Welcome to Europod & Sphera • News, your essential source for understanding Europe today.
From political shifts and EU policy updates to cultural trends and social challenges, our podcasts bring you closer to the stories that shape the European Union and the people behind it.
Stay informed, engaged, and connected to what’s happening across the continent.
Join us on a journey through the ideas, decisions, and movements that make Europe what it is — and what it’s becoming.
Production: Europod, with Sphera Network
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Welcome to Europod & Sphera • News, your essential source for understanding Europe today.
From political shifts and EU policy updates to cultural trends and social challenges, our podcasts bring you closer to the stories that shape the European Union and the people behind it.
Stay informed, engaged, and connected to what’s happening across the continent.
Join us on a journey through the ideas, decisions, and movements that make Europe what it is — and what it’s becoming.
Production: Europod, with Sphera Network
Follow us on:
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
US and Ukrainian officials say progress has been made in Geneva during talks aimed at ending the war. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the discussions as “tremendous”, “productive”, and the most meaningful to date, although he emphasised that more work is still needed.
But what does the US plan include and what is Europe’s reaction to it?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More than 60 delegations gathered in Brussels this Thursday for a meeting of the Palestine Donor Group, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, to discuss Gaza’s reconstruction, future governance, and security, as well as long-awaited reforms to the Palestinian Authority.
But, what was actually decided and what are the first reactions?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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EU foreign ministers are expected to impose sanctions today at their Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels, following mounting pressure to act against individuals and entities supplying weapons to Sudan’s militia groups responsible for the country’s catastrophic civil war.
But are these sanctions enough to change the course of the war, or is it too late?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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The European Commission, backed strongly by France and Germany, is preparing to roll out a sweeping “digital simplification” package. This Wednesday the Commission will present a major omnibus plan to simplify digital rules, everything from data protection to the freshly minted AI Act.
Officials call it a way to ease burdens on European companies. Critics including MEPs, NGOs, and a good number of lawyers, say it’s more like opening Pandora’s box. But what does this digital simplification mean?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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In Copenhagen a political earthquake might be brewing. For the first time in over 120 years, Denmark’s Social Democrats are on track to lose control of Copenhagen, a city they’ve governed since 1903, longer than most European republics have even existed.
Every single lord mayor since 1938 has been a Social Democrat. But perhaps that changes tonight. But why can these local elections shift Denmark’s power play?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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EU countries are beginning negotiations on the bloc’s next Multiannual Financial Framework, covering 2028 to 2034. The European Commission has proposed a budget of €2 trillion, up from the current €1.2 trillion, with the aim of increasing flexibility for national spending and boosting funding for defence and competitiveness.
But as discussions open, why are richer member states drawing the line on how far they’re willing to go?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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European research funding, Chinese-owned technology, and Turkey’s expanding surveillance system are more closely connected than EVER. A recent investigation by Follow the Money reveals that EU-backed research projects have indirectly supported a Turkish company supplying facial-recognition equipment to law enforcement, despite its ties to ZTE, a Chinese firm classified by the EU as a “high-risk” vendor.
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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In the final episode of The Right to Decide, host Sophie in ’t Veld speaks once again with Neil Datta, Executive Director of the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual and Reproductive Rights, to look at the global picture for reproductive freedom. With the return of the Trump administration, the world is witnessing renewed attacks on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. But this episode also looks forward. Together, we explore how Europe can step up as a global leader: by defending progressive policies, investing in education and healthcare, and building international coalitions that protect the right to decide for everyone.
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The EU’s migration dilemma is back, not that it ever really went away. Member states are once again clashing over asylum rules, exposing old rifts that the bloc has spent years trying, and failing, to gloss over.
This week, the European Commission published its first annual migration management cycle. Think of it as a map of who needs help, who should give help, and who is already signalling they’ll try very hard to avoid both.
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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Today, Thursday, all eyes are on a crucial vote in the European Parliament regarding corporate sustainability and due diligence rules. The Parliament’s biggest political group, the European People’s Party, or EPP, is poised to do something it has long claimed it would never do, vote alongside the far right.
How could this move reshape not only the EU’s environmental policy but also the entire political balance in Brussels?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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Ukraine’s Justice Minister, German Galushchenko, has been suspended from his position as energy minister after a major corruption investigation into the country’s energy sector.
Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko announced the decision after an extraordinary government session today, Wednesday, saying Galushchenko would step aside while the inquiry continues. But how is this affecting Ukraine’s bid to join the European Union and its credibility on the international stage?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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The EU has been working on a plan to use frozen Russian state assets to help keep Ukraine afloat. Since Russia’s invasion in 2022, around €185 billion in Russian assets have been immobilised in Europe, most of them sitting at Euroclear, a huge securities depository based in Belgium. But, why is the EU’s plan to use these frozen assets hitting a wall?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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The world has gathered for what’s called the “COP of truth.” Tens of thousands of delegates, activists, and journalists have descended on Belém, Brazil, for COP30 the UN’s annual climate conference.
It’s been one of the hottest years on record, with floods, fires and melting ice caps becoming the new normal. The UN warns that global temperatures are now on track to exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius within the next decade, the key threshold the Paris Agreement was supposed to prevent us from crossing.
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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In the fifth episode of The Right to Decide, host Sophie in ’t Veld speaks with Nicole Moran, Gender and SRHR Advisor, about a worrying trend spreading across Europe: the decline in contraceptive use among young people. Together, they explore how stigma, fake news, and a growing mistrust in healthcare providers are shaping young people’s attitudes toward contraception. From misinformation spreading online to the absence of proper sex education in schools, we uncover why investing in education is essential to restore trust and protect young people’s right to choose.
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Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is about to meet US President Donald Trump, and he’s got quite the wish list. The visit comes at a sensitive moment. On the surface, it’s a diplomatic catch-up between two long-time political allies.
But underneath, the Hungarian leader has two clear goals, first, to secure an exemption from US sanctions on Russian oil, and second, to persuade Trump to host another summit with Vladimir Putin, ideally in Budapest.
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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The French government has launched a procedure to suspend access to the fast-fashion giant Shein’s website, after authorities found child-like sex dolls listed on the platform. Under French law, online platforms must remove clearly illegal content, including child sexual content, within 24 hours, or risk being blocked and delisted.
This move came on Wednesday, the same day Shein opened its first permanent physical store in the world, inside BHV, one of Paris’s historic department stores. The opening drew long queues of shoppers, and a crowd of protesters, who briefly disrupted the launch before being escorted out.
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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The European Commission has released its annual enlargement report and there’s movement on Europe’s waiting list. Ten countries are officially candidates to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo, Turkey, and Ukraine.
They all want a seat at the table, but who is really getting closer to joining, and who is falling behind?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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Liberties, a network of civil liberties organisations across the EU, has released its 2025 Gap Analysis, reviewing the Commission’s Rule of Law cycle. The report examined over 500 recommendations issued to Member States since 2022, case studies on Italy and Slovakia, and a dedicated review of media freedom.
The findings point to a system that is stalling. So, if this is the case how do we protect democracy in Europe now?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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It has been a year since the concrete canopy at Novi Sad train station collapsed, killing 16 people and sparking one of Serbia’s largest youth-led protest movements in recent memory. What began as mourning has transformed into a sustained political awakening that is reshaping Serbia today.
Now, tensions between citizens demanding accountability and a government determined to hold its grip on power have reached a new, boiling point. But what does this movement show about the future of democracy in Serbia?
Join us on our journey through the events that shape the European continent and the European Union.
Production: By Europod, in co production with Sphera Network.
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In the fourth episode of The Right to Decide, our host Sophie in ’t Veld speaks with Belgian Senator Celia Groothedde to explore how anti-rights actors are using money and media to influence politics, public opinion, and access to healthcare. From anti-choice clinics spreading disinformation to campaigns targeting schools and sex education, we uncover how a well-funded network is reshaping Europe’s cultural and political landscape…one narrative at a time.
A podcast by the European Parliamentary Forum for Sexual & Reproductive Rights
Produced by Europod, in collaboration with Ambiorix Centre
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.