Future is Blue

Mar 19 2025 76 ep. 20 mins 4
Future is Blue Podcast artwork

Future is blue is a series of podcasts promoted by Funcas Europe bringing together academia, think tanks and policymakers for a more inspiring debate about European economic affairs

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Rearmament push: Leveraging Europe’s often-ignored industrial strength

Mar 19 2025 22 mins  
In this Future is Blue episode, Sander Tordoir from the Centre for European Reform discusses his article Heavy Industry is Europe’s Trump Card. We explore how Europe’s manufacturing strength can drive defence rearmament, the potential of the EU’s REARM initiative, and the challenges of financing and coordination. Sander also highlights the UK’s role post-Brexit and stresses

The contours of a policy shift in Germany, with Christian Odendahl European Economics Editor at The Economist

Mar 06 2025 31 mins  
The latest Future is Blue podcast explores Germany’s historic fiscal shift following the recent elections. Christian Odendahl (The Economist) and Raymond Torres (Funcas Europe) analyze the CDU-SPD coalition’s €500 billion investment package, which marks a break from two decades of fiscal conservatism. They discuss its implications for Germany’s economic recovery, European d

Can Europe Compete in a World Dominated by the U.S. and China?

Feb 26 2025 32 mins  
In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Antonin Bergeaud, Associate Professor at HEC Paris, about Europe’s struggle to stay competitive in a world increasingly dominated by the U.S. and China. They discuss the Draghi report’s key recommendations, Europe’s lag in innovation, the impact of regulatory fragmentation, and what the EU must do to reg

Calm, Cool, and United: How can the EU navigate Trump 2.0

Jan 20 2025 30 mins  
In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Urabayen dives into the implications of the U.S.'s evolving trade policies under a renewed Trump administration. Joined by Arancha González Laya, Dean of Sciences Po and former Spanish Foreign Minister, and Raymond Torres, Europe Director at Funcas, the discussion explores how the EU can navigate its shifting relationship with the U.S., ba

2024 in Review: Challenges, Triumphs, and What Lies Ahead for Europe

Dec 22 2024 16 mins  
In this podcast episode we take a deep dive into the key economic lessons Europe has learned in 2024. From the structural challenges facing the eurozone, such as sluggish growth and energy market shifts, to Spain’s surprising economic resilience and the implications of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, we explore how Europe is navigating an increasingly complex global l

How the EU Can Navigate Industrial and Trade Challenges in a Fragmented World

Dec 16 2024 28 mins  
In this episode of Future is Blue, we explore the challenges facing the EU’s industrial production and trade relationships in an increasingly fragmented global economy. Joined by Aslak Berg, Research Fellow at the Center for European Reform, and Miguel Ángel González Simón, economist at Funcas, we discuss Europe’s vulnerabilities, from energy dependence and export reliance t

Europe Prepares for Trade Battles Under Trump’s Second Term

Nov 20 2024 29 mins  
In the latest Future is Blue episode, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen is joined by Alicia Garcia-Herrero, Senior Fellow at Bruegel and Chief Economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis, and Raymond Torres, Director of Funcas Europe, to discuss the potential consequences of Donald Trump’s return to the White House on EU-U.S. trade relations. The conversation explores the risks of sweeping tar

Demystifying the impact of migrants on public finances and labor markets

Oct 31 2024 17 mins  
Despite the common perception of migrants as a drain on resources, OECD data reveals that migrants contribute positively to public finances in most advanced economies. In a recent Future is Blue interview, Ana Damas de Matos, OECD senior policy analyst, explained how migrants support aging populations, add to the labor market, and contribute more in taxes and social security than t

The impacts of fiscal uncertainties in France

Oct 25 2024 8 mins  
In this Future is Blue episode, host Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Alice Faibishenko, Senior Advisor at Funcas, about the recent volatility in EU sovereign debt markets, particularly in the wake of France's turbulent elections. They explore how political instability and fiscal challenges have driven up French bond spreads, sparking renewed concerns about eurozone fragmentat

What Mario Draghi’s report means for Europe

Sep 18 2024 29 mins  
In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen is joined by Sander Tordoir and Raymond Torres to discuss the key findings and implications of Mario Draghi’s recent report on Europe's competitiveness. We recommend reading Draghi´s plan to rescue the European economy: will EU leaders do whatever it takes?