EU Decoded
Will the EU-Mercosur partnership get off the ground?
The EU-Mercosur Partnership Agreement foresees creation of the world's largest free trade zone. It took 25 years to reach an agreement that is now on the table for ratification. However, the process the European Commission has put in place is being challenged by several sectors.
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EU Decoded
The battle over the EU's €2 trillion budget has begun
The European Commission has proposed a €2 trillion long-term budget which would controversially merge agricultural and cohesion funds. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen defended the move as effective, but critics have warned it could undermine rural and regional development.
EU Decoded
Can the EU establish common rules to limit sperm and egg donation?
Births conceived through sperm donation are on the rise in Europe, but recent controversies involving so-called "super donors" have prompted several EU countries to call for clear regulation and international limits on sperm and egg donations.
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EU Decoded
Can the EU jet itself into the space race?
A revolution is coming to space, according to the European Commission, which has just proposed a new Space Act. Increasing the EU’s competitiveness in the space sector is the goal of the new legislation, but is the bloc willing to invest enough to lead the space race?
EU Decoded
Will new animal welfare law curb illegal trade?
The EU has created its first law on the welfare of dogs and cats to be applied across the bloc, targeting illegal trade and harmful practices. A regulation that was long overdue, considering that 44% of EU households have a pet and it's a billion-dollar business.
EU Decoded
Is it possible to balance the interests of air passengers and airlines?
The legal reform of air passenger rights in the EU is causing controversy. The changes to the regulations introduce new measures, such as allowing airlines to charge for hand luggage. This episode explains what to expect when flying within the EU.
EU Decoded
Will a new strategy improve European water management?
One third of the EU is affected by water scarcity and with water pollution and high demand for water, more investment and innovation is needed. We look at the pros and cons of the proposals in the new European Water Resilience Strategy.
EU Decoded
Is debt justified to increase defence investments?
First it was vaccines, then gas and now the EU will make joint purchases of defence equipment. This latest emergency is due to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the prospect of less investment by the US in Europe's protection. Is the new financial instrument Security Action for Europe up to the challenge?
EU Decoded
Can Europe make ecological farming competitive?
Last year farmers' protested against red tape pinned to EU funding, and their demonstrations yielded results. The European Commission has been simplifying farmers' environmental obligations, but how will it reform the Common Agricultural Policy in the next EU budget?
EU Decoded
Can the EU afford to phase out imports of Russian fuel?
Cutting off Russian energy imports is the aim of the new RepowerEU Roadmap presented by the European Commission. The executive cites security reasons, adding that it will also accelerate the EU's energy transition, but what are the obstacles to achieving this?
EU Decoded
Can the EU do enough to attract scientists to work in its countries?
Europe is home to more than two million researchers and the bloc wants to attract many more, especially after restrictions imposed by the US government on the scientific community. Will the "Choose Europe" initiative be enough to make the EU a world leader in science?
EU Decoded
Digital border system targets crime and irregular migration
People without a passport from an EU country will soon face a new digital border system that will record much of their personal information. The so-called Entry/Exit System aims to increase security, but EU DECODED explains that it can also act as a tool to prevent irregular migration.
EU Decoded
Will companies cut down on microplastic pollution?
Microplastics are among the worst polluters for all ecosystems and can be harmful to all life. We look at how new regulations could reduce the contamination that often occurs during the transport of plastic pellets used in the manufacture of larger products.
EU Decoded
Will citizens channel their savings to boost EU businesses?
The European Commission's proposal for a Savings and Investment Union wants citizens to also help EU companies grow. This episode discusses what it would take to make investing savings in financial products a win-win situation for everyone involved.
EU Decoded
Will European agriculture convert to new genomic techniques?
The European Union has just taken a step towards deregulating New Genomic Techniques used for the improvement of agricultural plants. The agrichemical sector argues that they are essential to ensuring the future of food production, but many remain sceptical.
EU Decoded
Will deportation hubs help speed up migrant returns?
The Common European System for Returns aims to speed up deportation of asylum seekers who aren't permitted to stay in the European Union. In an unexpected move, it also opens the possibility to build the controversial detention centres outside the bloc.
EU Decoded
Will fewer corporate reporting obligations jeopardise the EU Green Deal?
Cutting down on red tape to help boost companies’ competitiveness is the aim of a European Commission proposal to simplify corporate reporting obligations. But critics of the so-called Omnibus package claim the proposal is a step back for human rights and the environment.
EU Decoded
Will loss of AI-specific liability rules leave victims without redress?
In a world-first, the EU created legislation to regulate Artificial Intelligence, called the AI Act. But it now seems to be moving away from effective protection for those harmed by this technology by abandoning a proposed AI Liability Directive.
EU Decoded
Noise pollution directive: a far cry from effective
High noise levels have a significant impact on the health of Europeans, especially those living in urban areas. A recent study by the European Court of Auditors drew attention to the risks of neglecting this type of pollution that contributes to premature deaths.
EU Decoded
Brussels wants to strengthen the bargaining power of farmers
The price of the groceries we buy are the result of tough negotiations between large purchasers and farmers. But farmers very often feel taken advantage of by major retailers, claiming they are forced to undersell their products.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Should access to abortion be harmonised within EU?
For more than 60 years, Europe has led a global trend towards legal access to abortion. Fears of a reversal of this trend have led to the campaign “My Choice, My Voice”, a citizens’ initiative calling for action from the European Commission.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: How to balance rights to privacy with combatting online child sex abuse?
Child sexual abuse is a growing problem and crimes committed via the Internet make it much more difficult to combat. The EU is revising its the rules in an attempt to criminalise behaviour online as well as in the real world.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: New smoking trends could be affected by more restrictive rules
In this edition, we look at EU Member States' decision to adopt a recommendation reducing exposure to secondhand smoke in certain outdoor spaces. The aim is to not only ban traditional cigarettes, but also inhaled tobacco products.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Deforestation law’s trade-offs under negotiation
Can the goods we buy and the services we use affect the survival of the rainforest? The EU thinks so and this episode explores its new law on deforestation, which is provoking a backlash from companies and countries who are negotiating over how to delay the application of the new rules.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Could lab-grown meat arrive in supermarkets soon?
In this episode we talk about new ways of manufacturing mankind’s primary source of protein: meat. The Netherlands, Spain and Germany lead the way in development of cell-based meat, but it has already been banned in Italy. So how urgently does the EU need to address common rules on the product?
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Will the Digital Euro strengthen financial security?
In this episode we talk about a new payment method that is being studied by the European Central Bank: the digital euro. Do we need another alternative for online payments and could this project have negative impacts on the banking system?
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Governments may try to delay action on air pollution
In this episode we talk about air pollution, the biggest environmental risk to health in the European Union. The Ambient Air Quality Directive has just been revised with stricter limits, but some member states may ask to postpone it under the pretext of protecting economic activity.
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: How will future European Commissioners be 'vetted'?
In this episode, we explain what will happen in the confirmation hearings for the nominees for the future European Commission, which begin on 4 November at the European Parliament. To work with Ursula von der Leyen, they will have to pass an "exam," known as a "grilling".
EU Decoded
EU DECODED: Pros and cons of tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles
The first episode of this programme that aims to decode the European Union (EU) legislative process explains why the European automotive industry is at a critical crossroads. Will tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles help competitiveness or trigger a trade war?