Skip to content
Sign in
Artwork for EU Perspectives
News

EU Perspectives

Media Network

The EU Perspectives news portal provides information on changes to key European policies and their impact on the economy and competitiveness of the European Union. It provides reports on EU initiatives, analysing their strengths and weaknesses from the perspectives of experts, the economic sectors concerned, and the EU member states.

EU Perspectives targets readers interested in European Union rule-making with regard to the internal market, sustainable economic growth, competitiveness, and security of the EU as prerequisites for the economic and social development of the member states.

Play
Open in
  • 15 episodes
  • Avg 33 min
  • English

Episodes 15

NewestOldestLongest
All15Unplayed15In progress0Played0
  • July 23 · 20 min

    If users can't be held liable, social media companies should be, MEP Sieper argues

    Social media has become one of the defining political issues of our time. But who should be responsible for the harm it causes?In this episode of the EU Perspectives Podcast, we speak with Lukas Sieper, German Member of the European Parliament from Renew Europe, about why he believes Europe needs a comprehensive social media law. We discuss platform accountability, online disinformation, children's mental health, algorithm-driven radicalisation, and whether the EU can ever build its own social media champions.

  • July 6 · 34 min

    “Bans don't work." Europe's addiction policy needs a rethink, experts say

    Addiction is often treated as a public health issue. But what if it's also holding back Europe's competitiveness? In this episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, we speak with: • Jindřich Vobořil, former Czech National Drug Coordinator and addiction expert • Ondřej Krutílek, Member of the European Parliament (ECR/CZE) Together, they discuss why the EU's addiction policy relies too heavily on bans, whether prevention deserves a much bigger role, and what Brussels should do differently when tackling smoking, alcohol, gambling and digital addiction. Is Europe focusing on the wrong solutions? Listen now and join the conversation.

  • June 3 · 14 min

    Private sector, not governments, must lead Europe’s growth, says Czech deputy PM

    Europe is losing its competitive edge. Can it turn things around?In this episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, host Jennifer Baker is joined by Czech Deputy Prime Minister & Trade Minister Karel Havlíček.Together, they discuss why Europe is struggling to compete globally, if deregulation is the right solution, soaring energy prices, the future of nuclear power, EU–US trade, and why the private sector, not governments, should drive growth.

  • April 29 · 29 min

    Treating water at the expense of medicines? Prices could increase sevenfold, industry says

    Could EU environmental rules make essential medicines unaffordable?The latest EU Perspectives podcast examines how the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive could shift billions in treatment costs onto the pharmaceutical sector — potentially raising prices of common drugs like metformin by up to sevenfold.Featuring insights from Adrian van den Hoven, Director General of Medicines for Europe, Member of the European Patrliament Ondřej Knotek (PfE/CZE), and host Jennifer Baker.

  • April 27 · 23 min

    Is Europe’s medicine problem the price of not being a federal union?

    Europe’s pharmaceutical sector is under pressure — from rising costs and medicine shortages to geopolitical tensions and differing access to medicines across EU member states.In this episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, host Jennifer Baker speaks with: Alessandra Moretti, Member of the European Parliament (S&D) Ines Windisch, Head of Corporate Affairs & Sustainability at Zentiva Group Andrew Bounds, EU correspondent at the Financial Times What’s driving these challenges and what does it mean for the future of healthcare in Europe?Listen now and join the conversation.

  • S1 · E9
    Dec 19, 2025 · 23 min

    EU budget showdown: MEP Nerudová on power struggles, cuts and new priorities

    Negotiating the EU’s next seven-year budget is one of the toughest jobs in Brussels — and Czech MEP Danuše Nerudová is at the centre of it.In this episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, Nerudová, on of the key European Parliament negotiators on the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and rapporteur on new EU “own resources,” explains why budget talks are already tense, why Parliament threatened to reject the Commission’s proposal, and why Europe cannot keep adding new priorities without increasing revenues.

  • S1 · E8
    Nov 26, 2025 · 26 min

    Inside Europe’s hidden epidemics: Mental health and the policy gap

    Europe is facing a set of hidden epidemics: a deepening mental-health divide, rising addiction and behavioural risks, and policy systems still built for yesterday’s challenges. To understand what’s driving these pressures, and why the EU keeps struggling to respond, we spoke with two insiders: MEP Tomislav Sokol and Ivan Duškov, Deputy Director of Czechia’s General Health Insurance Company and member of the government’s mental-health council. In the latest episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, they walk us through what solutions are actually within reach.

  • S1 · E7
    Jul 6, 2025 · 45 min

    Joint procurement saved vaccines. Can it solve medicine shortages, too?

    What’s really behind Europe’s growing medicine shortages? In this episode of EU Perspectives, we dive deep into the proposed Critical Medicines Act and the future of European healthcare with three experts at the forefront of EU health policy and pharmaceutical access: 🎙️ Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová, Member of the European Parliament (Renew Europe) 🎙️ Arnaud Maheas, Head of Public Affairs Europe at Sandoz 🎙️ Stefano Romanelli, Senior Government Affairs Manager at EUCOPE 💊 From Europe’s dependency on Chinese antibiotics to the dramatic price pressures killing local production of generics, we ask the hard questions: – Can joint procurement fix supply issues? – Should Europe pay more to keep production on the continent? – Is the single market failing patients in Eastern Europe? We also explore the role of transparency, environmental regulation, state aid, and the upcoming EU budget battles – all through the lens of health equity and resilience.

  • S1 · E6
    May 20, 2025 · 38 min

    European defence needs a trust boost

    Three years into a brutal war on its eastern flank, EU defence is the same old shambles. Even the optimists concede that the current rearmament efforts may create an effective system no sooner than in 2030. Is the Union’s institutional, political, and financial straitjacket simply too tight, or is there a way out? In the 14 May episode of the EU Perspectives podcast, MEP Jan Farský (EPP/CZE) debated the hot topic with defence experts, Juan Mejino-López of the Bruegel think-tank and Burkard Schmitt of The Aerospace, Security and Defence Industries Association of Europe.

  • S1 · E5
    May 15, 2025 · 43 min

    MEPs on how to save European farming

    What hinders Europe’s agriculture? From high input prices to excessive bureaucracy, the sector eating up a third of the Europan Union’s budget has no shortage of problems. MEPs Veronika Vrecionová (ECR/CZE), Norbert Lins (EPP/GE), and Thomas Waitz (Greens-EFA/AUT) present their ideas of dealing with them in the 13 May episode of the EU Perspectives podcast.

  • S1 · E4
    Mar 28, 2025 · 42 min

    EU needs unity, clear regulation on immigration, insiders agree

    A common return policy is needed for the European Union to deal with both the influx of immigrants and domestic opposition, the latter often fuelled by enemies of Europe. It is both good policy and good politics, the EU Perspectives podcast was told. The latest episode, held in the European Parliament, featured MEPs Lukas Mandl (EPP/AT) and Tomáš Zdechovský (EPP/CZE) debating Katarína Cséfalvayová, Director of the Institute for Central Europe; Camille Le Coz, Director of Migration Policy Institute Europe; and Başak Yavçan, Head of Research of the Migration Policy Group.

  • S1 · E3
    Mar 20, 2025 · 53 min

    For EU to survive, beefing up militaries is not enough

    The latest episode of the EU Perspectives podcast on the hot topic of European defence from Brussels’ European Parliament features the MEPs Rasa Juknevičienė (EPP(LI), Markéta Gregorová (Greens-EFA/CZE), Petras Auštrevičius (Renew/LI) and Martin Fedor, Slovakia’s ex-Defence Minister.

  • S1 · E2
    Feb 6, 2025 · 48 min

    Changing priorities may force EU to work around budget constraints

    The EU budget has long been constrained to approximately 1% of the bloc's GDP, raising critical questions about its adequacy in addressing evolving policy priorities. In this episode of EU Perspectives podcast series, experts and policymakers examine the structural limitations of the current budget, the growing demand for investment in defense, competitiveness, and the green transition, as well as the potential avenues for reform.

  • S1 · E1
    Feb 6, 2025 · 33 min

    Jens Gieseke, chief EPP negotiator: European Commission must propose new automotive rules swiftly

    Banning the combustion engine was a mistake, the automotive industry must not face any penalties this year – and above all, the Commission must act on the changes before this summer, Jens Gieseke, Member of the European Parlament for the European People’s Party, sets his political group’s priorities before Thursday’s start of strategic talks on the future of European carmakers.

Showing 1–15 of 15 episodes