Share

Europod • News
Europe Talks Back - How work is changing across the EU: A tale of diverging conditions
•
In this episode of Europe Talks Back, we take a close look at working conditions across the EU. Are they evolving homogeneously? What are the obstacles to fair working conditions?
To answer these questions, we welcome Agnes Parent-Thirion, Senior Research Manager at Eurofound.
Production by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research and policy.
“This podcast series is cofunded by ESPON. However, the opinions and views expressed are solely those of the authors. ESPON can't be held responsible for them.”
Follow us on:
Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.
Follow us on:
More episodes
View all episodes

135. Sweden - is the far right heading for government?
04:30||Season 1, Ep. 135Sweden is holding general elections this Sunday. The far right is already supporting the current government. Could it soon become part of it?And what could the result mean for Sweden’s political direction?
Education - why are European students falling behind?
04:31|The 2025 PISA results were published a few days ago. And they’re quite a bad surprise for most European countries. Educational performance is declining almost everywhere on the continent.What can we learn from East Asian countries?
133. Can the EU really make housing more affordable?
05:21||Season 2, Ep. 133In the first quarter of 2026 alone, rents increased by 3% compared with the same period last year across the European Union. The EU is publishing its affordable housing act today. But will it really help Europeans afford housing?To read the article from Popaganda: https://www.popaganda.gr/sportagon/to-antiskino-tis-daskalas-stegazei-ti-sygchroni-ellada/
132. Can Spain convince the EU to fund climate adaptation by taxing oil and gas profits?
04:40||Season 2, Ep. 132Spain wants the EU to create a European climate adaptation fund. And to finance it, the Spanish government is suggesting taxing oil and gas companies — in other words, applying the “polluter pays” principle.Is this realistic?
131. Migration - when and where will Europe’s ‘return hubs’ be set up?
04:49||Season 2, Ep. 131New return hubs could soon be established outside the European Union. At least, that is the ambition of several European countries, which want to speed up the return of migrants who have been denied the right to stay in the EU.When and where should we expect those return hubs?
130. Is the EU well on track to reach defence readiness by 2030?
04:35||Season 2, Ep. 130Europeans have set ambitious goals for the defence capacities that they want to achieve in the next few years. They have increased their defence spending by 79%!Bill that be enough?
Do EU regions benefit equally from trade deals?
04:36||Season 2Mercosur, CETA, TTIP, the EU’s trade policy can sometimes feel very far away from the people who are actually affected by its decisions. In EU jargon, trade policy is an exclusive EU competence. This means that the European Union negotiates and concludes trade agreements with partner countries. Then, the rules apply across the whole of the EU.But as we know, European regions are highly diverse, and they are equally divided over the benefits of free trade agreements.How can we take into account the different regional interests in this area?A podcast by Europod, in cooperation with ESPON, an EU-funded programme that bridges research with policiesTo read more about the ESPON report on the impact of trade agreements on regions: https://www.espon.eu/publications/starter-free-trade-agreements-mercosurFollow us on:LinkedIn•. Instagram
129. Could the EU get the same commitments from Meta as the US?
04:29||Season 2, Ep. 129In the United States, a group of 29 states has achieved what Congress has so far failed to do: secure real commitments from Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, to limit the addictive nature of these platforms for young people.Could the EU hope to achieve something similar?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedIn • Instagram
128. How real is the Russian military threat to the EU?
04:19||Season 2, Ep. 128At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest that Russia is preparing to attack a European country in the coming years. This assessment, shared by European intelligence services, is not unanimously accepted across Europe.So what should Europeans really fear from Russia?Production: By Europod, in co-production with the Sphera network.Follow us on:LinkedInInstagram