European Parliament - EPRS Podcasts, What Europe does for you

Are you, or is someone you know, one of the 40 million recognised members of the scouting movement worldwide? Then you will already know that scouts in Europe and worldwide are committed to contributing to build a better world where people are self-fulfilled as individuals and play a constructive role in society.Source: © European Union - EP

Unless you are a robot yourself, you are probably either fascinated or appalled by the prospects of artificial intelligence (AI). No longer limited to science-fiction, artificial intelligence is already a fact in our daily life, through speech recognition, driverless cars, medical diagnosis, etc.Source: © European Union - EP

If you've taken a ferry journey this year, chances are you weren't alone. There are 400 million passenger journeys to or from EU ports every year. The next time you hop on board a ferry in an EU port, think of how many aspects of your crossing are backed up with EU rules.Source: © European Union - EP

While EU laws protect you as a consumer against many misleading and aggressive commercial practices, they provide special protection for consumers who are particularly vulnerable due to their mental or physical infirmity. EU laws forbid sellers to profit from such disadvantages to get consumers to buy something they would not buy normally.Source: © European Union - EP

Eight and a half million EU workers (3.6 % of the EU's active population) either work or are looking for a job in another EU country, as permanent workers, cross-border workers or posted workers. The free movement of workers is one of the four fundamental freedoms enshrined in the EU treaties and a core element of EU citizenship, but is also key to completing the monetary union and the single market.Source: © European Union - EP

If you think that future Member States should have a high level of media freedom when they join the EU and that the EU should support them in achieving this, you will be happy to know that media freedom and pluralism are part of the Copenhagen criteria for EU membership and that the principle is backed up by EU policies.Source: © European Union - EP

Air traffic in the EU is rising, with 973 million passengers carried in 2016. Despite aircraft being 75% less noisy now than 30 years ago, they are still a major noise source. Studies suggest that living close to an airport may lead to health problems like heart disease and strokes, sleep disturbance, stress or hearing impairment.Source: © European Union - EP

Have you ever bought or been offered a drone, and wondered what you are allowed to do with it? Maybe you have already taken photos with your drone or tried to lift things up into the air. Or maybe your neighbours thinks you are spying on them...Source: © European Union - EP

Do you live in a peripheral or under-served region? If so, the EU is working to ensure that regions like yours are linked up to the air travel network.Source: © European Union - EP

The identity and reputation of EU wine regions are protected through the EU’s geographical indications (GI), which are recorded in something called the E-Bacchus register. GIs are intended to protect consumers from misleading marketing. They also provide information to consumers on the origin of the wine and grape varieties used.Source: © European Union - EP

Bank accounts are an essential part of everyday life, allowing us to manage our money, shop online, and pay bills. Despite continuous efforts to integrate financial services further, European citizens often still find it difficult to open an account in another EU country or to change banks. In addition, bank fees are sometimes high and not particularly transparent.Source: © European Union - EP

Do you, or someone you know, suffer from a rare disease – that affects fewer than 5 in 10 000 people? Most rare disease patients suffer from even rarer conditions, affecting only 1 person in 100 000 or more. However, as there are over 5 000 rare diseases, the number of people suffering from them is high – it is estimated that 30 million Europeans live with a rare disease.Source: © European Union - EP

Most of the farms in the EU are small, although the term includes a wide diversity of operations. Although small farms produce only a portion of the total EU agricultural output, their contribution in creating rural employment, supporting rural societies and landscapes, and ensuring that traditional and local production continues, makes them a cornerstone of European agriculture.Source: © European Union - EP

Your baby is special. The European Union helps babies' parents and guardians through measures aimed at children in general that always take the babies' best interests as a primary consideration. The EU supports babies' right to maintain a personal relationship and direct contact with both parents, unless that is contrary to their interests.Source: © European Union - EP

Individual investors who buy securities for themselves (and not on behalf of a fund or a bank) have access to a growing range of investment products, funds and investment-linked insurance policies, also known as 'packaged retail and insurance-based investment products' (or PRIIPs), offered by banks and insurance companies. The financial crisis has shown that, when it comes to investing in financial products, the information supplied to investors is of the utmost importance.Source: © European Union - EP

Do you believe that democracy is key to world security and universal respect of human rights? Do you want to get involved in democratisation in the world? The EU is on your side.Source: © European Union - EP

Our children's early years matter a great deal for their well-being and personal development and later for their success in education and employment. Research shows how 'skills beget skills'; how stunting by the age of two is difficult to reverse; how good-quality early childhood education and care services can help children, even in the long term, to overcome difficulties caused by a lack of help at home.Source: © European Union - EP

We live in a time of electronic communication, and enjoy easy and immediate access to friends and information. The internet and social media seem to reign as kings. We also want this ease and freedom to extent to other parts of our life, such as our interaction with administrations. The European Union is actively helping with that.Source: © European Union - EP

Digital products, services and connected devices are playing an ever increasing role in our lives. The digitalisation of society is changing the way we communicate, work and shop, and means that we need to acquire new digital skills.Source: © European Union - EP

Did you know that, according to estimates, between 10 % and 20 % of children in Europe suffer sexual abuse before they turn 18? Abuse occurs mainly in their immediate environment, but the internet and new technologies have brought a new dimension to the sexual exploitation of children, which is sometimes of a commercial nature.Source: © European Union - EP

Pregnancy is a special time when you need to take particular care of yourself and the baby inside you. If you are well, you may want to work right up until the day you give birth, in which case you can expect your working conditions to be adjusted to ensure your safety and that of your unborn child. The EU has played an important role in improving protection for pregnant working women.Source: © European Union - EP

If you are one of the 15 800 producers of champagne in the Champagne region of France or a producer of sparkling wine in another EU country, such as Spain or Italy, you are perhaps concerned about the sector's development. So is the European Union and it is working to secure the sector's long-term viability.Source: © European Union - EP

If you like to save money when you shop, EU laws can help you tell if you are getting the best deal and protect you from some scams. According to EU rules, sellers must indicate product prices clearly, including price per unit, to enable you to compare products easily. Prices must include all taxes and delivery charges and must be unambiguous, clearly legible, and easily identifiable.Source: © European Union - EP

Europe has stunning mountain ranges that offer plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. In the summer, rock climbing, hiking and mountain biking are popular activities, while winter is the season for skiing and snow¬boarding. The European mountains offer breath¬taking natural landscapes that attract many visitors and are home to a wide range of plants and animals. To preserve this unique natural heritage, the EU has established the 'Natura 2000' network of protected areas that allow for the coexistence of wildlife and human activities.Source: © European Union - EP

If you feel unsettled by national politics or climate change on Earth, to the point of considering relocating to another habitable planet, there is good news for you – such places do exist. In 2016, an international team headed by Belgian researcher Michaël Gillon, discovered a system of seven planets outside of the Solar System.Source: © European Union - EP

Every year Europe commemorates victims of terrorism on 11 March. This European Remembrance Day was established after the 2004 Madrid bombings, which left 191 people dead and around 2 000 injured. But Europe does not limit its action to commemoration. European legislation aimed specifically at combating terrorism dates back to 2002, and introduced a common understanding of terrorist offences and minimal penalties for perpetrators across Europe. It recognised the vulnerability of terrorism victims and the assistance they and their families need.Source: © European Union - EP

If you are travelling to or from the EU by air, road, rail or sea with €10 000 or more in cash you must declare it to the customs authorities. This obligation is not designed to make your life difficult but to prevent money laundering, the financing of terrorism and other financial crimes. If you are travelling in a group, the €10 000 limit applies to each person individually.Source: © European Union - EP

Around 50 % of all consumers shop online, and the number of cross-border transactions in the internal market is growing steadily. However, the individual value of such transactions remains relatively small, with almost half coming under €100. Because the amounts involved are small, not all contracts are properly performed, which sometimes leads to cross-border disputes, most of which do not end up in court. According to estimates, there could be as many as 0.5 million cross-border consumer cases of a value below €2 000 and some 130 000 such cases between businesses per year in the EU. The annual number of consumer claims for amounts between €2 000 and €10 000 is estimated at 84 000, and claims between businesses at 208 700.Source: © European Union - EP

People who flee war and persecution in their own country have a right to apply for protection in another country as refugees. International refugee law obliges countries to provide access to protection and adequate reception conditions that respect applicants' human rights. EU law upholds these principles and aims to ensure that all EU countries not only offer protection, but also have the same understanding as to who qualifies as a refugee.Source: © European Union - EP

If you live in a remote region, you will be aware of the unique challenges that arise from being a long way from urban areas, or possibly from certain geographical or demographic conditions. Despite their differences, islands, mountainous areas and sparsely populated regions are remote areas that share common challenges, including poorer access to a range of job opportunities and to basic services in areas such as transport, education and healthcare. In general, remote regions also experience lower economic growth than the rest of the European Union.Source: © European Union - EP

European astronomers have always been leaders in exploring the final frontier. The EU helps to continue this tradition, regardless of whether astronomers are amateur or professional. In 2017, for example, a Belgian astronomer made international headlines with the discovery of seven Earth-like planets orbiting another star (Trappist-1 system), and a French astronomer discovered the existence of a ring around a dwarf planet in our own solar system (Haumea). Both discoveries were made possible through EU financial support.Source: © European Union - EP

European rivers, lakes and seas offer plenty of opportunities to practise watersports. Swimming is by far the most popular activity, but you can also dive, surf or sail, or paddle in a canoe or on a stand-up board. None of these activities would be enjoyable without clean water. Thanks to EU rules, the vast majority of sites in the EU boast good or excellent bathing water quality.Source: © European Union - EP

Are you an EU citizen and your spouse or registered partner, dependent child or parent is a non-EU citizen? EU law ensures that your family members can move with you from one EU country to another. Your spouse, children under 21 and some other dependent family members have the right to reside in the same country, irrespective of their nationality.Source: © European Union - EP

As a means of transport over short distances, cycling helps reduce congestion and pollution, lessens our dependence on fuels, brings new jobs and improves public health. It also involves some challenges, such as improving cyclists' safety, coordinating mobility planning and securing financing for cycling infrastructure. While in some EU countries, people use their bikes for more than a third of their daily trips, in others this is the case for less than 5 % of journeys. The proportion of regular cyclists is higher in cities.Source: © European Union - EP

Like many of us, you probably shop online. The use of devices connected to the internet like computers, mobile phones and tablets to buy goods (e.g. clothes and toys), access digital content (movies, e-books), and book services (e.g. hotel booking, car rental) online is increasing. More than 65 % of European internet users shop online, and e commerce is a growing phenomenon especially amongst young people.Source: © European Union - EP

If you, like many Europeans, are concerned about the impact of EU trade policies on other parts of the world, the EU addresses your concerns in various ways. First, the EU often includes rules on sustainable development and human rights in its trade agreements. This supports workers' rights and environmental objectives in other countries. The EU is also a member of various important conventions that commit it to international cooperation in this area.Source: © European Union - EP

Young politicians have recently been elected to the highest positions of power in several EU countries, yet many young people still choose to stay away from politics. If you're a young activist, or simply follow politics, the European Union has taken steps to encourage your participation in political life, in line with the obligation introduced by the Lisbon Treaty.Source: © European Union - EP

The benefits that school pupils can reap from learning chess are numerous and well-documented. Chess can help children to develop essential cognitive skills, such as concentration, memory, logical and critical thinking, and enhance their creativity, through problem solving. Playing chess also teaches planning, determination and sportsmanship – all positive aspects in a child's personal development.Source: © European Union - EP

Have you noticed people watching their wrist while doing sport? Perhaps, like an increasing number of people, you enjoy using mobile and wearable devices to track your fitness by measuring your athletic performance, calculate the calories you burn, your sleep, or stress level. Source: © European Union - EP

Do you avoid the news, perhaps because you feel you cannot rely on the news to be true? A March 2018 Eurobarometer poll suggested there is great concern among internet users in Europe about fake news: 85 % of respondents see fake news as a problem in their country and 83 % perceive it as a problem for democracy. Source: © European Union - EP

If you are one of the many among us who have already tried all sorts of diets while trying to lose weight, you don't need anyone telling you 'just eat less and exercise more'. As everyone knows, it's much more complicated than that. Source: © European Union - EP

Whether you are travelling for leisure or business within the European Union, you should be able to make deposits in or withdrawals from a payment account, make payment transactions, or send money home in an easy and secure way. To achieve this goal, the EU has set up the necessary legal framework (the Payment Services Directive, first referred to as PSD 1 (2007/64/EC) now replaced by PSD 2 (EU) 2015/2366), and Regulation (EU) 924/2009 on charges for cross-border payments), and contributed to the establishment of the single euro payments area(SEPA). Source: © European Union - EP

If you care about human rights and you want the EU to support human rights activists around the world you might be interested to know about the ways the European Union upholds and safeguards human rights standards as part of its external action. Source: © European Union - EP

People living in sparsely populated areas (e.g. parts of Scandinavia, Spain, Italy, Greece or Croatia) face common challenges, including a limited range of job opportunities, high poverty levels and the dilapidation of public services, such as transport, education and healthcare. These regions often feature specific geographic characteristics: they might be islands, mountainous areas or border regions. Usually, sparsely populated areas are a long way from major urban centres and lack transport connections to them. Transport for goods and people may be expensive and take a long time. Source: © European Union - EP

Falling in love is never predictable, and when a couple decides to marry, nationality is usually the last thing on their minds. A growing proportion of EU marriages are between persons of different nationalities, however cross-border marriages do come with additional formalities and legal complexities. Source: © European Union - EP

EU citizens are sometimes imprisoned without due process or sentenced after a politically motivated trial in non-EU countries that do not uphold the rule of law or human rights standards. These include journalists reporting from difficult situations, human rights defenders, and people visiting for personal reasons. Source: © European Union - EP

If you live in one of the European islands and territories far from the continent, the EU provides special assistance to your region. Nine regions are classified as EU outermost regions owing to their remoteness from the European continent: five French overseas departments (French Guiana, Guadeloupe, Martinique, Mayotte and Réunion), one French overseas community (Saint-Martin), two Portuguese autonomous regions (Madeira and the Azores) and one Spanish autonomous community (the Canary Islands). Source: © European Union - EP

Are you one of the 71 % of people in the EU that use the internet every day or almost every day? The rapid development of digital technologies means we increasingly use the internet in our daily activities. As citizens and consumers, you probably use public institutions' or companies' services online: from filing a tax declaration to shopping online or using social media. When you access these services, personal data about you are collected and transferred. While more than 70 % of Europeans feel they have to provide personal data to obtain products or services, they are also concerned about not having complete control over what their data are used for. Source: © European Union - EP

Did you know that 30 % of Europeans will be over 65 in 2060? Our population is ageing and the number of people with age-related impairments is expected to reach 84 million already in 2020. To address the challenges posed by an ageing society, the EU promotes E-health solutions based on communication technologies to improve prevention, diagnosis, and patients' treatment. Source: © European Union - EP

Unfortunately, children are still victims of abuse and violence across Europe. Although it is difficult to assess the extent of violence against children and much of it remains hidden, existing estimates give cause for great concern. Violence against children can take various forms (physical, sexual or emotional abuse, or neglect) and can happen in numerous situations (at home or in the family, at school, within institutions responsible for childcare, or within the community). Source: © European Union - EP

If you are just starting out in your working life, taxes can seem a bit scary, but they are the price of a modern and fair society. Learning about the basic principles of a modern tax system can prove very useful. Taxes pay for healthcare, education, infrastructure like roads and bridges, and much more. To achieve a more equal and inclusive society in the EU, all citizens need to make a fair contribution. It is important, therefore, to understand why we pay taxes and know how to pay them. Source: © European Union - EP