EU Member States. Yet, given the differences in Member States' laws, parents can face difficulties in having their parenthood recognised when crossing borders within the EU. Non recognition in one Member State of parenthood established in another Member State can have significant adverse consequences for children and their parents who are moving to another Member State or returning to their Member State of origin.

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On 30 June 2022, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and then New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive EU-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA). The agreement was signed on 9 July 2023. Although the 2014-2019 Commission had initially aimed to finalise negotiations before the end of its mandate, both sides raised several sensitive issues during negotiations, not least because New Zealand is a major and competitive producer and exporter of agricultural goods. The EU committed to taking European agricultural sensitivities fully into consideration in its negotiating strategy.

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In June 2023, the European Commission tabled a proposal for a regulation establishing a new strategic technologies for Europe platform (STEP). STEP would rely on the reprogramming of funds under existing EU instruments. It would also come with an additional budget of ?10 billion. Overall, the platform could leverage up to ?160 billion in investment, of which ?110 billion would be triggered by the top-up. STEP would direct funding to strategic projects supporting the development and manufacturing of deep and digital technologies, clean technologies and biotechnologies, and the strengthening of their value chains, to meet the challenges of the green and digital transitions.

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Early work is underway on the post-2027 reform of EU cohesion policy. This creates a unique opportunity for regional and local stakeholders to influence national positions and those of the European institutions at an early stage, well before the actual start of the legislative process. This reflection process is not only technical, but is also highly political because it touches on many of the challenges the EU is facing. Key issues include the degree to which other EU policies support cohesion objectives.

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On 22 March 2023, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a directive on green claims. The proposed directive would require companies to substantiate the voluntary green claims they make in business-to-consumer commercial practices, by complying with a number of requirements regarding their assessment (e.g. taking a life-cycle perspective). No single method for the assessment would be stipulated.

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Each Member State independently decides on its own energy mix and use of nuclear energy. However, there are common rules and standards on nuclear energy, the basis for which is the Treaty on the European Atomic Energy Community (Euratom Treaty) signed in 1957. All current EU Member States are party to it and it has remained largely unchanged throughout the years.

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Air pollution is the single largest environmental health risk in the EU and causes significant damage to ecosystems. As part of the European Green Deal's zero pollution ambition, on 26 October 2022 the Commission tabled a proposal for a revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directives. The proposed directive would set air quality standards for 2030 that are more closely aligned with the Word Health Organization's recommendations, as updated in 2021. It would also include a mechanism for the standards' regular review based on the latest scientific information. To achieve them on time, the Member States would have to establish air quality plans ahead of 2030.

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Gender-balanced representation among the decision-makers of the European Union is an important step towards full realisation of the principle of equality between women and men enshrined in the EU Treaties. The Union has made steady and significant progress, starting from a very low presence of women among EU Commissioners and Members of the European Parliament at the time when those institutions were created. The European Parliament is today one of the world's most gender-balanced representative assemblies, but there are still significant divergences between EU countries.

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The democratic information sphere is facing unprecedented strategic and systemic threats. The 'infosphere' - the online public space for debate where people not only express, but also inform themselves to make democratic decisions - is being eroded by foreign and domestic anti-democratic forces with a (geo-) strategic agenda. According to a flash Eurobarometer survey published in July 2022, 28% of respondents said they had been exposed to disinformation and 'fake news' very often or often in their recent past.

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Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine is not only reshaping the security architecture of Europe, but is also influencing the EU's position as a global actor. With rising tensions between the US and China, the EU will find itself in an increasingly bipolar world. The rules-based global order is challenged and strategic relations around the world are being redefined. Key states from the so-called ?Global South' are becoming more important for ?the West' in its move to isolate Russia and to address global challenges.

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The EU is an open economy, reliant on global supply chains to a higher extent than the US and China. At the same time, these complex chains are subject to increasing disruptions and uncertainties with many areas of fragility. De-risking Europe's global critical supply chains (particularly in the context of relations with China), points towards a more nuanced way of ensuring Europe's ambitions for increased resilience and strategic autonomy. It can be achieved by increasing domestic production, greater autonomy in the critical raw materials, use of trade tools and cooperation on a global stage.

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With the COVID-19 pandemic, war returning to Europe and the accompanying energy crisis, a worsening economic outlook, all on top of a climate crisis, today's young Europeans are growing up in a volatile and difficult world. Concerns about economic prosperity, increasing competition for jobs, rising inflation and property prices make it difficult for young people to get ahead in life, to afford housing, to attain economic stability and to achieve a sense of satisfaction in society.

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The internet is a critical technology infrastructure for almost two thirds of the global population. We use the internet for personal, civic, commercial and professional activities. Failure of the internet would majorly impact how our societies, lives and work is organised. While a total global collapse of the internet is unlikely, major disruptions may arise. Three aspects are key in understanding of how this could materialise: the underlying technological infrastructures, which are evolving with time; the fact that tech companies are increasingly shaping the Internet architecture to seek new commercial strategies; and the increasing control of the digital sphere for political reasons.

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More than any other continent, Europe's biodiversity has been shaped by human activities and is under constant pressure from human production and consumption. Changes in ecosystem services that are essential to human life affect livelihoods, incomes and local migration, and can even cause or exacerbate political conflict. Despite significant efforts, the latest European Environment Agency assessment shows that the vast majority of EU habitats (81 %) and species (63 %) have poor or bad conservation status.

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Road transport is a major contributor to climate change, accounting for over a quarter of road transport CO2 emissions. The European Commission proposes to revise the legislation setting CO2 emission standards for new heavy-duty vehicles in the EU. The proposed revision would expand the scope of the existing regulation to include urban buses, coaches, trailers and other types of lorries. It will also require that the average CO2 emissions of heavy-duty vehicles, would have to fall by 45 % from 2030, by 65 % from 2035, and by 90 % from 2040 onwards, compared with 2019 levels.

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Since 2012 ? when Xi was first made General-Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) ? the China-Russia relationship has evolved into an informal alliance in the face of what both countries consider a rising threat from the West to their regimes. China's response to Russia's war on has so far been much closer to Russia than it was in 2014 when Russia annexed Crimea. At the same time, developments since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 have increased Russia's dependency on China, which some now qualify as a rising 'vassalisation' of Russia.

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In March 2023, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a 'net-zero industry act' that aims to expand the manufacturing capacity of net-zero technologies in the EU and enhance the resilience of its energy system. The proposed regulation would set up enabling conditions for the manufacturing of 10 net-zero technologies. The proposed regulation would aim to ensure that, by 2030, the manufacturing capacity in the EU for these strategic net-zero technologies reaches an overall benchmark of at least 40 % of the EU's annual deployment needs.

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Artificial intelligence (AI) has slowly but surely made its way (also) in the world of cultural heritage and museums. The results are both promising and surprising: reconstructing a piece of art, completing an unfinished composition of a great musician, identifying the author of an ancient text, or providing architectural details for a potential reconstruction of the Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral would have seemed like science fiction just a few years ago. The EU has a rich cultural heritage, and its numerous top museums and works of art are a precious resource for its cultural and creative industry. Yet, it depends on the United States for its online cultural platforms and on Asia for its equipment.

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Recent shocks have shown not only how vulnerable to crises the single market is, but also the extent to which the EU economy relies on a well-functioning single market. To protect it, the European Commission put forward a single market emergency instrument (SMEI) package. The main proposal establishes measures for contingency planning, such as an early warning system. If a wide-ranging crisis hits the single market, an 'emergency mode' could be triggered.

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The aim of the legislative proposal for a Union certification framework for carbon removals initiative is to ensure high-quality EU certified carbon removals, through a transparent and credible governance framework. In doing so, this would open up the possibility for further investments towards carbon removal activities and increased deployment.

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Today, renewable hydrogen makes up a small fraction of total hydrogen production. Most hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels and, although cheaper, it causes carbon emissions. Demand for renewable hydrogen is expected to grow quickly as the need for climate-friendly solutions increases. To avoid a situation where renewable electricity used for hydrogen production is diverted away from other uses, it is important to ensure additional renewable electricity capacity for renewable hydrogen production, or 'aditionality'.

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The European Commission proposes new measures for a high level of public sector interoperability across the Union (the interoperable Europe act). The initiative seeks to ensure a consistent, human-centric EU approach to interoperability, create an interoperability governance structure that helps public administrations and the private sector to work together, and establish an ecosystem of interoperability solutions for the EU's public sector. It should also cut red tape for citizens and businesses.

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Nowadays, a wide range of key technologies across all industries, from chips to batteries, medical imaging to tanks, rely on the unique physical properties of some specific critical raw materials (CRMs). Demand for CRMs is projected to skyrocket in the coming years. However, as the transition to 'net-zero' and the digital age is particularly materials-intensive, it remains uncertain whether supply will keep up with the expected needs. The EU's ambition to become a climate-neutral economy by 2050, and its ability to sustain the green and digital transitions and achieve strategic autonomy, all rely heavily on reliable, secure and resilient access to CRMs.

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The energy crisis of 2022 has brought new challenges for the EU electricity market. Concerns over very high prices, security of energy supply, and the need to increase decarbonisation have sparked discussions on the need to redesign the EU's electricity market. After the short-term measures adopted to mitigate the impact of the energy crisis, the European Commission has unveiled its much-awaited plan to reform the electricity market, with a triple objective: to shelter consumers from excessive bills, boost renewables and enhance competitiveness.

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The proposed EU regulation to ban products made using forced labour, including child labour, covers all products made available on the internal market of the European Union -meaning both products made in the EU for domestic consumption and for export, and imported goods. The provisions of the proposal would apply to products of any type, including their components, regardless of the sector or industry.

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The proposed update to the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive would introduce new obligations to better control pollution due to rainwater, impose stricter standards for nutrient removal and require advanced treatment for the removal of micro-pollutants. To cover treatment costs, a system of extended producer responsibility targeting pharmaceuticals and cosmetics would be set up. To align the directive with the Green Deal's ambitions, an energy neutrality obligation would be introduced for wastewater treatment plants.

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The European defence industry reinforcement through common procurement act, or EDIRPA, is a short-term joint defence procurement instrument worth ?500 million. It seeks to address the most urgent and critical defence capability gaps and to incentivise EU countries to procure defence products jointly.

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The proposed 'AI liability directive' introduces new rules specific to damages caused by AI systems. These rules are intended to ensure that consumers harmed by AI systems enjoy the same level of protection as consumers harmed by other technologies in the EU. The directive would also ease the burden of proof for victims to establish damage caused by an AI system and give national courts the power to order disclosure of evidence about high-risk AI systems suspected of having caused damage.

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The proposed directive on liability of defective products aims to bring the European Union's product liability rules up to speed with the digital age, circular economy business models and global value chains. Consumers would be better protected against defective products and the damages they might cause. Compensation for defective products would also extend to those manufactured outside the EU.

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For over half a century now, European integration has been a key driver of economic growth, environmental protection, peace and social prosperity. And one of Europe's landmark achievements is, without a doubt, the single market. In this podcast, we look at the benefits for EU citizens from more ambitious and united EU action in the single market for goods and services. In one of its latest studies, ?Increasing European added value in an age of global challenges: Mapping the cost of non-Europe (2022-2032)?, EPRS finds that more EU action in 50 policy areas could bring large gains to EU society.

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In this podcast, we look at the potential gains of more European action versus the costs of non-Europe in the area of energy, one of the 50 policy areas investigated in one of the latest studies from EPRS: ?Increasing European added value in an age of global challenges: Mapping the cost of non-Europe (2022-2032)?. We analyse how closer EU cooperation in this area could bring substantial economic, social and environmental benefits.

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European integration has been a key driver of growth, peace and social prosperity. But challenges remain and crises could arise. Further European integration can help respond to present and future challenges and generate benefits of over ?2.8 trillion per year by 2032, as shown in one of latest EPRS studies, ?Increasing European added value in an age of global challenges: Mapping the cost of non-Europe (2022-2032)?. In this podcast, we will look at the benefits for EU citizens from more EU action in the health sector to ensure that it is strong enough to face present and future challenges.

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European integration has been a key driver of economic growth, peace and social prosperity. But challenges remain and crises could arise. In one of its latest studies, ?Increasing European added value in an age of global challenges: Mapping the cost of non-Europe (2022-2032)?, EPRS finds that more EU action in 50 policy areas could bring large gains to society, up to more than ?2.8 trillion per year by 2032. In this podcast, we will look at the benefits from more EU action in the area of defence.

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The European Union has set itself a double target: a 50 % reduction in the overall use of and risk from chemical plant protection products,and a 50% reduction in the use of more hazardous ones by 2030. A proposed regulation on the sustainable use of plant protection products would require EU countries to contribute collectively to achieving these EU-wide targets through the adoption and attainment of binding national targets. To protect biodiversity and citizens' health, the use of all plant protection products would be banned in specific, sensitive areas. While environmental organisations are pushing for more ambition, the farming community is concerned about the lack of alternatives for farmers, the broad coverage of sensitive areas, and consequences for business continuity.

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The European media freedom act proposes a new set of rules and mechanisms to promote media pluralism and independence across the European Union. The aim is to prevent political interference in editorial decisions and ensure transparency of media ownership. The proposed act stresses the importance of an independent and adequately funded public service media, and seeks to protect journalists from having to disclose their sources and from the use of spyware against them.

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The volume of online child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) and frequency of grooming activities, increasingly targeting younger children, is rising sharply. Reporting of suspected online child sexual abuse increased by 35 % in 2021 compared with 2020, representing a historical peak. The proposed regulation laying down rules to prevent and combat child sexual abuse would require interpersonal communication services and others to search proactively for CSAM materials and grooming activities targeting children. However, this poses many concerns regarding privacy, security and law enforcement investigations.

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At least 80 % of European citizens should have the possibility to use a digital identity to access key public services by 2030 and to do so across EU borders. The updated European digital identity framework would also allow citizens to identify and authenticate themselves online (via their European digital identity wallet) without having to resort to commercial providers, a practice that raises trust, security and privacy concerns.

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For two decades, the EU has sought to modernise its preferential trade relationship with the sub-Saharan African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries and establish free trade areas with regional groupings under so-called economic partnership agreements (EPAs). These are free trade agreements that allow ACP countries to continue exporting their products to the EU duty free and quota free, while ensuring full compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules. EU goods should also benefit gradually from full liberalisation, though with numerous exceptions related to goods ACP countries wish to protect from external competition, particularly agricultural products.

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