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
Can Europe achieve the unity it needs in a fragmenting world?
In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Arancha González Laya, former Spanish Foreign Minister and Dean of the Paris School of International Affairs at Sciences Po, following a Funcas event in Madrid. They explore how broader reform packages could help governments reach agreement, why pooling sovereignty can strengthen countries’ ability to protect their interests, and how “talking micro”—explaining the benefits of European integration in everyday terms—could help win citizens’ support. González Laya also explains why she sees the world as fragmenting rather than deglobalising, and makes the case for combining stronger trade partnerships with a deeper European Single Market.
15 Sept 2026
Europe has diagnosed its competitiveness problem. Why is reform still so difficult?
In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero speaks with economist Luis Garicano, Executive Director of the newly launched Rhine Group, and Raymond Torres, Director of Funcas Europe, about why Europe is struggling to turn a widely shared diagnosis of its competitiveness problems into meaningful reform. They discuss the political and institutional barriers to action, whether smaller groups of countries may need to move ahead when agreement among all 27 is impossible, and why completing the Single Market remains critical for investment and for helping European companies scale. The conversation also explores how Europe can mobilise more of its abundant private savings, the need for visible “quick wins”, and the growing urgency of closing the gap in artificial intelligence. At the end of the episode, Garicano also highlights his new book, Messy Jobs: The Work That AI Cannot Reach, co-authored with Jin Li and Yanhui Wu, which examines how AI is reshaping jobs, organisations and the labour market.
1 Sept 2026
Europe’s economic outlook: What to watch this autumn
Europe enters the autumn with an economy that has proved more resilient than expected, but still struggles with weak productivity, investment and technological dynamism. In this episode of Future is Blue, Carlos Carnicero Urabayen speaks with Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director, about what is supporting growth, why labour markets remain strong despite a sluggish economy, whether Europe’s competitiveness problem is now more about execution than diagnosis, why Spain continues to outperform many of its peers, and the key risks to watch in the months ahead — from energy prices and inflation to financial-market uncertainty.
Who has been a guest on Future is Blue
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Lionel Fontagné
Miguel Ángel González Simón
Konstantin A Kholodilin
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Spotify
5.0 / 5
4 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 30 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
33
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
68
Contact Future is Blue
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Questions about Future is Blue
Who hosts Future is Blue?
Carlos Carnicero Urabayen host the show. Published by Funcas Europe - Agenda Pública.
How often do new episodes come out?
The show publishes monthly, based on its RSS feed.
Does Future is Blue take guests?
Yes. Guests have been identified in episode analyses.
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