FEPS Talks

The coming decades will be characterised by two significant technology challenges: climate change mitigation and digitalisation. The technological transition associated with climate change follows clear and well-defined goals. In contrast, digitalisation does not pursue a clear objective and is commonly understood as a self-driving process of technological progress. During this FEPS Talk, Dr Kerst...

Jérôme Creel, Director for Research at Sciences Po, OFCE and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policies, discuss and elaborate on the policy study: Making Next-Generation EU a permanent tool.

Quick-commerce is a service aimed at achieving superfast delivery from ‘dark stores’ to the consumer. And recently, they have boomed! To learn more about these developments, Gerard Oosterwijk, Digital Policy Analyst for FEPS, interviews Rachel Verdin, Research fellow of the University of Sussex Business School. She and a team of researchers investigated three countries (Germany, Spain and the UK),...

Professor René Repasi, Member of the European Parliament since 2022, reflects together with Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, on how the so-called Qatargate has undermined citizens’ trust in the European Institutions. Both welcome the quick and strong actions taken by the S&D group facing this case of corruption and illegitimate influence. Repasi proposes a plan to avoid such cases of “bad...

In this exciting episode, Tarik Aobu-Chadi, Associate Professor at the Nuffield College, Oxford engages in a conversation with Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training about the reasons for the electoral decline of social democracy and the growing political fragmentation. He shares insights into his new research, which shows that though the radical right has risen that has been no st...

On the occasion of international women’s day, this podcast takes a closer look at the recent policy developments on the EU gender equality agenda. Taking stock of the persisting barriers in the way of gender equality and women’s rights, Laeticia Thissen – FEPS Policy Analyst on Gender Equality – engages in conversation with Swedish MEPs Evin Incir. Whilst identifying the remarkable set of landmark...

Bohdan Ferens, founder of the SD Platform of Ukraine answers questions by László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, about the shock of the invasion in February 2022, and the dynamics of war that has devastated Ukraine by triggering large-scale emigration and resulted in a destruction of productive assets, physical infrastructure, and natural environment alike. They assess the development of EU—Ukraine...

Jamila Madeira, MP and International Secretary of PS in Portugal shares with Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training the key rules that determine Portuguese Socialists’ Governmental Strategy. Integrity, trustworthiness, the ability to learn from mistakes, and determination, laid fundaments to a new kind of politics. It was needed to modernize the country, lift people from poverty an...

Professor Gerhard Stahl, member of FEPS Scientific Council, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, talk in this episode of FEPS Talks about the latest book of Stahl, which is focusing on China (published in German). After taking stock of the developments of recent years, they analyse the future scenarios of EU-China relationship. They explore specificities of Chinese economic and social deve...

Ana Sofia Fernandez, President of the Portuguese Platform for Women's Rights, and Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality, exchange on the gendered nature of economic policy and governance mechanisms at EU level. How do budgets mirror political priorities? What is their influence in perpetuating or redressing persisting gender gaps? How do they discriminate by building on gendere...

Professor Rob Manwaring, Flinders University in Adelaide and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training connect to discuss the recent unprecedented victory of Antony Albanese Australian Labor Party and inspiration that it may provide for sister parties across the globe. On 21st May 2022 Australian Labor Party led by Anthony Albanese noted an unprecedented victory, forming then a gov...

Julia von Blumenthal, President of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) and FEPS Secretary General László Andor discuss the effects of the Russia—Ukraine war on universities, especially in the case of the institution she leads which plays a special role in German -- Eastern European relations. They highlight the humanitarian as well as the educational aspects of Viadrina’s response...

Professor Arne Westad, Yale University, is interviewed by Aline Burni, FEPS Policy Analyst for International Relations, on the relations between Russia and China in the context of the war in Ukraine. Professor Westad is an expert on modern international and global history and specialised in the history of eastern Asia since the 18th Century. In the episode, he explains the developments of China-Ru...

Prof Dr Jens Südekum (Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf) and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, assess the ongoing debate on the sanctions on Russia in Germany and in the rest of Europe. They discuss what could be the consequences of harder decisions related to the oil and gas imports from Russia and how the current situation can affect the EU competitiveness and economic growth potential...

In order to explore the different care inequalities that directly feed into gender imbalances across all spheres of life, Labour MP for Birmingham and Shadow Minister Jess Philips is interviewed by Laeticia Thissen (FEPS Policy Analyst for Gender Equality). Building on the realities made evident by the EU Care Atlas launched by FEPS and the Friedrich-Ebert Stiftung and the complex relationship bet...

In this podcast Mohammed Chahim, Vice President of the S&D group a gives a broad overview of the rationale for and the functioning of as well as the political debates on the proposal of a European Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). MEP Chahim, who is the rapporteur for the proposed CBAM regulation, outlines the role of the proposed mechanism for establishing a global level playing field in...

Former EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Stefan Füle and FEPS Secretary General László Andor analyse in this episode the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the consequences for the European Union. They argue that the common answer given by the member states will eventually make the EU stronger. Strategic autonomy will mean that the EU becomes a more united and autonomous actor with a...

Stephen Bevan, Head of HR research development at the Institute for Employment Studies and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the working conditions, based on the results of the new study about the UK, and compare the main conclusions with the situation in the countries and regions of the European Union. They highlight how the pandemic created the concept of “k...

This FEPS Talks episode focuses on the issue of fair pay in Europe. Building on some key insights and contributions from the brand new policy study “Creating momentum for fair pay: assessing policies with leverage” co-published by FEPS, Fondation Jean Jaurès and Fair Pay Innovation Lab (FPI), one of the co-authors of this publication, Katinka Brose (Senior Strategy Agent, FPI), is interviewed by L...

In this FEPS talk episode Katherine Trebeck, co-founder of the Wellbeing Economy Alliance, and Andreas Dimmelmeier, Policy Analyst on Climate and Environment, introduce and debate about the concept of a Wellbeing economy. Trebeck outlines what a wellbeing economy means for people, businesses and governments and how it differs from existing views on "the economy".

Cedric Wermuth, Co-Chair of the Swiss Socialist Party, engages in a conversation with Ania Skrzypek, Director for Research and Training about why ideological integrity matters so much; how to translate an ambitious agenda for equality and social justice into concrete economic proposals; as also what ways are there to move on from the persistent cliff-hanger in EU – Switzerland negotiations.

Dr Reinhard Krumm, Director of the FES Baltic States office, and Dr László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, analyse in this episode the dangerous tensions around the Russia--Ukraine border. First, they go through the last decades and review the main developments in international relations in the last 30 years that brought us to the current situation. They look back to key episodes like the enlargeme...

Amandine Crespy, Associate Professor in Political Science and EU Studies, and David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy, discuss in this FEPS Talks episode the main developments of Social Europe over the recent period. Building on Crespy's book "The European Social Question - Tackling Key Controversies", the podcast examines the legitimacy of the EU in this policy area of shared competenc...

Dr Anneliese Dodds, Chair of the British Labour Party and Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities, joins Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training in this FEPS Talks episode to speak about the Labour’s vision for Britain 2030. Discussing the new document “Stronger Together”, they explore short term and long-term political challenges, offering the sneak-peek ahead of this...

Professor Andrew Gamble and Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training, look at the challenges that democracies in the EU are facing, searching for answers on how to make the ideal persevere, the system reform and the individuals in societies reconnect. Examining the sense of isolation and need for togetherness in the COVID times, they suggest ways in which way progressives should r...