FEPS Talks

Luc Bas, director of European Regional Office, IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Charlotte Billingham, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor debate about the EU biodiversity strategy in the framework of the World Environment Day (5th June 2020) Luc shares his thoughts with us on the effects of lockdown on the environment and the EU biodiversity and ‘farm-to-fork’ strategies which were...

Simon Hix, Professor and Vice-President of the London School of Economics joins Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training today in the FEPSTalks studio debate about the past, present and the future of social democracy. Their vibrant exchange takes the audience in just 15 minutes through a centurial history of the center left, which in his new paper Professor Hix divides into three...

Anton Rop, former Prime Minister of Slovenia and former Vice President of the EIB discusses with David Rinaldi, FEPS Director of Studies and Policy, about the economic and financial difficulties that the pandemic has brought about across Europe. Mr Rop is worried that in the absence of a strong European intervention to relaunch the economies of the countries most affected by the health crisis, con...

The conversation kicks off with the debate around apps, surveillance and the corona-virus. What does this say about the broader discussion in Europe about digital technology? Then the discussion explores themes from Ivana Bartoletti’s new book “An Artificial Revolution: On Power, Politics, and AI.” Why is the collection of a data a political act? To manage the consequences of AI, why is not enough...

Massimiliano Mascherini, Head of the Social Policy unit in Eurofound, analyses the results of the fresh research of the agency in a conversation with FEPS Secretary General László Andor. Eurofound just published the document “Living, working and COVID-19” that reflects the most immediate economic and social effects of the crisis: The findings are devastating as they show the rapidly increasing lev...

Gaby Bischoff, S&D MEP and Member of the European Parliament’s Future of Europe Working Group, exchanges views with Maria Freitas, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor, on how the Future of Europe conference can pave way for a truly participatory and inclusive platform to discuss Europe’s future direction. The global health crisis in turn offers an unprecedented opportunity for Europe to think outside of th...

Dr. Krzysztof Smiszek, Vice-Chair of the Parliamentary Group of the Left in Poland and Dr. Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training feature in this new exciting episode of the FEPS Talk to bring forward some insights regarding the worrying situation in Poland. The conversation is a journey, which begins with a throwback at the impressive return of the progressives into the parliament...

In this FEPS Talks episode, Dr. Barbara Helfferich and Laeticia Thissen (FEPS Policy Adviser on Gender Equality and Women’s Rights) exchange their views on the gender dimensions of COVID19, its consequences for gender (in)equality and women’s rights and the role of women in rebuilding our societies. Why may the coronavirus fallout be worse for women than for men? How does the coronavirus affect th...

Javi López, MEP and Chair of PES Environment, Climate Change & Energy Network and Charlotte Billingham, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor, discuss in this FEPS Talks episode about the socio economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened need for the climate law to ensure long-term goals are achieved nevertheless. They debate on how the European Union needs to ensure it plays its role of pol...

Kata Tüttő, Deputy Lord Mayor of Budapest, and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General discuss the responsibilities of municipalities at the time of the COVID-19 crisis. Budapest elected a progressive government last October, which immediately announced climate emergency, relaunched social dialogue and decided upon wage increases for public employees. Today Kata Tüttő is in charge of the response to...

In this FEPS Talks, Professor Sacha Garben and Dr. David Rinaldi discuss how the social policies of the EU can develop in response to the COVID19 pandemic. In aftermath of the financial crisis the dominant neoliberal paradigm sacrificed welfare and wellbeing over the sustainability of public finance; how to ensure that the winning ideas and policy response are based on a people-first approach? The...

Catherine Woollard, ECRE Secretary General, and Hedwig Giusto, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor, analyse the current emergency in the Turkish-Greek border while the worldwide attention is focused on the COVID-19 pandemic. On one hand they condemn President Erdogan's attempt to use asylum seekers as pawns to achieve his geopolitical goals, on the other they recognise that Turkey has received and is hosti...

Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of the British Trades Union Congress (TUC), and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, analyse in this FEPS Talks episode the meaning of the working class today. They rebut the notion which was widespread after the December elections in the UK that the working class as such turned anti-European and became a supporter of the Tories. Stereotypes and simplifications...

Dagmar Schumacher, UN Women Brussels Director, joins Laeticia Thissen, FEPS Gender Policy Advisor, for this episode on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most visionary and progressive roadmap for policy makers and activists to advance women’s rights. Ahead of several key milestones in 2020, this discussion reminds us of the biggest success...

Yaye Helene Ndiaye and Hedwig Giusto analyse the intercontinental and intra-continental African migration and highlight the fact that most international migration in Africa is directed towards African countries. They agree on the need for stronger cooperation between the African Union, the African countries and regional organisations on one hand and the European Union on the other to stop human tr...

In this episode of #FEPSTalks MEP Paul Tang and Justin Nogarede discuss the paradox of the digital transition. Digital tech can and does offer a lot - think of healthcare. But right now, we also see large concentrations of data and power, and a lack of transparency that facilitates manipulation of citizens. In a year when the EU is defining its digital policy for the years to come, what should pro...

Vasco Cordeiro, President of the Regional Government of the Azores and First Vice-President of the European Committe of the Regions exchanges opinions with Maria Freitas, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor on the potential that Europe’s regions and cities can bring for the European project. Maria and Vasco discuss the ways in which EU regions matter for the unity of the EU as a political project and much...

British Economist Ann Pettifor highlights in this episode of FEPS Talks the importance of a Just Transition. The author of “The case for the Green New Deal’ analyses the role of the states when financing the European Green Deal and explains how the transformation has to be translated into quality jobs. Investment and funds mobilisation are needed to build alternative infrastructures. The transform...

L’eurodéputé Pierre Larrouturou nous alerte sur l’urgence climatique et nous signale qu’il ne reste que peu de temps pour réagir et montrer que l’Europe prend le sujet au sérieux. Que ce soit dans la preparation de la COP26 de Glasgow, dans les negotiations pour le budget de l’Union Européenne, ou bien dans l’architecture du Green Deal européen, l’action progressiste doit être effective dans ces m...

Professor Claus Offe is a distinguished social scientist. He has written extensively about the welfare state, and is known as an advocate of the basic income. FEPS Secretary General, László Andor, spoke with him in Berlin about the state of the European Union and in particular the European social model. What the welfare state delivered in the past, and what needs to be done to ensure its viability...

Leonie Martin, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF) exchanges opinions with Maria Freitas, FEPS Senior Policy Advisor on the potential that lies ahead for EU to be closer to citizens’ expectations and empower their voices in decision-making processes. What are the opportunities and challenges that the Future of Europe conference entails to strengthen European Democracy? Leonie and Mar...

This conversation between Gesine Schwan, President of the Fundamental Values Commission of the SPD and László Andor, FEPS Secretary General, is a reflection about the state of Europe and social democracy. They agree that Europe has to develop new ways to deal with migration and asylum. Professor Schwan argues that EU level solutions should be based on voluntary basis in this field, reinforcing the...

Vincenzo (Enzo) Amendola, Minister for Europe in Italian Government shares his views about Union's future and the role of Italy in the EU with Dr Ania Skrzypek, FEPS Director for Research and Training. What kind of Europe can make a difference internationally? Which EU can respond to citizens', especially young ones, expectations? What should happen to make EU Green Deal come true? - insightful an...

The approval of the European Pillar of Social Rights was a milestone that reopened the debate about the social dimension of the European Union. This has been a critical development at a time when the EU needs to present itself as a protective force as opposed to a disruptive one, especially when tackling the asymmetries generated by the Economic and Monetary Union. The conversation covers differen...

MEP Tanja Fajon and FEPS Senior Policy Advisor Hedwig Giusto discuss the rough path towards accession of the Western Balkans countries. After years of widespread lack of interest of the EU member states in the enlargement process, 2018 seemed to mark a turning point for the relations between the EU and the WB countries. However, last October, when time seemed to be ripe to open negotiations with t...