European Parliament - Eprs Policy Podcasts

On 23 September 2021, the European Commission adopted a legislative proposal to amend the 2014 Radio Equipment Directive, as a first step towards mandating a common charger for mobile phones and other small portable devices. Under the proposal, these devices would have to be equipped with a USB Type-C receptacle that can be charged with cables compatible with USB Type C, and to incorporate the USB Power Delivery communication protocol. In this podcast, we'll talk about a common charger for electronic devices, a proposal by the European Commission that could make our lives much easier if finally approved. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTubeSource: © European Union - EP

Payment systems are of vital importance for today's economies and are the core activity of central banks. To adapt to recent trends – including the decline in cash usage, the surge in online commerce and contactless forms of payment, and the creation of cryptocurrencies – central banks have, in recent years, explored the possibility of issuing digital currencies themselves. In this podcast, we'll talk about digital currencies issued by central banks. We'll look at the different design choices and examine the potential benefits and risks of such crypto-currencies. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTubeSource: © European Union - EP

Key to a fair single market, EU rules do not allow State aid, unless it is used to promote general economic development, for example, when tackling the challenges of global competition or the ongoing financial crisis … The European Parliament agrees with this general principle, but calls for less and better targeted state aid in the future. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2020)646164 Source: © European Union - EP

The European Commission proposes to establish a technology-neutral definition of AI systems in EU law and to lay down a classification for AI systems with different requirements and obligations tailored on a 'risk-based approach'. Some AI systems presenting 'unacceptable' risks would be prohibited. A wide range of 'high-risk' AI systems would be authorised, but subject to a set of requirements and obligations to gain access to the EU market. Those AI systems presenting only 'low or minimal risk' would be subject to very light transparency obligations. In this podcast, we'll talk about the EU artificial intelligence act, the first ever comprehensive attempt at regulating the uses and risks of this emerging technology. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website- Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader- Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTubeSource: © European Union - EP

The fit for 55 package is part of the Commission's European Green Deal, which aims to set the EU firmly on the path towards net zero GHG emissions (climate neutrality) by 2050. The fit for 55 package includes a regulation establishing a new social climate fund (SCF). The aim of the SCF is to help vulnerable households, micro-businesses and transport users meet the costs of the green energy transition in the buildings and road transport sector. The SCF is designed to counter the additional costs that vulnerable consumers may face when the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) Directive is revised to cover these two sectors, as proposed in the fit for 55 package. The SCF aims to provide over €72 billion in EU funding over the 2025-2032 period.- Original publication on the EP Think Tank website- Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader- Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTubeSource: © European Union - EP

Human rights sanctions are nothing new, but the death in 2009 of Russian whistle-blower Sergei Magnitsky in detention resulted in calls for more vigorous action to counter continuing abuses in many countries. Adopted by the US in 2016, the Global Magnitsky Act was the first of a new generation of human rights sanctions programmes, which, in contrast to traditional sanctions targeted at individual countries, can be flexibly applied to perpetrators from all over the world, regardless of their geographical location. In this podcast, we'll talk about the rise of global human rights sanctions and compare how the US, Canada, the UK and the EU deal with human rights violations and abuses worldwide. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTubeSource: © European Union - EP

In 2016, as a response to the shortcomings revealed in the EU's migration management, the Commission presented a proposal to amend and expand the mandate of The European Asylum Support Office (EASO), also changing its name to the European Union agency for asylum to reflect its stronger powers. As part of the asylum reform package, the proposal was put on hold, but was then relaunched as part of the new pact on asylum and migration in September 2020. On 29 June 2021, the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement on the agency. In this podcast, we'll look at its changing role and extended powers to improve asylum management in Europe. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

In March 2018, the EU introduced a legislative package on the fair taxation of the digital economy. It contained proposals for an interim and a long-term digital tax. However, there was no immediate political agreement in the Council. As finding a global solution at the OECD level or a coordinated EU approach was not yet feasible at the time, some Member States started designing or implementing their own digital taxes, which gave rise to trade tensions. In this podcast, we talk about taxing the digital economy. We analyse the main challenges, look at EU proposals and new developments to make international tax regimes fit for the digital age. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

According to statistics since 2008 over 318 million people around the world have been forcibly displaced by floods, windstorms, earthquakes or droughts, 30.7 million in 2020 alone. This is equivalent to one person being displaced every second. Depending on the frequency and scale of the major natural disasters occurring, there are significant fluctuations in the total number of displaced people from one year to the next, yet the trend over recent decades has been a growing one. Many find refuge within their own country, but some are forced to go abroad. In this podcast, we'll talk about 'climate refugees', a concept that remains unclear despite the rising number of people forcibly displaced because of climate disasters. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

In December 2020, the European Commission proposed the creation of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC), to facilitate trade, expand investment, develop compatible standards, boost innovation and strengthen the partners' technological and industrial leadership. The 2021 change of administration in Washington reinvigorated the relationship between the EU and USA. The TTC was formally launched during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021. The first meeting took place on 29 September 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In this episode, we'll look at TTC's purpose, objectives and its role in the context of the wider trade and tech relations between the EU and the USA. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

The EU is an important market for illicit drugs, both in terms of consumption and production. An estimated 28.9 % of European adults aged 15-65 have used illicit drugs at least once in their lifetime, a majority of them being men. The illicit drugs market is the largest criminal market in the EU, with an estimated minimum retail value of €30 billion per year in the EU alone. Although the EU Member States carry the primary responsibility for developing their drug policy and legislation, cross-border cooperation is paramount in the fight against illicit drugs. In this podcast, we'll talk about the EU illicit drugs market! We'll look at current demand and supply trends, the challenges ahead and EU's response to this increasingly complex and global problem. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

On 30 June 2021, the Commission adopted a proposal for a general product safety regulation, which would replace the current General Product Safety Directive, as part of the regulatory fitness-check programme (REFIT). The proposal seeks to address the challenges of product safety of emerging technologies, including use of artificial intelligence (AI) and connected devices, and to establish clear obligations for online marketplaces, which consumers increasingly use for their online purchases. In this podcast, we'll talk about the new general product safety regulation with which the EU wants to address challenges linked to new technologies and online sales. - Original publication on the EP Think Tank website - Subscription to our RSS feed in case your have your own RSS reader - Podcast available on Deezer, iTunes, TuneIn, Stitcher, YouTube Source: © European Union - EP

In this episode, we'll focus on one organisation that has become a pillar of the modern European security order: the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE. The OSCE lacks the legal powers and the resources needed to live up to its ambition of becoming a platform for pan-European/trans-Atlantic cooperation. But OSCE agreements, such as the Vienna Document, help to promote military transparency, and election observation missions have advanced democratic reforms in several countries. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696190 https://youtu.be/Ux-MUyB_jzs Source: © European Union - EP

In the European Union, 78 % of native flora and 84 % of crops are either partially or fully dependent on insects for pollination. But significant pollinator loss has been documented over time across the EU. According to the European Red List of Bees, around 9 % of all bee species are threatened in the EU. In this episode, we'll talk about the key role pollinators play in nature, the threats they face and EU action to protect them. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696175 https://youtu.be/igbDomuXBUA Source: © European Union - EP

In May 2020, the European Commission published its 'farm to fork' strategy – 'for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system' – along with the EU biodiversity strategy, as part of the implementation of the European Green Deal. In those strategies the Commission set a target of 25 % of the EU's agricultural land to be under organic farming by 2030, as well as a significant increase in organic aquaculture. In this podcast, we'll decorticate the Commission's new plan to promote organic production in Europe. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696182 https://youtu.be/Reeud7jtG7I Source: © European Union - EP

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are a relatively new method of raising capital for early-stage ventures. They constitute an alternative to more traditional sources of start-up funding such as venture capital and angel finance.This episode explains how ICOs work, looks at potential benefits and challenges, and analyses the regulatory responses they've been met with. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696167 https://youtu.be/F-7gNAWbo9g Source: © European Union - EP

Fear, worries, insecurity... In this episode, we are talking about the effects of the pandemic on people's mental health, especially young people, and look at the recommendations and guidance given by European and international organisations to deal with this 'silent pandemic'. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696164 https://youtu.be/KFaWDuHz2m4 Source: © European Union - EP

What is the EU's long term vision for rural areas? In this episode, we'll look at their needs, their potential and challenges, see where current support policies have succeeded and where they've been less successful… and have a quick look into the future. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)690711 https://youtu.be/KnCvakhSTsI Source: © European Union - EP

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought new challenges for victims, as well as amplifying the vulnerabilities of those most at risk. Traffickers – like legal businesses – moved to digital modi operandi, making victims even less visible and less able to ask for help and protection. But what is the EU doing about it? Listen to our podcast to learn more! http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)690616 https://youtu.be/eZn2OFFMtQ0 Source: © European Union - EP

Even if the numbers of both young children in early childhood education and of graduates rose in recent years, the number of underachieving 15 year-olds remains high and the participation of adults in learning is low. The European Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament seem to concur that cooperation in education and training needs to be reinforced. http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)690630 https://youtu.be/6dO5mpFUdD4 Source: © European Union - EP