Letter from Brussels

Clean energy = energy security = happy people

Energy has become one of Europe's defining challenges. As geopolitical tensions reshape global energy markets, how can Europe strengthen its energy security while accelerating the transition to clean, locally-produced energy? In this new episode of...

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How drones save lives in European skies

Drones have been featuring a lot as killing machines in the news recently, but as with every technology, it's how humans choose to use it that makes the difference. In this episode of Letter from Brussels, the Renew Europe CoR team brings you stories...

European unity through culture: transforming cities from the Arctic to Brussels - Jan 2026

Join us on a journey to Oulu in the Finnish Arctic, and to Molenbeek in Brussels to discover the transformative power of European Capital of Culture. Discover how culture in its broadest sense gives new life to abandoned physical spaces, creates new...

The Art of Deterrence

New format, new voices! We're relaunching the Letter from Brussels podcast, brought to you by the Renew Europe group in the European Committee of the Regions. The series returns with a new format and a broader range of voices, while continuing its...

Serving the city- april2024 Letter from Brussels 14

Why the increasing cost of housing is becoming a European problem; why the people of Saint-Omer in France were grateful to see the flags of the Netherlands, Slovakia and Czechia arriving in their town; how bureaucratic barriers along our Union’s...

The Tower and the Union - jan2024 Letter from Brussels 13

In this Letter: - what the climb up to a medieval tower in the Flemish city of Mechelen reveals; - what Jacques Delors said when the HQ of the European Committee of the Regions was named after him 17 years before he died; - the liberal city taking...

The Puppets and the Scandal - may2023 Letter from Brussels 12

- The Theatre of the indigenous Sami people in the Arctic city of Kiruna, and what it stands for in this area of vital economic interests for the EU; - The innovative School of Politics for Young People of the Finnish Arctic city of Oulu; - Why...

The attack on the 20th convoy - feb2023 Letter from Brussels 11

The extraordinary scenes of President Zelenskyy's visit to the European Parliament. How the city of Timisoara is going digital. How EU regions and cities are helping the victims of the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. Why wolves are causing a fierce...

The year that changed the future - December 2022 Letter from Brussels 10

A special edition of Letter from Brussels, episode 10 brings you a few predictions for 2023 in key policy areas, including an analysis of the recent scandal which has rocked the EU, and a journey back to the Brussels of 1908 discovering how events in...

The car that almost changed history - july2022 Letter from Brussels 9

The 9th Letter from Brussels takes you west to the middle of the Atlantic with the new President of the European Committee of the Regions; south to one of the EU’s land borders with Africa; and north to the Arctic, which has become of great interest...

Ukrainian reconstruction and the Aleksandrov ship - may2022 Letter from Brussels 8

The 8th Letter from Brussels takes us to Odessa, Ukraine, to hear the story of the Borys Aleksandrov ship and its unusual naming ceremony. This episode also includes President Zelenskyy's inspired plan for reconstruction of Ukrainian cities, news...

The rocket and the rock - February 2022 Letter from Brussels 7

The extraordinary precision of Europe's spaceport launching the James Webb telescope; the Royal Belgian Observatory's connection with Webb and a mission in 2022 to crash into an asteroid; the urban rural divide is a challenge to democracy; what cities...

The hero and the roof - Dec2021 Letter from Brussels 6

"The hero and the roof" features French President Emmanuel Macron at the plenary of the European Committee of the Regions and his 3 objectives to strengthen the Union, proposals by the European liberal youth LYMEC for the European Year of Youth 2022,...

The crime & the lone crusader - October 2021 Letter from Brussels 5

"The Crime & the Lone Crusader" carries highlights of a highly tense debate in the October plenary of the CoR, led by Fianna Fáil's Kate Feeney against homophobic amendments by Viktor Orban's Fidesz members, as well as new proposals by MR's Alexia...

The skeletons, the musicians, & two great cities - Sept2021 Letter from Brussels 4

A special extended edition on the occasion of the 2021 World Mayor Awards, profiling two winning mayors, François Decoster of Saint-Omer and Matus Vallo of Bratislava. Packed full of amazing and amusing stories about them as well as of Brussels, find...

The Marchioness & the League - July2021 Letter from Brussels 3

Third Letter from Brussels telling the story of a pioneering Belgian woman who was well ahead of her time in the protection of biodiversity, plus the value of language learning, the nominations for the Adamowicz award, LGBTIQ Freedom cities, the...

Robert Schuman & Nat Neujean - May2021 Letter from Brussels 2

Second Letter from Brussels revealing the little known story of the artist who sculpted Robert Schuman's bust, a tribute to Hans van Baalen, plus the amazing story of Cathérine Chabaud and her initiative to protect the oceans, as well as proposals to...

Einstein and the priest - March2021 Letter from Brussels 1

Highlights of the debates with EU leaders on the future of Europe, integration of migrants, preventing violent extremism, defending the rights of LGBTIQ citizens in Poland, building local integrity systems, and a fascinating little known story about...