Europa Felix

Felix Ronkes Agerbeek
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Society & Culture

Europa Felix is an interview podcast for European law professionals and enthusiasts. Listen every once in a while to an inspiring conversation with a rising star, hidden genius or luminary in the field of European law. In English or in Dutch. Follow the show in your favourite podcast app and get new episodes as they become available. You can find transcripts on www.europafelix.eu.

  1. Migration and the European Court of Human Rights | Eva Sevrin

    May 3

    Migration and the European Court of Human Rights | Eva Sevrin

    The European Court of Human Rights has come under growing political pressure, with some political leaders claiming that its case law on migration should be “rebalanced” because it protects “the wrong people”. Not everyone embraces that rhetoric, but it is no longer coming only from the political fringes. This May, the 46 Member States of the Council of Europe are expected to adopt a joint political declaration on migration and the European Convention on Human Rights.  In this episode, I speak with Eva Sevrin, a researcher at Ghent University and the KU Leuven Center for Public Law who specializes in migration and human rights law. We focus on a simple question that often gets lost in the debate: what does the Court's case law actually say? Sources: H. Ní Chinnéide and E. Sevrin, Restoring balance: a critical response to the open letter on migration and human rights, June 2025E. Desmet, E. Sevrin, and T. Spijkerboer, Expert report: how strict is the European Court of Human Rights in migration cases?, Strasbourg Observers, February 2026E. Sevrin, Expulsion of severely ill migrants: beyond the deathbed, still exceptional, Strasbourg Observers, April 2026Steering Committee for Human Rights (CDDH), ECHR and migration (elements for a declaration to be adopted in Chișinău on 14-15 May 2026)Joint open letter of 22 May 2025Joint Statement delivered to the Conference of Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe on 10 December 2025CoE Secretary General Berset on the joint letter challenging the European Court of Human Rights, May 2025CoE Commissioner for Human Rights O’Flaherty, Externalised asylum and migration policies and human rights law, September 2025Eurostat, Asylum and Migration Overview, 2025Soering v UKÜner v the NetherlandsSavran v DenkmarkMaslov v AustriaChahal v UKOthman (Abu Qatada) v UKTrabelsi v BelgiumPaposhvili v BelgiumIlias and Ahmed v HungaryGrand Chamber hearing: pushbacks at the Polish-Belarusian border Book recommendations: S. Benhabib, The rights of othersA. Smith, SpringO. Tokarczuk, Primeval and Other Times

    50 min
  2. Violence against women in the EU | Lisa Collste

    Jan 2

    Violence against women in the EU | Lisa Collste

    Back in 2020, the European Commission launched its five-year Gender Equality Strategy. Its aim? To achieve a Europe “where gender-based violence, sex discrimination, and structural inequality between women and men are a thing of the past”. We're now in 2026. And it's fair to say there is still a great deal of work to be done. In a recent EU-wide survey, 1 in 3 women reported having experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in her life. Sit with that for a moment. One in three. Much of this violence remains underreported and under-prosecuted — and too little is being done to prevent it. So what, exactly, is the European Union doing to combat violence against women? To answer that question, I’m joined by Lisa Collste. She works in the European Commission’s DG Justice, where she focuses on gender-based violence — an issue she has worked on for many years, at EU level, at the United Nations, and as a public prosecutor in Sweden. In our conversation, we discuss how widespread violence against women is, and how it shows up in everyday life, both offline and online. We look at the EU’s accession to the Istanbul Convention and the new Directive on combating violence against women — what they change, and what they require states to do. We also touch on how these legal tools have been misrepresented and weaponised in debates around gender and sexuality. And we step back to reflect on the deeper causes of gender-based violence, and the societal shifts it would take to reduce it. 📞 If you, or someone close to you, is affected by violence against women or domestic violence and needs support, help is available. In some EU countries, you can call 116 016 for free and confidential support. If that number isn’t available where you live, please consult this list of national helplines. Sources: A Union of Equality: Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025EU gender-based violence survey (2024)Opuz v Turkey (33401/02)Istanbul Convention (CETS No. 210)WS (Case C-621/21) EU baseline evaluation report on the implementation of the Istanbul Convention (2025)Directive (EU) 2024/1385 of 14 May 2024 on combating violence against women and domestic violenceGREVIO Recommendation No. 1 on the digital dimension violence against women (2021)European Parliamentary Research Service, Definitions of rape in the legislation of EU Member States (May 2025)Proposal for a Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children (2024) Book recommendations: Caroline Criado Perez, Invisible WomenJudith Butler, Who's Afraid of GenderNina Björk, Under det rosa täcket (Under the pink duvet)Special thanks to: Siobhán McKinerney-Lankford and Caterina Molinari.

    41 min
  3. The unseen influence of EU legal advisors | Päivi Leino-Sandberg

    01/08/2025

    The unseen influence of EU legal advisors | Päivi Leino-Sandberg

    In this episode, I’m joined by Päivi Leino-Sandberg, professor of transnational European law at the University of Helsinki and author of ‘The Politics of Legal Expertise in EU Policy-Making’. Her book takes us behind the scenes of the EU institutions to uncover the role of legal advisors in shaping EU decisions and policies. That’s a reality I know well: in my day job—hosting a podcast is something I do off-duty—I am one of those legal advisors. So for me, Päivi’s work is not just about an abstract group of professionals; it’s about people like me.  The book offered me a mirror, a way to see my own profession through someone else’s eyes. It’s a critical, sociological study of what we do, how we think, and how we influence the European project. How objective are we really? How much of what we call 'legal advice' is shaped by political agendas? And what does that mean for the democratic legitimacy of the EU?  In this conversation, we explore those questions. We talk about the Legal Services of the Council, the Commission, and the Parliament; about the tension between technical expertise and political influence; and about how transparency—or the lack of it—around legal advice impacts trust in EU decision-making and its institutions.  If you’re new to the world of legal advice in EU policy-making, this episode will offer a rare insight into its inner workings. And if you’re part of this world, then this conversation is as much about understanding yourself as it is about understanding the EU. Mentioned: P. Leino-Sandberg, The Politics of Legal Expertise in EU Policy-Making, Cambridge University Press 2021F. Ronkes Agerbeek, The Legal Service of the Commission, in: E. Guinchard and M-P. Granger, The New EU Judiciary, 2017C. Eckes and P. Leino-Sandberg, The EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement – Exceptional Circumstances or a new Paradigm for EU External Relations?, Modern Law Review, October 2021T. Paloniitty and P. Leino-Sandberg, Watering down the Aarhus Regulation – time to deliver an adequate and effective remedy, European Law Blog, 11 March 2021P. Leino-Sandberg, 70 Years of EU Law - The Politics of a Professional Language, January 2025Sweden and Turco v Council (C-39/05 P and C-52/05 P)ClientEarth AISBL and Leino-Sandberg v Council (T-682/21 and T-683/21)European Ombudsman Decision on how the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission handle requests for public access to legislative documents (OI/4/2023/MIK of 3 December 2024)Europa Felix: Julio Baquero Cruz, What’s left of the law of integration? Book recommendations: Mia Kankimäki, Things That Make One's Heart Beat Faster (2013) and The Women I Think About at Night (2018)Duncan Kennedy, A Critique of Adjudication (fin de siècle) (1998)Peter Lindseth, Power and Legitimacy: Reconciling Europe and the Nation-State (2011)Julio Baquero Cruz, What’s Left of the Law of Integration? (2018) Comments? Guest suggestions? Email me at felix@europafelix.eu.

    48 min
  4. Mutual trust and Europe's crisis of values | Cecilia Rizcallah

    09/13/2024

    Mutual trust and Europe's crisis of values | Cecilia Rizcallah

    In this episode we’re delving into a topic that sits at the heart of how EU law functions: the principle of mutual trust. Though it's a technical subject, it's deeply intertwined with the existential questions about what the EU is and aspires to be. The principle of mutual trust isn’t just a legal precept; it’s a litmus test for the health of European integration itself.  Joining me is Cecilia Rizcallah. She is professor of European Law at the Brussels campus of UC Louvain and co-president of the newly established Belgian Association for European Union Law. Cecilia has published extensively on mutual trust, including a prize-winning book which is available in both French and English. In our conversation, we unpack the principle of mutual trust through real case-law examples. We explore the challenges of applying that principle in civil law, in criminal law and in asylum law. And we discuss how this foundational principle is being tested by Europe's current "crisis of values". Mentioned: C. Rizcallah, The principle of mutual trust in European Union law: an essential principle facing a crisis of values (2022, English edition)C. Rizcallah, Le principe de confiance mutuelle en droit de l'Union européenne : Un principe essentiel à l'épreuve d'une crise de valeurs (2020, French edition)C. Rizcallah, "The principle of mutual trust and the protection of fundamental rights in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice: A critical look at the Court of Justice’s stone-by-stone approach", Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 2023C. Rizcallah, "The Systemic Equivalence Test and the Presumption of Equivalent Protection in European Human Rights Law—A Critical Appraisal", German Law Journal 2023C. Rizcallah,"Mutual trust under the European Arrest Warrant and ongoing challenges for fundamental rights: Proposal for a unique reasoned risk-based test ", EU Law Live Weekend Edition No 174, February 2024Case C-7/98 Dieter KrombachMy Daughter's Killer (Netflix documentary)Case C-491/10 PPU Aguirre ZarragaCase C-261/22 G.N.Case C-163/17 Abubacarr JawoECtHR Romeo Castaño v Begium  (8351/17)ECtHR Bivolaru and Moldovan v France (40324/16 and 12623/17) Recommendations: Amin Maalouf, Les Identités meurtrières (In the name of identity: violence and the need to belong)Gisèle Halimi and Annick Cojean, Une farouche liberté (A fierce freedom)Green Border (movie directed by Agnieszka Holland) The launch event of the Belgian Association for EU Law (BEDER) will be held on November 22, 2024, at 4 PM at the Egmont Palace in Brussels. Attendance is reserved for BEDER members. Not a member yet? Contact secretariat@beder.be to join. Comments? Guest suggestions? Email me at felix@europafelix.eu.

    46 min
  5. EU law is a wonderful machine | Daniel Sarmiento

    03/12/2024

    EU law is a wonderful machine | Daniel Sarmiento

    My guest in this episode is Daniel Sarmiento. He is the editor in chief of EU Law Live, an online platform launched in 2020 that has taken the world of EU law by storm. But he’s also a lawyer and a professor whose academic writing is informed by his work as a legal practitioner.  We talk about  the creation of the Spanish Constitutional Court, about how the Court of Justice changes its mind, about ‘silent judgments’ and judicial minimalism, and about the impact of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. What ties all these different topics together, is a basic insight that underpins all of Sarmiento's work, namely that law is made of practice, not of theory. Mentioned: EU Law Live: https://eulawlive.comD. Sarmiento and M. Beltrán, Un Tribunal para la Constitución (documentary)D. Sarmiento, ‘The “overruling technique” at the Court of Justice of the European Union’, European Journal of Legal Studies, 2023D. Sarmiento, ‘The Silent Lamb and the Deaf Wolves: The Role of Silent Judgments in EU Law’, in Constitutional Pluralism in the European Union and Beyond, Hart 2011C. Sunstein, One Case At A Time: Judicial Minimalism on the Supreme Court, Harvard University Press 1999D. Sarmiento, ‘Half a case at a time: dealing with judicial minimalism at the European Court of Justice’, in: Constitutional conversations in Europe, Intersentia 2012D. Sarmiento, ‘Who’s Afraid of the Charter?’, Common Market Law Review 2013J.H.H. Weiler, ‘Does the European Union Truly Need a Charter of Rights?’, European Law Journal, June 2000D. Sarmiento and J.H.H. Weiler, ‘The EU Judiciary After Weiss: Proposing A New Mixed Chamber of the Court of Justice’, Verfassungsblog, 2 June 2020Keck (C-267/91)Metock (C-127/08)Link Logistic (C-384/17) & NE (C-205/20)Diego Porras (C-596/14) & Grupo Norte (C-527/16)HAG I (192/73) & HAG II (C-10/89)Taricco (C-105/14) & M.A.S. and M.B. (C-42/17)Centraal Israëlitische Consistorie van België (C-336/19)Ruiz Zambrano (C-34/09)Åkerberg Fransson (C-617/10)Melloni (C-399/11)Recommended: Bob Woodward and Scott Armstrong, The Brethren: Inside the Supreme CourtJürgen Habermas, Between Facts and NormsPoems by Antonio MachadoComments? Guest suggestions? Email me at felix@europafelix.eu.

    43 min
  6. Is the Superleague judgment a game changer? | Miguel Poiares Maduro

    12/24/2023 ·  Bonus

    Is the Superleague judgment a game changer? | Miguel Poiares Maduro

    On 21 December, the Court of Justice of the European Union delivered three high profile rulings in the field of sports: Superleague, International Skating Union and Royal Antwerp Football Club. Earlier this year, I spoke to Miguel Poiares Maduro about EU law and sports. So I decided to call him up to ask if he could give us his take on these three recent judgments. Enjoy this bonus episode of Europa Felix! Mentioned: Case C-333/21 European Superleague CompanyCase C-124/21 International Skating UnionCase C-680/21 Royal Antwerp Football ClubJudgment of the European Court of Human Rights (Third Section) in Semenya v Switzerland (11 July 2023) With special thanks to Aurelia Leeuw. Comments? Guest suggestions? Email me at felix@europafelix.eu

    17 min
  7. Hoe de EU de Brexit onderhandelde | Stefaan De Rynck

    08/22/2023

    Hoe de EU de Brexit onderhandelde | Stefaan De Rynck

    Deze aflevering gaat over de Brexit-onderhandelingen. Nu het Verenigd Koninkrijk geen lidstaat meer is van de EU, vormen twee verdragen het fundament van de relatie tussen de EU en het Verenigd Koninkrijk: het Terugtrekkingsakkoord, onderhandeld tussen 2017 en 2019, en de Handels- en Samenwerkingsovereenkomst, onderhandeld in 2020. In 2020 maakte ik deel uit van het UK Task Force van Michel Barnier en ik denk soms met verbazing terug aan wat er in dat ene jaar allemaal gebeurde. De geladen sfeer in de onderhandelingen. Het politieke spektakel. De persconferenties. De vergaderingen tot diep in de nacht. De onderhandelingssessies tijdens de COVID-lockdowns. Iemand die er al vanaf het begin bij was — als naaste adviseur van Barnier — is Stefaan De Rynck. En hij heeft er een boek over geschreven: “Inside the Deal: How the EU Got Brexit Done”. In dat boek beschrijft hij de Brexit-onderhandelingen vanuit het EU-perspectief en analyseert hij de misvattingen die er destijds bestonden aan de zijde van het VK. Ik interview hem over zijn boek en samen kijken we terug op deze verbijsterende periode uit de Europese integratiegeschiedenis. Genoemd: Stefaan De Rynck, Inside the Deal: How the EU got Brexit done (2023)A New Settlement for the UK within the EU (2016)Akkoord inzake de Terugtrekking (2019)Handels- en Samenwerkingsovereenkomst (2021)The Windsor Framework (2023)Aanbevelingen: Marcella Hazan, Essentials of Classic Italian CookingAlan Milward, The European Rescue of the Nation StateFintan O'Toole, Heroic Failure: Brexit and the politics of painVragen? Opmerkingen? Gastsuggesties? Schrijf naar felix@europafelix.eu.

    47 min
  8. Kunnen rechters het klimaat beschermen? | Dennis van Berkel

    07/27/2023

    Kunnen rechters het klimaat beschermen? | Dennis van Berkel

    In deze aflevering gaat het over klimaatrechtszaken tegen de Staat: juridische procedures om overheden ertoe te dwingen de klimaatcrisis het hoofd te bieden. De voorloper van dit soort procedures is de zaak van Stichting Urgenda tegen de Nederlandse Staat. Maar inmiddels zijn er wereldwijd tientallen vergelijkbare zaken gevoerd. Er is nu ook een eerste lichting klimaatzaken aanhangig bij het Europees Hof voor de Rechten van de Mens. De grote vraag in al deze zaken is: zal het Hof een schending vaststellen van het EVRM en zal het op die manier overheden in Europa verplichten om meer te doen tegen klimaatverandering? Te gast is Dennis van Berkel. Hij is Legal Counsel van Stichting Urgenda, was destijds nauw betrokken bij de Urgenda zaak en is mede-oprichter van het Climate Litigation Network, een expertise-netwerk dat mensen en organisaties over de hele wereld aanmoedigt en helpt bij het voeren van klimaatzaken. We beginnen ons gesprek natuurlijk bij de Urgenda-uitspraak, maar we hebben het ook over andere zaken binnen en buiten Europa. We spreken over de invloed van klimaatzaken, over de rolverdeling tussen de rechter en de politiek, en over het klimaatbeleid in Nederland en in de EU. Bovendien vraag ik hem wat Europees recht-juristen kunnen doen om hun steen bij te dragen aan het aanpakken van de klimaatcrisis. Genoemd: Klimaatzaak UrgendaKelderluik-arrestKalimijnen-arrestClimate Case IrelandBVerfG, Klimaschutz (Luisa Neubauer-zaak)European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, Scientific advice for the determination of an EU-wide 2040 climate target and a greenhouse gas budget for 2030–2050EHRM, Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland (53600/20)EHRM, Carême v. France (7189/21)Conseil d’État, Commune de Grande-Synthe (N° 427301)EHRM, Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others (39371/20)The Climate Litigation NetworkGlobal Trends in Climate Change Litigation: 2023 snapshot (London School of Economics)Climate Change Litigation Database (Columbia Law School, Sabin Center) Aanbevelingen: Greta Thunberg, Het KlimaatboekFriederieke Otto, Angry WeatherMariana Mazzucato, Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism Deze aflevering bevat geluidsfragmenten uit de webcasts van de hoorzittingen in Carème t. Frankrijk en Verein KlimaSeniorinnen t. Zwitserland. Je hoort achtereenvolgens: Diego Colas (voor Frankrijk), Jessica Simor (voor Verein KlimaSeniorinnen), Alain Chablais (voor Zwitserland), Catherine Donnelly (voor Ierland); Jessica Simor; Corinne Lepage (voor Damien Carème); en Síofra O'Leary (President van het Hof). Bron: https://www.echr.coe.int/webcasts-of-hearin

    59 min
See All (13)

About

Europa Felix is an interview podcast for European law professionals and enthusiasts. Listen every once in a while to an inspiring conversation with a rising star, hidden genius or luminary in the field of European law. In English or in Dutch. Follow the show in your favourite podcast app and get new episodes as they become available. You can find transcripts on www.europafelix.eu.

Information

  • Creator
    Felix Ronkes Agerbeek
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Europa Felix
  • Show Website
    Europa Felix

You Might Also Like