European Parliamentary Research Service Blog
Podcasts
EP Plenary Session July: Parliament continues efforts to promote democracy and sustainability
Written by Clare Ferguson, There is a sense of an ending around this month’s plenary session, as European leaders say a final farewell to that quintessential citizen of Europe, Helmut Kohl, the personification of German reunification and European integration, this weekend. Parliament will also mark the passing of Simone Veil, the first woman to be … Continue reading
What if technology helped society become more inclusive? [Science and Technology Podcast]
Written by Philip Boucher, There are already many ‘assistive technologies’ available, which can help people with disabilities participate more fully in society. More advanced assistive technologies are under development, but is technology the key to a more inclusive society? Assistive technologies (ATs) are designed to improve the functional capabilities of people with disabilities. While some … Continue reading
Current priorities and challenges in EU agricultural policy [Policy Podcast]
Written by James McEldowney, The European Commission’s work programme for 2017 includes a commitment to progress and consult widely on the simplification and modernisation of the common agricultural policy (CAP). A public consultation exercise was launched at the beginning of February 2017 and closed on 2 May 2017. A number of stakeholder organisations and think tanks have issued … Continue reading
Creating opportunities: The EU and students [Policy Podcast]
Written by Ivana Katsarova, Over one third of the European Union (EU) population – some 170 million citizens – are aged under 30, with half that number under the age of 15 years. Although education policies in the EU are essentially decided and implemented by the individual EU countries, the EU provides sound evidence and analysis to … Continue reading
Promoting development in the outermost regions [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Christiaan Van Lierop, Located far from the European continent and with regional gross domestic product well below the EU average, the EU’s outermost regions – the Azores, the Canary Islands, French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Madeira, Martinique, Mayotte, Réunion and Saint-Martin – face many challenges to development, owing to factors such as climate or economic … Continue reading
EU strategy for international cultural relations [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Magdalena Pasikowska-Schnass, Culture as a tool of EU diplomacy aims at reinforcing cultural diversity, human rights, and social and economic cohesion based on cultural and creative industries as a driving force for growth. Yet, in the view of the European Parliament, EU action needs proper funding and a clearly defined programme. An own-initiative … Continue reading
What if your personal health tracker could save your life? [Science and Technology Podcast]
Written by Christian Kurrer, Through advances in technology, big data has become a major asset and can open up numerous opportunities in all areas, but how can we use this in the context of health care and ensure it benefits everyone? Advances in healthcare have led to dramatic increases in life expectancy and quality of … Continue reading
EP Plenary Session June: Cohesion policy, Climate change, and Capitals of Culture
Written by Clare Ferguson, Cohesion policy Jobs, growth and investment are a top EU priority, and come high on the European Parliament agenda. Following Monday’s joint debate on reducing economic and social inequality between regions through current EU cohesion policy, Members will look to the future and vote on an own-initiative report on the building … Continue reading
State aid in sport: Striking a difficult balance [Policy Podcast]
Written by Ivana Katsarova, Under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, a measure constitutes state aid if it grants a selective economic advantage to one or more enterprises through state resources, thus distorting or threatening to distort competition. However, not all forms of state aid are prohibited. Indeed, under certain conditions the … Continue reading
Plastics and the circular economy [Policy Podcast]
Written by Didier Bourguignon, Plastics are everywhere in our daily life: they are used in packaging, buildings, cars, electronics, agriculture, and other sectors. Plastics production is now 20 times higher than in the 1960s, and is forecast to almost quadruple by 2050. Although there are thousands of types of plastics, 90 % of plastics are derived … Continue reading
Increasing partnership in cohesion policy [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Christiaan Van Lierop, The partnership principle lies at the very heart of the EU’s cohesion policy. A process involving public authorities, economic and social partners, and civil society, partnership reinforces the legitimacy of EU policymaking and, by increasing ownership of the policy on the ground, can help to communicate the results of EU … Continue reading
Framework for energy efficiency labelling [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Alex Benjamin Wilson, In July 2015, the European Commission proposed a regulation on energy labelling that would replace and repeal the 2010 directive on the subject. The Parliament proposed a series of amendments in July 2016, setting the stage for interinstitutional ‘trilogue’ negotiations. An agreement was eventually reached in March 2017, and the … Continue reading
Major challenges for EU tourism and policy responses [Policy Podcast]
Written by Vasilis Margaras, Constituting the third-largest economic activity in the EU, tourism is of considerable importance as a source of economic growth, regional development and employment. Although it has been badly affected by the economic crisis in the past years, tourism has proved resilient, as witnessed by the growing number of visitors to the … Continue reading
EP Plenary Session May I: What future for liberalism, multilateralism, and free trade?
Written by Clare Ferguson, With a Commission statement scheduled for Tuesday morning dealing with globalisation, the EU’s place in the world leads the agenda for the first European Parliament plenary session in May. Multilateralism is a core element of EU international relations – both the 2003 European security strategy and the 2016 global strategy emphasise … Continue reading
CO2 emissions from aviation [Policy Podcast][EU Legislation in Progress]
Written by Gregor Erbach (1st edition), CO2 emissions from all flights to and from airports in the European Economic Area (EEA) have been included in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) since 2012. Although this would include flights between an airport within the EEA and an airport outside it, the application of the ETS to … Continue reading
Cross-border portability of online content [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Tambiama Madiega, The European Parliament is to vote in plenary in May on new rules on cross-border portability, which would enable consumers to access their online subscriptions for content services when they travel across the EU and are temporarily outside their Member State of residence. Background On 9 December 2015, the European Commission … Continue reading
Resource efficiency: Reducing food waste, improving food safety [Plenary Podcast]
Written by Ivana Katsarova, As part of its action plan on the circular economy, the EU is aiming to give substance to a more efficient use of resources by reducing food waste and increasing food security. The European Parliament is due to vote in May 2017 on an own-initiative report proposing measures to cut the … Continue reading
What if blockchain changed social values? [Science and Technology Podcast]
Written by Philip Boucher, Blockchain technology could shake up many aspects of our daily lives, from the currency we use to the purchases we make. But what is the impact on our social values, and what can policy-makers do about it? Blockchain technology is a remarkably transparent and decentralised way of recording lists of transactions. … Continue reading
What if we were to build skyscrapers from wood? [Science and Technology Podcast]
Written by Christian Kurrer, Can new technologies contribute to a revival of wood as a source for biomass and construction material, and play a leading role in the fight against climate change? Wood has been part of human civilisation for many thousands of years, playing a key role as fuel or construction material, as well … Continue reading
EP Plenary Session April I: Safety first
Written by Clare Ferguson, Following the United Kingdom’s formal notification on 29 March of its intention to withdraw from the EU, nine months after last June’s referendum, Parliament is set to debate a resolution setting out its main principles, broad objectives and red lines for the negotiations. Once adopted, this resolution will represent the EP’s … Continue reading
