Between the Lynes

Between the Lynes

Between the Lynes is the portfolio of British/Belgian editor, journalist, presenfer moderator and public affairs and communications expert Matt Lynes. Read more about Between the Lynes or find Matt’s latest pieces in the blog.

Interview: Keeping healthcare high on the EU agenda

In a post-pandemic world, competing priorities and new crises have weakened the EU’s focus on health. MEP Tilly Metz discusses how to have a positive impact with fewer resources. ovid-19 highlighted both the need for a unified EU approach to healthcare and Brussels’ ability to intervene meaningfully despite its lack of formal powers in this…
Q&A: Defence spending, migration on Denmark’s EU presidency agenda

As Denmark steps into the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, Ambassador Carsten Grønbech-Jensen outlines the country’s priorities.Geopolitical tensions are running high as Denmark takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Despite its small size, Denmark is a leading voice on various issues affecting Europe, and the presidency gives it…
Interview: Marie Bjerre on Denmark redefining its EU role

As Denmark takes over the Council of the EU’s rotating presidency, its European Affairs Minister Marie Bjerre explains why the EU matters more than ever and how a small country plans to lead in uncertain times.After being elected to the Danish parliament in 2019, Marie Bjerre’s local newspaper in Northern Jutland wrote that “Trump forced her to…
Skills agenda an afterthought in the EU’s competitiveness quest

As the European Commission doubles down on deregulation and investment to boost competitiveness, neglecting the workers meant to power the bloc’s future could derail the agenda. When European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced her Omnibus I competitiveness proposals in February, the audience was filled with senior European businesses figures. Notably absent were representatives of the…
Interview: Séjourné’s quest for competitiveness

As the EU seeks to boost its competitiveness amid mounting economic headwinds, the European Commission’s Stéphane Séjourné calls for deepening the single market and a ‘Buy European’ approach. Since being elected to the European Parliament in 2019 at the age of 34, Stephane Séjourné has risen rapidly through the ranks of EU institutions. By 2021, the…
Interview: Clean Industrial Deal puts EPP’s Ehler in the driving seat

As the CID aims to align climate goals with manufacturing growth, MEP Christian Ehler wants to make sure Europe’s industry has its voice heard in the legislative process. Since the turn of the millennium, Europe’s industry has been through turmoil. Recessions, pandemics and war have harmed businesses just as they were trying to reconfigure their…
EU’s Energy Union carries hopes of cutting Russian dependency

As the bloc pushes to cut its reliance on fossil fuels and eventually bolster its clean energy networks, a decade-old idea is coming back to the fore. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the subsequent EU sanctions against the country, shed a merciless light on Europe’s reliance on foreign powers for energy. Three…
Interview: Europe’s automotive transition with Apostolos Tzitzikostas

Following the European Commission’s Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector, Commissioner for Sustainable Apostolos Tzitzikostas speaks about the future of Europe’s automotive industry. The European automotive industry entered 2025 on the hunt for a lifeline. Impending fines for failing to meet emission targets threatened to disrupt businesses, while competition from afar put pressure…