EU Now

Stefan talks with Monika Nemeth of the Capital Pride Alliance about LGBTQ+ advocacy and the importance of Pride Month.

Stefan talks with Max Bergmann of the Center for Strategic and International Studies about allied support for Ukraine amid the war and recaps the 2023 Transatlantic Bridge Awards. 

Stefan speaks with Executive Director of the International Women's Media Foundation Elisa Lees Muñoz about the challenges women journalists face due to online violence and harassment, the subject of an upcoming event at the House of Sweden marking World Press Freedom Day. Travis Smith also joins to give a sneak preview of what's on hand for the EU Open House on May 13.

On the 1-year mark of the war in Ukraine, Stefan talks with European Commissioner for Justice Didier Reynders about how the EU and the international community is working to hold Russia accountable for war crimes and he speaks with Dr. Alina Polyakova of the Center for European Policy Analysis about the EU's response to Russia's aggression.

Stefan speaks with Todd Hitchcock and Abbie Algar of the American Film Institute about the European Union Film Showcase, happening now until Dec. 20, and about transatlantic influences in movie history. Find out more about the showcase at AFI.com/silver/eushowcase.

Travis speaks with Chef Frida Johansson from the Embassy of Sweden about her contribution to this year's EU Holiday Cookbook, now available at euholidaycookbook.org. We also revisit Slovakian Chef Agnesa Zalezakova's recipe for Cinnamon Stars, which she shared with listeners in 2021.

Stefan talks to current and former trainees at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States about their experiences and talks with the Delegation's own Sergio Lopez about what it takes for recent college graduates and soon-to-be graduates to become an EU trainee. Trainees are recruited on a recurring basis and get hands-on experience in international affairs and foreign policy during their service.

Acclaimed chef, humanitarian and entrepreneur José Andrés joins Stefan to talk about his work with World Central Kitchen, which has brought millions of meals to people in need in Ukraine and around the world.

Stefan speaks with the President of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Deborah Rutter, about the power of art and culture to bring people together and shares highlights from the first Transatlantic Bridge Awards.

Stefan talks with Bret Schafer of the Alliance for Securing Democracy about Russian disinformation campaigns, their role in shaping narratives about the war in Ukraine, and the challenges that citizens and governments face in sorting fact from fiction amid the conflict.

For three days this month at South by Southwest, the Delegation transformed Austin's iconic nightspot Native into EU House, a showcase of European innovation, policy, art and culture. Listen here for highlights from our exciting line-up of speakers and events. 

We take you to the first of the Jean Monnet Conversations series as David Frum of the Atlantic interviews EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission Josep Borrell on the future of a more sovereign Europe.

Stefan talks with European Union Special Representative for the Sahel Emanuela Del Re about the EU's Sahel strategy and the challenges facing the region.

Susannah Outhier of the FrancoFiles podcast speaks with Ambassador of France to the U.S. Philippe Étienne and EU Ambassador to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis in a special joint interview about France's priorities for its presidency in the Council of the European Union and the state of transatlantic relations.

To mark the Summit for Democracy, Stefan talks with Dr. Richard Wike of the Pew Research Center about what people think of democracy around the world. And we're joined by European Commissioner Didier Reynders for a special interview on how the EU is strengthening its approach to environmental crimes and how it's dealing with hate speech both online and offline.

In this episode, Travis Smith interviews Agnesa Zalezakova on her recipe from our holiday cookbook. Stefan interviews Dagmara Koska on the outcomes of the recent COP26 summit, in Glasgow, and he talks with Deputy Executive Director of Europol Jean-Philippe Lecouffe and Head of the European Cybercrime Center Edvardas Sileris on the success of Operation Dark Huntor.

New host Stefan Cornibert talks about the EU's place in Delaware's economy just before a visit there by ambassadors of EU Member States. And we look back at the first meeting of the Trade and Technology Council with Tomas Baert of the Delegation's Trade and Agriculture section.

Unique traditions and celebrations abound across the European Union—and many of them take place outdoors during the warm months of spring and summer. On this episode, we speak with Ambassadors, Counsellors, and Officers of EU countries about the various traditions that are found only in particular European nations. What country has mud-walking protected by UNESCO? Do you light fires to keep away the witches of May? What’s your outdoor patio drinking game at? Take a listen to learn!

Welcome to Part 2 of our Outside With EU mini-series, celebrating Europe Day 2021! Simply being outside is a vital part of European culture—and there are many activities that can be found “on the trail” that are popular throughout the EU. On this episode, we explore three of them, starting with the culinary excursion of mushrooming, wandering through the classic enjoyment of hiking, and hopping on for a ride with cycling, speaking with Ambassadors and Counselors from Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, and more!

Welcome to Part 1 of our Outside With EU mini-series, celebrating Europe Day 2021! In this episode, we travel from Cyprus to Ireland, stopping at nations in between to discuss national sports and games that are key elements of various European cultures. From the classics such as soccer, basketball, and pétanque to new sports like teqball to Greek board games, you’ll hear former college athletes, national reps, and club presidents discuss why you should try your hand at these games.

Rupert Schlegelmilch, Director for US Relations in DG Trade of the European Commission, discusses transatlantic trade relations under the new Biden Administration, how trade fits into the new EU-US agenda, WTO reform, and the EU's agreement on investment with China.

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen talks to EU Ambassador Stavros Lambrinidis about the key events of 2020--and what to expect in 2021, including a new transatlantic agenda.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, discusses her vision for a new transatlantic agenda, prospects for cooperation between the European Union and the United States, and the future of multilateralism at a virtual event organized by the Council on Foreign Relations on November 20th. The moderator is David M. Rubenstein, Cofounder and Co–executive Chairman, The Carlyle Group; and Chairman, Board of Directors, Council on Foreign Relations.

At the start of this year’s virtual United Nations General Assembly, European Union Ambassador to the UN Olof Skoog reflects on the 75th anniversary of the institution, why multilateralism is critical in today’s world, and the EU’s push for climate action, protection of biodiversity and pandemic recovery.

Senior Communications Officer Martin Caudron talks to Olivier Onidi, deputy director general for migration and home affairs at the European Commission, on today's announcement on the gradual lifting of travel restrictions to and within Europe, security challenges, irregular migration, and EU-US cooperation on justice and home affairs.

The Colorado’s EU Center of Excellence at the University of Colorado in Boulder gathered the three climate and energy experts of the EU Delegation to the U.S. for a discussion led by professor KK DuVivier (University of Denver) on the EU’s Green Deal and how the EU and the U.S. can ensure that the pandemic recovery will be sustainable and climate friendly. The event featured Mercedes Garcia Perez (Head of Global Issues and Innovation), Dr. Dagmara Koska (Counselor Climate and Energy), and Irina Markina (Senior Energy Advisor). The discussion was introduced by Felicia Naranjo Martinez, Executive director of the EU Center.

Edward Luce, U.S. National Editor and Columnist at the Financial Times, discusses the transatlantic economic responses to the coronavirus pandemic with Margrethe Vestager, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, and Lawrence H. Summers, former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, at a virtual event organized by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on 30 April 2020. Opening Remarks by Erik Brattberg, Director of the Europe Program and Fellow at Carnegie.

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen talks to Jean-Eric Paquet, European Commission Director-General for Research and Innovation, about the race to come up with a vaccine against the novel coronavirus, promising treatment options, a scientific approach to reopening societies, how the EU supports scientists and closely collaborates with its Member States, and the need for global scientific cooperation to fight the pandemic. 

Senior Media Adviser Kasper Zeuthen talks to the Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S. Stavros Lambrinidis on the EU's response to COVID-19 and the global implications of the pandemic.

During her recent visit to Washington D.C., EU Director-General for Energy Ditte Juul Jørgensen spoke with Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen about the transformative power of the EU's green deal, transatlantic energy cooperation, the EU's improved energy security, and why there is reason to be optimistic in the fight against climate change.

Senior Economist Ben Carliner sits down with Mark Zandi, Chief Economist of Moody's Analytics, to discuss the global economic outlook and the Euro Challenge, the EU's academic competition for high school students in the United States. Rising trade tensions and geopolitical risks have weighed on business sentiment over the past year, damaging the manufacturing sector in particular. The question is where do things go from here? Have we hit bottom, or is the uncertain policy environment poised to spread from manufacturing to the broader economy?

Senior Communications Officer Martin Caudron talks to Brigadier General Fritz Urbach, the first-ever military attaché to be posted at the Delegation of the European Union to the United States. In this conversation, Brigadier General Urbach talks about his experience serving under NATO and Eurocorps, why the EU and NATO strengthen each other, and what he seeks to achieve during his posting.

During his first visit to Washington, DC in his capacity of EU Trade Commissioner, Phil Hogan explained the EU's vision on how the EU and the U.S. could reclaim a shared trade agenda at a public event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Following opening remarks, he joins Bill Reinsch (Senior Adviser and Scholl Chair in International Business) and Heather Conley (Senior Vice President for Europe, Eurasia, and the Arctic, and Director of the Europe Program) on stage.

Cultural Affairs Officer Christine Vest asks AFI Silver Theatre film experts about the latest films to be shown in the European Union Film Showcase this December in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Senior Communications Officer Martin Caudron talks to Lutz Guellner, Head of the Strategic Communications Division at the European External Action Service, on the EU's response to information operations from malign foreign actors in the margins of his visit to Washington, DC following the meeting of the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism in Ottawa mid-November 2019.

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with Jacob Funk Kirkegaard from the Peterson Institute for International Economics to get his take on the latest European Commission economic forecast, why protectionist trade policies harm the economy, record-level employment figures in Europe, the readiness to deal with a major economic slowdown, innovative ideas for funding Europe’s ambitious climate agenda, and the view from the United States.

Senior EU official overseeing space policy at the European Commission, Pierre Delsaux, talks about the EU's efforts to boost space activities beyond 2020. He also speaks about the transatlantic and international dimension under the five components of the EU Space Program.

Senior Communications Officer Martin Caudron speaks to Vicki and Sylvester Schieber, the parents of murder victim Shannon Schieber, following the screening of the film documentary "In the Executioner's Shadow" at American University on the occasion of the 2019 European and World Day against the Death Penalty. Vicki and Sylvester explain why they opposed the death penalty for the murderer and the reasons behind their civic engagement against capital punishment.

Sir Julian King, European Commissioner for the Security Union, talks about EU actions to address the state of un-peace (unrest, unease, uncertainty) at a Wilson Center event hosted by its President and CEO, the Honorable Jane Harman. Commissioner King lays out how the EU tackles terrorism, cyber and hybrid threats – including concerns about the security of 5G networks.

Estonian Minister of Defense Jüri Luik stresses that neither Europe nor the U.S. "has the luxury to question the transatlantic bond". He adds that "Europe’s aim to be stronger and more vocal in global affairs is absolutely normal." But "for the EU to be strategically more autonomous, a credible capability to conduct military operations is of paramount importance. Cultivating the culture of readiness should be part of Europe’s agenda."

The EU Delegation was in Nashville, Tennessee in early August to engage with hundreds of legislators and staff from all 50 US states at the annual Legislators Summit. organized by the National Council of State Legislatures. EU Delegation Programs Officer Tim Rivera spoke with legislators from Hawaii, Wisconsin, Colorado, Washington, and Germany about what issues are most important to them in the EU-US relationship and where they would welcome further transatlantic cooperation.

Victoria Marum (former House Congressional Liaison Officer for the Navy; Vice President, Cornerstone Government Affairs) talks about transatlantic counterterrorism on the battlefield, with a particular focus on tracking foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, with John Demers (Assistant Attorney General for National Security, U.S. Department of Justice), Ambassador Nathan A. Sales (Coordinator for Counterterrorism, U.S. Department of State), Russ Travers (Deputy Director of the National Counterterrorism Center), and Wil van Gemert, Deputy Executive Director, EUROPOL.

Lara Seligman (Pentagon Correspondent, Foreign Policy magazine) discusses progress made in fostering EU-NATO cooperation in recent years and the way ahead with Major General William B. Hickman (Director, Strategic Plans and Policy, NATO Allied Command Transformation), Diego de Ojeda (European Commission Representative to the Political and Security Committee of the European Union), Johann Schmid (Director for Strategy and Defence at the European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats), and Andrew Winternitz (Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy, U.S. Department of Defense).

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with Marie-Anne Coninsx, the EU's Ambassador Large for the Arctic, during her recent visit to Washington, D.C. for a wide-ranging discussion about the EU's role in the region, Arctic transatlantic cooperation, rapidly melting ice, the threat of militarization, and what that Arctic spirit is all about. 

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with Sabine Weyand, EU's new Director-general for Trade, to get an update on EU-US trade on the one year anniversary of the joint statement by President Trump and President Juncker, and get her insights on why the EU has been so busy striking new trade agreements, how the tech war is the new trade war, addressing Chinese market distortions, and what lessons learned as a Brexit negotiator she can apply in her new position. 

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with EU Special Representative for Human Rights Eamon Gilmore to discuss EU efforts to consolidate peace, protect religious freedom, and strengthen democracy and the rule of law in a number of hot spots around the world - and why the EU is uniquely equipped to lead these efforts.  

Rachel Ellehuus (Deputy Director and Senior Fellow with the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies) moderates a panel on "Developing a more Capable EU: Transatlantic Burden Sharing, PESCO and the Future of European Defense" at the EU-Foreign Policy Defense Forum, with Jorge Domecq (Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency), Ambassador Tina Kaidanow (Senior Advisor, International Cooperation, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment), Pierre Delsaux (Deputy Director General, DG GROW, European Commission), Brigadier General Heinz Krieb (Director of Concepts & Capability Directorate of the European Union Military Staff of the European External Action Service), and Elbridge Colby (Director of the Defense Program, Center for a New American Security).

Derek Chollet (Executive VP for Security and Defense Policy at the German Marshall Fund of the United States) talks about trends, threats and opportunities related to European security with Pedro Serrano (Deputy Secretary General for Common Security and Defense Policy and Crisis Response at the European External Action Service), Julie Fisher (Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Western Europe and the EU), and Edward Randall Royce (former U.S. Representative and Chair of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs) during the EU-Foreign Policy Defense Forum.

Senior Communications Officer Martin Caudron sits down with Peter Wagner, Head of the European Commission's Support Group for Ukraine, to discuss about the EU's support to political and economic reform in Ukraine and new opportunities for Ukrainians ahead of the EU-Ukraine Summit (July 8, 2019).

Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with Wil van Gemert, Deputy Executive Director of Europol, during his recent visit to Washington, D.C. to discuss a significant increase in transatlantic cooperation in the fight against terrorism and crime, how Europol supports law enforcement officers across the European Union, how technology is changing the nature of crimes, dealing with the return of foreign fighters and online radicalization, taking down darknet rings,  and how ordinary citizens help Europol track down offenders in child abuse cases.

During the 2019 EU & Foreign Policy Magazine Defense Forum in Washington D.C., Senior Media Advisor Kasper Zeuthen sat down with Pedro Serrano, Deputy Secretary General for CSDP and Crisis Response at the European External Action Service, to discuss the EU's evolving security and defense presence, engagement with partners, the transatlantic security alliance, the interplay between soft and hard power, and the biggest threats to Europe's security.