Brussels Playbook Podcast

Alexander Stubb lays out his pitch for the European Commission presidency in this week's episode. Stubb is competing with Manfred Weber to be the European Peoples Party's candidate for the post in 2019. Stubb is leaning on his experience as a former prime minister and on a sharp expression of values. Nordic moderate, pragmatic and "a true European believer" who wants a "liberal democracy not an illiberal democracy.” Stubb says European values are under attack from "the U.S., China, Russia and from the inside" meaning countries like Poland, Italy, Romania, and Hungary. After claiming to be a "next generation" EU leader, Stubb (who is 50) joked that he's "next generation with bifocals." Can you guess who he names as his political hero? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ukraine, the Balkans, MEPs' expenses, fake news and fallout from the Salzburg summit are all on the menu this week. Our main guests are Thomas Greminger, head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and Montenegrin Foreign Minister Srdjan Darmanovic. News editor Andrew Gray stands in again as host for the honeymooning Ryan Heath. But Ryan still features in the podcast, with an interview he recorded with Greminger, secretary general of the OSCE, at the European Forum Alpbach in Austria. Greminger talks to Ryan about the OSCE's role in keeping a lid on the conflict in Ukraine — and what it will take to create a lasting peace there. Before that, POLITICO's chief Europe correspondent Matthew Karnitschnig talks us through his interview with Montenegrin Foreign Minister Darmanovic at another gathering with a mountain backdrop — the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. Darmanovic talks about Donald Trump suggesting World War III could start in Montenegro, relations with Russia and his take on a possible Kosovo-Serbia land swap. And our podcast panelists, Lina Aburous and Alva Finn, chew over big stories from the last seven days, including the European Court of Justice ruling that members of the European Parliament don’t have to account for €100 million worth of expenses every year. Will anyone dare to defend that? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EU watchdog Emily O'Reilly is our main guest this week. Before heading off to get married, regular host Ryan Heath sat down for a candid chat with the European ombudsman in Strasbourg. Among the many topics covered: the Irish former journalist's investigation into the European Commission’s promotion of Martin Selmayr — Jean-Claude Juncker’s right-hand man — and why O'Reilly believes that Donald Trump shows transparency has its limits. News editor Andrew Gray steps into Ryan's shoes to host the show and chats to Christian Oliver, POLITICO's competition and trade editor, and Nick Vinocur, technology editor and former Paris correspondent, about some of the week's big stories. They discuss EU competition chief Margrethe Vestager's move against German carmakers and Amazon — and ponder Emmanuel Macron's advice to an unemployed gardener. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, a bona fide music mogul. Lyor Cohen has been in the business for 37 years, working with musicians who define memories and eras — think the Beastie Boys, Run DMC and Public Enemy, all signed by his iconic Def Jam label. These days, Cohen is YouTube’s global head of music. He spoke to EU Confidential ahead of this week’s big vote on copyright in the European Parliament. He talks about how the music business has changed and how he sees its future. Also this week, we talk to Alain Deneef, the founder of a new festival of European democracy called Jubel, taking place on September 22 in Brussels. Deneef explains the ideas behind the festival — and promises that, even though it’s in the European quarter, there will be no men in suits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European commissioner for migration, sets out how the Commission plans to fighting back against populist attempts to hijack the migration agenda.Avramopoulos outlines controversial tactics: working with hardliners to achieve one of their goals, controlled migration flows, but with different means.The Commission plans to propose next week a "genuine border police" to ensure a “controlled and orderly” migration system, and to increase returns of people whose applications for asylum are rejected.He calls populist leaders like Italy's Matteo Salvini “smart,” but says they "do not offer practical European solutions on migration.“Our podcast panel discusses the EU watchdog's conclusion that the Commission possibly "overstretched" the rules in appointing Martin Selmayr as its top civil servant. And we also look at the latest maneuvering as the European election campaign gets into gear. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode revolves around two political hot topics: how Europe should manage the growth of far-right politics across the continent, and whether to support redrawing the borders of Serbia and Kosovo along ethnic lines. Julia Ebner, author of The Rage, is a fascinating interview: she takes you inside far-right parties and networks, how they organize, why they appeal to certain people, and what we can expect from Steve Bannon's "ability to be a chaos agent” as he moves into the fringes of European politics ahead of the 2019 European election. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week we hit peak Barnier — the height of the EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier's influence — and the U.K. published its Brexit no-deal contingency plans. We run through the dangers and the dramas ahead with Jill Rutter and Joe Owen from the Institute for Government in London. On the podcast panel with Lina Aburous and Alva Finn, we discuss their reactions to a Swiss holiday accommodation business that's decided to ban women who wear headscarfs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we mix the format up: not one guest, but many. We've asked POLITICO reporters to talk us through stand-out stories they've produced this summer. Ginger Hervey and Jillian Deutsch talk about the EU getting under the skin of the tattoo industry, and its 4,000 unregulated chemicals. (https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-tackles-tattoo-ink-safety-regulation-inking-european-chemicals-agency/) Carmen Paun discusses her postcard from Romania, reflecting on how emigration has changed a village she's known since childhood. (https://www.politico.eu/article/intorsura-romania-village-migration-feels-the-countrys-emigration-pain/) Kait Bolangaro goes on a field trip: to visit a potato farmer who's had his crop wiped out by the heat, threatening supplies of the national dish of frites. (https://www.politico.eu/article/belgian-frites-fry-in-the-heat-summer-drought-french-fries/) And Simon Marks walks us through his investigation revealing Greece's lifeline to the Syrian regime through the import of phosphates, a fertilizer ingredient. (https://www.politico.eu/article/syria-europe-greece-throws-lifeline-bashar-al-assad-by-buying-phosphates/) And of course we also hear from our regular panelists, Alva Finn and Lina Aburous, with our roundup of EU WTF moments of the week, including the political blame game surrounding the Genoa bridge collapse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's interview is with Constanze Itzel, the director of the EU museum, the House of European History, in Brussels.Listen to hear her views on fake memory, conscious distortion of history, and her battle with people who think the museum is too critical of the EU.The panel discusses the heatwave, green churches and Swedish police shooting dead an intellectually disabled man who was holding a toy gun. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this week's main interview, we hear from Sue Duke, the global head of public policy for LinkedIn. She reveals the labor market lessons to be learned from data on the company's 167 million users in Europe.We also talk about how to handle — and how not to handle — the topic of pregnancy in the workplace.The podcast panel of Lina Aburous and Alva Finn debate cost-shifting in Belgium: The country is apparently happy to pay for a new school for the children of EU officials — but wants to charge Belgium-based journalists to attend EU summits. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Johannes Hahn, European commissioner for enlargement negotiations and neighborhood policy, talks us through the Western Balkans. It's a region whose countries desperately want into the EU club, but which still has a lot of work to do in overcoming the legacies of the wars of the 1990s, including corruption and organized crime. Hahn warns against China using countries like Montenegro as a Trojan Horse to get into EU decision-making, and pushes back against Emmanuel Macron's view that the EU needs to focus on cleaning up and renovating its own house, rather than enlarging. Did you know? Hahn, like President Donald Trump, takes Coca-Cola at the meeting table and holidays in Scotland. (But the similarities end there.) His job will also grow with Brexit: the U.K. will become part of Hahn's remit as a "third country" in Europe's own neighborhood. Trump and Juncker's love-in: Our podcast panel weighs in on peace breaking out at the White House, Steve Bannon's plan to conquer Europe and the latest satellite launches for Europe's Galileo program. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amélie de Montchalin, a French member of Parliament with Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche party explains why its undemocratic to finalise the EU’s next seven-year budget ahead of the 2019 EU election. European agriculture commissioner Phil Hogan talks about how farming needs to change, Brexit, and trade deals. The panel discusses the EU's €4.3 billion fine against Google, and how to handle a leader when they stumble, literally and politically. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A special defense-themed episode take you inside this week’s tense NATO summit and discusses the new specialism of 24/7 POTUS management. The stellar line-up includes United States Ambassadors Alexander Vershbow and Daniel Fried; Beatrice Fihn who leads ICAN an anti-nuclear and Nobel Peace Prize-winning campaign group; Brookings Institution’s Constanze Stelzenmüller and journalist Paul Taylor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A bumper episode featuring NATO secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg who’s got a present for Donald Trump ahead of next week’s NATO summit in Brussels, and Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who has presided of the sacking of 27 Polish judges this week, but who is at pains in our interview to explain what he likes about the EU and Jean-Claude Juncker. The podcast panel discussing a whirlwind of good deeds, hypocrisy and protest at the European Parliament this week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s summit week: crammed with migration and Trump and eurozone and Brexit and will-Merkel-stay-or-go drama. One man who could benefit greatly from Merkel going is Wolfgang Schäuble, her long-time rival and finance minister, now president of the Bundestag, the German Parliament. He’s our first interview guest, followed by Danny McCoy, the head of the Irish business lobby Ibec, who talks Brexit and why Ireland has upped its lobbying game in Brussels The podcast panel tries to unpack why so much of what EU leaders are saying about migration is either unrealistic or not addressing some of the key problems. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week’s theme is Women Rule! Our feature interview is withPhumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, executive director of U.N. Women, who’s got passionate views about violence, #MeToo and more. Mlambo-Ngcuka spoke to POLITICO reporter Ginger Hervey, who joins us to put the conversation in context. Our podcast panel gets into the World Cup spirit with a series of "EU kick-offs" and "EU red cards" as we chew over the Italian government’s views on its Roma communities, and the political strategy of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Helle Thorning Schmidt, the former Danish PM who's now head of Save the Children International, is our main guest. Host Ryan Heath asks her about tackling populism and who should lead Europe. Ryan also talks to Jaume Duch, who runs communications for the European Parliament and is in charge of spending a whopping €30m to tell people about next year's election. And our podcast panel debates the rights and wrongs of denying the right to dock to the Aquarius, the ship carrying 629 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A blockbuster episode, our 50th, in which three guests from the world of NGOs talk about the joys of their work and their frustrations at dealing with the EU and national governments.Our first 50 episodes featured nine current national leaders, eight European commissioners and lots of other senior politicians: now it’s time to hear from the other side. Jana Hainsworth is the president of Social Platform, a network of 170 NGOs, and secretary-general of one of its members, Eurochild; Patrick Gaspard is the president of the Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros; and Evelyne Paradis runs ILGA Europe, an LGBTI advocacy group.Also this week, our podcast panel discusses a new generation of politicians who’ve brought the average age of EU leaders under 50 for the first time. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon talks to host Ryan Heath in an interview recorded in front of an audience at POLITICO's Brussels HQ. Sturgeon shares her views on Brexit, the chances of Britain remaining in a customs union with the EU, and another Scottish independence vote. Our podcast panel discusses a Ukraine WTF — the faked murder of a journalist — and looks back on the Irish referendum that gave women the right to choose an abortion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a tech special this week — but you don’t have to be a geek to understand any of it. Host Ryan Heath talks to Tristan Harris, who spent three years as a design ethicist at Google and has been called “the closest thing Silicon Valley has to a conscience.” He’s the co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, an organization with a bold mission: “to stop technology hijacking our minds.” Ryan also speaks to Paul Jordan of the International Association of Privacy Professionals about Europe’s new blockbuster data privacy regulation, the GDPR. Paul explains what all those messages clogging up our inboxes mean for governments, companies and individuals. Switching from tech fact to tech fiction, Ryan chats to Giuseppe Porcaro, author of a new book, Disco Sour, which presents a dystopian view of the future where politics is governed by a Tinder-style app. And our podcast panelists, Lina Aburous and Alva Finn, debate the big event in Brussels this week: Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance at the European Parliament — and how what should have been an EU Thumbs Up turned into an EU WTF. We also talk about a physical attack on a Greek mayor and the embellished CV of Italy’s likely new prime minister. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We dive right in with two interviews — the first with the EU’s coordinator for combatting anti-Semitism, Katharina von Schnurbein. Then we speak to Martina Larkin, who is heading up a World Economic Forum initiative to support the Balkans. And the podcast panel discusses Europe’s black population and how the Continent is seen from afar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ryan Heath talks to author Vincent Stuer about his new book, Curb Your Idealism: The European Union as seen from within.Ryan also chats to Luca Jahier, the new president of the European Economic and Social Committee, who says it's time to rediscover passion for Europe.In the final part of the podcast, which contains some strong language (originally used by politicians), Ailbhe Finn and Carmen Paun join Ryan to discuss topics as diverse as the dangers of hot mics and menus that prompt serious self-examination. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Heath hits the road with Europe’s Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager — darling of Emmanuel Macron and foe of tax cheats and tech giants — to learn about how one Belgian city went from wasteland to strength in diversity. Sound like a campaign trip? Listen to find out how Vestager is handling the pressure to run to be European Commission president in 2019. She talks to EU Confidential about the 2019 election, her political heroes, how she thinks rule of law can be delivered across Europe, and why she never likes to be told what to do. POLITICO’s EU budget reporter Lili Bayer analyzes the newly proposed €1.28 trillion blueprint for 2021-2027. We discuss the winners and losers, and whether the European Commission’s plan to cut funds to countries like Hungary and Poland (if they fail to uphold rule of law to EU standards) has any chance at all of becoming a reality. We’ll also hear from our Brussels Brains Trust — this week it’s Alva Finn and Carmen Paun in the hot seat, debating Holocaust rappers, Daily Mail hypocrisy and the Michelle Wolf/Sarah Sanders furore. And we give a thumbs up to new EU whistleblower protection plans. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spencer Dale, the former chief economist at the Bank of England who now holds the same position at energy giant BP, is our main guest this week. He looks into Europe’s energy future and discusses the dangers of groupthink in both his current and former jobs. To set the scene, POLITICO reporter Kalina Oroschakoff sketches out the controversies around the EU's energy policies. Ryan Heath hosts the podcast from Washington and links up with regular panelists, Lina Aburous and Alva Finn, to talk about Emmanuel Macron’s visit to the U.S. capital, the political theater over a speck of dandruff, Britain’s migration bungles, and a heartwarming story that links Europe and Australia. We also have — for a change — a positive Dear POLITICO dilemma. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cécile Kyenge, one of the few black members of the European Parliament, talks to Ryan Heath about the obstacles and abuse she’s faced in her career — and what she wants the EU institutions to do to foster more diversity in their ranks. We also talk to our regular podcast panelists, Lina Aburous and Ailbhe Finn, about Emmanuel Macron’s big moment at the European Parliament, the European Commission giving the green light for membership talks to two more countries and the EU’s role (or lack of it) in the Syrian crisis. And to kick off the podcast, POLITICO reporter Ginger Hervey gives us the inside story on her investigation into sexual harassment at one of the last places you would expect to find it — the EU’s gender equality agency. You can read that story here: https://www.politico.eu/article/sexual-harassment-eu-gender-equality-agency/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kati Marton, a veteran reporter and author now with the Committee to Protect Journalists, talks to host Ryan Heath about how the reelection of Victor Orbán in Hungary will impact media freedom in Europe. Jan Philipp Albrecht, also known as Mr. Data Protection for his role in the GDPR legislation being enacted in May, chats to Ryan about his work in Parliament. Albrecht also tells us about the dream job he is set to begin soon. The Brussels brains trust, Ailbhe Finn and Lina Aburous, is shell-shocked by a story of sexual harassment in the most unexpected EU institution. They also tackle comments by the U.K.'s Brexit minister David Davis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bill Gates, the Microsoft founder and philanthropist, is this week’s main guest. He talks to Ryan Heath about the work of his foundations, the next EU budget and the Oxfam scandal. And we talk to Politico health reporter Carmen Paun about how Gates has shaken up the world of public health — not without criticism. In our Dear Politico advice session, we hear from an assistant to a member of the European Parliament, who says their MEP is using their job to get trips to exotic locations at taxpayers’ expense. We also say EU WTF! about an Italian mayor’s plan to host a Nazi re-enactment and a Greek airline’s special stopover for MEPs — and give a big EU Thumbs Up to the Iberian lynx. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a year to go until Brexit, we take stock of where things stand and what lies ahead. The European Parliament's Brexit Coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, talks to EU Confidential's executive producer, Andrew Gray, about the biggest Brexit challenges and how the Parliament is dealing with them. Verhofstadt talks about his plan to avoid a "Swiss nightmare" of too many post-Brexit agreements with the U.K. and warns the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland may still prove the toughest issue to solve. We also take a peek into Brussels' British expat community to get a sense of their feelings about Brexit, expressed on-stage through the skits, songs and gags of the Brussels Press Revue. The annual show, performed mainly by Brits, has been called the "EU nerd-prom." And the "Dear Politico" advice section helps a listener facing discrimination in the Brussels bubble. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russia, artificial intelligence and MEPs who are famous for the wrong reasons all feature in this week’s episode. Host Ryan Heath talks to the foreign minister of Lithuania, Linas Linkevičius, about how the EU should handle Moscow, following Vladimir Putin’s re-election and the Salisbury nerve agent attack. Ryan also chats with Janosch Delcker, POLITICO’s recently appointed AI correspondent. The first such correspondent at a major media outlet, Janosch talks about POLITICO’s AI Summit and how artificial intelligence and big data will change the world. Which Members of the European Parliament have made our naughty list? Ryan discusses some of his choices with regular panelists Lina Aburous and Ailbhe Finn, who choose their own favorites. They also talk over some EU WTF moments from the week. Thanks so much to the many listeners who took part in our recent survey. We’re always keen to hear your feedback — you can reach us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode Ryan talks to Giorgi Margvelashvili, the president of Georgia who is a doctor of philosophy and was in town for the German Marshall Fund’s Brussels Forum. Following that Michael O’Leary, the gruff CEO and founder of Ryanair, who's discovering his softer side explains why Brexit makes him disappointed and how to solve holiday delays due to air traffic control strikes. Then we’ve got a fun panel with the Brussels brains trust, covering everything from Marine Le Pen’s missteps to our MEP of the Week. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Heath talks to Marianne Thyssen, the European Commissioner for employment, about how she wants to overhaul EU policies on jobs, education and training to face up to globalization. She also talks about the surprise in the College of Commissioners when Martin Selmayr was nominated as the Commission’s new secretary-general. Lulwah Al Khater, the first female spokesperson for the Qatari ministry of foreign affairs, drops by to tell us about her job and the challenges facing her country. Highlights from the show: Women in the workplace: As we mark International Women’s Day, Thyssen discusses barriers to success for women in the workplace. “If we look into the labor market and in the progress of women, we see that everything is going fine until the moment of children and then … women are penalized in the labor market … [they] don’t have the possibility to reach their full potential in their career,” Thyssen says. Thyssen on Martin Selmayr: The commissioner describes how she felt when she found out about the appointment of the European Commission’s new secretary-general. EU WTF: Our regular Brussels brains trust panelists, Lina Aburous and Ailbhe Finn, talk about the case of a Brussels man convicted for verbal abuse of a female police officer. They also discuss the #MeToo movement. Dear Politico: The panel advises a listener about a housing scam in Brussels. MEP of the week: In this segment, the panelists dive into a box of MEPs’ names and pull out a young farmer and a few unknowns before someone earns the title MEP of the Week. We want to hear from you! Please fill out this survey so we can make EU Confidential better than ever: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CVD7TDT Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Blair came to Brussels this week with a clear message, delivered in this week's interview: I’m trying to stop Brexit, and there’s only one shot left — European immigration controls. If that idea or a second British Brexit referendum fails, Europe will be left with an angrier bigger version of Singapore undercutting its business and social model on its doorstep. Highlights from the show: Hard Brexit will mean big, angry European version of Singapore: If Brexit continues on its current course, Blair predicts there will be "a long and difficult period of economic restructuring" in Britain. As part of that process, the U.K. will become "a competitor to Europe, not an ally" and will "attract investment basically by pointing the finger at Europe and saying 'we're not like them,'" he said. "That's the future and that has massive implications for your welfare system, your pension system, your health care system.” Immigration fears: Blair admits he could have done more within EU freedom of movement rules to preemptively tackle immigration fears. "I think that frankly what I didn't really understand fully is how different countries in Europe deal with the existing freedom rules in Europe. If you take for example what the French do or how the Belgians deal with them, they just apply these rules in a much tougher way. In Belgium you're given two months to find a job and if you don’t, you're out."Tories would be crazy to hold an election rather than a second Brexit referendum: Blair explains why he thinks one of those options is inevitable. U.K. government handling of Northern Ireland: "It makes me very angry, I think it's totally irresponsible." What Blair thinks is wrong with Jeremy Corbyn's Brexit policy: Being satisfied with a bespoke customs union with the EU would mean the Labour Party "pulled up its anchor … without actually getting to the truly safe harbour which is to turn the fire on the whole Tory strategy."EU's reform problem: "Every time it wants to reform it sees this in terms of institutional power … (instead of) expending your energy in a way that the citizens of Europe will find useful." On his failed tilt at European Council president: "I would have done it if I was asked. I wasn't and there were lots of different reasons for that,” who was in town to give a speech at an event organized by the European Policy Centre. Blair on Blair: The former prime minister tells us about his worst EU summit moment, his European political hero, what he thinks about retirement, and what keeps him grounded. EU WTF: Our podcast panel discusses the decision of a German food bank to turn away foreigners. MEP of the week: Panel members delve once again into our big box of names to test their knowledge of members of the European Parliament. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's episode features a review of the Munich Security Conference and an interview with Ben Hodges, who recently retired as commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe. Also on the podcast: our panelists give their verdict on the big new job for Martin Selmayr, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker's powerful chief of staff, look forward to the Italian election and once again test their knowledge of members of the European Parliament. The Munich Security Conference, the premier gathering of security and defense experts and policymakers, has been called "a poor man's Davos, but one where work actually gets done." POLITICO's Matthew Karnitschnig gives host Ryan Heath the lowdown on this year's event and introduces his interview from the conference with Hodges, who discusses transatlantic ties, Russia, the Balkans and how Europe can deter potential threats. Highlights from the show: Hodges on Russia: "In all the governments of Europe, people recognize that the environment really has changed, that this is not somebody sabre-rattling toward Russia or you know somebody hoping that the Cold War will come back, this is a real change in security environment." Germany's miserable military: A report for the German parliament found the country's army ill-prepared for combat. Hodges says "Germany absolutely can and should do more" to contribute to NATO but he has some novel ideas about how Berlin's contribution could be measured. Hear more in the podcast. Eye off the Balkans: "I think we did sort of take our eye off the Balkans ... we've plateaued there and probably need to put some more energy into the institutions in the Balkans, otherwise they do become vulnerable to ... Chinese influence or Russian influence." EU WTF — Martin Selmayr: The panel reacts to Martin Selmayr's new job, and what it will mean for how the Commission is run. They also discuss the Italian election and respond to a reporter's challenge to name the movie that best fits the Brexit storyline. MEP of the week: Our panelists delve once again into a big box filled with the names of members of the European Parliament to see if they can find someone they know. We also hear more about the people behind the names picked out in previous weeks. And we talk to last week's MEP of the week, Eva Kaili of Greece, from the Socialists & Democrats group. She talks about her growing interest in technology and artificial intelligence — and her proposal to revamp one of the Parliament's committees. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's special guest is Alexander Stubb, the former Finnish prime minister and ex-MEP who is now vice president of the European Investment Bank (EIB). Stubb talks about how the bank will handle Brexit and how it will play an increasing role as the EU tries to do "more with less" in its next long-term budget. The podcast panel discusses the Oxfam sex scandal, the controversial Spitzenkandidat system for picking the Commission president and the intriguing backstory of a notable MEP. Highlights from the show: Stubb on the EU budget after Brexit: "The basic idea is that you have to be realistic. That the EU budget is not going to grow, especially after Brexit, so then you're going to have to come up with different types of ideas of leveraging or getting more bang for the buck or for doing more with less." Stubb on the impact of Brexit on the EIB: "We will have less money to invest as the U.K. leaves the EU... but then again we'll also have less population and we'll have less member states in the EU. At the end of the day, these things balance out, and you must remember the EIB is a rather flexible bank in the sense that during difficult times we are able to increase our firepower." Will Stubb run for Commission or Council president? He’s open to it, but POLITICO’s Finnish sources suggest Stubb will not try to elbow his compatriot and party colleague Jyrki Katainen out of the way. "It's always a big hypothetical ... if someone was asking if I'll go back to national politics, the answer is no. But European politics is always an appealing affair to me,” Stubb says. EU WTF — Oxfam sex scandal: The Brussels brains trust talks about the Oxfam sex scandal over the behavior of its staff in countries including Haiti and asks how the EU, as a major aid donor, will react. EU Thumbs Up — One Brussels, One Vote: A group of Brussels residents has urged the Belgian government to change the law — and potentially the constitution — to allow more than 300,000 non-Belgian citizens to participate in regional elections. Feud of the Week — Spitzenkandidat: The podcast panel debates the pros and cons of a feud that will last more than a week — and tries to outdo the Commission and the Council with some blue-sky thinking of its own on how to make the EU more democratic. MEP of the Week: Panelist Ailbhe Finn did her homework on an MEP we picked out of our big box of parliamentarians two weeks ago — France's Marc Joulaud. She tells us why Joulaud was at the center of a recent big French political scandal. Listen to the podcast to find out more — and discover our new MEP of the week, a former TV journalist. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EU politics this week was all about shrinkage and enlargement. The shrinkage of course is Brexit, with the U.K. government again failing to set out its negotiating position and Michel Barnier sweeping through London to explain the EU's red lines. EU Confidential's featured guest this week is former U.K. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. The enlargement — or potential enlargement — comes from the Western Balkans. The European Commission Tuesday issued a strategy that opens the way for top-performing countries in the region to join the EU in 2025. There's a catch: the Commission all but said none of the Western Balkans countries will be ready by then, because of endemic corruption, organized crime and fragile democratic institutions. Highlights from the show: Nick Clegg says U.K. government is "a bunch of muppets": "I think it is impossible to exaggerate the level of a cluelessness and incompetence now at the heart of British government." He said the current government has torn up the U.K.'s reputation for competence and "to all extents and purposes the British government now looks like a bunch of muppets." Looming constitutional crisis: Clegg warned of — and encouraged — a constitutional crisis later in 2018, caused by a standoff between the U.K. parliament and Theresa May's government as MPs warm to the idea of rejecting whatever Brexit deal emerges. "I don't think MPs should feel remotely duty bound to vote for this (Brexit deal),” he said. Jacob Rees-Mogg = Don Quixote in pinstripes: Clegg said the leading Brexiteers are "like Maoist revolutionaries. They don't care how many bodies they sacrifice along the way" to their "promised land." MEP of the Week — Lambert van Nistelrooij (Netherlands): Lambert, a Christian Democrat with a passion for connecting generations and communities to the digital revolution, talks about his latest efforts to make online shopping easier outside your home country. You can contact the podcast team at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a bumper episode this week. We hear from POLITICO's man in Prague, Siegfried Mortkowitz, about the good cop-bad cop Euroskeptic routine coming out of the Czech capital, and we catch up with a prime minister, a bank chief and an MEP that Ryan Heath spoke to at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Slovenian Prime Minister Miro Cerar tells us why he wants his country to be a home for progressive innovation. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development chief Suma Chakrabarti pitched the EBRD as "the most extreme pro-private sector business model there is" among public banks, and one that is able to cut through the EU's political baggage because it is independent from the Union. Marietje Schaake, MEP and a WEF Young Global Leader, wowed those who wanted to learn if "Europe is back," via a series of dinners, panels and reports. Schaake advocated "showing by doing" as a way to transfer that diversity to the broader Davos delegates list, which is 80 percent men. The best part of the WEF, in her opinion: The world's A-list is "very approachable." Czechs seeking asylum in New Zealand, monkeys and more on our podcast panel: Just what was the German auto industry thinking with its gas experiments on animals and humans? Why was a Czech family granted asylum in New Zealand? And where in the world is Pervenche Berès, our very first "MEP of the Week?" You can contact the podcast team at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We've got the lowdown from Davos in another special edition from the World Economic Forum. The podcast features interviews with two prime ministers — the Netherlands' Mark Rutte and Poland's Mateusz Morawiecki — as well as U.S. investor Bill McGlashan, a champion of social impact investing. Ryan Heath is your host for a show that's both the final edition of our daily Davos Confidential podcasts and the latest weekly episode in our EU Confidential series. Rutte's red lines: The Dutch PM makes clear he's not up for turning the eurozone into a "transfer union." He says he's all for more European integration if it means completing the single market but "we have to be very careful about what we want to achieve. I'm against risk sharing... And if that is what some people mean, I will very much plead against it." Brexit blues: Hear why the Netherlands "hates" the fact Britain is leaving the EU and what Rutte wants from London now. POLITICO’s Matthew Kaminski speaks to new Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki — a 49-year-old, polyglot banker — about his plans to fix Warsaw’s troubled relations with Brussels, the biggest threats to Poland and its economic successes. Firm on justice reform: "We are not weakening institutions," Morawiecki insists. "I'm absolutely convinced that we are strengthening those institutions. The judiciary system in Poland, after our reforms, is going to be more independent, more objective, more transparent, and more effective" Cabinet reshuffle: “The changes were important to actually bring some new thinking to the government. And the most important thing today is that we tried to find common ground with Europe." Russian worries: Hear why Morawiecki regards Moscow as one of the biggest threats to Poland — and why Warsaw is so opposed to the Nord Stream 2 pipeline. U.S. investor Bill McGlashan explains why he started an investment fund with Bono, why he took his family to live in India for a year and why he believes private capital is essential to tackle global social and environmental challenges. And POLITICO's Florian Eder describes the scene as Donald Trump descended on Davos. The show also doubles as the final edition of our daily Davos Confidential podcasts. You can catch up with all of the week's episodes here: https://soundcloud.com/politicoeuconfidential Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Heath and Matthew Kaminski look ahead to Theresa May’s appearance in Davos, hot on the heels of speeches by Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron. Also in the daily podcast, they discuss U.S. officials’ reception at the World Economic Forum, ahead of Donald Trump’s arrival. Ryan interviews Werner Hoyer, president of the European Investment Bank and talks to John Harris, POLITICO’s global editor-in-chief, who previews Trump’s speech to the forum on Friday. To get more from the POLITICO team at the WEF, sign up for the daily Davos Playbook at register.politico.eu/davosplaybook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Direct from Davos in our daily podcast, POLITICO’s Ryan Heath, Florian Eder and Matthew Kaminski look forward to an unofficial Europe day at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, when Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Paolo Gentiloni will all be in action. In keeping with the Europe theme, Ryan and Florian chat to Belgian Deputy Prime Prime Minister Alexander De Croo about the EU’s future, post-rage politics and Brexit. Ryan speaks to Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who explains why he always heads to Davos and also offers a brief history of his country — from farming to space mining. Ryan, Florian and Matthew look back at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appearance at the WEF and explain why he missed his moment. To get more from the POLITICO team at the WEF, sign up for the daily Davos Playbook at register.politico.eu/davosplaybook. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ryan Heath and Florian Eder bring you the latest from the World Economic Forum in Davos in POLITICO’s special daily pop-up podcast. Ryan talks to Arancha González, executive director of the International Trade Centre, who says the world needs to up its game when it comes to trade talks. He also catches up with Brett Solomon, a digital rights advocate who explains why he’s come to Davos this year. Ryan and Florian also discuss who’s battling for an audience with Donald Trump and share some behind-the-scenes gossip. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Davos Confidential: In the first of POLITICO’s daily pop-up podcasts from the World Economic Forum, Ryan Heath and Florian Eder preview this year’s gathering of the global elite. From the Crystal Awards to the Panda scale for speeches, Ryan and Florian have the inside track from the snow-covered slopes of the Swiss resort. They also unpack the decision by Germany’s Social Democrats to back coalition talks with Angela Merkel, who will be in Davos on Wednesday. As well as the daily podcast, Ryan and Florian will bring you a daily Davos Playbook email. Sign up for free at http://register.politico.eu/davosplaybook/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's show features an interview with Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid, the first head of state to appear on the podcast. Kaljulaid explains why Estonia wants to pay more to the EU, reveals a promise Jean-Claude Juncker made to her about the post-Brexit EU budget and talks about how Estonia is struggling with Russia's turn to militarism. POLITICO Managing Editor Florian Eder joins us to preview the World Economic Forum in Davos January 22-26. Sign up to POLITICO's daily Davos Playbook coming out next week. And listen out for our daily pop-up Davos Confidential podcasts, which will be on the same feed as EU Confidential. With our podcast panel, we launch a new feature: MEP of the Week. We draw MEP names out of a box and see whether the panel knows who they are or what they've achieved. Some more highlights from our interview with Kaljulaid... Estonia ready to pay more to EU budget: "I'm hoping for a lot of change because we have lots of common, supranational goals which we need to develop," Kaljulaid said. Juncker's promise to the Baltics — No Brexit black hole: Kaljulaid spoke to EU Confidential directly after meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. She said Juncker promised that the financing of projects like the high-speed Rail Baltic project would not be affected by Brexit. Estonia's place in the world: “Fully intertwined with Nordic economies … We stand on the liberal Democratic value base.” On Russia: “I want to set one thing straight ... We definitely thought that Russia will undertake exactly the same development path to democratic nations as we ourselves were undertaking … We definitely didn't want it to turn out this way and we are definitely in no way benefiting from the fact that it turned out this way,” Kaljulaid said. Data is Estonia’s designated survivor: Asked about Estonia’s plans for coping with an invasion or top-level threat, Kaljulaid focused on the country’s data embassy (essentially its data back-up) in Luxembourg as proof of how ready it is to cope with all scenarios. “This is something which I would advocate every country do," she said. You can contact the podcast team at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Host Ryan Heath interviews Daniel Ek, the CEO of global music pioneer Spotify. The music world was a notorious graveyard for online entrepreneurs: until Spotify. In this episode, Ek explains why he thinks Stockholm-based Spotify is different to Silicon Valley companies, what he wants from EU regulators, and becomes the first major tech CEO to give his full support to the #metoo movement. Ek also spills the beans on his favorite politician, his first 2018 resolution, and how firing 20 staff as a 17-year-old shaped his approach to building companies. Upbeat on Europe: Ek says "Europe has made tremendous progress just over the last 10 years" in closing its funding gap with Silicon Valley. He nominated fintech as the tech niche where Europe is achieving global leadership. EU regulators on right track but too slow: The development of an EU digital single market would be "very useful" because it would give "easy ways for people to be able to scale up" their companies before having to deal with multiple regulators, putting them on a par with U.S.-based firms. Ek credits EU officials for the right moves, but says they are too slow in making them. Vestager fan: Ek says it's time for fairer marketplaces — "regulation can actually help small firms" and more competition — a message that is music to the ears of European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager. "We want there to be more people to compete: that ultimately will bring more innovation. It's really simple as that. And from my vantage point, she seems to be all for that." Time for equality in tech: Having two daughters made Ek realise "how unfair the world is" and that, even in Sweden, girls grow up bombarded by "stereotyping." With a clear note of frustration, Ek said: "I think there's so much bullshit being used by people like me in terms of saying 'oh, well, there's not enough females in technology so we can't be gender-balanced. That's bullshit." Spotify doesn't allow age and gender to be listed on its job applications now, but Ek says there's much more to do. Bring on the #metoo revolution: "Our view is obviously that #metoo is a real thing. Personally, I highly recommend and support all the women that are coming forward with these stories and I'm appalled honestly at how widespread this is," Ek said. He added, "We have a lot to do, as men, on what kind of work environments [we create] and the level of standards we're setting." Poland's new look: POLITICO reporter Joanna Plucinska joins us to discuss Ek's comments as well as the new-look Polish government and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's dinner with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. EU WTF moments: Lina Aburous and Ailbhe Finn join us to discuss online hate targeted at an Austrian baby, a strange Brexit letter written by David Davis, and a new survey that found nine in 10 women living in Brussels have experienced sexual harassment. You can contact the EU Confidential team at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kaja Tael, Estonia's ambassador to the EU, reviews her country's six months running the bloc's rotating presidency. Host Ryan Heath also talks to POLITICO's Christian Oliver about the challenges for Bulgaria's 2018 EU presidency, from domestic infighting to far-right ministers. Estonia is northern, not eastern, European: Tael says Estonia is a bridge between different camps in the EU, but sees itself primarily as closer to a northern or Baltic bloc rather than a central or eastern European one. Revolution: Looking back on the past six months, Tael says progress in EU defense cooperation has been "nothing but revolutionary." She also outlines the tasks Bulgaria will face during its six months in the hot seat. Budget drama: While Tael says there is "no need to despair" about the state of the EU, debates over the next EU budget will certainly "stir up the most drama" in coming months. Bulgarian dilemma: Bulgarians will face conflicting emotions during the presidency, Christian Oliver says. "There's a broad public perception in Bulgaria that — of course you don't want you own country to look bad — but equally people think their political class is so bad they should be punished, and held accountable." Partisan fights at home: Oliver is skeptical that Bulgaria's politicians will be able to unite to ensure a smooth presidency: "Infighting is a very big thing, point-scoring is more important than everyone pulling together." A Eurocrat's survival guide to Sofia: A youthful, energetic city will offer pleasant surprises if visiting officials and lobbyists know where to look. Iran protests: Our podcast panel reviews the EU's response to the demonstrations. ICYMI — Podcast with Jamie Shea, NATO deputy assistant secretary general: Andrew Gray interviewed Shea just before the holiday break. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 27 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast features a review of the year from POLITICO reporters and an interview with NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General Jamie Shea, a Brussels veteran of almost 40 years. With regular host Ryan Heath on holiday, news editor Andrew Gray talks to Shea about the alliance's future challenges, the EU's new defense pact and his role as frontman when NATO went to war for the first time, over Kosovo in 1999. Looking back: POLITICO policy reporters pick out the biggest stories on their beats this year and tell us why they matter. A couple of big names crop up — and one isn't even European. From tech to trade, and from fisheries to the environment, our journalists have everything you need to impress friends and family with your policy knowledge over the holidays. Looking forward: Jamie Shea is NATO's deputy assistant secretary general for emerging security challenges. In an interview in his office at the alliance's headquarters, he talks about those challenges in detail — Russia and Ukraine in the east, instability to the south and the tests for NATO countries posed by hybrid warfare, in which an adversary can destabilize a society through cyberattacks, fake news and other nonconventional means. Wartime spokesman: Shea recalls his time as NATO spokesman during the Kosovo war, when the alliance found itself in the spotlight as never before. "The day before we announced the beginning of the air campaign, there were five journalists downstairs in the press area ... the next day, 450. The media in fact mobilized as fast as the NATO military, if not faster," Shea remembers. EU on defense: NATO officially welcomes the EU's push into the military arena, with the launch of its PESCO pact at last week's European Council. But Shea also outlines the challenges for countries who are now members of two military alliances. "One of the key things is that we have similar capability requirements because if we have one set of EU requirements that says the priority is helicopters and NATO's saying no ... the priority is transport aircraft, your poor defense minister is there thinking: 'well, what is it?'" Bygone Brussels: Shea moved to the Belgian capital in 1980 and reflects on how NATO, the EU and Brussels have changed during that time. "The success of NATO was boredom in a funny kind of way," he says of the Cold War. "You didn't want anything to happen because the only happening scenario would have been a confrontation." Season's greetings: The podcast takes a holiday break next week but will be back in the first week of January. In the meantime, for your festive travels and downtime, our complete back catalog is available on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and many other podcast platforms. Thanks to all our listeners in 2017! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 26 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast has just been released, featuring a deep dive into the EU's capital city. We discuss how to improve Brussels as a city with regional minister Pascal Smet and debate the thorny topic of racial diversity in the EU bubble. Brussels the "whore": There's no doubt Smet has a way with words. He compares Brussels, a city and region he hopes to transform, "with a whore, with a prostitute." He says the city is "attractive and at the same time unattractive. It's nice in its ugliness and ugly in its niceness.” Battle for Brussels: Smet casts governance reform in the city as a generational fight. The current leadership class are “dinosaurs” and act like a “junta.” He wants to transform Brussels into a place where things get done quickly. "We could do so much better [but] everything is fragmented.” Hear his plan to overhaul how the city is run. Smet’s city role models: Hamburg, Berlin and Vienna.Big picture = no cars: Smet want to get rid of all private cars in 15-20 years and replace them with autonomous shared vehicles. A deal for Eurocrats: They should be able to get all their government documents and transactions done in English but should be required to vote at both local and regional level, according to Smet.Surreal Brussels horror stories: There's a good selection, starting with host Ryan Heath's frustration at having to send tax payments to two different Brussels communes because the border runs through his kitchen. EU WTF moments of the week — #BrusselsSoWhite and David Davis foot-in-mouth disease: Brussels is one of Europe’s most diverse cities, but the EU's decision-making elite is 99 percent white. The podcast panel ponders what that means — and asks what it feels like for people of color working in Brussels. And what, if anything, should people in the EU bubble do about it? Meanwhile the U.K. Brexit secretary is told to think through the reality that everyone in Brussels speaks English, and remember it when he plays to his Brexit base at home. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy talks to host Ryan Heath about the future of the EU in this week's episode. EU reform and Brexit haiku: Since leaving office, Van Rompuy has been shepherding a major report on the future of the EU, the New Pact for Europe, in the name of several leading foundations and think tanks. In a challenge almost as daunting, he has composed a haiku about Brexit especially for EU Confidential listeners. Hear the haiku — in English and in Dutch — in this week's podcast. A hopeful multi-speed Europe: Van Rompuy's political goal with the report is to create the practical steps that can "turn fear into hope" across Europe. It's a modest, Belgian approach to healing some serious wounds in the EU body politic. He says multi-speed Europe can work in certain circumstances and that “the countries who want to make progress on some issues have all the instruments they need” already. We also talk to the lead author of the report, Janis A. Emmanouilidis. EU WTF moment of the week — Manic Monday: Theresa May came to Brussels expecting a Brexit deal but left empty-handed: scuppered by her own governing majority at home. Hear our take on the deal that wasn't. EU Thumbs Up: The panel looks at the efforts to map accessibility in Europe on the occasion of European Day of Persons with Disabilities. Dear POLITICO: The panel advises a man of South Asian descent who complains that an MEP is constantly confusing him with another man from the region. Though they look quite different, they have the same skin color, our correspondent says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week's show features back-to-back interviews with the European commissioner for health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, who is also a heart surgeon, and Bernhard Uhl, the head of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Glyphosate politics: Speaking just after the EU reapproved the use of glyphosate, Uhl, whose EFSA agency concluded there is no health risk associated with agricultural use of the weedkiller, said it's nevertheless legitimate to discuss what kind of value system should support our agriculture. He wants critics of his agency though to admit that those values debates are “not about science,” while conceding that the intersection of science and values is “always a difficult interface.” “Safest food in the world”: This month the EU celebrated 15 years of its landmark food safety law. Uhl insisted the law sets Europe apart and above other countries and regions which it comes to food “transparency,” “traceability” and “crisis preparedness.” The law was born out of the 1990s BSE crisis and “a real breakdown of trust into the whole food system and food safety system,” he said. In the podcast, hear how many of the claims proposed by food companies are rejected by Uhl's agency. “There was always the tendency to say this food makes you more intelligent, more young, more beautiful, more whatever. And if you don't have scientific substantiation for that we'll give a negative verdict,” he said. Andriukaitis: EU can now hold national governments to account. Commissioner Andriukaitis talks about the European Commission's recent “State of Health in the EU” report and country profiles. He explains why he believes better data collection will allow the EU to nudge governments “more precisely” and hold them to account. The EU's digital chain of 300 health policy laboratories: “We joined together more than 300 hospitals in 26 member states. Now we will launch an IT platform which can help us to connect from Lisbon to Helsinki," Andriukaitis said. Time to upgrade status and tools of general practitioners: Although he is a heart surgeon, Andriukaitis believes medical students need incentives to turn to general practice rather than sexier specialities that give them easy access to new technology, medical innovations and big cities. Hear how he thinks that can be done. EU WTF moment of the week: Germany's conservative Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt going rogue, and voting to renew the EU glyphosate license, without consulting Chancellor Angela Merkel and in defiance of his left-wing environment minister colleague, Barbara Hendricks. Die Welt revealed Wednesday, after this week's podcast panel had been recorded, that Hendricks herself went behind Schmidt's back to sign six executive orders banning certain types of fishing on the day before the German general election in September. Dear POLITICO: The panel tries to help a would-be EU official who passed a competitive entrance exam only to be booted out of the EU system. Hear the story and the European Commission's response in the podcast. Links to the stories mentioned in the 'EU Thumbs up' section can be found below:https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/19/croatia-mental-health-pioneering-centrehttps://www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/23606-who-helps-croatia-s-lonely-isolated-old-people-meet-proplan-from-hollandhttp://www.psycart.eu/en/news/exhibition-home-eufami-30-november-9-december Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 23 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast features Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee. This week, we've got two feature interviews for you. As well as Bach, there's Adecco Group board member Stephan Howeg. We also talked to POLITICO's Florian Eder about the recent political developments in Germany. German twists and turns: Florian Eder gives us a recap of what happened last week when the liberal FDP party quit the German coalition talks after weeks of exploratory talks. Together with our news editor Andrew Gray, Florian talks us through the options that are left for Chancellor Angela Merkel. Career coach: Stephan Howeg went from mechanic to board member of the Adecco Group, a Fortune 500 company. He now is an ambassador for the EU Skills Week and explains how Adecco is a career coach for millions of people. Olympics and the EU: Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), is up next. He was in Brussels recently and was the first IOC president to address EU sports ministers. Bach told them he wants to work with the EU to help sport increase social inclusion. But at the same time, he is worried that competition regulators want to restrict how the IOC and its affiliates operate. Last but not least, Bach tells us what to expect from the anti-doping investigation into Russia. EU WTF moment of the week: The race to relocate the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority out of London. In selecting Amsterdam and Paris as the new homes of the agencies — which ended with the drawing of names out of a hat — it looked like they were a prize to be given away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 22 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast features Eldar Sætre, the CEO of Norway's oil and gas company Statoil. We spoke to Sætre on November 9, after the COP23 global climate conference had kicked off in Bonn, Germany, but before Norway's $1 trillion sovereign wealth fund proposed dropping investments in oil and gas stocks. We also chatted with POLITICO's Sara Stefanini, who has spent the week in Bonn reporting on the climate conference. Paging Rex Tillerson: Sætre says the future of his business is green, but that it won't give up oil and gas anytime soon. Would he call U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson — a former oil and gas CEO himself — to push a green message? “You know I could call Rex, but I think the U.S. politics is more complex than that. So I don't know ... I'm very open about this when I go to Washington.” Beating the dependency on subsidies: Scaling up the use of renewable energies such as wind and solar power has tended to require big upfront public investments or tax incentives. That landscape is changing quickly, Sætre said. “I remember the first projects that we engaged in requiring massive subsidies. And what we've seen in the latest project is that you're very close to having and installing offshore wind actually more or less without subsidies ... That's a tremendous journey.” EU WTF moments of the week — White supremacists march in Warsaw and European Parliament's hot water cut off: In Europe, it can be easy to dismiss white supremacy movements as merely populist or nationalist in nature. This week the podcast panel looks at how radical nationalists demanding a "White Europe" and an "Islamic Holocaust" during Polish independence day celebrations made international headlines. On a lighter note, we also discuss why MEPs have lost hot water in their offices, forcing them to take a cold shower in both literal and metaphorical terms. Dear POLITICO: The panel advises a Brussels employee who says their boss has signed at least one non-disclosure agreement with an allegedly mistreated female staff member, and that their team has been warned not to speak to the media about it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices