Today in the EU

Today, the Commission unveils its rebranded Green Deal, signalling a new approach to industrial policy. The draft of the proposal obtained by Euractiv last week suggests a less-than-green path for Europe’s industrial revival, with a clear focus on slashing red tape. In doing so, however, it appears environmental safeguards may take a back seat. This negligence comes on top of unresolved issues on the regulation of forever chemicals, EU-wide waste management, and the sourcing of critical minerals – all challenges at the core of Commissioner Jessica Roswall’s mandate. So, what are her true priorities? In this episode, host Giada Santana and Euractiv’s environment reporter, Barbara Machado, explore the key elements of the proposal and what it means for environmental protection.

Yesterday, fifty-nine million voters cast their ballots in what is considered a defining election for Europe’s future. It was a big night for the Christian Democrats, which came out on top. This is a good reason for Merz, the likely next chancellor, to celebrate – but maybe not too hard, as the far-right AfD is now the second force in parliament. For the Social Democrats, it was more of an existential crisis, performing the lowest score ever in a result that Scholz himself described as a "defeat." But what happens next? And what does Merz hold for the future of the EU? Euractiv’s editor-in-chief Matthew Karnitschnig and German bureau chief Nick Alipour reacted to the results as they were coming in from our Berlin office.

The first round of US-Russia talks on a potential Ukraine peace deal kicked off yesterday in Riyadh – behind closed doors and without a single European or Ukrainian representative. The meeting caps off a week of American shock therapy for the continent, from Trump’s call with Putin to tough talk from US top brass in Munich, which sent shockwaves to Brussels and Kyiv, leaving them wondering about their role – if any – in the deal. Zelenskyy has insisted no deal happens without Kyiv while EU leaders met for an emergency meeting in Paris on Monday, though there was little they could agree on. But if European leaders are not at the negotiation table, how will they make their voices heard? And how does Brussels guarantee Ukraine will only accept a deal that meets their demands? To answer these questions, Euractiv’s chief diplomatic correspondent, Alexandra Brzozowski, sat down with the EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas.

Last weekend, Munich hosted the world’s premier geopolitical forum amid shifting alliances and rising tensions across country lines. In the Bavarian capital leaders convened to debate on everything from global governance to climate security. But the real question for Europeans remains how the ongoing war in Ukraine will end, and on whose terms after Trump held a “lengthy and productive” call with Putin last week. Will Europe play a role in shaping the outcome, or will it be forced to accept a deal dictated by Washington? In this episode, producer Charles Cohen and Chief Diplomatic Correspondent Alexandra Brzozowski go through highlights and lowlights from the Munich Security Conference.

Are you looking forward to celebrating the day of love? You’re not the only one. For food producers, the day is a test of how far consumers are willing to stretch their budgets. After all, chocolate prices have been skyrocketing due to a perfect storm of supply chain disruptions, climate change, and energy crisis. Only in December 2024, cocoa bean prices surged by 250%. How is inflation shaping broader food trends in Europe? And what alternatives to cocoa beans chocolate could we soon see? In this episode, host Giada Santana and agrifood reporter Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro explore how the food market is adapting to unprecedented costs.

Across the Western Balkans and beyond, the eye watering prices of food products have led citizens to successfully boycott supermarkets in the past two weeks. In Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, sales were down to 30% or more. This weekend, Calin Georgescu, polls’ frontrunner in Romania, called on people to boycott foreign-owned supermarkets, “to support Romanian producers.” In November, the relatively unknown independent politician turned Tiktok star. Georgescu won the first round of the presidential election. However, the country’s top court then annulled the result over alleged Russian interference. How has Georgescu’s platform changed since? And what strategy is the government adopting against foreign interference ahead of the next elections in May? In this episode, host Giada Santana and Bucharest-based Global Focus think thank director Oana Popescu – Zamfir analyse the supermarket boycott phenomenon, and the road ahead the Romanian election.

Eighty world leaders are in Paris for the final day of the AI Summit, a key forum for Europe’s renewed push to close the gap with AI powerhouses—the U.S. and China. For years, the high cost of innovation kept Europe on the sidelines. That’s changing. French President Emmanuel Macron said the country has secured more than €100 billion in private funding to drive technological breakthroughs. Meanwhile, the European Commission is backing a €150 billion investment through a joint venture of private firms aiming to position the EU as a global AI leader. Brussels wants rapid progress. But will that come at the expense of safety and oversight? And how is this summit reshaping the global AI conversation? In this episode, host Giada Santana and tech reporter Jakob Wulff Wold discuss Europe's ambitions voiced at the AI summit.

Five years after the Brexit referendum, the UK has undergone its biggest change in a century. In Westminister, five prime ministers have tried – and failed – to stabilise the country's political and financial lifeline. Now, it is Starmer’s turn. In Brussels, hopes rest on his success, especially in rekindling diplomatic ties on trade, defence, and youth mobility. Where are we at in negotiations? And how is Brexit still influencing London's decisions? In this episode, host Giada Santana talks to Euractiv's editor Owen Morgan and BREXIT expert Joël Reland about the future of EU-UK relations.

For the first time in 60 years, France started the year without a budget bill after December’s vote triggered the collapse of Prime Minister Barnier’s three-month-old government. But this week, new PM Michel Bayrou managed to push through the budget – avoid the New Popular Front alliance's no-confidence vote and secure his own job in the process. Now, the opposition is pointing finger at one party in particular: the Socialists, who broke away from the NFP and decided not to rally behind the group’s vote. The party divisions in the NFP could mark the end of the alliance, and leave France’s left in limbo. Could the socialists deal the final blow to NFP? In this episode, host Giada Santana and Paris-based politics reporter Theo Bourgery-Gonse make sense of the french left's fragmentation and PM Bayrou's latest moves.

After Canada, Mexico, and China, the EU could be next to face the threat of tariffs as Donald Trump’s latest remarks suggest levies on European goods may be imminent. Is Brussels prepared to retaliate? And how might the bloc get entangled in a global trade war? In this episode, host Giada Santana and economy reporter Thomas Moller-Nielsen break down Trump’s strategy—and what it could mean for the EU.

The new Chinese AI model DeepSeek R1 is making waves worldwide as the start up behind it says it runs at a fraction of the cost of all existing models on the market. That seems impressive. Or sort of. In the EU, at least eleven member states have promptly reacted to the launch, demanding the platform clarification on its privacy policy. Brussels' investigation, on the other hand, has yet to reach conclusions. What rules could the Chinese startup be in violation of? Where does the data go? In this episode, host Giada Santana and tech reporter Claudie Moreau ask DeepSeek some of these questions directly and analyse what measures Brussels can implement to protect users.

Concerns over the EU’s trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay have stalled negotiations for two decades. Now, the agreement is signed – but its opposition is far from sealed. Farmers worry it means unfair competition and fear cheaper, less-regulated imports could threaten their livelihoods. Economy Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič and Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen stepped in last week to ease tensions over Mercosur’s impact. Was it enough? And how is the Commission handling the pushback? In this episode, host Giada Santana and agrifood reporter Maria Simon Arboleas analyse the fragmentation around the Mercosur agreement and the Commission's plan to move forward.

Less than a month before the publication of the Clean Industrial Deal, executive commissioner Teresa Ribera speaks to host Giada Santana and EET editor Donagh Cagney about competitiveness, environmental NGOs lobbying and the hostile political climate standing in her way.

European Commission's President von der Leyen unveils today her 'North Star' of economic strategy: the Competitiveness Compass. Beyond the motto of simplifying and unifying, the document has drawn praise from businesses and raised alarms among unions. What impact will it have on the Union's economic future? In this episode, host Giada Santana talks to Euractiv's economy reporter, Thomas Moller-Nielsen, to unpack the Compass' key takeaways.

By becoming the moderate face of the AfD, Alice Weidel helped transform the party from a fringe movement into a dominant force, forcing its rivals to rethink their electoral strategy. However, Weidel's private life reveals contradictions some argue clash with the traditional values of the far-right movement. She has lived abroad, is openly in a same-sex relationship, and splits her time between Germany and Switzerland. But rather than hindering her rise, these complexities have fuelled Weidel's climb to power, positioning the 46-year-old as a contender for the chancellorship. In this episode, host Giada Santana is joined by Berlin-based politics reporter Nick Alipour to examine the AfD's transformation under Weidel’s leadership.

The European Union approved its first-ever crisis response unit, a 5,000-strong force designed to address threats outside its borders. However, as EU foreign ministers convene today to once again deliberate on Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, one thing seems clear: the newly minted crisis unit doesn't look set to be heading to Kyiv – or anywhere else – in the immediate future. Why is the EU keeping its crisis response corps on standby during one of the most significant security challenges in its modern history? And if Ukraine is off the table, what types of crises or regions might eventually trigger their first mission?

Greenland has come into the limelight after Donald Trump suggested buying the island in late December. The controversy reignited a wish for independence in the world's largest island, and thrown the government in Copenhagen into a political quagmire. In this episode, host Giada Santana speaks with politics reporter Magnus Lund Nielsen, who has been covering the latest developments in Greenland on the ground for the past two weeks.