Brussels Playbook Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Davos Confidential 3: Europe’s back — Post-rage politics — Modi’s missed chance Jan 23, 2018

Show notes

Direct from Davos in our daily podcast, POLITICO’s Ryan Heath, Florian Eder and Matthew Kaminski look forward to an unofficial Europe day at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday, when Angela Merkel, Emmanuel Macron and Paolo Gentiloni will all be in action.

In keeping with the Europe theme, Ryan and Florian chat to Belgian Deputy Prime Prime Minister Alexander De Croo about the EU’s future, post-rage politics and Brexit.

Ryan speaks to Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, who explains why he always heads to Davos and also offers a brief history of his country — from farming to space mining.

Ryan, Florian and Matthew look back at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appearance at the WEF and explain why he missed his moment.

To get more from the POLITICO team at the WEF, sign up for the daily Davos Playbook at register.politico.eu/davosplaybook.

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Davos Confidential 2: Talking trade — Digital rights — Desperately seeking Donald Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

Ryan Heath and Florian Eder bring you the latest from the World Economic Forum in Davos in POLITICO’s special daily pop-up podcast.

Ryan talks to Arancha González, executive director of the International Trade Centre, who says the world needs to up its game when it comes to trade talks.

He also catches up with Brett Solomon, a digital rights advocate who explains why he’s come to Davos this year.

Ryan and Florian also discuss who’s battling for an audience with Donald Trump and share some behind-the-scenes gossip.

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Davos Confidential 1: Setting the scene - Advantage Angela - Panda scale for speeches Jan 21, 2018

Show notes

Davos Confidential: In the first of POLITICO’s daily pop-up podcasts from the World Economic Forum, Ryan Heath and Florian Eder preview this year’s gathering of the global elite.

From the Crystal Awards to the Panda scale for speeches, Ryan and Florian have the inside track from the snow-covered slopes of the Swiss resort.

They also unpack the decision by Germany’s Social Democrats to back coalition talks with Angela Merkel, who will be in Davos on Wednesday.

As well as the daily podcast, Ryan and Florian will bring you a daily Davos Playbook email. Sign up for free at http://register.politico.eu/davosplaybook/.

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Episode 30: Estonian president Kersti Kaljulaid — Davos preview — MEP of the Week Jan 18, 2018

Show notes

This week's show features an interview with Estonia's President Kersti Kaljulaid, the first head of state to appear on the podcast.

Kaljulaid explains why Estonia wants to pay more to the EU, reveals a promise Jean-Claude Juncker made to her about the post-Brexit EU budget and talks about how Estonia is struggling with Russia's turn to militarism.

POLITICO Managing Editor Florian Eder joins us to preview the World Economic Forum in Davos January 22-26.

Sign up to POLITICO's daily Davos Playbook coming out next week. And listen out for our daily pop-up Davos Confidential podcasts, which will be on the same feed as EU Confidential.

With our podcast panel, we launch a new feature: MEP of the Week. We draw MEP names out of a box and see whether the panel knows who they are or what they've achieved.

Some more highlights from our interview with Kaljulaid...

Estonia ready to pay more to EU budget: "I'm hoping for a lot of change because we have lots of common, supranational goals which we need to develop," Kaljulaid said.

Juncker's promise to the Baltics — No Brexit black hole: Kaljulaid spoke to EU Confidential directly after meeting European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. She said Juncker promised that the financing of projects like the high-speed Rail Baltic project would not be affected by Brexit.

Estonia's place in the world: “Fully intertwined with Nordic economies … We stand on the liberal Democratic value base.”

On Russia: “I want to set one thing straight ... We definitely thought that Russia will undertake exactly the same development path to democratic nations as we ourselves were undertaking … We definitely didn't want it to turn out this way and we are definitely in no way benefiting from the fact that it turned out this way,” Kaljulaid said.

Data is Estonia’s designated survivor: Asked about Estonia’s plans for coping with an invasion or top-level threat, Kaljulaid focused on the country’s data embassy (essentially its data back-up) in Luxembourg as proof of how ready it is to cope with all scenarios. “This is something which I would advocate every country do," she said.

You can contact the podcast team at podcast@politico.eu.

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Episode 29: Spotify CEO Daniel Ek - Poland vs Brussels - Harassment survey Jan 11, 2018

Show notes

Host Ryan Heath interviews Daniel Ek, the CEO of global music pioneer Spotify.

The music world was a notorious graveyard for online entrepreneurs: until Spotify. In this episode, Ek explains why he thinks Stockholm-based Spotify is different to Silicon Valley companies, what he wants from EU regulators, and becomes the first major tech CEO to give his full support to the #metoo movement.

Ek also spills the beans on his favorite politician, his first 2018 resolution, and how firing 20 staff as a 17-year-old shaped his approach to building companies.

Upbeat on Europe: Ek says "Europe has made tremendous progress just over the last 10 years" in closing its funding gap with Silicon Valley. He nominated fintech as the tech niche where Europe is achieving global leadership.

EU regulators on right track but too slow: The development of an EU digital single market would be "very useful" because it would give "easy ways for people to be able to scale up" their companies before having to deal with multiple regulators, putting them on a par with U.S.-based firms. Ek credits EU officials for the right moves, but says they are too slow in making them.

Vestager fan: Ek says it's time for fairer marketplaces — "regulation can actually help small firms" and more competition — a message that is music to the ears of European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager. "We want there to be more people to compete: that ultimately will bring more innovation. It's really simple as that. And from my vantage point, she seems to be all for that."

Time for equality in tech: Having two daughters made Ek realise "how unfair the world is" and that, even in Sweden, girls grow up bombarded by "stereotyping." With a clear note of frustration, Ek said: "I think there's so much bullshit being used by people like me in terms of saying 'oh, well, there's not enough females in technology so we can't be gender-balanced. That's bullshit." Spotify doesn't allow age and gender to be listed on its job applications now, but Ek says there's much more to do.

Bring on the #metoo revolution: "Our view is obviously that #metoo is a real thing. Personally, I highly recommend and support all the women that are coming forward with these stories and I'm appalled honestly at how widespread this is," Ek said. He added, "We have a lot to do, as men, on what kind of work environments [we create] and the level of standards we're setting."

Poland's new look: POLITICO reporter Joanna Plucinska joins us to discuss Ek's comments as well as the new-look Polish government and Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki's dinner with Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.

EU WTF moments: Lina Aburous and Ailbhe Finn join us to discuss online hate targeted at an Austrian baby, a strange Brexit letter written by David Davis, and a new survey that found nine in 10 women living in Brussels have experienced sexual harassment.

You can contact the EU Confidential team at podcast@politico.eu.

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Episode 28: Estonia's EU presidency — Bulgaria's big moment — Iran protests Jan 04, 2018

Show notes

Kaja Tael, Estonia's ambassador to the EU, reviews her country's six months running the bloc's rotating presidency. Host Ryan Heath also talks to POLITICO's Christian Oliver about the challenges for Bulgaria's 2018 EU presidency, from domestic infighting to far-right ministers.

Estonia is northern, not eastern, European: Tael says Estonia is a bridge between different camps in the EU, but sees itself primarily as closer to a northern or Baltic bloc rather than a central or eastern European one.

Revolution: Looking back on the past six months, Tael says progress in EU defense cooperation has been "nothing but revolutionary." She also outlines the tasks Bulgaria will face during its six months in the hot seat.

Budget drama: While Tael says there is "no need to despair" about the state of the EU, debates over the next EU budget will certainly "stir up the most drama" in coming months.

Bulgarian dilemma: Bulgarians will face conflicting emotions during the presidency, Christian Oliver says. "There's a broad public perception in Bulgaria that — of course you don't want you own country to look bad — but equally people think their political class is so bad they should be punished, and held accountable."

Partisan fights at home: Oliver is skeptical that Bulgaria's politicians will be able to unite to ensure a smooth presidency: "Infighting is a very big thing, point-scoring is more important than everyone pulling together."

A Eurocrat's survival guide to Sofia: A youthful, energetic city will offer pleasant surprises if visiting officials and lobbyists know where to look.

Iran protests: Our podcast panel reviews the EU's response to the demonstrations.

ICYMI — Podcast with Jamie Shea, NATO deputy assistant secretary general: Andrew Gray interviewed Shea just before the holiday break.

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Episode 27, presented by Raytheon : 2017 review & NATO’s Jamie Shea Dec 21, 2017

Show notes

Episode 27 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast features a review of the year from POLITICO reporters and an interview with NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General Jamie Shea, a Brussels veteran of almost 40 years.

With regular host Ryan Heath on holiday, news editor Andrew Gray talks to Shea about the alliance's future challenges, the EU's new defense pact and his role as frontman when NATO went to war for the first time, over Kosovo in 1999.

Looking back: POLITICO policy reporters pick out the biggest stories on their beats this year and tell us why they matter. A couple of big names crop up — and one isn't even European. From tech to trade, and from fisheries to the environment, our journalists have everything you need to impress friends and family with your policy knowledge over the holidays.

Looking forward: Jamie Shea is NATO's deputy assistant secretary general for emerging security challenges. In an interview in his office at the alliance's headquarters, he talks about those challenges in detail — Russia and Ukraine in the east, instability to the south and the tests for NATO countries posed by hybrid warfare, in which an adversary can destabilize a society through cyberattacks, fake news and other nonconventional means.

Wartime spokesman: Shea recalls his time as NATO spokesman during the Kosovo war, when the alliance found itself in the spotlight as never before. "The day before we announced the beginning of the air campaign, there were five journalists downstairs in the press area ... the next day, 450. The media in fact mobilized as fast as the NATO military, if not faster," Shea remembers.

EU on defense: NATO officially welcomes the EU's push into the military arena, with the launch of its PESCO pact at last week's European Council. But Shea also outlines the challenges for countries who are now members of two military alliances. "One of the key things is that we have similar capability requirements because if we have one set of EU requirements that says the priority is helicopters and NATO's saying no ... the priority is transport aircraft, your poor defense minister is there thinking: 'well, what is it?'"

Bygone Brussels: Shea moved to the Belgian capital in 1980 and reflects on how NATO, the EU and Brussels have changed during that time. "The success of NATO was boredom in a funny kind of way," he says of the Cold War. "You didn't want anything to happen because the only happening scenario would have been a confrontation."

Season's greetings: The podcast takes a holiday break next week but will be back in the first week of January. In the meantime, for your festive travels and downtime, our complete back catalog is available on Apple Podcasts, SoundCloud and many other podcast platforms. Thanks to all our listeners in 2017!

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Episode 26: Rebooting Brussels — #BrusselsSoWhite — David Davis’s double talk Dec 14, 2017

Show notes

Episode 26 of POLITICO's EU Confidential podcast has just been released, featuring a deep dive into the EU's capital city. We discuss how to improve Brussels as a city with regional minister Pascal Smet and debate the thorny topic of racial diversity in the EU bubble.

Brussels the "whore": There's no doubt Smet has a way with words. He compares Brussels, a city and region he hopes to transform, "with a whore, with a prostitute." He says the city is "attractive and at the same time unattractive. It's nice in its ugliness and ugly in its niceness.”

Battle for Brussels: Smet casts governance reform in the city as a generational fight. The current leadership class are “dinosaurs” and act like a “junta.” He wants to transform Brussels into a place where things get done quickly. "We could do so much better [but] everything is fragmented.” Hear his plan to overhaul how the city is run.

Smet’s city role models: Hamburg, Berlin and Vienna.
Big picture = no cars: Smet want to get rid of all private cars in 15-20 years and replace them with autonomous shared vehicles.

A deal for Eurocrats: They should be able to get all their government documents and transactions done in English but should be required to vote at both local and regional level, according to Smet.
Surreal Brussels horror stories: There's a good selection, starting with host Ryan Heath's frustration at having to send tax payments to two different Brussels communes because the border runs through his kitchen.

EU WTF moments of the week — #BrusselsSoWhite and David Davis foot-in-mouth disease: Brussels is one of Europe’s most diverse cities, but the EU's decision-making elite is 99 percent white. The podcast panel ponders what that means — and asks what it feels like for people of color working in Brussels. And what, if anything, should people in the EU bubble do about it? Meanwhile the U.K. Brexit secretary is told to think through the reality that everyone in Brussels speaks English, and remember it when he plays to his Brexit base at home.

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Episode 25: Herman Van Rompuy & Theresa May's Manic Monday Dec 07, 2017

Show notes

Former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy talks to host Ryan Heath about the future of the EU in this week's episode.

EU reform and Brexit haiku: Since leaving office, Van Rompuy has been shepherding a major report on the future of the EU, the New Pact for Europe, in the name of several leading foundations and think tanks.

In a challenge almost as daunting, he has composed a haiku about Brexit especially for EU Confidential listeners. Hear the haiku — in English and in Dutch — in this week's podcast.

A hopeful multi-speed Europe: Van Rompuy's political goal with the report is to create the practical steps that can "turn fear into hope" across Europe. It's a modest, Belgian approach to healing some serious wounds in the EU body politic. He says multi-speed Europe can work in certain circumstances and that “the countries who want to make progress on some issues have all the instruments they need” already.

We also talk to the lead author of the report, Janis A. Emmanouilidis.

EU WTF moment of the week — Manic Monday: Theresa May came to Brussels expecting a Brexit deal but left empty-handed: scuppered by her own governing majority at home. Hear our take on the deal that wasn't.

EU Thumbs Up: The panel looks at the efforts to map accessibility in Europe on the occasion of European Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Dear POLITICO: The panel advises a man of South Asian descent who complains that an MEP is constantly confusing him with another man from the region. Though they look quite different, they have the same skin color, our correspondent says.

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Episode 24: Glyphodrama — Health Commissioner Vytenis Andriukaitis — food safety chief Bernard Uhl Nov 30, 2017

Show notes

This week's show features back-to-back interviews with the European commissioner for health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, who is also a heart surgeon, and Bernhard Uhl, the head of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Glyphosate politics: Speaking just after the EU reapproved the use of glyphosate, Uhl, whose EFSA agency concluded there is no health risk associated with agricultural use of the weedkiller, said it's nevertheless legitimate to discuss what kind of value system should support our agriculture. He wants critics of his agency though to admit that those values debates are “not about science,” while conceding that the intersection of science and values is “always a difficult interface.”

“Safest food in the world”: This month the EU celebrated 15 years of its landmark food safety law. Uhl insisted the law sets Europe apart and above other countries and regions which it comes to food “transparency,” “traceability” and “crisis preparedness.” The law was born out of the 1990s BSE crisis and “a real breakdown of trust into the whole food system and food safety system,” he said. In the podcast, hear how many of the claims proposed by food companies are rejected by Uhl's agency. “There was always the tendency to say this food makes you more intelligent, more young, more beautiful, more whatever. And if you don't have scientific substantiation for that we'll give a negative verdict,” he said.

Andriukaitis: EU can now hold national governments to account. Commissioner Andriukaitis talks about the European Commission's recent “State of Health in the EU” report and country profiles. He explains why he believes better data collection will allow the EU to nudge governments “more precisely” and hold them to account.

The EU's digital chain of 300 health policy laboratories: “We joined together more than 300 hospitals in 26 member states. Now we will launch an IT platform which can help us to connect from Lisbon to Helsinki," Andriukaitis said.

Time to upgrade status and tools of general practitioners: Although he is a heart surgeon, Andriukaitis believes medical students need incentives to turn to general practice rather than sexier specialities that give them easy access to new technology, medical innovations and big cities. Hear how he thinks that can be done.

EU WTF moment of the week: Germany's conservative Agriculture Minister Christian Schmidt going rogue, and voting to renew the EU glyphosate license, without consulting Chancellor Angela Merkel and in defiance of his left-wing environment minister colleague, Barbara Hendricks. Die Welt revealed Wednesday, after this week's podcast panel had been recorded, that Hendricks herself went behind Schmidt's back to sign six executive orders banning certain types of fishing on the day before the German general election in September.

Dear POLITICO: The panel tries to help a would-be EU official who passed a competitive entrance exam only to be booted out of the EU system. Hear the story and the European Commission's response in the podcast.

Links to the stories mentioned in the 'EU Thumbs up' section can be found below:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/nov/19/croatia-mental-health-pioneering-centre
https://www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/23606-who-helps-croatia-s-lonely-isolated-old-people-meet-proplan-from-holland
http://www.psycart.eu/en/news/exhibition-home-eufami-30-november-9-december

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