Radio Schuman

Today Radio Schuman spoke with German Green MEP Daniel Freund, as he drove through Pennsylvania, the critical state where Joe Biden narrowly defeated Trump by just 1.2% in 2020, and where Harris and Trump are once again locked in a very tight contest.Brussels and Europe will hold their breath tomorrow as millions of Americans head to the polls for a pivotal election with global repercussions.The race is razor-thin between Democratic candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Europeans will be keeping a close eye on the seven key battleground states where the election is likely to be decided: Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.We also give a quick overview of European Commissioner-designates hearings and who will be heard today by MEPs.On the last part of the show, Radio Schuman explores in which EU countries are the most businesses being launched - spoiler alert: a very small country leads the ranking.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron and Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.

The EU will slap its new tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China for the next five years, but Beijing has been slammed the duties, filing an action with the WTO and launching anti-dumping investigations into European exports of brandy, pork and dairy products.Is this tug of war going to evolve into a full-fledge trade war? Could these tariffs slow down the energy transition and lead to fewer people buying EVs when combustion engines are supposed to be banned in 2035? If Donald Trump wins the US presidency next week, will that push the EU into a more conciliatory position with China? Today Radio Schuman answers these questions with Noah Barkin, a Senior Advisor with the independent research provider Rhodium Group which specialises on Europe-China relations.We also take a quick look at the Eurasian security conference in Belarus, where an EU member state minister will attend and speak. Guess who?On the last part of the show, Radio Schuman looks at jobs threatened by automation.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron and Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.

The Petitions Committee (PETI) sees itself as a bridge between the EU and its citizens, drawing 35 MEPs from various political groups to review ordinary people's petitions. If these pass muster, MEPs can forward them to European Commission to consider legislative action.But a review of the committee’s activity from the previous legislative period raises questions. Over the last four years, Peti received only 6,991 petitions (1,357 in 2019 and 1,573 in 2022), a small number given the EU’s population of 450 million.Compared to the millions of signatures on platforms like Change.org or widespread social media complaints, this figure seems insignificant. Although the committee report highlights the number of opinions, resolutions, hearings, and questions it generated, it doesn’t specify how many petitions resulted in concrete legislation.Vice-chair Nils Ušakovs acknowledged operational issues when interviewed by Radio Schuman, noting that many of the petitions fail to address EU-related issues and that the European Commission often takes too long to respond. Ušakovs also admitted that the committee has limited influence, as it cannot compel the Commission to legislate.Today, we also make a quick overview a meeting of EU ambassadors, set to discuss reforms of the European Peace Facility.Lastly, Radio Schuman questions whether turning the clocks back twice a year might be damaging our health.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron and Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.

Brussels and Tbilisi are growing increasingly distant: the recent election victory of the Georgian Dream party, marked by irregularities denounced by the opposition and EU observers, has deepened the mistrust.EU top diplomat Josep Borrell called to address electoral irregularities and implement reforms. Two laws have sparked significant debate in Brussels: the so-called "foreign agents" law, criticised as a tool to suppress freedom of civil society organizations, and a law limiting LGBTQ rights.Many Brussels officials say Georgia is and will become a nightmare if the Georgian Dream party continues to adopt legislation that takes the country further away from its EU aspirations.The EU has already frozen Georgia’s accession path and European Commission officials have stopped meetings with any high-ranking Georgian officials.  They now want the ruling Georgian Dream party to withdraw the two controversial laws and implement nine steps of reform it has deemed conditional to the granting of EU candidate status.The political crisis in Georgia also comes in the context of the launch this week of the EU's so-called enlargement package, an annual review assessing how far candidate countries have aligned themselves to EU standards.Is Georgia set to be the EU's new nightmare?Today Radio Schuman talks with Dionis Cenusa, political analyst at the Lithuanian based think tank Eastern Europe Studies Centre.We also take a quick look at Macron's visit to Morocco and what it mean for EU policies on migration.On the last part of the show, Radio Schuman explores which Europeans are most likely to live with their parents.Today's Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Georgios Leivaditis and Zacharia Vigneron. Music by Alexandre Jas.

On Saturday, Georgia held parliamentary election that have been framed as a "referendum" on the country's choice between Europe and Russia. The country’s Central Election said the pro-Russian ruling party, Georgian dream had won 53.92 percent of the votes.However, the opposition disputed those results, and international and European observers spoke of a climate of hatred, intimidations and voting irregularities.Euronews spoke with different sides, including Maka Botchorishvili an MP from the ruling Georgian Dream party and Reinhold Lopatka, an Austrian MEP and one of the election observers from the European parliament.

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze has claimed the country is on course to join the EU and denied Russian influence, in an exclusive interview with Euronews on the eve of a crucial vote that he painted as a choice between war and peace.The poll comes at a crossroads for Georgia. Granted EU candidacy last year, Georgia's accession process was frozen after the government passed a controversial "foreign agents" law, similar to Russian legislation, which was panned European leaders.Another divisive law passed in September restricted LGBTQ+ rights, though President Salome Zourabichvili, a pro-European figure, refused to sign both bills.The country is deeply polarised and pro-EU protests have become a feature in the capital.We also take a quick look at two other elections in Europe - in Bulgaria and Lithuania - with socialists and centre right parties leading the polls.Radio Schuman also takes a look at the cringiest lines from European Commissioner designates in their job applications.Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Zacharia Vigneron. Music by Alexandre Jas.

What is there to fear for the EU about the BRICS summit, the group whose swelling ranks now account for 45% of the global population and 28% of the world’s GDP?Established in 2009 by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, the group aimed to reduce reliance on the US dollar, but has evolved into a geopolitical counterbalance to the G7, with Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the UAE joining, and NATO powerhouse Turkey looking to become a member.The current summit appears less a display of unity among like-minded nations so much as a demonstration of Russia’s influence in shaping a new global order, despite its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, from which three of the founding BRICS members have abstained from condemning in the UN resolution.Radio Schuman takes you to the summit today with Euronews reporter Jack Schickler.We also look at the announcement of the Sakharov Prize winner at the European Parliament, and which EU countries haven't yet started to implement the EU minimum wage directive, with the deadline for implementation approaching...Finally we check in on where most of millionaires will live in 2024 - spoiler alert: the leading European country is not in the EU.Today's Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.

On Monday (21 October), Moldovans narrowly voted in favour of continuing the country's path toward EU membership, with the "No" vote leading until the final moments. The country's president Maia Sandu condemned Russian interference and accused "criminal groups" of attempting to undermine the vote in the former Soviet republic.Moldova will now hold the second round of presidential elections next month, where Sandu will face a pro-Russian opposition leader. This has raised concerns in Brussels about the continuation of Russia's "hybrid war" tactics, which could further destabilise Moldova and derail its EU aspirations.Similar concerns extend to Georgia, which holds parliamentary elections this Sunday and has long grappled with Russian interference.To discuss the potential political instability in Moldova and Georgia, we speak with Amanda Paul, Deputy Head of Europe in the World Programme and Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Center, specialising in Turkey, Ukraine, and the South Caucasus.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claims 10,000 North Korean troops are in training to support Russian forces in the war against Ukraine, risking the conflict escalating into a “world war”.European officials are yet to verify that, but if it's confirmed, there are fears North Korean involvement could intensify the war. Russia and its ally recently signed a partnership agreement to provide mutual military assistance in case of attack.Today we speak to senior Euronews reporter and Ukraine expert Sasha Vakulina on the implications of this for the EU, and whether it might accelerate Ukraine’s NATO membership bid.We also check in on the Parliament plenary in Strasbourg, where MEPs are voting on a significant legislative file about Ukraine, and on Moldovan politics, with EU reaction to the election results there.In the final part of the show, Radio Schuman explores top listed eco-friendly European cities and their transport options - spoiler alert: a huge overcrowded city is leading the ranking...Radio Schuman is hosted and produced by Maïa de la Baume, with journalist and production assistant Eleonora Vasques, audio editing by Georgios Leivaditis. Music by Alexandre Jas.