Europe Speaks: A TEPSA Podcast

The Trans European Policy Studies Association
Europe Speaks: A TEPSA Podcast Podcast

Welcome to ‘Europe Speaks’, a podcast channel by the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) where we explore everything to do with the European Union: history, current affairs, and the future of Europe. We publish regular podcasts on all these topics, including EuropeChats with Jim Cloos and Mariam Khotenashvili, and a series of other webinars, explainers, and interviews with the world’s leading experts on the EU!

  1. 6 JUN

    EuropeChats – EU Enlargement, Democracy, and Security| Discussion with Erik Jones

    This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Prof. Erik Jones, Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute, and TEPSA Executive Director Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion focuses on EU enlargement - but from a different angle than usual: people, not just institutions; firms, not just nation states; and also the security foundations of EU enlargement. With the accession agenda firmly in the foreground of European politics once again, thanks to recent decisions to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova (agreed in December 2023 European Council) as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina (agreed in the March 2024 European Council), it is more crucial than ever to explore the ins and outs of enlargement policy, and discuss the ways forward for EU candidate countries. In particular, the discussion focuses on topics such as the de facto enlargement of the EU resulting from the influx of millions of people from the Western Balkans or Ukraine, as well as the business ties already established between the EU and candidate countries, in addition to topics like how to maintain the rule of law in an enlarged Union, and how to build democratic resilience. This episode is a discussion with Prof. Erik Jones. Erik Jones is Director of the Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies at the European University Institute and author, editor, or co-editor of books and special issues of journals on topics related to European politics and political economy. Professor Jones is co-editor of Government & Opposition and a contributing editor of Survival. His commentary has appeared in the Financial Times, the New York Times, and other major newspapers and magazines across Europe and North America. EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks” Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union Co-Funded by the European Union.

    28 min
  2. 18 APR

    EuropeChats – Herman Van Rompuy PART 2: Key Priorities in the European Council| Discussion with Herman Van Rompuy

    This episode of EuropeChats is the second in our two-part discussion with former Belgian Prime Minister and first permanent President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy. In the first part, TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos sat down with President Van Rompuy to discuss his experience and working practices in the EUCO; in this part, they discuss the main policy priorities he had to face during his tenure as President between 2009-2014. President Van Rompuy has experienced different iterations of the European Council from different perspectives: he first joined the club as Belgian Prime Minister before the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and where Foreign Ministers where thus still taking part in the meetings. Then, when he became the Institution's first permanent President, he held the position in the iteration of the EUCO currently extant in the Treaties. All of this at a time where the EU's early 21st century so-called  'perma-crisis' was gathering momentum, with the fallout of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis continuing into the 2010s, and the early days of the Refugee Crisis coming to the fore towards the end of his tenure. This episode is a discussion with Herman Van Rompuy. President Van Rompuy was Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008-2009, President of the European Council 2009-2014, and is Honorary President of the European Policy Centre. EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks” Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union Co-Funded by the European Union.

    20 min
  3. 18 APR

    EuropeChats – What is the Role of the EUROPEAN COUNCIL? Pt. 1 | Discussion with Herman Van Rompuy

    This episode of EuropeChats is the first in a number of discussions both within and outside of the EuropeChats series that TEPSA and its Member Institutes are conducting to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the European Council. In this discussion, TEPSA Secretary-General Jim Cloos sits down with former Belgian Prime Minister and the first ever permanent President of the European Council: Herman Van Rompuy. President Van Rompuy has experiences different iterations of the European Council from different perspectives: he first joined the club as Belgian Prime Minister before the Lisbon Treaty entered into force and where Foreign Ministers where thus still taking part in the meetings. Then, when he became the Institution's first permanent President, he held the position in the iteration of the EUCO currently extant in the Treaties. All of this at a time where the EU's early 21st century so-called  'perma-crisis' was gathering momentum, with the fallout of the 2008 Global Financial Crisis continuing into the 2010s, and the early days of the Refugee Crisis coming to the fore towards the end of his tenure. This episode is a discussion with Herman Van Rompuy. President Van Rompuy was Prime Minister of Belgium from 2008-2009, President of the European Council 2009-2014, and is Honorary President of the European Policy Centre. EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks” Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union Co-Funded by the European Union.

    28 min
  4. 5 APR

    EuropeChats – What are the prospects for EU enlargement? | Discussion with Gert Jan Koopman

    This episode of EuropeChats is a discussion between Gert Jan Koopman, Director-General of the Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR), and TEPSA Executive Director Mariam Khotenashvili. The discussion focuses on the current prospect of the EU enlargement file. With the accession agenda firmly in the foreground of European politics once again, thanks to recent decisions to start accession negotiations with Ukraine and Moldova (agreed in December 2023 European Council) as well as with Bosnia and Herzegovina (agreed in the March 2024 European Council), it is more crucial than ever to explore the ins and outs of enlargement policy, and discuss the ways forward for EU candidate countries. In particular, the discussion focuses on topics such as the 50 billion euro Ukraine Facility as well as the 6 billion euro Reform and Growth Facility for the Western Balkans. In addition, Mariam and Gert Jan cover difficult issues such as citizens' (particularly farmers') concerns about the effects of Ukrainian grain exports on the EU's internal market and competitiveness, and a climate of disinformation surrounding the future accession of candidate countries. This episode is a discussion with Gert Jan Koopman. Gert Jan is the Director-General of DG NEAR, with an ambitious agenda for strengthening integration between the EU and its neighbours. He has also previous worked on economy and competition policies and was in charge of the EU budget. EuropeChats is the flagship podcast of TEPSA and it is part of the TEPSA Podcast Channel “Europe Speaks” Music: Worakls, 22 September 2014, Salzburg, Hungry music This video is co-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme of the European Union Co-Funded by the European Union.

    28 min

About

Welcome to ‘Europe Speaks’, a podcast channel by the Trans European Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) where we explore everything to do with the European Union: history, current affairs, and the future of Europe. We publish regular podcasts on all these topics, including EuropeChats with Jim Cloos and Mariam Khotenashvili, and a series of other webinars, explainers, and interviews with the world’s leading experts on the EU!

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