EU Decoded

In the latest episode of “EU Decoded”, we unpack the political developments in Belarus. At the turn of 2025-2026, the United States partly lifted and eased some of its sanctions on Belarusian exports, a key source of revenue for the regime. Shortly after, President Aliaksandr Lukashenka released 123 political prisoners, including prominent opposition figures Viktar Babaryka, Maria Kalesnikava and Ales Bialiatski. What does this mean for the European Union’s policy towards Minsk? Should sanctions pressure continue while hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars? In this episode, we also examine Belarus’ ongoing alignment with Vladimir Putin’s Russia in the war against Ukraine, and the use of migration pressure at the EU’s borders as a hybrid warfare tactic. Our guests: EPP Group MEPs Andrzej Halicki and Paulius Saudargas and Anna Krasulina, Deputy Chairperson of the United Civil Party of Belarus 🎙️ Tune in to understand what these developments mean for Europe.

In this episode of “EU Decoded”, we bring you this past week’s plenary session in a nutshell. From strengthening Europe’s defence to tackling cyberbullying and improving the housing situation, the main goal is to make Europe safer and more prosperous. We also discuss child protection, focusing on the steps to take to make the online space safer for everyone. Tune in!

To mark International Women’s Day 2026, in our new episode of “EU Decoded” we ask: Gender equality - why are we still talking about it? We look at the concrete steps Europe has taken in recent years, from pay transparency rules to help close the gender pay gap to stronger parental and carers’ rights, binding targets for women on corporate boards, and the first-ever EU Directive to Combat Violence Against Women. Our guest are MEPs Liesbet Sommen and Maria Walsh.Tune in!

In this episode of “EU Decoded”, we bring you a wrap up of the latest Plenary session and explore how the European Parliament is addressing the defining challenges of our time. From strengthening Europe’s defence to reforming migration procedures and supporting Ukraine with a €90 billion package, the focus is on security, unity, and resilience. We also discuss Europe’s economic competitiveness, with calls to deepen the Single Market and reduce barriers to growth. Finally, we turn to online safety, as we call for criminalising cyberbullying across the EU and better protecting children in the digital age. Tune in!

January 2026 is off to an eventful start in geopolitics. In this episode of 'EU Decoded', we break down the key debates and outcomes of the first European Parliament plenary session of the year. The EPP Group stands firmly with the people of Greenland and condemns the brutal repression of protests in Iran, expressing our solidarity with the Iranian people. At the EPP Group’s initiative, the European Parliament also debated the situation in Venezuela following the extraction of Nicolás Maduro. Beyond geopolitics, we confront the alarming rise of AI-driven exploitation, which overwhelmingly targets women and children. While facing these challenges, we celebrate Europe’s strength and unity, marking 40 years of Portugal and Spain in the EU with inspiring addresses from President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa and King Felipe VI. Tune in!

Greenland is the world’s largest island and part of the Kingdom of Denmark, with significant autonomy. Located between the Arctic and North Atlantic, it is strategically important for: -Military bases and missile defence systems. -Surveillance of Arctic shipping routes. -Access to rare minerals, including rare earths, uranium, and other critical resources. U.S. President Donald Trump has renewed statements about acquiring Greenland, calling it vital for U.S. defence and not ruling out force - provoking alarm among Denmark, the EU and other NATO allies. In our newest episode of EU Decoded we focus on Greenland’s strategic significance, US ambitions, and how Europe - particularly the EU and the EPP Group - can protect its interests. Our guests are: the Danish Member of the European Parliament and of the EPP Group Niels Hansen and the Member of the European Parliament and EP’s standing rapporteur on the US, Michał Szczerba.

In this final episode of 2025, “EU Decoded” wraps up the European Parliament’s last Strasbourg plenary session of the year. We decode some of our key EPP Group successes this week, such as reversing the disastrous ban on internal combustion engines and balancing climate goals with industrial competitiveness and jobs. Plus, after negotiations led by the EPP Group, the Omnibus I simplification package was backed by a large majority and will simplify rules and reduce costs for businesses across the continent. We also dive into our firm stance on phasing out Russian oil and gas while keeping energy affordable for everyone. Tune in!

Christian communities across Africa and the Middle East are facing unprecedented levels of violence - kidnappings, church burnings, intimidation, and even mass killings. And yet, much of the world remains silent. In this episode, MEP François-Xavier Bellamy sheds light on this overlooked crisis. We discuss why Christians have become one of the most targeted groups globally, how extremist movements and state policies contribute to their persecution, and why Europe cannot look away. MEP Bellamy also reflects on the EU’s responsibility to defend freedom of conscience - a value deeply rooted in Europe’s own history - and outlines what practical steps Europe can take to protect vulnerable minorities. Tune in for a powerful and necessary conversation. 

Two countries, two different people, but their stories are so similar. Andrzej Poczobut and Mzia Amaglobeli represent two fronts of the same struggle - the defence of truth, dignity, and free expression against Kremlin-sponsored tyranny. Journalists from Belarus and Georgia were jointly awarded the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, following a nomination by the EPP Group and a decision by the Parliament’s political group leaders and President Roberta Metsola. In this episode of the “EU Decoded Podcast,” we talk with Andrzej Halicki, MEP and Vice-Chair of the EPP Group, who co-initiated the nomination for Andrzej Poczobut for the Sakharov Prize; Łukasz Kohut, MEP and Vice-Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, as well as co-initiator of the nomination; and Rasa Juknevičienė, MEP and co-initiator of the nomination for Mzia Amaglobeli. 

The conflict in Sudan is one of the worst humanitarian disasters of our time – yet it remains largely overlooked. Cities have collapsed, famine is spreading, millions are displaced, and warnings of genocide are growing. Some figures: around 30.4 million people need humanitarian assistance. Over 11 million people are displaced – 8.5 million internally and 3.9 million in neighbouring countries. Sudan is being described as the world’s largest displacement crisis today. Healthcare is collapsing; health facilities have been destroyed, and disease outbreaks (cholera, measles, malaria) are rising. Sexual and gender-based violence is increasing, especially among displaced populations. In this episode of "EU Decoded", we spoke with MEP Reinhold Lopatka, Head of the Austrian Delegation of the EPP Group in the European Parliament and Chair of the Delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula; Ingeborg Ter Laak from the Netherlands, Vice-Chair of the Delegation to the Africa-EU Parliamentary Assembly; and Lukas Mandl, also from Austria, EPP Group negotiator of the resolution on Sudan. Furthermore, we have recordings from people in Sudan: Mr Salih Mahmoud Osman, who won the Sakharov Prize in 2007; Mr Mohamed Moustafa El-Nour, a human rights lawyer; and Ms Salwa Elsadik, a Sudanese women’s rights activist. 

In this week’s EU Decoded, we dive into the most pressing topics from the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg. We break down the newly adopted European Defence Industry Programme, designed to boost Europe’s defence industry capabilities. We also discuss how to stop illegal and dangerous Chinese products from flooding the EU market and how to ensure Europe’s children grow up in a digital world that supports, not harms, their development. Tune in! 

Over the past few years, the geopolitical landscape has been reshaped. The recently published EPP Group Position Paper on EU-US relations calls for a renewed Euro-Atlantic strategy - one that adapts to these changes while maintaining Europe’s values and autonomy. In this episode of “EU Decoded,” we discuss the future of EU-US Transatlantic relations and the actions needed.  Hear more from MEPs Željana Zovko and Michał Szczerba, with Executive Director Tomi Huhtanen (Martens Centre).

Across Europe, airports are grounding flights, energy networks are tightening security, and defence agencies are on high alert - all because of drones. From Poland to Denmark, incursions are exposing the EU’s vulnerabilities to low-cost attacks. In this episode of “EU Decoded,” we explore how Europe is responding to the rise of aerial threats and whether the new “European Drone Shield Initiative” can keep the skies safe. We spoke with Radosław Sikorski, Deputy Prime Minister of Poland; Angelika Niebler, Member of the European Parliament from Germany and a Member of the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy; Pekka Toveri, an MEP from Finland and a Member of the Committee on Security and Defence; and Andrey Novakov, an MEP from Bulgaria, who also serves on the Committee on Security and Defence and led Parliament’s negotiations on a resolution calling for a united response to recent Russian violations of EU Member States’ airspace and critical infrastructure. All three are Members of the EPP Group. 

Welcome back to “EU Decoded,” the podcast by the EPP Group in the European Parliament.  Tune in as we discuss topics ranging from how Europe can lead with principle and strength on the global stage to why the EPP Group led the successful rejection of a new Forest Monitoring Law, protecting foresters and the environment from excessive EU bureaucracy. 

In this episode of “EU Decoded”, we take you inside the latest plenary session of the European Parliament, where Europe’s security, competitiveness, and digital future took centre stage. From defending EU airspace against Russian hybrid threats to strengthening the Schengen area with new visa suspension rules, the EPP Group is calling for action and unity. We also look at efforts to deepen the Single Market by cutting red tape and ensuring one set of rules for all, while advancing Europe’s digital sovereignty under the Digital Markets and Digital Services Acts. Tune in!

Europe is entering an autumn of truth. In this week’s EU Decoded, we take you inside the State of the European Union address by Ursula von der Leyen, explore the EU’s response to Russian aggression, and examine urgent questions on jobs, trade, and competitiveness. We also look at Moldova’s and Ukraine’s paths toward EU membership, efforts to support Europe’s industries and farmers, and new measures to cut red tape.Tune in!

Child sexual abuse is rising, and technology is making it worse. In this episode of EU Decoded, we explore how the European Parliament is responding: from criminalising AI-generated abuse material to abolishing statutes of limitation, strengthening victim support systems, and pushing platforms to do more. Featuring MEPs Jeroen Lenaers and Francois Bellamy, Julie Fuchs from ECPAT International, and Hannah Swirsky from Internet Watch Foundation. Don’t miss it! 

As the NATO Summit in The Hague approaches, the “EU Decoded” podcast explores how Europe and its allies are responding to growing global threats. With Russia’s war against Ukraine, rising tensions in the Middle East, and shifting dynamics within NATO, MEPs and defence experts from the EPP Group share their insights on the future of collective security, burden-sharing, and transatlantic cooperation. You will hear from General Riho Terras, former Commander of the Estonian Defence Forces; General Christophe Gomart, former Director of French Military Intelligence and Special Operations Commander; and Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, former Ambassador of Spain to NATO. All three are now Members of the European Parliament with the EPP Group. 

In this episode of “EU Decoded,” we unpack another plenary week in the European Parliament - from bold new legislation to fight child sexual abuse, to major debates on defence, democracy, and the future of the EU budget.  We hear from Jeroen Lenaers on what the new law on combating child abuse means for victims, and how the EU is responding to alarming trends like AI-generated abuse content. We also hear from key EPP Group voices on strengthening NATO ties ahead of the upcoming summit, addressing rule of law concerns in Spain, and ensuring the EU budget reflects European - not just national - priorities.  Additionally, we mark 40 years of the Schengen Agreement and its ongoing significance for freedom and security in today’s Europe.  With:  Jeroen Lenaers    Nicolas Pascual de la Parte    Michael Gahler    Tomas Tobé   Dolors Montserrat    Manfred Weber   Tune in! 

For decades, Europe relied on Transatlantic partnerships to guarantee its security. But the world has changed. With growing global instability and shifting alliances, we must take security into our own hands. In this episode, we delve into how the EPP Group in the European Parliament is spearheading efforts to create a true European Defence Union. You'll hear from leading voices in the European Parliament about what’s at stake, what’s being done, and why the time is now for Europe to turn defence into its next great integration project. Because citizens demand safety - and Europe must be ready to deliver. Listen to this episode with: Manfred Weber, Chairman of the EPP Group Nicolás Pascual de la Parte, EPP Group MEP and former Spanish Ambassador to NATO François-Xavier Bellamy, Head of the French Delegation in the EPP Group Andrzej Halicki, Vice-Chair of the EPP Group and Head of the Polish Delegation in the EPP Group