In May 2020, the European Commission published its 'farm to fork' strategy – 'for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system' – along with the EU biodiversity strategy, as part of the implementation of the European Green Deal. In those strategies the Commission set a target of 25 % of the EU's agricultural land to be under organic farming by 2030, as well as a significant increase in organic aquaculture. In this podcast, we’ll decorticate the Commission’s new plan to promote organic production in Europe.

EPRS policy podcast - Development of organic production in the EU: 2021-2027 action plan

In the European Union, 78 % of native flora and 84 % of crops are either partially or fully dependent on insects for pollination. But significant pollinator loss has been documented over time across the EU. According to the European Red List of Bees, around 9 % of all bee species are threatened in the EU. In this episode, we’ll talk about the key role pollinators play in nature, the threats they face and EU action to protect them.

EPRS policy podcast - Protecting pollinators

In this episode, we’ll focus on one organisation that has become a pillar of the modern European security order: the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, or OSCE. The OSCE lacks the legal powers and the resources needed to live up to its ambition of becoming a platform for pan-European/trans-Atlantic cooperation. But OSCE agreements, such as the Vienna Document, help to promote military transparency, and election observation missions have advanced democratic reforms in several countries.

EPRS policy podcast - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE): A pillar of the European security order

Since its early development in the 1960s, Internet infrastructure has become almost as important as electricity and transport infrastructures in contemporary societies. More and more key services such as banking, food retail, and health care, rely on Internet connections. Despite its original resilient decentralised design, the increasing importance of a few central players and centralising developments have made the Internet more vulnerable to failure. What repercussions would that entail? Listen to our podcast to know more!

EPRS STOA podcast - What if the Internet failed?

Deepfakes are hyper-realistic videos created through artificial intelligence techniques. They present many possibilities, but also dangers. A wide range of malicious uses have been identified, including fraud, extortion and political disinformation. The impacts of such misuse can be financial, psychological and reputational. While the technology itself is legal, some malicious uses are not, and a combination of legal and technical measures may be mobilised to limit their production and dissemination.

EPRS STOA podcast - What if deepfakes made us doubt everything we see and hear?

Initial coin offerings (ICOs) are a relatively new method of raising capital for early-stage ventures. They constitute an alternative to more traditional sources of start-up funding such as venture capital and angel finance.

EPRS policy podcast - Understanding initial coin offerings: A new means of raising funds based on blockchain

Fear, worries, insecurity… In this episode, we are talking about the effects of the pandemic on people’s mental health, especially young people, and look at the recommendations and guidance given by European and international organisations to deal with this ‘silent pandemic'.

EPRS policy podcast - Mental health and the pandemic

What is the EU’s long term vision for rural areas? In this episode, we’ll look at their needs, their potential and challenges, see where current support policies have succeeded and where they’ve been less successful… and have a quick look into the future.

EPRS policy podcast - EU rural development policy: Impact, challenges and outlook

At least one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the UN will be missed in 2030 – SDG 2 – 'zero hunger'. Hunger and malnutrition are rising dramatically across the world, a trend aggravated by the pandemic. In 2020, 811 million people in the world were facing hunger, the highest level since 2014. In the EU itself, considered one of the most food-secure regions in the world, nearly 7 million people were already experiencing severe food insecurity before the pandemic, and malnutrition is on the rise. SDG 2 aims not only at achieving food security but also at improving nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture. These objectives have been mainstreamed in the recently reformed common agricultural policy and the 'farm to fork' and biodiversity strategies.

EPRS podcast - Policy: SDG 2 – zero hunger and EU action against hunger and malnutrition

The rapid growth of genetic databases worldwide, coupled with fast-decreasing costs and increased technological speed, has raised the possibility of every human genome on Earth being sequenced within this century. This brings to the forefront ethical and legal questions on data privacy and ownership. While a world genomic database would revolutionise preventive medicine and research, new forms of surveillance, discrimination and power imbalances could emerge. The global interplay between the individual, the state and private individuals could shift, requiring modern and flexible legislation to protect the rights of the individual.

EPRS podcast - STOA: What if we sequenced all human genomes?

The EU has contributed to creating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), established in 2015, as part of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and takes action to implement them through its internal and external policies, as outlined in the 'Towards a Sustainable Europe by 2030' reflection paper, the European Green Deal, the European Commission's political priorities and its work programme. The Sustainable Development Goals also have a regional dimension, sometimes called 'localisation'. Achieving around 65 % of the targets is estimated to require local and regional authority participation. Numerous regions and cities, including in the EU, have expressed support for the SDGs and many have integrated them in their policy frameworks.

EPRS podcast - Policy: Sustainable Development Goals in EU regions

Sequencing and analysis of the human genome, all the genetic information stored in our DNA, enable understanding about a person’s ancestry, health and various traits. DNA sequencing greatly benefits medicine and the life sciences by allowing them to predict and cure diseases. While DNA sequencing technologies continuously improve and become less costly, what if we all soon possessed our personal, smart DNA sequencers and apps to analyse DNA?

EPRS podcast - STOA: What if consumers could use devices to sequence DNA?

What is a smart village? The concept implies the participation of local people in improving their economic, social or environmental conditions, cooperation with other communities, social innovation and the development of smart village strategies. This concept is gaining traction on the rural development agenda, coinciding with the ongoing reform of the common agricultural policy (CAP). A key element of this reform will be a new delivery model based on each Member State developing a CAP strategic plan.

EPRS podcast - Policy: Smart villages: Concept, issues and prospects for EU rural area

Racial and ethnic minorities face discrimination and its consequences on a daily basis. The exact scale of the problem is hard to gauge owing to a lack of data and general under-reporting of racist incidents.The pandemic has seen a major increase in reports of racist and xenophobic incidents, however, while racial and ethnic minority groups have been disproportionately affected by the crisis, with higher death and infection rates.Although since 2000 the European Union has introduced legislation to combat racial and xenophobic discrimination, the problem persists, with the need for new measures recently highlighted by the global Black Lives Matter protests.

EPRS podcast - Policy: EU legislation and policies to fight racial and ethnic discrimination

Serbia and Kosovo have both declared their intention to join the EU. However, despite some initial successes, such as the Brussels Agreement of 2013, the dialogue facilitated by the EU and initiated in 2011 has stalled. The reasons for the very limited results are multiple, ranging from the internal political situation in both countries, to ambiguous and asymmetrical expectations of the normalisation agreement. Currently, the most sensitive issue, the setting-up of the association/community of Serbian municipalities in Kosovo, agreed in 2013, shows that the challenges are rooted deeply in history and have a much broader regional context.

EPRS podcast - Policy: Belgrade-Pristina dialogue: The rocky road towards a comprehensive normalisation agreement

The dramatic consequences of climate change and environmental degradation have brought the need for a more sustainable economy to the top of the agenda. Transforming the EU economy to make it more sustainable requires large investments, especially for enabling a green and low-carbon transition. Given that the public sector alone cannot cover this financial need, solutions have been sought to bring the private sector on board.

EPRS policy podcast - Green and sustainable finance

EPRS History and politics roundtable : President Jose Maria Gil-Robles: A Historical Appraisal

OECD-EPRS Policy Roundtable : ' The next production revolution : Implications for governments and businesses '

EPRS event - EU accession to the ECHR: Exploring the key legal issues

EPRS discussion - In defence of Europe: Can the European Project be saved ?

EPRS event: ' OECD Economic Outlook: The domestic impact of trade policies '

EPRS round table discussion - ' Setting European priorities: The cohesion policy perspective '

EPRS round table discussion - Issues to watch in the newly elected US Congress

EPRS Seminar with College of Europe on EP as a political institution

EPRS roundtable discussion - ' EU in the new strategic landscape: Setting European priorities '

EPRS roundtable discussion - ' The political impact of the European Parliament in the 1980s: Writing EU history '

EPRS roundtable discussion - European Social Pillar and EMU: Setting European priorities

EPRS - IMF roundtable discussion on ' IMF World Economic Outlook : analysing recent economic trends '

EPRS event : ' From Bratislava to Rome: Has the European Council delivered? '

EPRS roundtable discussion - 60 years of the Treaties of Rome -25 years of the Treaty of Maastricht

What Future for Global Trade

EPRS event on International Women's Day

EPRS event: ' Social Europe: a new horizon '

EPRS event ' Another year of shifts and shocks ? What to watch for in 2017 '

EPRS - Better Law - Making in Practice

The EU has made substantial progress in terms of protecting its citizens since the early 1990s, often in response to dramatic incidents, such as mafia or other organised crime group murders, big money-laundering scandals, a steep increase in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings following the 2015 migration crisis, or – more recently – a sharp rise in cybercrime, fraud and counterfeiting during the coronavirus pandemic. Criminal organisations continue to pose big risks to the internal security of the EU. A rising number of organised crime groups are active in its territory, often with cross-border reach. While the impact of serious and organised crime on the EU economy is considerable, there are also significant political and social costs, as well as negative effects on the wellbeing of EU citizens.

EPRS - Facts about organised crime in the EU

Deepfakes can be used for a wide variety of purposes, with wide-ranging impacts. They can be put to good use in media production, human-machine interactions, video conferencing, satire, creativity and some novel medical applications such as voice creation. However, they also have substantial potential for misuse. Risks can be psychological, financial and societal. There is also a strong gender discrimination as the vast majority of malicious deepfakes target women, depicting them in non-consensual fake pornographic videos. The Panel for the Future of Science and Technology (STOA) commissioned a study setting out the key features of deepfake technologies, their technical, societal and regulatory context, and their impacts at individual, group and societal levels. The report also sets out a range of policy options targeting legislative files that are currently under debate at the European Parliament.

EPRS - Can we protect society from the deep fake menace?

Deepfakes can be used for a wide variety of purposes, with wide-ranging impacts. They can be put to good use in media production, human-machine interactions, video conferencing, satire, creativity and some novel medical applications such as voice creation. However, they also have substantial potential for misuse. Deepfake technologies are currently predominantly used to swap the faces of women with those of actresses in pornographic videos. There are even chat bots on platforms like Telegram disturbingly and notoriously known for virtually undressing women (including under-age girls). Victims are at increased risk of defamation, intimidation and extortion.

EPRS - The deepfake menace: a gendered issue

In her speech at the Munich Security Conference in February 2021, European Commission President von der Leyen reiterated that "the United States is our natural partner for global leadership on climate change". Increasing adaptive capacity and climate resilience to safeguard communities is a key part of the Paris Agreement ambition. Climate change impacts such as ocean acidification, desertification or changes in temperature affect crops and biodiversity, diminishing the economic resilience of local communities, influencing food security and ultimately spurring conflicts over resources. Critical infrastructures can be disrupted due to extreme weather and make areas uninhabitable, creating climate refugees.

EPRS - Climate diplomacy: pooling transatlantic resources

The transatlantic relationship witnessed a significant injection of renewed enthusiasm and policy activity following Joe Biden's inauguration as President of the United States in January 2021. Despite recent transatlantic misalignments in political developments, the geopolitical dimensions of technology, and vulnerabilities stemming from interdependence, continue to head the political agenda on both sides of the Atlantic. There is fertile ground to deepen transatlantic cooperation in countering disinformation and tackling corruption by defining joint standards and coordinating on independent fact-checking and countering money-laundering. First-line practitioners on both sides could systematically share expertise on preventing, detecting and combating violent extremism, while funding could be targeted at joint transatlantic research projects to provide the evidence needed for sound policy-making.

EPRS - EU-USA: a transatlantic technology alliance

As host societies, EU Member States are required to facilitate migrants’ integration, i.e. their acceptance in society and ability to access different services and the labour market. EU law envisages access to employment for refugees as soon as they are granted refugee status, or for asylum-seekers at the latest within nine months of lodging an asylum application. However, employment rates for migrants in general, and refugees and asylum-seekers in particular, are persistently lower than those of native-born populations. Moreover, they are more likely to be employed in low-skilled occupations that have high automation potential in the future. The EP is putting forward a legislative own-initiative report to address these challenges and amongst others in the area of the EU's legal migration policy. To support the Parliament's initiative, the EPRS has carried out a European Added Value Assessment for a selection of possible options for EU action.

EPRS - Empowering migrants into the EU labour market

Smart objects are transforming the way we interact at home, at work and in our cities, reimagining daily life. The EU cannot afford to miss the opportunities offered by such new technologies. Some studies suggest that a common EU framework on ethical aspects of AI, robotics and related technologies has the potential to bring the EU €294.9 billion in additional gross domestic product and 4.6 million additional jobs, by 2030. By taking advantage of what has already been done at the institutional level, it can still lead responsible development while maintaining ethical values and standards. The EU can then pave the way to ethical technology worldwide, while ensuring that it remains competitive. So, what if objects around us flocked together and became intelligent? Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - What if objects around us flocked together and became intelligent?

The European Commission presented in December 2020, its ‘Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy’. It lays the foundation for how the EU transport system can achieve its green and digital transformation and become more resilient to future crises. Given the ambitions of the European Green Deal, the result should be a 90 % cut in emissions by 2050, delivered by a smart, competitive, safe, accessible and affordable transport system. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Sustainable and smart mobility in Europe

For a drug to be prescribed to a patient, it must first be rigorously tested for efficacy and safety and subsequently be approved by relevant authoritative bodies, such as the European Medicines Agency (EMA). However, the current framework of drug development is heavily ‘drug-focused’ rather than ‘patient-focused’. This means that the end users of the drug, the patients, are not generally placed at the centre of the drug development paradigm. Medical treatment is insufficiently personalised, especially when fighting cancer. In other words, achieving regulatory approval is seen as the ultimate goal, eclipsing somewhat the use of a drug in its real-world setting. This is not helped by the lack of regulatory demands or incentives for gathering such real world data. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Tailoring medicine to patient needs

Looking to the future, the global environment is expected to grow in complexity, not least because of the long-term effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Threats such as cyber-attacks, disinformation and foreign influence campaigns are here to stay and demand new types of responses that take into account their nuances. While the EU has made significant progress in furthering its aim of strengthening its presence and efficiency in the area of peace and security, more remains to be done. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Peace and Security: Non-traditional threats (description)

The EU outlook for offshore wind is very ambitious. In November 2020, in the context of the Green Deal, the European Commission published its communication on an offshore renewable energy strategy. It aims for 60 GW offshore wind capacity by 2030, with a view to reaching 300 GW by 2050: a 20-fold increase compared with the current situation. However, the sector faces increasing spatial conflicts with fisheries. Fishing is usually forbidden around offshore windfarms. Fishermen risk accidental damages to their equipment and fear the potential disruption of marine life. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Offshore windfarms and fisheries: can they co-exist?

Hydrogen is expected to play a key role in a future climate-neutral economy, enabling emission-free transport, heating and industrial processes as well as inter-seasonal energy storage. Clean hydrogen produced with renewable electricity is a zero-emission energy carrier, but is not yet as cost-competitive as hydrogen produced from natural gas. A number of studies show that an EU energy system having a significant proportion of hydrogen and renewable gases would be more cost-effective than one relying on extensive electrification. See more in the background. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Types of hydrogen

In recent years, smart villages began to flourish, revitalise and empower rural communities. The concept implies the participation of local people in improving their economic, social or environmental conditions, cooperation with other communities, social innovation and the development of smart village strategies. Although there is no legal definition within EU legislation, the core of smart villages lies in the involvement of the local community and the use of digital tools. ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - What is a smart village?

The prohibition of discrimination and protection of human rights are important elements of the EU legal order. Nevertheless, discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people persists throughout the EU and takes various forms. Of 140 000 LGBTI people surveyed in the EU, 58 % have already experienced harassment and 21 % feel discriminated against at work, according to a report of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. However, EU averages mask important differences between Member States. Recently, some regions banned the promotion of LGBTI campaigns while others have been labelling themselves ‘LGBT ideology-free zones‘. In response, the European Parliament declared the EU to be an ‘LGBTI Freedom Zone’ in a resolution adopted in March 2021. ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - The road to LGBTI equality

Electronics are the fastest growing source of waste in the EU. In 2017, more than 3.5 million tonnes were collected and only 40 % were recycled. In addition to producing less waste, repairing more devices would help us use fewer resources, emit less greenhouse gases and consume less energy. However, according to a Eurobarometer survey, less than one third of consumers say they have repaired a product in the last six months. Options to repair a phone or washing machine can be limited. Sometimes, repairing is costly, it is difficult to find a repair shop, spare parts are lacking or the components are irreplaceable. What are the current measures encouraging consumers to repair their belongings? What can the EU develop to increase the reparability of electronics? ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Reparability: longer-lasting electronics

This video tries to establish what would be a lost economic benefit in terms of gross domestic product (GDP) and jobs not generated if no action were undertaken at EU level to address the existing gaps relating to liability and protection of users of AI systems in road transport. For these two aspects alone, the cost of non-Europe ranges between €231 097 and €275 287 million. This might have been even higher, however, had the scope of the quantitative analysis been broader. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - The cost of non-Europe in artificial intelligence in road transport

Digital transformation, work design experimentation and new technologies are, indeed, overwhelming methods with intensified potential to process personal data in the workplace. New issues are emerging to do with ownership of data, power dynamics of work-related surveillance, usage of data, human resource practices and workplace pressures in ways that cut across all socio-economic classes. Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

EPRS - Workplace Monitoring In The Era Of Artificial Intelligence

This video presents the existing and proposed mechanisms available to the institutions of the EU that may be deployed in order to monitor and enforce the observance of EU values by the Member States. More specifically, the status and meaning of EU values (Article 2 TEU) and also existing monitoring and preventive mechanisms (European Semester, EU Justice Scoreboard, Commission's rule of law framework, the Council's dialogues on the rule of law, and the preventive arm of Article 7 TEU) and enforcement mechanisms (preliminary reference rulings, infringement procedures and the sanctions arm of Article 7 TEU)). Restrictions: ©The material may not be edited and must be shown entirely.

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