European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Podcasts
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
What if hydrogen could help decarbonise transport? [Science and Technology podcast]
The use of hydrogen as a fuel for transport might hold the key for decarbonising our overall energy system, by complementing the generation of electricity from fluctuating renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. Continue reading
EU support for fighting global poverty: Implementing UN SDG 1 – ‘Ending poverty’ [Policy podcast]
Poverty affects more than a quarter of the world’s population, and that is why erasing it is a principal objective for humanity, enshrined as the first of a number of goals (SDGs) in the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. Continue reading
Children’s rights and the UN SDGs: A priority for EU external action [Policy podcast]
The United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for sustainable development includes a strong commitment by all states to respect human rights, in line with international law and other relevant international documents, in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Continue reading
Teaching careers in the EU: Why boys do not want to be teachers [Policy podcast]
An ageing teacher population, severe teacher shortages, difficulties with retaining younger teachers and a significant gender imbalance in staffing at different levels of education are just some of the serious challenges facing the profession. In the EU, only 7 % of all teachers are under 30 years old, while around 36 % are 50 or older. Continue reading
New plant-breeding techniques: Applicability of EU GMO rules [Policy podcast]
New plant genetic modification techniques, referred to as ‘gene editing’ or ‘genome editing’, have evolved rapidly in recent years, allowing much faster and more precise results than conventional plant-breeding techniques. They are seen as a promising innovative field for the agri-food industry, offering great technical potential. Continue reading
What if technologies replaced humans in elderly care? [Science and Technology podcast]
Europeans are ageing. In 2016, there were 3.3 people of working-age for each citizen over 65 years. By 2070, this will fall to only two. As the population lives longer, our care needs grow, but fewer people will be available to deliver them. Could assistive technologies (ATs) help us to meet the challenges of elderly care? Continue reading
EU sports policy: Going faster, aiming higher, reaching further [Policy podcast]
Sport has a growing impact both on the European Union (EU) economy and on society as a whole. Over 7 million people work in sport-related jobs, and sport-related goods and services amount to nearly 3 % of total EU gross value added. Continue reading
What if Libra disrupted the financial system? [Science and Technology podcast]
As of 2020, Facebook’s cryptocurrency project Libra promises to connect everybody to the global, digital world of banking. The introduction of a privately governed currency could fundamentally challenge the current EU financial framework, conflict with EU law and tax requirements, and violate consumer rights. Continue reading
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