Brussels Playbook Podcast

Enlargement is high on the list of priorities for the Irish presidency of the Council of the EU ... and Dublin is not wasting any time.

On the sidelines of the EU’s General Affairs Council happening today, there will be four separate accession conferences: for Ukraine, Moldova, Albania and Montenegro — to formally mark progress in their membership bids. Ireland’s Europe Minister Thomas Byrne said it’s the largest number of accession meetings held on a single day since 2002.

Next: The European Commission is undertaking its first major workplace overhaul in two decades. Piotr Serafin, the commissioner responsible for human resources, presented a first set of reforms on Monday. But not everyone is happy with how the EU executive is handling this shake-up.

Lastly, did you know that a baby born in the EU today can expect to live to roughly 81.5 years? A new report on demographics from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre released today reveals some surprising details about European demographic challenges.

Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

EU foreign ministers meet in Brussels as a growing group of countries push the European Commission to propose restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements. Zoya Sheftalovich and Nick Vinocur explain why although the economic impact would be small, the legal and political stakes are far larger — and why critics accuse Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of dragging her feet.

Then, Ukraine’s Coalition of the Willing gathers in Paris the same day as Kyiv urges its allies to press their advantage over Russia before the winter.

And finally, von der Leyen receives expert recommendations on protecting children from social media — as Europe debates age limits, platform responsibility and whether bans would work at all.

Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, NATO leaders gathered in Ankara — giving President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan a powerful stage at a moment when Turkey’s strategic value to Europe is rising.

Sarah Wheaton speaks to Aslı Aydıntaşbaş, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution, about Erdoğan’s moment at this week’s NATO summit, Turkey’s complicated relationship with Europe and the United States, and whether the EU can build a serious partnership with Ankara while still confronting its crackdown on political opposition and free media.

Then, author and POLITICO contributor John Kampfner joins the show to discuss his new book, “Braver New World” — and what Europe can learn from places that have found unusually good answers to big problems, from Vienna’s housing model to Finland’s schools and Estonia’s digital state.

And since we’re book nerds, we’d love to hear your recommendations for summer reads; we’ll feature some of them in a future episode. Send us a voice note or message us on WhatsApp here, or at +32 491 05 06 29. You can also email us at podcast@politico.eu.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Far-right National Rally’s Marine Le Pen has announced she’ll run in the 2027 French presidential election, following Tuesday's shock court ruling which cleared the way for her to do so. But what does that mean for Europe?

On Tuesday, a Paris appeals court upheld Le Pen’s guilty verdict but reduced the amount of time she’s banned from holding public office. That means she can run — but under house arrest, with electronic monitoring. On the show, we unpack what Brussels makes of all this.

Also on the show, Europe’s cows now have a new job title: critical infrastructure. The Commission’s new livestock strategy frames livestock as crucial for strategic autonomy and even preparedness. But what does that mean for climate concerns?

Finally: Russian athletes could be allowed to compete in the 2028 Olympics — and EU politicians aren’t happy about it.

Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The European Union is in disagreement over whether the Commission should allow Serbia to progress in its membership process.

The issue will come to a head at a meeting of EU ambassadors in Brussels today. While the Commission argues that dangling accession in front of prospective members is a useful geopolitical tool that can prevent countries from turning towards rival powers, some countries in the bloc aren’t convinced. Zoya Sheftalovich and Kathryn Carlson unpack the debate.

Also on the show, at the sidelines of the NATO summit happening in Ankara, our colleague Dasha Burns, host of POLITICO’s The Conversation podcast, sat down with the NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. His main message? Donald Trump was right.

Finally, the European Anti-Fraud Office is warning that fake condoms are making their way into the bloc.

Questions? Comments? Send us a message or voice note to our WhatsApp here or at +32 491 05 06 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices