Figures on violence against women are shocking. Every day, two women are killed at the hands of a partner or family member in the EU, and sexual harassment affects one in two women.

In this episode of our "A Europe that Protects You" series, we delve deeper into the decisive steps the EU is taking to combat this pervasive issue.

We believe that criminalising gender-based violence everywhere in Europe, and to the same standards, is the first step towards this goal.

Hear from MEPs Frances Fitzgerald, Arba Kokalari, Elissavet Vozemberg, and Javier Zarzalejos, who spearheaded the EPP Group's efforts on this front, as they share valuable insights.

Additionally, activist Iliana Balabanova, President of the European Women's Lobby, sheds light on the current landscape across the EU. She also discusses the significance of recent milestones, including the EU's accession to the Istanbul Convention and the Directive on Combating Violence Against Women.

Tune in to learn more about our mission to build a safer European Union for everyone.

With the EU accounting for 14% of global trade in goods and around 38 million jobs in Europe depending on European exports, the importance of international trade cannot be overstated.

In this episode of the EPP Group podcast series ‘A Europe that Protects You,’ we look at global trade's impact on the EU regarding innovation, competitiveness and job opportunities. In this episode, however, we not only examine the effects of international trade on the EU, but also examine the EU's impact on international trade.

This is done through its smart trading agreements, which continue to set global benchmarks for environmental, social and health standards.

Over 70% of businesses in the EU lack staff with adequate digital skills, which hinders investment.

How can we fix the imbalance between unemployment, job vacancies and the skills needed to fill them? The first step towards bridging this gap is to offer further training programs for our workforce. Upskilling and lifelong learning are key parts of this transformation.

In this episode of the EPP Group podcast series “A Europe that Protects its People”, we discuss our vision of a Europe that works for everyone while ensuring EU competitiveness.

Hear more from our MEPs Axel Voss, Andreas Schwab, Dennis Radtke, Maria Walsh and Žiga Turk, Professor at the University of Ljubljana.