Episode 25: Herman Van Rompuy & Theresa May's Manic Monday

Former European Council President Herman Van Rompuy talks to host Ryan Heath about the future of the EU in this week's episode.

EU reform and Brexit haiku: Since leaving office, Van Rompuy has been shepherding a major report on the future of the EU, the New Pact for Europe, in the name of several leading foundations and think tanks.

In a challenge almost as daunting, he has composed a haiku about Brexit especially for EU Confidential listeners. Hear the haiku — in English and in Dutch — in this week's podcast.

A hopeful multi-speed Europe: Van Rompuy's political goal with the report is to create the practical steps that can "turn fear into hope" across Europe. It's a modest, Belgian approach to healing some serious wounds in the EU body politic. He says multi-speed Europe can work in certain circumstances and that “the countries who want to make progress on some issues have all the instruments they need” already.

We also talk to the lead author of the report, Janis A. Emmanouilidis.

EU WTF moment of the week — Manic Monday: Theresa May came to Brussels expecting a Brexit deal but left empty-handed: scuppered by her own governing majority at home. Hear our take on the deal that wasn't.

EU Thumbs Up: The panel looks at the efforts to map accessibility in Europe on the occasion of European Day of Persons with Disabilities.

Dear POLITICO: The panel advises a man of South Asian descent who complains that an MEP is constantly confusing him with another man from the region. Though they look quite different, they have the same skin color, our correspondent says.

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