EU Untangled

Dreaming of landing a well-paid job in the EU institutions? Thinking of having an impact on EU policy? Know that first you must navigate the EU recruitment jungle. Tune in to discover where to find the right information, what to expect from the recruitment exams, and what obscure acronyms such as "EPSO", "CAST" or "FG IV" really mean. Our guest, Chiara Bellani, who has worked in the EU Commission for several years, helps us untangle the EU selection process.

Description The European Union has an ambitious strategy to usher in data-driven innovation and stay competitive in the digital age. Proposals such as the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act have been making waves in the EU and abroad, promising to reign in tech giants and protect human rights online. But why all the fuzz? What sets these initiatives apart and can they live up to their promise? What else is in the EU's digital arsenal and why should we care? Is Europe too early or too late to the digital party? Buckle up, tune in to EU Untangled, and get into digital with us. Links The Digital Markets Act: ensuring fair and open digital markets (European Commission) The Digital Services Act: ensuring a safe and accountable online environment(European Commission) European data strategy (European Commission) Data Act: Commission proposes measures for a fair and innovative data economy(European Commission) Data governance: deal on new rules to boost data sharing across the EU (European Parliament) How Europe has expanded its bid to disrupt Big Tech (TechCrunch) Europe seals a deal on tighter rules for digital services (TechCrunch) The EU's Digital Services Act — what you need to know (The Stack) Digital Services Act: Wie die EU das Internet künftig regulieren wird (heise online) Thierry Breton's Spotify Profile (Spotify) Contact We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (untangled@podworld.org) or check out our website.

The European Union has an ambitious strategy to usher in data-driven innovation and stay competitive in the digital age. Proposals such as the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act have been making waves in the EU and abroad, promising to reign in tech giants and protect human rights online. But why all the fuzz? What sets these initiatives apart and can they live up to their promise? What else is in the EU's digital arsenal and why should we care? Is Europe too early or too late to the digital party? Buckle up, tune in to EU Untangled, and get into digital with us.

The EU Bubble (or should we say "babble"?) has developed its own language. Known as "Eurospeak", "Euro-English", or "Brussels English" it is a tongue twister of its own: an international version of English filled with all kinds of technocratic terms and borrowed expressions. In this summer edition, EU Untangled uncovers the origins and sounds of this strange language and takes a ride through its highs and lows.

The EU Bubble (or should we say "babble"?) has developed its own language. Known as "Eurospeak", "Euro-English", or "Brussels English" it is a tongue twister of its own: an international version of English filled with all kinds of technocratic terms and borrowed expressions. In this summer edition, EU Untangled uncovers the origins and sounds of this strange language and takes a ride through its highs and lows. We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (untangled@podworld.org) or check out our website. War of words: who will win the eurojargon battle (Euronews, 09 January 2014) Misused English Words and Expressions in EU Publications (European Court of auditors, September 2014) 22 ugly EU jargon words we really hate (Clear Europe, 14 October 2014) "Parlez-vous Eurospeak?" (Decoding Europe, 14 August 2015) EU jargon: A-Z guide to Brussels-speak (BBC News, 16 May 2016) We need to talk about EU jargon (again) (redThread, 22 February 2018) Glossary (for terms used in the EU) (Interreg Europe)

Much has been said about the EU Vaccines Strategy in recent weeks and months. Coverage from various media can largely be boiled down to the conclusion that despite good intentions, the EU strategy is simply a case of "too little, too late". But is there more to this story? How does the roll-out of the EU strategy measure up against that rest of the world? And most importantly, what are our reference points? Join Alex, Harpa and Vic on a deep dive into the EU Vaccines Strategy and discover the good, the bad and the ethically questionable elements of the complex world of COVID-19 vaccines distribution. COVID-19 data Official COVID-19 statistics for the EU/EEA from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (EDCD) European Commission data on vaccination rates in the EU The EU's Vaccines Strategy The EU Vaccines Strategy EU and National Institutions involved in the procurement and distribution of vaccines and data collection in the EU/EEA. The EU's regulatory process for evaluation and approval of vaccines and key facts on COVID-19 vaccines. "Europe's Vaccination Problem" (The Daily, 12 April 2021) "How Europe fell behind on vaccines" (Politico, 27 January 2021) "The European Union's troubled COVID-19 vaccine rollout" (PIEE, 15 March 2021) Supply chains "How vaccines are made, and why it is hard" (The Economist, 4 February 2021) "Inside Pfizer's Fast, Fraught, and Lucrative Vaccine Distribution" (Bloomberg Businessweek, 4 March 2021) "Why manufacturing Covid vaccines at scale is hard" (Chemistry World, 23 March 2021) "Industrial Policy Saved Europe's Vaccine Drive" (Foreign Policy, 10 May 2021) Contact and social media We would be happy if you leave us a comment on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or contact us via email (untangled@podworld.org) or check out our website.

Much has been said about the EU Vaccines Strategy in recent weeks and months. Coverage from various media can largely be boiled down to the conclusion that despite good intentions, the EU strategy is simply a case of “too little, too late”. But is there more to this story? How does the roll-out of the EU strategy measure up against the rest of the world? And most importantly, what are our reference points? Join Alex, Harpa, and Vic on a deep dive into the EU Vaccines Strategy and discover the good, the bad, and the ethically questionable elements of the complex world of COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

A constitution lays the foundations for how a society is organised and the fundamental principles that must underpin all laws and government decision-making. But how much do constitutions really impact our daily lives? Should they be updated to reflect rapid societal changes? How would you even go about making a new constitution in the first place? And whatever happened to the new Icelandic and EU constitutions?

From the new crowdsourced Icelandic constitution to the abandoned EU constitution A constitution lays the foundations for how a society is organised and the fundamental principles that must underpin all laws and government decision-making. But how much do constitutions really impact our daily lives? Should they be updated to reflect rapid societal changes? How would you even go about making a new constitution in the first place? And whatever happened to the new Icelandic and EU constitutions? Tune in and listen to Vic, Alex and Harpa ponder these questions with the help of Valgerður, PhD student at the University of Iceland, who is researching citizen participation in constitutional reform in Iceland over the past 10 years. Show notes Iceland The new Icelandic Constitution petition with over 43.000 signatures (a lot for tiny Iceland!) The Icelandic Constitution in English Germany The Basic Law a.k.a. the German Constitution in English Mexico The Mexican Constitution in English The EU EU treaties Treaty establishing a Constitution for Europe About Europe Day and the Schuman Declaration “Ratification problems loom over Convention”, euobserver, 31 May 2003 “EU scraps timetable for ratifying constitution”, The Guardian, 17 Jun 2005 Other The North Korean Constitution in English "15 of the hardest-to-pronounce names - and the right way to say them”, Stuff, 28 Mar 2019 “Longest personal name”, Guiness World Records, 1 January 2021 Contact and social media Check out our website (https://www.podworld.org/untangled/) and anchor profile (https://anchor.fm/untangled). We would be happy if you leave us a comment or contact us via email or social media. Email: untangled@podworld.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled Twitter: https://twitter.com/eu_untangled

"A life-changing experience" might be an accurate way to define the Erasmus+ programme. Over the past three decades, the EU's flagship programme has allowed over 10 million people to benefit from cross-border exchanges in Europe and beyond. Now, Erasmus+ is undergoing changes of its own caused by a larger budget, a messy Brexit and a ravaging pandemic that has stalled mobility flows all over the world. ESN President Kostis Giannidis joins Victor, Harpa and Alex to discuss the challenges and opportunities lying ahead of an Erasmus+ programme that promises to be more inclusive, more digital and a lot greener.

"A life-changing experience" might be an accurate way to define the Erasmus+ programme. Over the past three decades, the EU's flagship programme has allowed over 10 million people to benefit from cross-border exchanges in Europe and beyond. Now, Erasmus+ is undergoing changes of its own caused by a larger budget, a messy Brexit and a ravaging pandemic that has stalled mobility flows all over the world. ESN President Kostis Giannidis joins Victor, Harpa and Alex to discuss the challenges and opportunities lying ahead of an Erasmus+ programme that promises to be more inclusive, more digital and a lot greener. Our guest, Kostis Giannidis (link, twitter), is the president of the Erasmus Student Network (website, twitter). Further readings and sources: Erasmus+ Erasmus+: over €28 billion to support mobility and learning for all, across the European Union and beyond (European Commission) Europe needs a bigger, more inclusive Erasmus programme (European Data Journalism Network) Quietly sprouting: A European identity (The New York Times) Standard Eurobarometer Spring 2019: Public opinion in the European Union (European Commission) The Erasmus acronym: according to the European Commission; according to the European Council Turing Scheme New Turing scheme to support thousands of students to study and work abroad (UK Government) Iceland ´I’m not scared, just tired´: Icelanders lose sleep over earthquake tremors (The Guardian) Contact and social media Check out our website (https://www.podworld.org/untangled/) and anchor profile (https://anchor.fm/untangled). We would be happy if you leave us a comment or contact us via email or social media. Email: untangled@podworld.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled Twitter: https://twitter.com/eu_untangled

This episode explores the European Commission's work programme for 2021 and the EU policies that will steal the show next year.

This episode explores the European Commission's work programme for 2021 and the EU policies that will steal the show next year. Links European Commission Work Programme 2021 (European Commission) The European Commission’s priorities (2019-2024) (European Commission) Contact and social media Check out our website (https://www.podworld.org/untangled/) and anchor profile (https://anchor.fm/untangled). We would be happy if you leave us a comment or contact us via email or social media. Email: untangled@podworld.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled Twitter: https://twitter.com/eu_untangled

Thanks for tuning in! Victor and Alex are rebooting EU Untangled with a discussion about the European Green Deal. Check out our website (https://www.podworld.org/untangled/) and anchor profile (https://anchor.fm/untangled). We would be happy if you leave us a comment or reach us out! Email: untangled@podworld.org Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled Twitter: https://twitter.com/eu_untangled Overview: A European Green Deal - overview page (European Commission) A European Green Deal - official communication (European Commission) EU Commission unveils ‘European Green Deal’: The key points (Euractiv) Analysis: Four pillars to make or break the European Green Deal (Bruegel) Criticism: A grey deal? (Corporate Europe Observatory) Basescu: European Green Deal risks pushing 'two or three countries' towards EU exit (Euractiv) The EU’s green deal is a colossal exercise in greenwashing | Yanis Varoufakis and David Adler (The Guardian) EU’s climate law faces criticism on all fronts (Financial Times) Is the European Green Deal sufficient? EU GHG Summary (Climate Action Tracker) The EU’s Green Deal may not be enough to reach the Paris climate goals (LSE Blog) CAN Europe calls for an increase of the EU's 2030 climate target to at least 65% (CAN Europe) About the name: Zur Entstehungsgeschichte des Green New Deal - Revival eines Begriffs (in German) (Heinrich Böll Stiftung)

Victor and Alex are rebooting EU Untangled with a discussion about the European Green Deal.

I'll tell you what I want, what I really really want. A referendum gives the people the option to have the final say in political matters of the utmost importance. And that's what we ALL want, right? Well, the story of Brexit tells us that despite their relative simplicity, referendums can be a very tricky business. Harpa, Alex, and Victor ponder the pros and cons of this direct form of democracy and showcase how they can pull one nation from the brink of bankruptcy while threatening to push another one over the edge. Saying yes or no has never been this complicated.

I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want. A referendum gives the people the option to have the final say in political matters of the utmost importance. And that’s what we ALL want, right? Well, the story of Brexit tells us that despite their relative simplicity, referendums can be a very tricky business. Harpa, Alex and Victor ponder the pros and cons of this direct form of democracy and showcase how they can pull one nation from the brink of bankruptcy while threatening to push another one over the edge. Saying yes or no has never been this complicated. LINKS David Cameron’s Speech After ‘Brexit’ vote - The New York Times. Non! Nein! No! A Country That Wouldn’t Let Women Vote Till 1971 - National Geographic. The Icesave referendum - The Economist. This is how Switzerland’s direct democracy works - World Economic Forum. European Parliament’s study on referendums on EU matters. Fraser Cameron on ‘Why we should ban referenda on EU policies’ - Euractiv. SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.

From the 23 to the 26 of May, the citizens of 28 (most likely 27... ) countries will vote in the largest transnational elections in the world. Over 700 members will be elected to the European Parliament and Bruzzels is buzzing with excitement. But what exactly is the European Parliament and what role does it play in the EU? With so much at stake, why has voter turnout plunged over the past four decades? What are the political groups? Are there any newbies in the race? Stick around and let Victor, Harpa and Anna walk you through the maze of EU politics (we can't promise you'll find the exit, though…).

From the 23 to the 26 of May, the citizens of 28 (most likely 27... ) countries will vote in the largest transnational elections in the world. Over 700 members will be elected to the European Parliament and Bruzzels is buzzing with excitement. But what exactly is the European Parliament and what role does it play in the EU? With so much at stake, why has voter turnout plunged over the past four decades? What are the political groups? Are there any newbies in the race? Stick around and let Victor, Harpa and Anna walk you through the maze of EU politics (we can’t promise you’ll find the exit, though…). LINKS Learn about how EU elections work directly from their makers. POLITICO has put together a comprehensive website to keep you abreast of the latest developments related to the EU elections. SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.

Not all that glitters is gold and not all gold shines bright. Rosie Birchard helps us examine the dark glow of the EU golden visas and passports, as well as the risks and ethical questions that arise from the murky business of selling and buying EU citizenship.

Not all that glitters is gold and not all gold shines bright. Rosie Birchard helps us examine the dark glow of the EU golden visas and passports, as well as the risks and ethical questions that arise from the murky business of selling and buying EU citizenship. LINKS You can download here the full report of the European Commission on Investor Citizenship and Residence Schemes in the European Union. Or take a lighter read on the topic on The Atlantic or The Guardian. SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.

Ever since the World Wide Web gave us all access to the Internet, it has fundamentally changed our communications, businesses, services and even politics. Now, policies are trying to catch up, and the Internet as we know it may be about to change for good. The European Union's Parliament has approved a new legislation to address copyright issues in the digital era. We interview the man pushing for this regulation to kick in. MEP Axel Voss helps us untangle the reasons, the ambition and the challenges of trying to regulate the Internet. Are these measures a threat to freedom of speech online or a necessary intervention to level the playing field for copyright holders?

Ever since the World Wide Web gave us all access to the Internet, it has fundamentally changed our communications, businesses, services and even politics. Now, policies are trying to catch up, and the Internet as we know it may be about to change for good. The European Union’s Parliament has approved a new legislation to address copyright issues in the digital era. We interview the man pushing for this regulation to kick in. MEP Axel Voss helps us untangle the reasons, the ambition and the challenges of trying to regulate the Internet. Are these measures a threat to freedom of speech online or a necessary intervention to level the playing field for copyright holders? SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.

Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) have for decades clashed over nine letters: M-A-C-E-D-O-N-I-A. The conflict isn't new, but the solution is. Last June, the two nations signed an agreement that officially changes fYROM's name to the "Republic of North Macedonia". But why did the country have to change its name in the first place? What exactly is Macedonia? Why is this happening now? And, what are the implications of the agreement being ratified by the two nations? Tune in and we will try to untangle this complex, messy situation for you.

Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (fYROM) have for decades clashed over nine letters: M-A-C-E-D-O-N-I-A. The conflict isn’t new, but the solution is. Last June, the two nations signed an agreement that officially changes fYROM's name to the "Republic of North Macedonia". But why did the country have to change its name in the first place? What exactly is Macedonia? Why is this happening now? And, what are the implications of the agreement being ratified by the two nations? Tune in and we will try to untangle this complex, messy situation for you. LINKS Macedonia and Greece sign Historic Deal on Name Change - The New York Times Greece’s Macedonian Touchstone - The New York Times In the Balkans, Russia and the West Fight a Disinformation-Age Battle - The New York Times Macedonia’s messy referendum, puts name deal at risk - POLITICO Macedonia parliament votes to start name change process - BBC News Iceland vs Iceland: Iceland Foods hits back at Icelandic government over trademark - BBC News SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.

Welcome to EU Untangled, the podcast that helps you to understand the large picture and the nitty-gritty details of EU politics.

Welcome to EU Untangled, the podcast that helps you to understand the large picture and the nitty-gritty details of EU politics. Check out our new website: http://www.podworld.org/untangled SOCIAL Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, write us an email or buy us a beer.