What is money in the digital age? Cash, cards, crypto - and now central bank digital currencies. The European Central Bank is working on a digital euro, a new form of central bank-backed money meant to boost Europe’s autonomy, competitiveness, and innovation. In this episode, we explore how a digital euro might work in practice, what benefits it could bring, and why its current design risks falling short. Is this a bold step into the future of payments or a missed chance to rethink Europe's financial system? Whether you’re curious about the future of cash, the rise of digital payments, or Europe’s place in the global financial system, this episode breaks down what’s at stake as the euro goes digital.

What do Champagne, Halloumi and Parma ham all have in common? They’re not just delicious — they’re protected. Andrea Zappalaglio helps us unpack the world of geographical indications (GIs), the EU’s unique way of safeguarding products that are deeply tied to a specific place, tradition, and know-how.

In this episode of EU Untangled, hosts Alex and Victor sit down with Nicolas Moës, Executive Director of The Future Society, to explore the promises and perils of artificial intelligence. They discuss the risks AI poses not only to individuals but to society as a whole. Nicolas explains why the EU is regulating AI and whether the AI Act goes far enough. Finally, they debate whether the EU is falling behind in digital innovation due to overregulation and how smarter rules could actually lead to more innovation.

In this episode of EU Untangled, we sit down with Fabio Mauri, the mastermind behind DG MEME, to talk about how it all started, the creative process behind the scenes, and whether Brussels can actually laugh about itself.

Welcome to a “The Week Untangled” by EU Untangled. We look back at the past week to give you a quick and dirty recap of what has happened in the past seven days in and around the EU. Short, crisp and sassy. So, you can recap the week and enter the weekend with a clear conscience, feeling well-informed, knowing that you didn’t miss anything important.

The European Union is a powerhouse in many ways - a shared market, a common currency, and a united front on everything from climate policy to consumer protection. But when it comes to defence, things get murky. Despite its origins as a peace project after two world wars, the EU lacks a unified defence policy or an army of its own. Why is that? And could or should that ever change? In this episode of EU Untangled, Ionela Ciolan, research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, outlines the current security threats to the EU and what should be done to address them. She also highlights the challenges of the European defence industry and answers whether the EU should have its own army.

Discover what a Spitzenkandidat is, the story behind its creation, and how it works, or doesn’t. From its origins to the current candidates and the tug-of-war between the European Parliament and the European Council, we dive deep into this key element of EU politics.

Join Victor Aguilar and Alex Roth as they tackle the fiery debate surrounding the European Parliament's odd arrangement of having a “single seat” but multiple places of work. Why do hundreds of parliamentary staff travel monthly between Brussels and Strasbourg? Is this practice a symbol of unity or an outdated extravagance?

Innovation is at the heart of human progress. The printing press, the steam engine, the automobile, and now AI have led to industrial and social revolutions. In modern history, Europe has been the cradle of countless technological innovations, but more recently it seems to be playing catch-up with other regions. The EU is aware of this, and it has ambitious plans in store to ramp up innovation in the digital age. The million-dollar question is: can the EU succeed?

Let's be honest, how often do you take the train when crossing borders in the EU? We know flying is anything but sustainable. Yet, the prospect of jetting to our family, friends, or holiday destination fast and (ahem) cheap is all too tempting. Trains have a hard time competing against planes: booking is complicated, trips often take longer, and prices can be irrationally high. We join forces with Philipp Cerny to untangle the complexity of EU cross-border train travel. After all, Europe has one of the densest railway networks in the world, but markets, policy and incentives seem to move like a slow train coming...

Dreaming of landing a well-paid job in the EU institutions? Thinking of having an impact on EU policy? Know that first you must navigate the EU recruitment jungle. Tune in to discover where to find the right information, what to expect from the recruitment exams, and what obscure acronyms such as "EPSO", "CAST" or "FG IV" really mean. Our guest, Chiara Bellani, who has worked in the EU Commission for several years, helps us untangle the EU selection process.

The European Union has an ambitious strategy to usher in data-driven innovation and stay competitive in the digital age. Proposals such as the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act have been making waves in the EU and abroad, promising to reign in tech giants and protect human rights online. But why all the fuzz? What sets these initiatives apart and can they live up to their promise? What else is in the EU’s digital arsenal and why should we care? Is Europe too early or too late to the digital party? Buckle up, tune in to EU Untangled, and get into digital with us.

The EU Bubble (or should we say "babble"?) has developed its own language. Known as "Eurospeak", "Euro-English", or "Brussels English" it is a tongue twister of its own: an international version of English filled with all kinds of technocratic terms and borrowed expressions. In this summer edition, EU Untangled uncovers the origins and sounds of this strange language and takes a ride through its highs and lows.

Much has been said about the EU Vaccines Strategy in recent weeks and months. Coverage from various media can largely be boiled down to the conclusion that despite good intentions, the EU strategy is simply a case of “too little, too late”. But is there more to this story? How does the roll-out of the EU strategy measure up against the rest of the world? And most importantly, what are our reference points? Join Alex, Harpa, and Vic on a deep dive into the EU Vaccines Strategy and discover the good, the bad, and the ethically questionable elements of the complex world of COVID-19 vaccine distribution.

A constitution lays the foundations for how a society is organised and the fundamental principles that must underpin all laws and government decision-making. But how much do constitutions really impact our daily lives? Should they be updated to reflect rapid societal changes? How would you even go about making a new constitution in the first place? And whatever happened to the new Icelandic and EU constitutions?

"A life-changing experience" might be an accurate way to define the Erasmus+ programme. Over the past three decades, the EU’s flagship programme has allowed over 10 million people to benefit from cross-border exchanges in Europe and beyond. Now, Erasmus+ is undergoing changes of its own caused by a larger budget, a messy Brexit and a ravaging pandemic that has stalled mobility flows all over the world. ESN President Kostis Giannidis joins Victor, Harpa and Alex to discuss the challenges and opportunities lying ahead of an Erasmus+ programme that promises to be more inclusive, more digital and a lot greener.

This episode explores the European Commission's work programme for 2021 and the EU policies that will steal the show next year.

Victor and Alex are rebooting EU Untangled with a discussion about the European Green Deal.

I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want. A referendum gives the people the option to have the final say in political matters of the utmost importance. And that’s what we ALL want, right? Well, the story of Brexit tells us that despite their relative simplicity, referendums can be a very tricky business. Harpa, Alex, and Victor ponder the pros and cons of this direct form of democracy and showcase how they can pull one nation from the brink of bankruptcy while threatening to push another one over the edge. Saying yes or no has never been this complicated.

From the 23 to the 26 of May, the citizens of 28 (most likely 27... ) countries will vote in the largest transnational elections in the world. Over 700 members will be elected to the European Parliament and Bruzzels is buzzing with excitement. But what exactly is the European Parliament and what role does it play in the EU? With so much at stake, why has voter turnout plunged over the past four decades? What are the political groups? Are there any newbies in the race? Stick around and let Victor, Harpa and Anna walk you through the maze of EU politics (we can’t promise you’ll find the exit, though…).