Future is Blue

Ten years after the Brexit referendum, the UK and the EU are cautiously rebuilding their relationship—but how far can this “reset” really go? In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero speaks with Anand Menon, Director of UK in a Changing Europe, about how the political and economic context around Brexit has evolved, what has actually been achieved so far in improving ties, and whether the fundamental trade-offs between sovereignty and market access can ever be resolved. The conversation explores the limits of the current approach, the EU’s strategic calculus in dealing with the UK, shifting public opinion, and the long-term scenarios for the relationship—from pragmatic cooperation to the possibility of rejoining.

Industrial policy is back at the centre of Europe’s economic debate. But can the EU turn subsidies, trade agreements and competitiveness strategies into real industrial strength? In this episode of Future is Blue, host Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Fernando Martín Espejo, head of analytics at Global Trade Alert, and Miguel Ángel González Simón, economist at Funcas, about Europe’s struggle to move from reaction to strategy. They discuss why money alone does not build capability, how market fragmentation weakens Europe’s investment case, why trade openness still matters in an age of economic security, and what Europe should look at by 2030 to know whether it has truly become more competitive.

In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen is joined by Eulalia Rubio (Jacques Delors Institute) and Miguel Ángel González (Funcas) to unpack the European Commission’s proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework. The conversation explores whether the EU budget is undergoing a structural shift—from a traditional redistribution tool to a more strategic instrument focused on competitiveness, flexibility and crisis response. Drawing on lessons from Next Generation EU and the Spanish experience, the discussion looks at the challenges of implementation, the tension between cohesion and competitiveness, and what success should look like for Europe’s next long-term budget in an increasingly uncertain world.

In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Erik F. Nielsen, Senior Adviser at Independent Economics and former Global Chief Economist at UniCredit, and Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, about the war in Iran and its implications for Europe. The discussion examines the likely impact on growth, inflation and energy prices, the policy choices facing European governments and the ECB, and the broader strategic challenge of responding to a world of more frequent geopolitical shocks and a less reliable US alliance.

Europe’s innovation strengths are clear, but so are its structural weaknesses. In this episode, Alessandra Colecchia from the OECD and Raymond Torres from Funcas discuss fragmentation, scale, security and what Europe must do to turn research excellence into economic impact.