Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 6 hours ago
What will shape the European Union’s political agenda in the year ahead?
Discover the 10th edition of EPRS’ annual flagship publication, which identifies and frames the key issues set to dominate public debate and EU policymaking.
In this edition, EPRS experts explore major challenges and opportunities, including:
➡️ Next long-term EU budget
➡️ Ukraine’s progress on its path to EU integration
➡️ Closing European defence capability gaps
➡️ EU–China relations
➡️ How AI is changing the web
➡️ Unlocking Europe's startup potential
➡️ Toughening stances on irregular migration
➡️ Climate policy framework
➡️ Action for the oceans
➡️ Lessons learned from the post-COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Facility
🔎 A must-watch overview for anyone interested in where the EU is heading, and why these issues matter: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_IDA(2026)782587
What will shape the European Union’s political agenda in the year ahead?
Discover the 10th edition of EPRS’ annual flagship publication, which identifies and frames the key issues set to dominate public debate and EU policymaking.
In this edition, EPRS experts explore major challenges and opportunities, including:
➡️ Next long-term EU budget
➡️ Ukraine’s progress on its path to EU integration
➡️ Closing European defence capability gaps
➡️ EU–China relations
➡️ How AI is changing the web
➡️ Unlocking Europe's startup potential
➡️ Toughening stances on irregular migration
➡️ Climate policy framework
➡️ Action for the oceans
➡️ Lessons learned from the post-COVID-19 Recovery and Resilience Facility
🔎 A must-watch overview for anyone interested in where the EU is heading, and why these issues matter: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_IDA(2026)782587
![Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/DDNWqxvLVMg/mqdefault.jpg "Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate [Policy Podcast]
Ahead of the autumn 2024 Commissioners-designate hearings, Parliament has adapted the rules for the process, which will apply for the members of the second von der Leyen College. Since the 2004 investiture, Parliament has used its role in appointing the Commission to replace certain controversial candidates and force adjustments to certain portfolios, although according to the Treaties Parliament can only reject or accept the College as a whole. Confirmation hearings have become critical for Parliament to hold the Commission accountable, and have gained prominence as a tool for Parliament to take a greater role in EU agenda-setting.
See the publication behind this podcast:
Confirmation hearings of the Commissioners-designate: A decisive step in the investiture process
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2024/762400/EPRS_BRI(2024)762400_EN.pdf
🎧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")
![Young people and the news [Policy podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Df2PMqL_QS0/mqdefault.jpg "Young people and the news [Policy podcast]
News media are now faced with digitally native younger generations who often pay more attention to influencers and celebrities than they do to journalists, even when it comes to news. The teaching of media literacy skills is more necessary than ever to help people – especially children and young people – understand the difference between news circulating on social media and news provided by professional media sources.
See the publication behind this podcast:
https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/ATAG/2024/766238/EPRS_ATA(2024)766238_EN.pdf
🎧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
#Youth #Young #News")
![Toy safety regulation [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/F9ofY3GyYjw/mqdefault.jpg "Toy safety regulation [Policy Podcast]
In July 2023, the European Commission adopted a proposal to revise the EU toy safety legislation.
This proposal pursues two main objectives:
a) achieving a higher level of child protection, including from the most harmful substances,
b) reducing the number of non-compliant and unsafe toys on the EU market.
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)754600")
![European elections 2024: Rules of a pan-European democratic event [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/FI-qksOBJc4/mqdefault.jpg "European elections 2024: Rules of a pan-European democratic event [Policy Podcast]
In June 2024, around 400 million EU citizens go to the polls to elect the Members of the European Parliaments 10th legislature. As the only EU institution that represents EU citizens, elections to the European Parliament are a major democratic event, and the only one at EU level that resembles national democratic electoral consultation. European elections, however, differ from the national version, as they are part of a context of multi-tier government, sometimes perceived as second order elections. The main difference is that the European elections are a rather fragmented exercise, since a great part of the electoral process, including the way in which the right to vote is exercised, remains subject to national rules.
See the publication behind this podcast: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2024)757649
🎧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
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXVyb3BhcmwuZXVyb3BhLmV1L3Jzcy9wb2RjYXN0L2VwcnMtcG9saWN5LXBvZGNhc3Qvb3IueG1s
Deezer: https://www.deezer.com/us/show/2556622
TuneIn Radio: http://tunein.com/radio/EPRS-Plenary-Podcast-p762190/
Stitcher: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/european-parliament-eprs-policy-podcasts
#UseYourVote
#EUelections2024")
![The role of the Parliament in appointing the new European Commission [Policy Podcast]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/G_nxeJf5RWw/mqdefault.jpg "The role of the Parliament in appointing the new European Commission [Policy Podcast]
One of the most important roles of the European Parliament, next to legislating, is to hold the European Commission accountable. As the newly elected 720 Members of the European Parliament take their seats, one of their first and most important tasks will be to elect the next President of the European Commission, and, shortly after, to greenlight the Commissioners’ designate put forward by the Member States. Find out how this process works with us.
See the publication behind this podcast:
Timeline to new EU institutional leadership: https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_ATA(2024)762293
🎧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
Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZXVyb3BhcmwuZXVyb3BhLmV1L3Jzcy9wb2RjYXN0L2VwcnMtcG9saWN5LXBvZGNhc3Qvb3IueG1s
#EuropeanParliament")
