European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Podcasts
Terrorist content online: Tackling online terrorist propaganda [EU Legislation in Progress][Policy Podcast]
Dissemination of terrorist content is one of the most widespread and most dangerous forms of misuse of online services in the field of internal security. In line with the 2015 European agenda on security and taking into account the impact of this propaganda on the radicalisation, recruitment and training of terrorists, the European Commission launched a voluntary system for tackling terrorism online, based on guidelines and recommendations. Continue reading
What if we could fight coronavirus with artificial intelligence? [Science and Technology podcast]
Analytics have changed the way disease outbreaks are tracked and managed, thereby saving lives. The international community is currently focused on the 2019-2020 novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, first identified in Wuhan, China. Continue reading
EU policies – Delivering for citizens: Transport policy [Policy Podcast]
Transport is a strategic sector of the EU economy. Essential to ensuring free movement, it enables people and goods to overcome distances, borders and natural barriers, directly affecting the everyday lives of all EU citizens. Continue reading
What if artificial intelligence made work obsolete? [Science and Technology podcast]
The world of work is regularly disrupted by technology development. From mass production to word processing, innovations have regularly transformed our working lives and, with them, the broader economic system. Continue reading
Military mobility: Infrastructure for the defence of Europe [Policy podcast]
To ‘unite and strengthen Europe’ is one of the goals expressed by the newly elected President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen. Continue reading
Demographic outlook for the European Union 2020 [Policy Podcast]
Demography matters. The economy and the labour market, but also social protection, intergenerational fairness and healthcare, the environment, food and nutrition are all driven by demography. Continue reading
Economic impact of epidemics and pandemics [Policy Podcast]
Despite significant medical progress over the last centuries, infectious diseases such as influenza or malaria still represent a considerable threat to society. While some are endemic to specific geographical regions, others can spread, becoming epidemics or pandemics. Continue reading
Just Transition Fund [EU Legislation in Progress][Policy Podcast]
The EU aims to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 % by 2030 and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. Continue reading
Parliament’s right of legislative initiative [Policy podcast]
The European Commission has a near monopoly on legislative initiative in the European Union (EU), with special initiative rights for other institutions applying only in certain specific cases. Continue reading
What if crop protection were environment-friendly? [Science and Technology podcast]
Synthetic pesticides are often denounced as harmful to both human health and the environment. European Union (EU) policy has a tendency to encourage a reduction in their use. But what effective alternatives are there to protect plant health and boost crop yields? Continue reading
Effects of 5G wireless communication on human health [Policy podcast]
The fifth generation of telecommunications technologies, 5G, is fundamental to achieving a European gigabit society by 2025. Continue reading
Public economic support in the EU: State aid and special economic zones [Policy podcast]
State aid can be defined as an advantage given by a government that may provide a company with an unfair competitive edge over its commercial rivals. State aid can take several forms, such as public subsidies, tax relief, or the purchasing of goods and services on preferential terms. Continue reading
Cross-border threats to health: EU action on preparedness and response [Policy podcast]
Serious threats to health – such as those due to infectious disease outbreaks or environmental factors – do not respect borders. They do, however, require cross-border cooperation and a coordinated response. Continue reading
EU strategy for the Alpine region [Policy podcast]
Launched in January 2016, the European Union strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) is the fourth and most recent macro-regional strategy to be set up by the European Union. Continue reading
Is data the new oil? Competition issues in the digital economy [Policy podcast]
The global debate on the extent to which current competition policy rules are sufficient to deal with the fast-moving digital economy has never been more pertinent. Continue reading
What if we lived up to 150 years? [Science and Technology podcast]
Life expectancy has been projected to continue to rise in industrialised countries, including in Europe, mostly due to increases in people reaching the age of 65 years and older. Continue reading
Irrigation in EU agriculture [Policy podcast]
Irrigation is the provision of water to help crops grow when rainfall is not sufficient. While new farming methods and technologies allow some types of crops to be grown without soil, a certain amount of water is needed to grow any kind of crop. Continue reading
The EU poultry meat and egg sector: Main features, challenges and prospects [Policy podcast]
Poultry meat is the second most produced and consumed meat in the European Union, after pig meat. The sector is known as one of the most intensive farming systems in the EU, with some farms numbering more than 100 000 birds. Continue reading
Amazon wildfire crisis: Need for an international response [Policy podcast]
The Amazon rainforest, which is the largest ecosystem of its kind on Earth and is shared by eight South American countries as well as an EU outermost region, was ravaged by fires coinciding with last summer’s dry season. Continue reading
European Capitals of Culture: In search of the perfect cultural event [Policy podcast]
Between 1985 and 2019, 60 cities have held the title of European Capital of Culture – most recently Matera in Italy and Plovdiv in Bulgaria in 2019. Continue reading
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