Today in the EU

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast we are looking at the train collision in Tempe, Greece, in which 57 passengers lost their lives.We also look at the impact of the crash on the upcoming elections and reactions from citizens, who have been demanding the government takes responsibility for the neglect of the railway network. Protests and clashes with the police are taking over every city in Greece, but what led to this tragic accident?

9 Maalis 202318min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast focuses on the growing danger posed by the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Iran has attracted particular attention as a recent UN investigation revealed that the country has high percentages of Uranium that could be used in the manufacture of nuclear weapons.Additionally, in late February, Russian President Vladimir Putin declared that his country would not hesitate to deploy nuclear weapons to gain an advantage in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. With these developments, it is clear that the threat posed by nuclear arms remains both significant and ongoing.Which countries are racing to obtain more nuclear weapons, and what role might AI play in using nuclear weapons and the overall nuclear threat?

2 Maalis 202317min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast, we are looking at the war in Ukraine, one year on from Russia's full-scale invasion. On February 24 2022, in the early hours of the morning, Russia launched missile attacks on Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv. What followed forged a new reality for both Ukrainians and the world.A year on, the country is still at war, with the question of military and financial support from Western countries and beyond more pressing than ever. This week, we ask: How has war changed the daily life of Ukrainians? What can we expect moving forward? What does Russia’s decision to halt its participation in the New START nuclear arms treaty mean?

23 Helmi 202327min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast, we are discussing Ecofin after EU finance ministers met on February 14th in Brussels to exchange views on the EU’s debt and deficit rules.What did the Commission propose for the reform of the EU governance framework? Why is it essential to combine national plans and a common European framework, and why is there a division between the southern and the northern European countries?To break down what was discussed and what we can expect moving forward with the talks on the financial framework, I’m joined by Senior fellow at the economic think tank Bruegel, Gregory Claeys, and EURACTIV’s Economy and jobs editor Janos Allenbach-Ammann.

16 Helmi 202317min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast we are discussing migration and more specifically, pushbacks. The topic is back on the priority list for EU leaders meeting on the 9th and 10th of February with the aim of reaching a joint EU system to manage migration. In the shadows of these discussions are the pushbacks from Italy to Greece and numerous reports of human right violations.Italy and Greece have been condemned internationally for their actions, with the latest investigation showing that the staff of commercial ferries have become responsible for pushing back migrants that travel from Greece to Italy.Why are workers on these ferries detaining migrants and in which ways are they violating the laws and human rights of migrants?With us this week are investigative journalist Stavros Malichudis, who has been investigating and reporting on the pushbacks and EURACTIV’s editor Nathalie Weatherald.

9 Helmi 202317min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast we discuss top EU leaders travelling to Ukraine to hold talks with a candidate country,  for the first time ever in an active war zone.Almost a year after Ukraine’s invasion by Russia, EU's top leaders are set to meet their Ukrainian counterparts to discuss the country’s progress on its path in the EU, the bloc's long-term war support and closer integration in a series of policy areas.What will be the message sent by the EU's top officials and what signals can Kyiv expect on its accession hopes?With us this week are Ricardo Borges de Castro, Head of Europe in the World Programme at the European Policy Centre (EPC) think tank and Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV’s Global Europe and Defence editor.

2 Helmi 202317min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast we are discussing the tension between Turkey and Sweden, specifically how Turkey is blocking Sweden's accession to NATO. We’re also looking at the reasons behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's objections to Sweden's bid for membership in the alliance, the electoral tricks and when Sweden might be able to overcome this deadlock.With us this week are professor and founding director of the Stockholm University Institute for Turkish Studies, Paul Levin, and Alexandra Brzozowski, EURACTIV’s editor for Global Europe.

26 Tammi 202316min

This week on the Beyond the Byline podcast, we take a deep dive into the latest developments on the Greek spyware scandal, and the response - or lack of - from the European Commission and the European Council.With us this week are MEP and rapporteur of the inquiry committee for the abuse of spyware Sophie in 't Veld and our colleague Spiros Sideris, joining from Athens. Together, they explain the impact of this scandal, and what could be done to control the use of spyware for political reasons.

19 Tammi 202314min