One year in office: How is Friedrich Merz really doing?

Only two weeks after the EU/Mercosur trade agreement provisionally entered into force, Brazil, the biggest partner in the Mercosur bloc, has just been banned from exporting meat to the EU as of September because it uses antimicrobials to promote animal growth.What can we learn from this decision?Episode about the expected impact of the EU/Mercosur trade agreement : https://open.spotify.com/episode/5OEOW3cBHbokwNHdpB62g9?si=TLjQBIjgT6ODLItV1A_EagProduction: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In France, the National Assembly will debate in June a new bill aimed at reducing the maximum cadmium content in phosphate fertilizers.In a previous episode of Briefed, I explained why the French are more exposed to cadmium than the rest of Europeans, why it is a public health issue, and how it can be addressed.Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United States is gradually scaling back its presence in Europe. Donald Trump threatened to remove troops in Germany and possibly elsewhere in Europe. But without American support, Europe’s current military forces would not be sufficient to face a potential Russian attack.A permanent European army, intergovernmental cooperation—what ideas are being discussed, and which ones actually stand a chance of becoming reality?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.To listen to the podcast 'Decoding the Ocean' : https://open.spotify.com/show/3YD6J6GEaVc2ka03PVmkqf?si=b423cdb90f534367 Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world recorded its highest burned area ever for the period between January and April this year, according to compiled data. The area burned by wildfires literally doubled compared to the recent average for this period. Can we live on a planet with more and more burned areas?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two years after adopting its landmark AI Act, the EU is already preparing to simplify it. Co-legislators in Brussels agreed on Thursday 7 May to revise the regulation. Does this mean Europeans are scaling back their regulatory ambitions on AI?To listen to the previous episode of Briefed about the AI Act: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0OlVVMedWdPXjGLYcinAwq?si=764c46484e2d4246Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn•Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the heart of the European capital, Brussels, one hundred thousand protesters rallied in the streets in March to push back against the Belgian government’s austerity plan. We are seeing more and more reforms in EU Member States, like in Belgium, that directly cut public spending and therefore reduce social benefits for people. So in Belgium and across Europe, is austerity actually making a comeback? And at what cost?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network. This episode was co-written with Emma Belmonte.Follow us on:LinkedIn• Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Poverty rates are struggling to decline in the EU. The European Commission has presented on Wednesday 6 May a strategy to reduce poverty. It aims at eradicating poverty by 2050. But is it realistic? This episode will be completed by a second episode on the austerity comeback in Europe. Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One by one, the flagship laws of the EU’s Green Deal aiming at climate neutrality are being put through a “simplification” process, which, more often than not, ends up looking a lot like deregulation.So, will the Green Deal survive the push for competitiveness?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Donald Trump threatened Europeans with additionnal tariffs on cars (25%). This time, will Europeans show some teeth and retaliate?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn• InstagramListen to the podcast Decoding the ocean: https://open.spotify.com/show/3YD6J6GEaVc2ka03PVmkqf?si=092c21ce1b2e4567 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In May 6 last year, Friedrich Merz was elected chancelor in Germany, after more than 30 years in politics. One year in, what can we make of his record so far?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn •. Instagram Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.