Uploaded December 2024 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
Building a European defence union is at the top of the EU's policy agenda. A reflection on the efficiency and quality of defence spending is a crucial first step in this process.
Based on research carried out for the European Parliamentary Research Service, this video explores the findings from a report on the potential gains of deeper European cooperation in defence spending by leveraging the continent's economies of scale regarding:
- military forces and strategic assets,
- defence equipment procurement,
- research into emerging disruptive technologies.
🔎 The cost of non-Europe in defence spending is estimated to range from €18 to €57 billion per year. EU action to boost the efficiency and quality of European defence spending could also create jobs, improve the certainty of the business environment and boost the rule of law.
📖 Learn more in our study ‘Improving the quality of European defence spending - Cost of non-Europe report’: https://europa.eu/!w4BM6J
📺 Watch the first episode of our series focusing on reinforcing Europe's defence industry: youtube.com/watch?v=kRUWi6n61GQ&t=6s
Building a European defence union is at the top of the EU's policy agenda. A reflection on the efficiency and quality of defence spending is a crucial first step in this process.
Based on research carried out for the European Parliamentary Research Service, this video explores the findings from a report on the potential gains of deeper European cooperation in defence spending by leveraging the continent's economies of scale regarding:
- military forces and strategic assets,
- defence equipment procurement,
- research into emerging disruptive technologies.
🔎 The cost of non-Europe in defence spending is estimated to range from €18 to €57 billion per year. EU action to boost the efficiency and quality of European defence spending could also create jobs, improve the certainty of the business environment and boost the rule of law.
📖 Learn more in our study ‘Improving the quality of European defence spending - Cost of non-Europe report’: https://europa.eu/!w4BM6J
📺 Watch the first episode of our series focusing on reinforcing Europe's defence industry: youtube.com/watch?v=kRUWi6n61GQ&t=6s
![EU-New Zealand free trade agreement [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IBzUPrZmYPg/mqdefault.jpg "EU-New Zealand free trade agreement [Policy Podcast]
On 30 June 2022, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and then New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced the conclusion of negotiations on a comprehensive EU-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA). The agreement was signed on 9 July 2023. Although the 2014-2019 Commission had initially aimed to finalise negotiations before the end of its mandate, both sides raised several sensitive issues during negotiations, not least because New Zealand is a major and competitive producer and exporter of agricultural goods. The EU committed to taking European agricultural sensitivities fully into consideration in its negotiating strategy.
Subscribe to EPRS Policy Podcasts: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/audio-podcasts.html
See the paper publication behind this podcast:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)757564")
![What are delegated and implementing acts? [Policy podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IR11gslLjn8/mqdefault.jpg "What are delegated and implementing acts? [Policy podcast]
In the EU, the distinction between delegated acts and implementing acts was introduced by the Treaty of Lisbon. The distinction seems clear only at first sight. Delegated acts are defined as non-legislative acts of general application, adopted by the European Commission on the basis of a delegation contained in a legislative act. In contrast, implementing acts are not defined as to their legal nature, but to their purpose − where uniform conditions for implementing legally binding Union acts are needed. Under no circumstances may an implementing act modify anything in the basic act. Both delegated and implementing acts are subject to judicial review by the Court of Justice of the EU which controls their conformity with the basic act.
See the publications behind this podcast:
The evolving powers of the European Parliament https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/IDAN/2024/762399/EPRS_IDA(2024)762399_EN.pdf
Understanding delegated and implementing acts
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2021)690709
The European Parliaments right to challenge Commission delegated acts
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2022)739257
🎧Listen to our podcasts reporting on the latest EU policy developments, looking into the impact they will have on our lives and capturing their policy implications:
iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/european-parliament-eprs-policy-podcasts/id1086996218?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6gy0Q2GWrcpPsAE71iSiEn
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPPfzoqPUImUlrgj7CsP5N2x7DNpzp7NL&si=uxxbZBn0Lj96nUov")
![Green claims directive: Protecting consumers from greenwashing [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Ix5Q5q60Ftc/mqdefault.jpg "Green claims directive: Protecting consumers from greenwashing [Policy Podcast]
On 22 March 2023, the European Commission put forward a proposal for a directive on green claims. The proposed directive would require companies to substantiate the voluntary green claims they make in business-to-consumer commercial practices, by complying with a number of requirements regarding their assessment (e.g. taking a life-cycle perspective). No single method for the assessment would be stipulated.
Subscribe to EPRS Policy Podcasts: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/audio-podcasts.html
See the paper publication behind this podcast:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)753958")
![What if electrification transformed the EU economy? [Science and Technology Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JWjJbUqyvY8/mqdefault.jpg "What if electrification transformed the EU economy? [Science and Technology Podcast]
Electrification is gaining momentum across many sectors, including transport, buildings and industry, driven by the EUs climate ambition and security of supply. As the cost of renewable energy technologies like solar and wind continues to fall, electrification presents an opportunity to reshape the European economy, enhancing competitiveness and promoting sustainable growth.
See the paper publication behind this podcast:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2024)762859
🎧 Listen to our podcasts reporting on the latest science and technology developments, looking into the impact they will have on our lives and capturing their policy implications:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/european-parliament-eprs-science/id1110775762?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6XP9MnZdCDTnyDWXeDdnPx
YouTube Music: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLPPfzoqPUImWL0O8VTtTNK1DTxiWxLJow&si=CBMMt4RYOllhxBbz")
![What if we could make nuclear fusion work? [Science and Technology Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/JdcRX96xT2Y/mqdefault.jpg "What if we could make nuclear fusion work? [Science and Technology Podcast]
To reach the Paris Agreement objective of keeping the global temperature increase well below 2°C, the EU must consider every possible technology to decarbonise its energy production. Nuclear fusion is the process that powers our sun and we can recreate it on Earth. However, even if we overcome the considerable engineering challenges of designing a fusion power plant, there are hard constraints to upscaling fusion power.
See the paper behind this podcast:
https://epthinktank.eu/2023/07/07/what-if-we-could-make-nuclear-fusion-work-science-and-technology-podcast/
🎧 Listen to our podcasts reporting on the latest science and technology developments, looking into the impact they will have on our lives and capturing their policy implications:
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/european-parliament-eprs-science/id1110775762?mt=2
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6XP9MnZdCDTnyDWXeDdnPx
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXVyb3BhcmwuZXVyb3BhLmV1L3Jzcy9wb2RjYXN0L2VwcnMtc3RvYS1wb2RjYXN0L29yLnhtbA
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/2556652
TuneIn Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/EPRS-Science-and-Technology-podcasts-p869585/
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/eprs-science-technology-podcasts")
