EU Untangled

In this episode of EU Untangled, hosts Alex and Victor sit down with Nicolas Moës, Executive Director of The Future Society, to explore the promises and perils of artificial intelligence. They discuss the risks AI poses not only to individuals but to society as a whole. Nicolas explains why the EU is regulating AI and whether the AI Act goes far enough. Finally, they debate whether the EU is falling behind in digital innovation due to overregulation and how smarter rules could actually lead to more innovation. Guest: Nicolas Moës [https://thefuturesociety.org/team-member/nicolas-moes/], Executive Director of The Future Society [https://thefuturesociety.org/team-member/nicolas-moes/] Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/victor] & Alexander Roth [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/alex]; Lisa Vallese [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/lisa] and Martina Domladovac supported the preparation and communication. FURTHER READINGS * EU AI Act [https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai] (European Commission) * DeepSeek: The Chinese AI app that has the world talking [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yv5976z9po] (BBC) * Jack Dorsey and Elon Musk would like to ‘delete all IP law’ [https://techcrunch.com/2025/04/13/jack-dorsey-and-elon-musk-would-like-to-delete-all-ip-law/] (Techcrunch) * How we’re responding to The New York Times’ data demands in order to protect user privacy [https://openai.com/index/response-to-nyt-data-demands/] (OpenAI) * Colossus: World’s biggest supercomputer aims 1 million GPUs to shake AI world [https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/elon-musk-xai-colossus-supercomputer] (Interesting Engineering) LISTEN … to a few of our previous episodes * “Explaining the EU: one meme at a time (with DG MEME)” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/explaining-the-eu-one-meme-at-a-time-with-dg-meme/] * “Can the EU have an army?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-have-an-army/] * “Can the EU engineer innovation?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-engineer-innovation/] * “How to land a job in the EU?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/how-to-land-a-job-in-the-eu/] SUBSCRIBE * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cMpPw9DSyIWPWBWYIDYXh] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/eu-untangled/id1441882478] * RSS Feed [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/feed/mp3/] CONTACT * Website [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/] * E-Mail [contact@untangled-podcast.eu] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled] * LinkedIn [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu] * Threads [https://www.threads.net/@eu.untangled] * Mastodon [https://eupolicy.social/@eu_untangled] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/eu-untangled.bsky.social] * Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/eu_untangled] * Victor * Alex * Nicolas Moës

The EU is often seen as a maze of bureaucracy, endless rules, and policymaking so complex it needs a manual, but humor? Not exactly its strong suit. Enter DG MEME, the website that pokes fun at EU politics while making it more understandable, one meme at a time. In this episode of EU Untangled, we sit down with Fabio Mauri, the mastermind behind DG MEME, to talk about how it all started, the creative process behind the scenes, and whether Brussels can actually laugh about itself. Guest: Fabio Mauri [https://www.dg-meme.eu/meme/author/dirgen/], Director-General of DG MEME (Directorate-General for Memes, Satire and Sober Fun) Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/victor] & Alexander Roth [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/alex]; Lisa Vallese [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/lisa] supported the preparation and communication. HOW TO FIND AND FOLLOW DG MEME: * Website [https://www.dg-meme.eu/meme/] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/ec_dg_meme/] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/EC.DG.MEME/] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/dg-meme.eu] * X [https://x.com/meme_ec] FURTHER READINGS * DG MEME’s conversation with Ursula von der Leyen [https://www.dg-meme.eu/meme/2024/05/30/when-fabio-met-uschi-coffee-and-memes-with-ursula-von-der-leyen/] (DG Meme) * Book by DG MEME: Brave Old Europe: or how I learned to stop worrying and love the European Union [https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0822MBDMF] (Amazon) * Inside the Commission’s satire department [https://www.politico.eu/article/dg-meme-inside-the-european-commission-satire-department/] (Politico) * DG MEME author: Eurocrats call me ‘troublemaker’ [https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/interview/dg-meme-author-eurocrats-call-me-troublemaker/] (Euractiv) LISTEN … to a few of our previous episodes * “Can the EU have an army?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-have-an-army/] * “Can the EU engineer innovation?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-engineer-innovation/] * “How to land a job in the EU?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/how-to-land-a-job-in-the-eu/] SUBSCRIBE * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cMpPw9DSyIWPWBWYIDYXh] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/eu-untangled/id1441882478] * RSS Feed [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/feed/mp3/] CONTACT * Website [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/] * E-Mail [contact@untangled-podcast.eu] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled] * LinkedIn [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu] * Threads [https://www.threads.net/@eu.untangled] * Mastodon [https://eupolicy.social/@eu_untangled] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/eu-untangled.bsky.social] * Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/eu_untangled] * Victor * Alex * Fabio Mauri

Welcome to a “The Week Untangled” by EU Untangled. We look back at the past week to give you a quick and dirty recap of what has happened in the past seven days in and around the EU. Short, crisp and sassy. So, you can recap the week and enter the weekend with a clear conscience, feeling well-informed, knowing that you didn’t miss anything important. LINKS: * The tiny Alpine principality of Liechtenstein is set to get its first female prime minister [https://apnews.com/article/liechtenstein-first-female-prime-minister-haas-3e6b8510cb9f1e61f3692440848966d1] (AP News) * Baltic countries sever final power ties with Russia [https://www.politico.eu/article/baltic-countries-sever-final-power-ties-russia-after-decades-lithuania-latvia-estonia/] (Politico.eu) * Video from the inauguration ceremony [https://bsky.app/profile/dg-meme.eu/post/3lhsomioilk2b] (DG Meme via Bluesky) * Macron signals investments of 109 billion euros in French AI by private sector [https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/france-invest-109-billion-euros-ai-macron-announces-2025-02-09/] (Reuters) * EU launches InvestAI initiative to mobilise €200 billion of investment in artificial intelligence [https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_467] (EU Commission) * Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet [https://www.elysee.fr/en/emmanuel-macron/2025/02/11/statement-on-inclusive-and-sustainable-artificial-intelligence-for-people-and-the-planet] (Élysée) * Trump expands steel and aluminum tariffs to all countries [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/10/trump-expands-steel-and-aluminum-tariffs-to-all-countries-00203463] (Politico.com) * EU plans radical budget overhaul handing more power to capitals [https://www.ft.com/content/17567fa9-aa33-4cca-bc7a-1b0a66555fc6?accessToken=zwAGLe5SnQNAkc8XVn-pqjNMytO8ehsKZlVfxg.MEUCICd6MQw-pRLHEFLuPd8g3CNbVicy-dMgd8mTGAVTr85-AiEA_Te2cF59jfUaKzkesBw_IpBKY51ViAhN6T07HF6AVuU&sharetype=gift&token=3748ed06-9425-412c-bf5d-4c20c6473819] (Financial Times) * Austrian government negotiations collapse again [https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/austrian-government-negotiations-collapse/] (Euractiv) * Hegseth calls Ukraine’s return to old borders ‘unrealistic’ [https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/12/hegseth-calls-ukraines-return-to-old-borders-unrealistic-00203799] (Politico.com) * Ukraine war talks start now, Trump says after Putin call [https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c04n622gzx7o] (BBC) * National strike in Belgium as protesters rally against new government reforms [https://www.euronews.com/2025/02/13/national-strike-in-belgium-as-protesters-rally-against-new-government-reforms] (Euronews) * Trump Says He’ll Rework Global Trading Relations With ‘Reciprocal’ Tariffs [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/13/us/politics/trump-tariffs.html] (New York Times) * Munich Security Conference 2025 [https://securityconference.org/en/msc-2025/] * Vance’s Munich tirade leaves Europe guessing on Ukraine [https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/vances-munich-keynote-leaves-europe-guessing-on-ukraine/] (Euractiv) LISTEN … to a few of our previous episodes * “Can the EU have an army?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-have-an-army/] * “Can the EU engineer innovation?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-engineer-innovation/] * “How to land a job in the EU?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/how-to-land-a-job-in-the-eu/] SUBSCRIBE * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cMpPw9DSyIWPWBWYIDYXh] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/eu-untangled/id1441882478] * RSS Feed [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/feed/mp3/] CONTACT * Website [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/] * E-Mail [contact@untangled-podcast.eu] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled] * LinkedIn [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu] * Threads [https://www.threads.net/@eu.untangled] * Mastodon [https://eupolicy.social/@eu_untangled] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/eu-untangled.bsky.social] * Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/eu_untangled] * Alex * Victor

The European Union is a powerhouse in many ways – a shared market, a common currency, and a united front on everything from climate policy to consumer protection. But when it comes to defence, things get murky. Despite its origins as a peace project after two world wars, the EU lacks a unified defence policy or an army of its own. Why is that? And could or should that ever change? In this episode of EU Untangled, Ionela Ciolan, research officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies, outlines the current security threats to the EU and what should be done to address them. She also highlights the challenges of the European defence industry and answers whether the EU should have its own army. Guest: Ionela Ciolan [https://www.martenscentre.eu/article-author/ionela-ciolan/], Research Officer at the Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies [https://www.martenscentre.eu/] Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/victor] & Alexander Roth [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/alex]; Lisa Vallese [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/lisa] supported the preparation and communication. SELECTED PUBLICATIONS BY IONELA * Proposal for the European Commission White Paper on The Future of European Defence [https://www.martenscentre.eu/publication/proposal-for-the-european-commission-white-paper-on-the-future-of-european-defence/] * The 7Ds – Defence Extended [https://www.martenscentre.eu/publication/the-7ds-defence-extended/] * The European Union is Getting Serious on Defence [https://www.martenscentre.eu/blog/the-european-union-is-getting-serious-on-defence/] FURTHER READINGS * Mission Letter to Andrius Kubilius [https://commission.europa.eu/document/download/1f8ec030-d018-41a2-9759-c694d4d56d6c_en?filename=Mission%20letter%20-%20KUBILIUS.pdf] (European Commission) * European defence industry programme [https://epthinktank.eu/2024/05/31/european-defence-industry-programme-edip-eu-legislation-in-progress/] (EPRS) * EDIS | Our common defence industrial strategy [https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/eu-defence-industry/edis-our-common-defence-industrial-strategy_en] (European Commission) * CSDP structure, instruments and agencies [https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/csdp-structure-instruments-and-agencies_en] (EEAS) * Defence expenditures and NATO’s 2% guideline [https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_49198.htm#:~:text=The%202%25%20of%20GDP%20guideline,only%20three%20Allies%20in%202014.] (NATO) * Government expenditure on defence [https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Government_expenditure_on_defence#Expenditure_on_.27defence.27] (Eurostat) * Get realist: How the EU can secure its position amid great power rivalry [https://ecfr.eu/article/get-realist-how-the-eu-can-secure-its-position-amid-great-power-rivalry/] (ECFR) * Defending Europe with less America [https://ecfr.eu/publication/defending-europe-with-less-america/] (ECFR) * Europe has a real defense commissioner — just not one appointed by Ursula von der Leyen [https://www.politico.eu/article/europe-real-defense-commissioner-ursula-von-der-leyen-andrius-kubilius-armin-papperger-rheinmetall/] (Politico) * The never-ending debate of the European Army and why it is unhelpful [https://www.boell.de/en/2024/01/22/never-ending-debate-european-army-and-why-it-unhelpful] (Heinrich Böll Siftung) * Standard Eurobarometer 101 – Spring 2024 [https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3216] (European Union) LISTEN … to a few of our previous episodes * “The three towers: how many seats to rule them all?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/the-three-towers-how-many-seats-to-rule-them-all/] * “Can the EU engineer innovation?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-engineer-innovation/] * “How to land a job in the EU?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/how-to-land-a-job-in-the-eu/] SUBSCRIBE * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cMpPw9DSyIWPWBWYIDYXh] * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/eu-untangled/id1441882478] * RSS Feed [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/feed/mp3/] CONTACT * Website [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/] * E-Mail [contact@untangled-podcast.eu] * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled] * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled] * LinkedIn [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu] * Threads [https://www.threads.net/@eu.untangled] * Mastodon [https://eupolicy.social/@eu_untangled] * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/eu-untangled.bsky.social] * Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/eu_untangled] * Youtube [https://www.youtube.com/@euuntangled] * Ionela Ciolan * Victor * Alex

This episode unravels the complexities of the Spitzenkandidat process ahead of the European elections on 6-9 June. Discover what a Spitzenkandidat is, the story behind its creation, and how it works, or doesn’t. From its origins to the current candidates and the tug-of-war between the European Parliament and the European Council, we dive deep into this key element of EU politics. Whether you’re an EU enthusiast or just curious (or confused), this episode will give you the insights you need ahead of the next European elections. Tune in and get untangled with us!  Hosted & produced by Victor Aguilar [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/victor] & Alexander Roth [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/alex]; Lisa Vallese [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/about/lisa] supported the preparation and communication.  LINKS * Lead candidates: who should head the European Commission? [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/topics/en/article/20240508STO21425/lead-candidates-who-should-head-the-european-commission] (European Parliament)  * MEPs propose lead candidate system rules ahead of European elections [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20231208IPR15765/meps-propose-lead-candidate-system-rules-ahead-of-european-elections] (European Parliament)  * European elections 2024: all you need to know [https://elections.europa.eu/en/] (EPRS)  * Spitzenkandidaten or the lead candidate process [https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2023/749776/EPRS_STU(2023)749776_EN.pdf] (EPRS)  * EU election debate exposes weakness of lead candidate system [https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/eu-election-debate-exposes-weakness-of-lead-candidate-system/] (Euractiv)  * The lead candidate procedure isn’t dead – but it’s no longer what its inventors intended it to be [https://www.ceps.eu/the-lead-candidate-procedure-isnt-dead-but-its-no-longer-what-its-inventors-intended-it-to-be/] (CEPS)  * Top jobs timeline: What happens after the European election [https://www.politico.eu/article/top-jobs-timeline-european-election-commission-council-parliament/] (Politico)  * ‘Very disappointed’ Manfred Weber blames Macron and Orbán [https://www.politico.eu/article/manfred-weber-disappointed-blames-emmanuel-macron-and-viktor-orban/] (Politico)  * Spitzenkandidaten: Democratic fix or political charade? [https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2024/03/30/spitzenkandidaten-democratic-fix-or-political-charade] (Euronews)  LISTEN  … to a few of our previous episodes  * “The three towers: how many seats to rule them all?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/the-three-towers-how-many-seats-to-rule-them-all/]  * “Can the EU engineer innovation?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/can-the-eu-engineer-innovation/]   * “How to land a job in the EU?” [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/how-to-land-a-job-in-the-eu/]  SUBSCRIBE  * Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/4cMpPw9DSyIWPWBWYIDYXh]  * Apple Podcast [https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/eu-untangled/id1441882478]  * Google Podcast [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudW50YW5nbGVkLXBvZGNhc3QuZXUvZmVlZC9tcDMv]  * RSS Feed [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/feed/mp3/]  CONTACT  * Website [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/]  * E-Mail [contact@untangled-podcast.eu]  * Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/eu.untangled]  * Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/eu.untangled]  * LinkedIn [https://www.untangled-podcast.eu/]  * Threads [https://www.threads.net/@eu.untangled]  * Mastodon [https://eupolicy.social/@eu_untangled]  * Bluesky [https://bsky.app/profile/eu-untangled.bsky.social]  * Twitter/X [https://twitter.com/eu_untangled]  * Victor * Alex