Colette Braeckman has been a longtime senior correspondent for Le Soir in Central Africa and is the author of numerous books based on her investigations; her most recent work brings together her memoirs, published under the title Mes Carnets Noirs (2023).

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

Klara Lindström is Analyst at SCEEUS at the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (UI) and Special Advisor, European Policy Institute in Kyiv (EPIK). She previously worked at East Capital Group, at the Swedish Armed Forces Headquarters, and the Swedish Ministry of Defence. She also served at the Embassy of Sweden in Moscow from 2018 to 2020 and worked as a military interpreter in Ukraine in 2021. Klara Lindström is an expert on Ukraine’s domestic politics and reforms, EU enlargement, and Russian studies. She regularly travels to Ukraine, for around 2-3 weeks every other month.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando,  Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos, Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits:  paper shuffle.wav by alec_mackay -- https://freesound.org/s/463682/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 ping 2.wav by cameronmusic -- https://freesound.org/s/138419/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 Magic - Cymbal Swell 2 by Vrymaa -- https://freesound.org/s/826131/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando,  Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos, Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits:  Robots and Electromechanics v2 - 152.wav by Headphaze -- https://freesound.org/s/268387/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 traffic horns city nervous busy.wav by klankbeeld -- https://freesound.org/s/180156/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 air horn close and loud.WAV by goose278 -- https://freesound.org/s/174819/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 demonstration-SCREAMS.wav by chazam -- https://freesound.org/s/218881/ -- License: Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 Frustrated Grunts Shouts.wav by Jim Goad -- https://freesound.org/s/265585/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando,  Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili and Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits: Typing on Computer-St.wav by mar.u02144 -- https://freesound.org/s/508234/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Signing 2 by The_AT5000 -- https://freesound.org/s/820051/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 protests_casolets_trombone.wav by mmiron -- https://freesound.org/s/350649/ -- License: Attribution 4.0 iPhone Text Sound by ukjoncollins -- https://freesound.org/s/653820/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Likes, Thumbs Up by LilMati -- https://freesound.org/s/714569/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando,  Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos, Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits:  parliament noises.wav by Eneasz -- https://freesound.org/s/178247/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 iPhone Text Sound by ukjoncollins -- https://freesound.org/s/653820/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 Surfer dude - kit - Surprise n Shock kit 1 by Sadiquecat -- https://freesound.org/s/818949/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando, Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Henrik Serup Christensen, Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits: book_noises.wav by angients_ -- https://freesound.org/s/622081/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 cash register.mp3 by SoundCollectah -- https://freesound.org/s/108278/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Democracy Cracks is a six-episode podcast mini-series exploring the cracks in our democratic systems, from weakening trust to widening social divides, narrated by TEPSA's Programme Manager Eva Ribera and produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project.

Host and writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando, Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos, Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat

Sound credits: Leiden University Netherlands by Ryding -- https://freesound.org/s/483135/ -- License: Creative Commons 0 ping 2.wav by cameronmusic -- https://freesound.org/s/138419/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 Glass Shatter 2.wav by Greg_Surr -- https://freesound.org/s/554564/ -- License: Creative Commons 0

This podcast is funded by the European Union. 

Produced as part of ActEU, a Horizon Europe research project looking at trust, participation, and how democracy is changing in Europe, the series brings in science and stories to help answer a central question: is democracy breaking or breaking through?

Eva Ribera is Programme Manager at TEPSA. She coordinates the work of TEPSA’s Secretariat, working closely with Project Managers and Communications staff to ensure the effective implementation of the organisation’s activities. She holds an MA in International Relations (Security, Peace and Conflicts) from the Free University of Brussels and a BA in Social Sciences from Bordeaux Montaigne University. Her academic research focuses on democracy, fundamental rights, transitional justice, gender-just peace, and collective action.

Host & writing: Eva Ribera Production: Florence Ferrando & Barbara Vanotti Editorial review: Mariam Khotenashvili, Alexandros-Christos Gkotinakos & Ilaria Giustacchini Music: Nicolas Gadrat 

This podcast is funded by the European Union.

Ann Mettler is a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Columbia Center for Global Energy Policy. Until recently, Ann promoted the green transition at Breakthrough Energy, an organisation founded by Bill Gates, and previously she headed the European Political Strategy Centre, in-house think-tank of the European Commission during the Presidency of Jean-Claude Juncker.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

The MFF sets the EU’s financing methods and policy priorities for the next 7 years. This episode looks at the history of the MFF, its evolution through the years, and its ability to address the challenges the EU is facing. It also explores the Commission’s recent proposal for the next MFF and questions whether it can be considered a ‘Hamiltonian moment’ for Europe.

Klaus Welle is the former Secretary-General of the European Parliament. He chairs the Martens Centre’s Academic Council since April 2023, and, in May 2025, he was appointed Special Advisor to the Commissioner for Defence and Space.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

This episode is a discussion with Erik Jones. Erik is Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and a Nonresident Scholar at Carnegie Europe. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of books and special issues of journals on topics related to European politics and political economy. Professor Jones is co-editor of Government & Opposition and a contributing editor of Survival. His commentary has appeared in the Financial Times, the New York Times, and other major newspapers and magazines across Europe and North America.

This episode also takes place in the context of TEPSA’s latest book, to which Erik Jones has contributed. “The United States and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals”, is co-edited by Michael Kaeding, Johannes Pollak, and Paul Schmidt, and published by Springer.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

Giselle Bosse is full professor at Maastricht University, Visiting Professor at the College of Europe and a fellow at the European Democracy Hub. She is a leading expert on EU democracy support, Eastern Neighbourhood and European security.  

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

This video takes us from Jean Monnet’s idea to pool together France and Germany’s coal and steel industries following the end of the Second World War with the European Coal and Steel Community and its High Authority, through the establishment of the European Communities and the subsequent merger of their executives, including the High Authority, into the European Commission, right up to the Commission of today.

EU History Explained is TEPSA’s video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in ‘Brussels’, then this is the series for you!

We would like to warmly thank the following institutions for their support in the production of this video: Historical Archives of the European Union, Jean Monnet House, European Parliament Partnerships Team.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Barbara Vanotti & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

This video takes us from the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, a key step in the post-war Schuman Plan to secure lasting peace in Europe by pooling the French and German coal and steel industries, and the High Authority which managed this arrangement, through the decision to create a Common Assembly of appointed members to hold the supranational High Authority accountable, and beyond. From this origin, we trace the history of the Common Assembly under various guises - from European Parliamentary Assembly to today's directly elected European Parliament, noting the key moments where its powers and representativeness have evolved over the years.

EU History Explained is TEPSA’s video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in ‘Brussels’, then this is the series for you!

We would like to warmly thank the following institutions for their support in the production of this video: Historical Archives of the European Union, European Parliament Partnerships Team.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Barbara Vanotti & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

Marc De Vos is CEO and founder of Itinera. His expertise is wide-ranging, covering the European Union, globalisation, and economics among others. He is a professor at Ghent University, a published author, and a strategic consultant.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In this episode of EU Democracy Explained, the second in a two-part mini-series on democratic backsliding in Europe, Hugh Evans explains why Article 7, infringement procedures, and the rule of law conditionality regulation may not be all they're cracked up to be in terms of protecting the quality of democracy in the EU. We also look at what might change in future, looking ahead to the new Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen.

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

In this video, Hugh Evans asks a crucial question: is democracy failing in the EU? The European Union's democracy is built on a foundation of dual legitimacy provided by directly elected MEPs on the one hand and democratically elected national governments on the other. So what happens if one of these national governments becomes undemocratic?

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

This episode is a discussion with Enrico Letta . Enrico Letta is President of the Jacques Delors Institut, Dean of the School of International Affairs at Sciences Po Paris (PSIA) and former Italian Prime Minister. He has also been a Member of the Chamber of Deputies between 2006 and 2015. Letta was Minister of European Affairs from 1998 to 1999 and Minister of Industry from 1999 to 2001, and served as Secretary to the Council of Ministers from 2006 to 2008. He is a founding member of the Democratic Party.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

With the accession agenda firmly in the foreground of European politics once again, thanks to recent decisions to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova (agreed in December 2023 European Council) as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina (agreed in the March 2024 European Council), it is more crucial than ever to explore the ins and outs of enlargement policy, and discuss the ways forward for EU candidate countries.

In particular, the discussion focuses on topics such as the de facto enlargement of the EU resulting from the influx of millions of people from the Western Balkans or Ukraine, as well as the business ties already established between the EU and candidate countries, in addition to topics like how to maintain the rule of law in an enlarged Union, and how to build democratic resilience.

This episode is a discussion with Prof. Erik Jones. Erik Jones is Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and author, editor, or co-editor of books and special issues of journals on topics related to European politics and political economy. Professor Jones is co-editor of Government & Opposition and a contributing editor of Survival. His commentary has appeared in the Financial Times, the New York Times, and other major newspapers and magazines across Europe and North America.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

Cet épisode d'EuropeChats s'inscrit dans le cadre des activités variés de TEPSA sur le sujet des cinquantième anniversaire du Conseil Européen. Jim Cloos, Secrétaire Général de TEPSA, s'est rendu au Luxembourg pour parler avec l'ancien Président de la Commission Européenne Jacques Santer.

Le Président Santer a été Premier Ministre du Luxembourg entre 1984 et 1995, et Président de la Commission entre 1995 et 1999. Pendant son mandat à la Commission, Jim était son Chef de Cabinet.

Leur entretien porte sur les expériences de Monsieur Santer au sein du Conseil Européen en tante que Premier Ministre aussi qu'en temps que Président de la Commission. Cette discussion constitue une ressource importante d'une vie politique Européenne.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

President Van Rompuy has experienced different iterations of the European Council from different perspectives: he first joined the club as Belgian Prime Minister before the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and where Foreign Ministers where thus still taking part in the meetings. Then, when he became the Institution's first permanent President, he held the position in the iteration of the EUCO currently extant in the Treaties. All of this at a time where the EU's early 21st century so-called  'perma-crisis' was gathering momentum, with the fallout of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis continuing into the 2010s, and the early days of the Refugee Crisis coming to the fore towards the end of his tenure.

This episode is a discussion with Herman Van Rompuy. President Van Rompuy was Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008-2009, President of the European Council 2009-2014, and is Honorary President of the European Policy Centre.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

President Van Rompuy has experiences different iterations of the European Council from different perspectives: he first joined the club as Belgian Prime Minister before the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and where Foreign Ministers where thus still taking part in the meetings. Then, when he became the Institution's first permanent President, he held the position in the iteration of the EUCO currently extant in the Treaties. All of this at a time where the EU's early 21st century so-called  'perma-crisis' was gathering momentum, with the fallout of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis continuing into the 2010s, and the early days of the Refugee Crisis coming to the fore towards the end of his tenure.

This episode is a discussion with Herman Van Rompuy. President Van Rompuy was Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008-2009, President of the European Council 2009-2014, and is Honorary President of the European Policy Centre. EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In particular, the discussion focuses on topics such as the 50 billion euro Ukraine Facility as well as the 6 billion euro Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. In addition, Mariam and Gert Jan cover difficult issues such as citizens' (particularly farmers') concerns about the effects of Ukrainian grain exports on the EU's internal market and competitiveness, and a climate of disinformation surrounding the future accession of candidate countries.

This episode is a discussion with Gert Jan Koopman. Gert Jan is the Director-General of DG NEAR, with an ambitious agenda for strengthening integration between the EU and its neighbours. He has also previous worked on economy and competition policies and was in charge of the EU budget.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

This episode tackles the institution that you might already be most familiar with: the European Parliament. We will learn about its history dating all the way back to the 1950s and about what developments over the course of that period have served to increase the quality of representation, accountability, and ultimately democracy within it. We will also tackle a crucial concept in democracy theory: representation. While you might think you already know about this concept, there is more to the theory of representation than you might think, and its nuanced and vital role in democracy is implemented in a unique way in the EU system,

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X.

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion on the implementation and effectiveness of EU sanctions against third countries, with a particular focus on Russia. TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos is joined by EU Sanctions Envoy David O'Sullivan and a leading expert on sanctions, Dr Clara Portela from the University of Valencia. Sanctions are a key tool in the EU's external policy, and can be employed in a variety of ways and with a variety of possible aims and outcomes.

The most recent high-profile occasions in which the EU has chosen to impose sanctions on a third country is in a series of sanctions packages preceding and in the aftermath of Russia's aggression of Ukraine, which started in February 2022. Throughout the ensuing war, the EU has continued to ramp up its sanctions measures, and this episode discusses their implementation and effectiveness.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

This episode revolves around one of the institutions in the EU triangle that represents one of the two poles of the EU’s dual legitimacy: the Council of the European Union – legitimacy via the 27 governments. We will explore its makeup, its role and internal functioning, and we’ll discover what its crucial role in the legislative process might mean in terms of defining what the EU actually is.

In addition, we will learn about the complex academic debate surrounding the question of defining the EU as an entity. In exploring different theories of European integration and functioning, we will discover what aspects of the system conform to the various theories.

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Every five years, EU leaders agree on the EU's political priorities for the future. It is a collective effort led by the President of the European Council, where leaders discuss and decide together. It takes place in the context of the European Parliament elections and ahead of the appointment of each European Commission.

Given the way Belgium has chosen to structure its Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the first half of 2024, the 6 months immediately preceding the finalisation of the Strategic Agenda, such that its second half can be dedicated to supporting the formulation of that Agenda, TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos speaks with Wouter Detavernier, who is the Deputy Directory-General for European Affairs and Coordination at the Belgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Richard Youngs, Senior Fellow at Carnegie Europe and TEPSA Board Member, joins the discussion too, in order to give his expert insights as a researcher.

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

This first episodes revolves around a crucial and unique EU institution: the European Commission. We will explore how the Commission works, learn about its history, and discover how a proposal gets passed in the institutional triangle. In addition, we will explore an important element of what makes the EU democratic: accountability. Many people worry that the Commission is not accountable, but despite the caricature of 'Brussels bureaucrats', the truth is very different - this video explains how accountability is crucial in the European Union.

EU Democracy Explained is a series where we delve into detail about what democracy actually is and how it works in Europe, and ask ourselves: “what makes the EU democratic?”

Script, Recording & Editing: Hugh Evans

Music: Wondershare Filmora X

Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

The Rotating Presidency is  system whereby each of the 27 EU Member States takes turns in chairing various formations of the Council of the European Union. Each Presidency lasts six months and always has its own priorities. The system is a way for Member States to each hold the reins of a key EU Institution on an equal basis, and the Presidency plays a key role in many of the legislative achievements of the European Union.

In particular this episode is a discussion on the history, role, and relevance of the Rotating Presidency, drawing on Jim Cloos' longstanding involvement in Presidencies, first as a Luxembourgish diplomat, then as a European diplomat. Together, Mariam and Jim explore the support each Presidency gets from the General Secretariat of the Council, what challenges Presidencies may face, what opportunities they have to make a difference, and they try to answer a key question: what makes a good Rotating Presidency?

At the time of this episode's publication, Spain has just taken the reins of the Rotating Presidency from Sweden. For the coming six months, the new Presidency will have to tackle a number of challenges both at the national and European elections, not the least of which is a national election in Spain set for July 23. TEPSA has been working hard to give concrete recommendations to the Spanish Presidency, via the holding of a Pre-Presidency Conference in Madrid at the start of June, and via the presentation of a set of policy recommendations in various areas. To learn more about the Recommendations from Members of the TEPSA Network to the Spanish Presidency, check out our website: https://www.tepsa.eu/recommendations-from-members-of-the-tepsa-network-to-the-spanish-presidency/

EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In particular, an in the context of potential future enlargement in the Western Balkans, the discussion focusses on the update to enlargement methodology which was made in 2020 for the purpose of reinvigorating the accession process for candidates in that region. In addition, Mariam and Frank discuss the thorny issues of the EU’s “absorption capacity”, the prospect of “staged accession”, and the costs of non-enlargement geopolitically, economically, and in terms of the EU’s internal functioning.

This episode is a discussion with Prof. Frank Schimmelfennig. Frank is Professor of European Politics and a member of the Center for Comparative and International Studies at ETH Zürich. He is a leading expert on all things EU integration, and a key protagonist in the current debate about the accession process and enlargement policy writ-large. His new book, “Integration and Differentiation in the European Union”, was recently published by Palgrave Macmillan.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In this video, we discuss how, from the purely economic integration project of the European Economic Community, created in 1957, we ended up with today’s European Union: a complex structure comprising not only a single market, but also common policies, as well as rights and obligations for European citizens. Today’s European Union is a polity which, among other things, allows us to circulate freely across Member States, to live and work abroad, to participate in local and European elections in other countries, and to feel part of one big family with our fellow Europeans. But it is also an ongoing process that cannot yet be considered achieved. As the Treaties say, the EU is permanently striving to build “an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe”, and even today a broad debate is taking place about the future of the EU and the reforms needed to make it more effective and closer to citizens, including young people.

EU History Explained is TEPSA’s video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in ‘Brussels’, then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Eva Ribera & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

In particular, the discussion surrounds the United States' Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), a source of tension in the trans-Atlantic relationship due to its content which is perceived by European leaders as being too protectionist. The challenge of China also features in the talk on how the EU's economy, dominated as it is by the EU's status as the world's largest trading power, is affected by factors outside its own borders. The discussion then moves on to how the EU might build up the Banking Union and Capital Markets Union, as well as an assessment of the Stability and Growth Pact.

This episode is a discussion with Prof. Michele Chang. Michele is the Director of the Transatlantic Affairs Programme and Professor in the European Political and Governance Studies Department at the College of Europe in Bruges. You can read her contribution to the recent European Council Experts' Debrief, as well as all the other fascinating analyses contained therein, on TEPSA's website.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In particular, the discussion surrounds the recent Joint Agreement on EU-NATO Cooperation, the reasons why Western military support to Ukraine has been given in such small steps, and why decisions such as sending German Leopard tanks to Ukraine was fraught with indecision. In addition, the two discuss whether there is any prospect for a normalisation of relations with Russia in the wake of a Ukrainian victory, or even after Putin’s rein comes to an end, whether in the short or long term. What is the role of the EU in this war? How can it step up its support to Ukrainian forces? How can Ukraine’s European future be ensured?

This episode is a discussion with Dr. Kristi Raik. Kristi is a TEPSA Board Member and Deputy Director of the International Centre for Defence and Security, where she is also the Head of the Foreign Policy Programme. The discussion occurs on the basis of a paper Kristi recently co-authored with Martin Hurt entitled “Building European Security Against Russia – A View From Estonia”.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

Co-Funded by the European Union.

In particular, the discussion surrounds the current measures taken by the EU, including 8 sanctions packages, financial & equipment support to Ukraine's struggle, and the crucial granting of EU Candidacy status to Ukraine, as well as what the EU can do to better support Ukraine in the ongoing war. In addition, the recent recognition of the European Parliament that Russia is a state sponsor of terrorism forms an important part of the discussion: what does this mean in practice, and what can the EU do to further punish Russia for its aggression?

This episode is a special talk with Heidi Hautala, Finnish MEP for the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, and Vice-President of the European Parliament. MEP Hautala is serving her fifth term in the European Parliament and has dealt for many years with international trade, EU external relations, human rights, development, legal affairs and the EU budget.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

In this podcast, we investigate how this informal cooperation formed in the so-called European Political Cooperation will lead over recent decades to today’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. Two main Treaties are significant in this more recent development of European foreign policy: Maastricht, signed in 1992 and establishing the European Union proper. As part of this Treaty, one of its three 'pillars' becomes Common Foreign and Security Policy. Year later, when the Lisbon Treaty is signed in 2007 and comes into force in 2009, the Common Security and Defence Policy is born and the EU is granted legal personality, meaning it can conclude international agreements. But the road is not so smooth: in this episode we discover yet more challenges posed in the road to a European foreign policy. This episode is the second in a two-part series on European Foreign Policy.

EU History Explained is TEPSA's series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Eva Ribera & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

A sensitive subject for European countries in the wake of World War II, foreign policy integration has a storied history and remains a key area of discussion in the modern European Union. In this podcast, we take a look back to the early days of the European project, mapping proposals and developments, both failed and successful, to further integrate European states in the foreign policy field. In a context of a war-weary post-war European continent, a new geopolitical factor in NATO, and rising Cold War tensions, European leaders' efforts to integrate their countries' foreign policy was no less complex. This episode, the first in a two-part series on the history of European foreign policy, deals with the initial steps on the way to a European foreign policy, and a series of unsuccessful attempts in the early years to development in the 1970s of certain informal cooperation practices – the so-called European Political cooperation.

EU History Explained is TEPSA's series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Eva Ribera & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

This episode is a special interview with Benjamin Tallis, research fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP). He focuses on the politics of European security, particularly concerning the European Neighbourhood, borders and migration. He previously worked for the EU on security missions in Ukraine and the Balkans and was policy officer at the European Centre of Excellence for Civilian Crisis Management in Berlin. He also worked at the Institute of International Relations in Prague and contributed to drafting the EU Global Strategy in 2016.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

Matthias Ruete is a longstanding European practitioner. Starting off as a "mildly Eurosceptic professor at an English university", he eventually joined the European Commission in 1986, climbing the ranks until he was appointed to lead the Directorate-General for Energy and Transport (DG TREN) in 2006. He also led the Migration and Home Affairs file at the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME) between 2014 and 2017. Since leaving a role as special adviser to the European Commission, dealing with energy policy among other files, Ruete has worked as one of eleven European Transport Coordinators for the European Rail Traffic Management System.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

What can sanctions achieve? How do EU sanctions actually work? How are they decided? What role do they play in the EU’s foreign policy? These are some of the questions we will tackle in this episode of EuropeChats.

In this episode, we discuss the role of sanctions in EU policy more generally, and the role they are playing in the European Union's response to Russia's war of aggression in Ukraine. TEPSA Executive Director Mariam Khotenashvili discussed with TEPSA Secretary-General and former Deputy Director General for General and Institutional Policy at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union Jim Cloos.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

In this podcast, we take a look back over decades of European integration, highlighting key moments where US involvement was, or was not, a crucial impetus for further integration, and analysing the changing attitudes of the US government towards the European project over the years. We can distinguish two main phases in the US’ attitude towards European integration: a first phase, from the end of World War II to the end of the 1960s, marked by a strong support; and a second phase, starting from the Nixon administration, where increasing economic and political competition from the European Economic Community resulted in a more ambivalent US attitude. Part 2, deals with the second phase of relations in the second half of the post-war years.

EU History Explained is TEPSA's series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Eva Ribera & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

In this podcast, we take a look back over decades of European integration, highlighting key moments where US involvement was, or was not, a crucial impetus for further integration, and analysing the changing attitudes of the US government towards the European project over the years. We can distinguish two main phases in the US’ attitude towards European integration: a first phase, from the end of World War II to the end of the 1960s, marked by a strong support; and a second phase, starting from the Nixon administration, where increasing economic and political competition from the European Economic Community resulted in a more ambivalent US attitude. This podcast, the first of two parts dealing with US influence on European integration, deals with the first phase, in the early years of the European project.

EU History Explained is TEPSA's series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Eva Ribera & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

Three countries (Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova) are working their way towards accession to the EU, their clear European choice a thorn in Russia’s side. In an effort to extend his sphere of influence, Russian President Vladimir Putin is de-facto occupying territory in all three countries.

None of these countries are in NATO although Ukraine and Georgia have been knocking on the door for almost twenty years. All three countries have strong European aspirations. The upcoming European Council in June might decide to recognise the three countries as candidates for membership. The European Commission is currently preparing its opinions on the three applications.

In this discussion with special guest Richard Youngs, we discuss the EU membership prospects of these three countries. Richard Youngs is a leading European expert on the topic of EU accession, the neighbourhood, and conflict. He is a Senior Fellow at the Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program of Carnegie Europe, Professor at the University of Warwick, visiting professor at the College of Europe, and author of over 15 books on EU foreign policy, democracy and Eastern Europe.

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

The European Council gathers together the Heads of State or Government from the European Union’s Member States. It has over the years become the EU’s agenda setter, shaping key milestones in European integration. In the early years, the European Council did not exist - and it had no formal role or legal basis in the Treaties. Nevertheless, the Heads of State and Government, wanting to meet to discuss the progress of EU affairs and common policies, started to meet in summits in the 1960s and 1970s. The European Council, in a sense, created itself. And since that time it has had its role formalised and clearly defined.

TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos drafted European Council Conclusions for years as part of his role as  Deputy Director General for General and Institutional Policy at the General Secretariat of the Council of the European Union. He knows how the conclusions have changed over time, how they are written, who has an input on their content, and ultimately, he knows how to read past their often complex and confusing language. If you ever wanted to understand more about the crucial role of the EU's agenda setter, he is a leading expert!

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

The European Council gathers together the Heads of State or Government from the European Union’s Member States. It has over the years become the EU’s agenda setter, shaping key milestones in European integration, but despite this, its history as a formal Institution of the EU doesn’t go back too far.

In this video, we take a look back over decades of European integration, tracking the development of the summits that would later become the formal European Council. Starting in the 1960s as informal summit meetings spearheaded by France in an effort to limit the supranational character of the European Community, a number of developments brought about the end of the summit practice, and the foundation of the European Council. In a context of international instability, the need for momentum to integrate further, and pushed for by French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing and German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt, the late 1960s and early 1970s brought about the birth of the European Council. From there, we move through several Treaty changes, culminating in the signing of the Lisbon Treaty in 2007, which formalised the European Council as an EU Institution and defined its current role.

EU History Explained is TEPSA's video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you!

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute and Roland Parr for their contribution.

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti Recording & Editing: Tanguy Babled & Hugh Evans Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X)

It is two years since the United Kingdom formally left the European Union, and over one year since the end of the #Brexit transition period. But the difficult relations between the UK and the EU didn't start in 2016. From a stop-start accession process filled with hurdles and challenges, through a series of opt-outs from EU policies, and culminating in a tense series of Brexit negotiations, the UK's involvement in the European project has been troubled since the start. 

In this video, we take a look back over the last 90 years of European integration, from the British perspective. Beginning with Churchill's championing of a European project without British involvement in the 1930s, and moving through successive British governments' attempts to balance their interests between the Commonwealth & USA and the emerging Common Market in Europe, the path to British accession to the EEC in 1973 was a difficult one. But the trouble didn't end there, and we also explore the decades of British membership, moving through Thatcher's critiques of the Community and tense debate over the British contribution to the European budget, and a series of British opt-outs from major EU policies such as Schengen and the Europe. Finally, we explore the impact of all this history on the current state of relations. After Brexit, the UK has gone from a member with many opt-outs to an outside seeking opt-ins. What can the history of UK-EU relations teach us about their future? 

EU History Explained is TEPSA's video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you! 

We would like to thank the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute for their contribution. 

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti  Recording & Editing: Tanguy Babled & Hugh Evans  Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X) 

2021 remained mired in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and 2022 looks set to continue that trend, in a context of disappointing global vaccination rates and the new Omicron variant of the disease. But Europe was not only face by the challenge of coronavirus in 2021: a hostile global environment , not only when looking at Russia and China, but also at Europe's borders, played its part in the story of 2021, and the EU must seek true strategic autonomy to deal with it in 2022 and beyond. The climate emergency continues, and despite good moves in the right direction, the existential thread of climate catastrophe remains. But it's not all doom and gloom, so check out this latest episode and enjoy the discussion. See you in 2022 for more EuropeChats!

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

The "Views from the Capitals" series draws on the expertise of the TEPSA Network to produce books that analyse topical European issues from the perspective of each EU Member State and neighbouring countries, and help understand the future of the European project. The latest edition, "European Solidarity in Action and the Future of Europe: Views from the Capitals", is the topic of today's episode. 

The book sheds light on how Member States and EU neighbours reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of European solidarity, what they expect from the EU, and other Member States, and how they are ready to contribute to common action. The volume reveals how European countries experience and perceive solidarity from the EU and towards the EU in different policy dimensions, such as intra-EU mobility, healthcare and financial and economic aspects of Europe’s recovery.  

The spread of COVID-19 appears to have turned the world upside down. The pandemic has put enormous stress on the global economy. Its impact on the European Union, its Member States and neighbouring countries poses the biggest challenge since its existence. It is the latest stress test of the Europe’s solidarity after being pummeled by the eurozone debt turmoil, the migration crisis of 2015-16 and Brexit. Whether the EU can bounce back and what shape the recovery will take depends on what actions the member states are willing to take individually and collectively in the days, weeks and months to come. 

We're discussing these topics and many more, so check it out! 

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”  

Ambassador Campbell arrived in Brussels at the height of the COVID-19 crisis in 2020. Faced with this unprecedented medical and economic crisis, we ask her how difficult is was to get settled in a new city in such circumstances, especially as a diplomat. We then move on to questions of policy: how does the Ambassador assess the current state of EU-Canada relations writ-large? And how has the CETA Agreement evolved in Canada, against the backdrop of severe debate in Europe? Jim and Ailish also discuss the efforts the EU and Canada are taking to vaccinate the world against COVID-19 and recover in good order from the devastation of the pandemic. And of course, the ever-present threat of climate emergency is also discussed: what are the Ambassador's thoughts on the results of COP26 in Glasgow? Are we taking significant enough steps to mitigate the effects of climate change, or is there yet more to be done? 

We're discussing these topics and many more, so check it out! 

EuropeChats is is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”  

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

The flaws of the Dublin system having been laid bare by the Refugee Crisis of the mid-2010s, migration has shot to the forefront of EU debate. In Hungary, government rhetoric during the crisis shifted dramatically towards fearmongering immigration, and a crisis was caused with Croatia and the EU when Hungary closed its southern border. But it isn't only in Hungary that migration has caused controversy: in the United Kingdom, migration took center-stage in the Brexit debate, and in Bulgaria, since 2014 a fence has been erected along the Turkish border to reduce immigration. The story is much the same across the rest of Europe: migration has become the chief political hot-potato in the EU. 

While some see the influx of economic migrants and refugees as a threat, others advocate in favour of migration in the interests of the European Union both economically and socially. One of those people is Giles Merritt, a journalist, author and broadcaster who has for over four decades specialised in European public policy questions. In 2010 he was named by the Financial Times as one of its 30 most influential “Eurostars”, together with the European Commission’s President and NATO’s Secretary General. Merritt is the Founder of Friends of Europe, and was its Secretary General between 1999 and 2015, and its Chairman between 2016 and 2020. 

We’re discussing these topics and many more! Check it out! 

EuropeChats is with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”  

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music 

Chancellor Merkel announced this year that she would be standing down after 16 years in power. The German elections took place on 26 September 2021, and for the first time since 2005, we knew she would not emerge as Chancellor.

TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos prepared European Council summits throughout Merkel's period in office, and shares with us his impressions of her European leadership through a series of crises since 2005.

"Ms. Merkel came into power in 2005. This was the year when a new MFF was being negotiated. It was as always a highly controversial matter, with Germany playing a key role as the biggest net payer. After the failure to conclude under Luxembourg presidency (not the fault of LU!), she worked hard with the new UK presidency to find consensus at the EUCO. In other words, she almost immediately made her mark in Brussels. She surprised people with her quiet authority, her knowledge of the files and her tactical skills"

But we also look at some of Chancellor Merkel's failures and controversies, including the famous "Wir Schaffen Das!" statement which Jim argues created divisions in Europe at the time of the Refugee Crisis, and critiques of Merkel's indecision in the area of foreign policy

We’re discussing these topics and many more! Check it out!

EuropeChats is with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

In a few months, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the introduction of Euro banknotes and coins, which came into circulation on January 1st 2002. But the history of our common currency stretches back a lot further than that, way back to 1957 and the Treaty of Rome, which outlined measures to promote coordination in economic and monetary matters. But it was not until the early 1970s that policy started to be shaped in the wake of the end of the Bretton Woods system and the Werner Report.  

Since then, economic integration has progressed through the Delors presidency of the European Commission, through the Chancellorship of Helmut Schmidt in Germany and the Presidency of Valéry Giscard d’Estaing in France, and into the 1990s when the Maastricht Treaty founded the modern European Union and economic integration accelerated, culminating in the introduction of the Euro in 1999 as a virtual single currency. 

EU History Explained is TEPSA's video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you! 

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti  Recording & Editing: Tanguy Babled & Hugh Evans  Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X) 

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest video format. 

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest format. 

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest video format. 

We also discuss what exactly does this term mean, and how does it affect the EU as it currently exists? What practical applications of the concept of Strategic Autonomy should the EU try to achieve in the fields of trade policy, medical supplies, defence and digitalisation in the next decade? 

We discover what that new resilience might look like, how it might affect policy, and what this means for the EU on the world stage. Can the EU be a serious geopolitical actor? Can strategic autonomy strengthen the defense of European values against authoritarian regimes outside Europe? Can Europe become an innovation centre on par with Silicon Valley or China? And, most controversially of all, does strategic autonomy mean the EU should have a European Army? 

We’re discussing these topics and many more! Check it out! 

EuropeChats with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”  

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music 

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest format. 

Last episode, we learned about Europe in the wake of war, where an intellectual background dating back to the 1920s came to the fore to foster integration in Europe. This episode, we learn how an attempted defense and political community led to the formation of the European Economic Community. We also discover the progress of military cooperation, which starts to develop in the early 1950s. Initially, this is not much more than a military alliance, first among Western European countries, and then between them and the United States. These are the origins of what we know today as NATO. 

EU History Explained is TEPSA's newest video series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you! 

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti  Filming & Editing: Tanguy Babled & Hugh Evans  Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X) 

In this episode, we discuss how and why the initial response was made, including why mask and PPE procuration was such a significant challenge in the spring of 2020. TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos was a key player in organising the mammoth Special European Council meeting of July 2020, which resulted in the adoption of the Multi-Annual Financial Framework 2021-2027 and the COVID Recovery Package: #NextGenerationEU. With this expertise of the famous days-long negotiation, Jim speaks about the key elements of the more than EUR 1.8 trillion total funding agreed in that meeting. 

We also discover how the EU’s research funding resulted in the record delivery of a COVID19 vaccine, as well as how the EU’s joint procuration of vaccines has resulted in a successful vaccination programme in Europe and beyond Europe’s borders, thanks to a successful vaccine export programme and the EU’s heavy involvement in COVAX. The COVID vaccine was developed and released in only one year, as of May 2021, 200 million vaccine doses have been administered in the EU, and the EU is the biggest contributor to the COVAX initiative. 

EuropeChats with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks”  

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music 

In the wake of war in Europe, and with an intellectual background dating back to the 1920s, the origins of the modern EU formed. In this episode, we are looking at the timeline from the end of World War Two until the creation of the European Coal and Steel Community in 1951, with the Marshall Plan, the Hague Congress, and the Schuman Declaration along the way. 

EU History Explained is TEPSA's newest series exploring the origins of the modern EU. If you have ever wondered how the European Union of today came to be, or what lies behind the talk of politics being shaped in 'Brussels', then this is the series for you! 

Script: Giulia Bonacquisti  Filming & Editing: Tanguy Babled & Hugh Evans  Music: Garrett Bevins - Infinite - Infinite (Wondershare Filmora X) 

• What is differentiated integration? 
• What are the modes of differentiated integration, and what are multi-speed, multi-tier, and multi-menu differentiation? 
• What are the causes and conditions of differentiated integration? 

• What are the building blocks of differentiated integration? 
• What is the difference between instrumental and constitutional differentiation? 

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest format. 

The discussion kicks off discussing the origins of the European interest and continues by looking at how it historically evolved and how positions of national interest change or clash in relations to the common European interest.

EuropeChats with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel "Europe Speaks".

TEPSA Website - Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn - Instagram

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music

Jim explores five different examples of differentiated integration: the accession of new Member States, the Schengen Area, the Euro, the Social Chapter of the Maastricht Treaty, and European Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). Jim makes three conclusions: that DI is a natural phenomenon, that it is a tool rather than an ideology, and that a permanent periphery is not a solution.

This series from DiCE – Differentiation: Clustering Excellence, “DiCE Webinars” takes the full knowledge of Europe’s leading experts on differentiated integration, and presents it in an easy to digest format.

The discussion explores the European Coal and Steel Community, the division of powers within the EU institutions and the Member States, the complexity of democracy in a supranational Union and the role of the EU in times of crisis.

EuropeChats with Jim Cloos & Mariam Khotenashvili is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel "Europe Speaks".

TEPSA Website - Twitter - Facebook - LinkedIn - Instagram

Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music