Euractiv Talks

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Euractiv Events and Euractiv's Advocacy Lab podcasts are the audio version of our policy debates, stakeholder forums, Policy Triangles, and Thought Leadership interviews. These discussions bring together policymakers from EU institutions, industry stakeholders and civil society representatives to discuss EU policy issues.

  1. 23 HR AGO

    Data centres as engines of Europe’s digital future - Can they power a sustainable energy transition?

    As Europe strives to position itself at the forefront of the global digital economy, data centres are emerging as the backbone of competitiveness and innovation, enabling digitalisation, artificial intelligence, cloud services, and the broader digital transition. This presents challenges due to rising energy consumption, which will need the development of large-scale renewable capacity to replace fossil fuels, alongside other substantial investments in grid infrastructure. As part of these efforts, the European Commission is set to publish early 2026 its Strategic Roadmap for digitalisation and artificial intelligence in the energy sector which will aim at accelerating the deployment of digital tools (including AI technologies) across key decarbonisation sectors, such as power-grid optimisation, energy efficiency, and demand-side flexibility. Panel 1: Powering the intelligence – How to integrate data centres in the EU energy system Data centres are highly resource-intensive, consuming large amounts of electricity and requiring considerable grid hosting capacity. Europe faces the challenge of finding ways to balance the future backbone of the digital economy with its sustainability and decarbonisation goals. The publication of the Heating and Cooling Strategy in the first quarter of 2026 will support the decarbonisation efforts in the sector by improving its efficiency and system integration. In addition, the revision of the Energy Efficency Directive will promote a new rating scheme for data centres and foster their integration into the energy system. This panel aims to explore both current and future solutions for the sustainable integration of data centres into the European energy system. Questions to be discussed include: • What are the existing solutions to harness data centres’ energy intensive profile and make them fit for a decarbonising energy system?• Data centres are expected to boom in many geographies around the continent. Is Europe ready to face this challenge?•How can the new EU legislative framework underpin this process without jeopardising the climate goal? Panel 2: AI – What’s in it for the energy sector? Despite their energy intensive profiles, data centres and AI applications can substantially support the clean transition of the energy sector by boosting renewables efficiency, enhancing grid stability and fostering automatisation. The upcoming Strategic Roadmap for digitalisation and artificial intelligence in the energy sector will address such opportunities and the further arising challenges of AI integration in the energy sector. This panel will explore how AI will integrate, benefit or challenge our energy systems. Questions to be discussed include: • What AI applications are ready for deployment to support the clean transition of the energy sector?• How can AI support Europe’s strategic autonomy in the energy sector?• What role can AI play in reducing the energy cost of resource-intensive infrastructure like data centres themselves?

    2h 32m

  2. 23 HR AGO

    The EU’s electricity grid investment gap - Can the next Connecting Europe Facility deliver?

    Financing energy infrastructure is emerging as a central issue in the next EU Multiannual Financial Framework, with the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) 2028–2034 set to play a key role. As the EU accelerates the electrification and decarbonisation of its entire economy, the CEF's effectiveness will depend on its ability to support not only cross-border interconnections, but also national and distribution-level electricity grids that underpin system integration, security of supply and economic competitiveness. Some stakeholders argue that the future CEF will have to be carefully designed to reflect these rising investment needs in national electricity grids as a whole power system. This remains an important aspect to large-scale energy projects by enabling market integration, flexibility, and the reliable operation of interconnected and resilient power systems on every level. Their modernisation and development are therefore essential for the deployment of offshore wind, large-scale energy storage and other strategic energy assets that serve both national and EU-wide markets. At the same time, most of the smaller-scale renewable energy sources and energy storage facilities are connected to the distribution grid, enabling the development of prosumers and energy communities as well as further electrification of heating and transport sectors. Stakeholders broadly agree on the importance of CEF, while highlighting the need for adequate and predictable funding, clear eligibility criteria and stronger recognition of electricity networks – particularly distribution grids – as critical infrastructure. Many claim that focusing exclusively on cross-border projects is insufficient, arguing that domestic grids, both transmission and distribution, should be acknowledged as integral to the functioning of the internal energy market. Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the future role of CEF-Energy in boosting electrification and strengthening Europe’s electricity networks. Questions to be discussed include: - What role should the Connecting Europe Facility play in financing electricity grids, including distribution networks and national infrastructure, alongside cross-border projects?- What solutions can be proposed for the next CEF with the aim of delivering on time and efficiently all essential energy projects, taking into consideration the perspective of the fast-changing external environment?- How can CEF better support large-scale strategic projects that rely on strong domestic grids while delivering cross-border benefits?- How can CEF contribute to strengthening the physical and cyber security of critical energy infrastructure in the current geopolitical context?

    1h 16m

  3. 23 HR AGO

    The revision of the New Legislative Framework – Opportunity for EU competitiveness?

    Adopted in 2008, the New Legislative Framework (NLF) establishes a common set of rules, definitions, and procedures that ensure products placed on the EU market are safe, compliant, and reliable, and that their conformity can be verified and trusted. It provides a coherent framework that supports both consumer protection and innovation and ensures fair competition within the Single Market. The European Commission is currently working on the revision of the NLF – a timely opportunity to modernise Europe’s regulatory toolbox, simplify procedures, and strengthen the competitiveness of EU industries. The upcoming reform will need to address the realities of an increasingly digital, interconnected, and sustainability-driven economy, while preserving the confidence that underpins the Single Market. In this context, some stakeholders see an opportunity to make product compliance in Europe simpler, more consistent, and more efficient by enhancing the consistency of the quality infrastructure ecosystem. Better coordination between national authorities and more uniform application of standards would ease administrative burdens and support a more predictable environment for conformity assessment bodies (CABs), enabling them to fulfil their role in verifying that products placed on the market are trusted. As technologies advance and products become more dynamic, acknowledging this evolution is essential in modernising the NLF’s regulatory tools. The current framework is designed for products with static features. However, a rising number of products is now subject to changes after their placement on the market, including software updates, connected functionalities, or new sustainability performance claims. To strengthen consumer trust and help businesses maintain compliance throughout the product lifecycle, the revised NLF should introduce new mechanisms to enable the assessment of evolving product claims. Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the ongoing revision of the New Legislative Framework, and what role it can play in fostering competitiveness. Questions to be addressed include: - What should the main priorities be to ensure that the NLF remains future-proof and continues to uphold trust, safety, and competitiveness?- As products become increasingly complex and incorporate continuous digital or sustainability claims, does the current NLF still offer adequate tools for manufacturers to demonstrate compliance credibly?- With regulation now extending beyond products to systems, processes, and digital technologies such as AI and cybersecurity, how should the NLF evolve to stay both practical and risk-based?- Where is the greatest opportunity for improvement in the NLF to make the European system more agile? Suppo

    1h 17m

  4. 4 FEB

    AI and disinformation – How can Europe safeguard trust in the media?

    Artificial intelligence is transforming the way societies interact with information, offering new opportunities for innovation while raising important questions about trust and accountability. In recent years, the EU has taken significant steps to ensure that AI development is human-centric and trustworthy, notably through the AI Act and complementary initiatives to support adoption and compliance. Building on these foundations, the AI Continent Action Plan and Apply AI Strategy, launched in 2025, aim to make Europe a global leader in AI. These initiatives seek to boost research and industrial capacity, strengthen competitiveness, and ensure that AI technologies uphold fundamental rights and democratic principles. They include measures to support AI adoption across sectors, enhance skills through the AI Skills Academy, and facilitate compliance with the AI Act via dedicated services. At the same time, large-scale disinformation campaigns remain a major challenge for Europe. The rapid spread of false narratives online threatens media freedom and democratic resilience, requiring timely detection and effective countermeasures. AI-based tools, combined with human expertise, can play a role in monitoring and analysing vast volumes of content across platforms and languages, supporting fact-checkers and media professionals in identifying emerging risks. Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference, supported by the Horizon Europe project AI4TRUST, to discuss how AI can strengthen Europe’s response to disinformation while safeguarding media freedom and trust. Questions to be addressed include: - How can AI-based tools complement human fact-checking and improve detection of disinformation across platforms and languages?- What policy frameworks are needed to ensure transparency, accountability, and ethical use of AI in combating disinformation?- How can the EU foster collaboration between researchers, media professionals, and policymakers to build a resilient information ecosystem?- What role should European initiatives such as the AI Act, Democracy Action Plan, and European Media Freedom Act play in supporting these efforts? This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme under Grant Agreement no 101070190. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

    1h 15m

  5. 4 FEB

    Europe’s path to a cleaner automotive sector – What are the opportunities and challenges?

    The European Commission has published its proposals to revise its Car CO2 Regulation and to introduce national targets for Clean Corporate Vehicles as part of its Automotive Package. These initiatives aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening Europe’s automotive competitiveness. The Package is part of the broader Clean Industrial Deal, announced in February 2025, to accelerate decarbonisation and enhance industrial competitiveness across all sectors. By allowing combustion engines to still play a role in new vehicles beyond 2035, the Commission says it will provide the flexibility manufactures need to achieve the car CO2 targets. At the same time, by stimulating demand through zero and low-emission corporate fleets, the EU seeks to drive the transition to clean mobility and reduce dependence on fossil fuels. However, e-mobility companies and climate experts have raised concerns that the new CO2 rules could weaken the market signal for zero-emission vehicles and delay investments in their production. They could affect the European automotive sector’s global competitiveness and slow innovation rather than supporting a stable and ambitious clean-mobility transition. They see corporate fleet targets as key to driving demand for electric vehicles made in Europe. Other stakeholders argue that gaining credits for the use of green steel, as well as meeting local content requirements in vehicles, would be complex and expensive. It would make manufacturers’ compliance with CO2 targets subject to factors they cannot control. Some also argue that corporate fleet targets are the wrong instrument to tackle the challenges companies most face in adopting zero and low emission vehicles. Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to discuss the European Commission’s Car CO2 and Clean Corporate Vehicles proposals. Questions to be addressed include: • What are the implications of the new Car CO2 and Clean Corporate Vehicles proposals for the automotive sector?• How can demand instruments, such as the Corporate Fleets Regulation, support carmakers in meeting their 2030 and 2035 targets while advancing EU’s climate goals?• How can the EU design flexibility mechanisms that support both industrial innovation and automotive decarbonisation?

    1h 31m

  6. 4 FEB

    Unlocking housing affordability - How can capital markets and real estate deliver Europe’s housing transition?

    Europe is facing a housing affordability crisis, as the average house prices increased by up to 60% since 2015, and many households struggle to cover monthly costs. While housing policy remains a national responsibility, the EU recognises that this issue is central to social fairness and economic stability. Through initiatives such as the Affordable Housing Initiative, which aligns with the New European Bauhaus and the European Pillar of Social Rights, the European Commission aims to support more accessible and sustainable housing. It is also currently preparing a plan for affordable housing to uphold Europe’s housing transition. Still, some stakeholders encourage further EU actions to support more affordable and greener housing. Residential and commercial buildings together make up nearly 40% of Europe’s overall energy consumption, and improving their efficiency could lower household expenses while advancing the EU’s long-term climate goals. Others also highlight that low coordination between EU, national and local authorities affect investment, calling for clearer EU policy and stronger cooperation between member states. This could foster innovative financing models and attract private capital, whilst encouraging public-private partnerships. Listen to this Euractiv Hybrid Conference to explore how capital markets and real estate can play a role in more affordable and sustainable housing in Europe. Questions to be addressed include: • How can public-private cooperation be strengthened to scale up affordable housing supply?• How can we align ambitious sustainability objectives with the need for affordable housing?• Which proven approaches demonstrate that new housing can be both environmentally responsible and financially accessible?• What role do listed real estate companies and institutional investors play in bridging the investment gap?• What regulatory measures are needed to create a stable, long-term investment environment?• How can cooperation among policymakers, industry, and civil society drive both affordability and competitiveness?

    1h 11m

  7. 26 JAN

    A conversation about Europe’s competitiveness and health security with Steffen Saltofte, Zentiva

    In this thought leadership interview, Steffen Saltofte, Chief Executive Officer at Zentiva and President of Medicines for Europe, reflects on the progress made since the Draghi report set out a roadmap for Europe to strengthen competitiveness, foster innovation, and build resilience. He shares his perspective on where Europe stands today, highlighting persistent challenges in innovation, sustainability, and health security. The discussion explores practical steps to modernise outdated frameworks, reduce regulatory fragmentation, and rebuild manufacturing capacity to ensure reliable access to affordable medicines. Saltofte emphasises the need for predictability, harmonisation, collaboration, and accountability to secure Europe’s healthcare future. Watch the full interview for insights into how Europe can maintain its competitive edge in a rapidly evolving global landscape.

    16 min

  8. 17/12/2025

    A conversation about EU's healthcare resilience and innovation with Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, Philips

    In this thought leadership interview, Jan-Willem Scheijgrond, Vice President and Global Head of Government and Public Affairs at Philips, shares his vision for the future of European healthcare. He explains why health should be seen as an investment rather than a cost, and how digitization and AI can help create more equitable, resilient systems amid workforce shortages and an aging population. The discussion explores: - The role of the European Health Data Space in unlocking innovation and competitiveness.- Why cardiovascular health could redefine care delivery and prevention strategies.- How regulatory reform and better funding coordination are critical to Europe’s ambition to lead in medtech and pharma. Watch the full interview to learn how Europe can turn ambition into action and secure the health of its citizens for decades to come.

    17 min
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About

Euractiv Events and Euractiv's Advocacy Lab podcasts are the audio version of our policy debates, stakeholder forums, Policy Triangles, and Thought Leadership interviews. These discussions bring together policymakers from EU institutions, industry stakeholders and civil society representatives to discuss EU policy issues.

Information

  • Channel
    EURACTIV
  • Creator
    Euractiv's Advocacy Lab
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    310
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Euractiv Media BV
  • Show Website
    Euractiv Talks

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