Research

A mere spectator? Europe and the imploding Middle East

A mere spectator? Europe and the imploding Middle East

09 October 2024
The conflict in the Middle East is expanding. Thus far, Europeans have played a minor role, but they might be able to help prevent the situation getting worse.
The EU and the rule of law: Much movement, little change

The EU and the rule of law: Much movement, little change

07 October 2024
The EU has strengthened its tools to defend the rule of law, but it needs to start applying them more forcefully. 
Surviving Trump 2.0: What does the US election mean for Europe's economy?

Surviving Trump 2.0: What does the US election mean for Europe's economy?

03 October 2024
While EU leaders fret about a second Trump presidency, they should not be complacent about Kamala Harris’s prospects. Neither president would fundamentally change the economic dilemmas facing Europe.
What a Harris presidency would mean for Europe

What a Harris presidency would mean for Europe

30 September 2024
A Harris presidency would signal continuity for transatlantic relations. But Europeans should not think they can turn back the clock to the pre-Trump era.
All at sea? UK-German co-operation in the Nordic-Baltic region

All at sea? UK-German co-operation in the Nordic-Baltic region

26 September 2024
Whatever happens in Ukraine, Russia will remain a threat to EU and NATO interests in the Nordic-Baltic region. The UK and Germany should try to co-operate more closely there.
Draghi's plan to rescue the European economy: Will EU leaders do whatever it takes?

Draghi's plan to rescue the European economy: Will EU leaders do whatever it takes?

17 September 2024
Mario Draghi offers EU leaders a convincing roadmap out of economic stagnation. But the road to implementation is going to be politically difficult.
Reducing or removing CO2 emissions: Can offsets make the difference?

Reducing or removing CO2 emissions: Can offsets make the difference?

05 September 2024
The EU must insist on more rigorous carbon offsets for these to become a credible tool to achieve net zero emissions.
Amidst complex threats, how can the EU fight terrorism more effectively?

Amidst complex threats, how can the EU fight terrorism more effectively?

Nigel Howard
30 August 2024
The EU’s counter-terrorism policy remains under-developed and in need of reform.
Towards a UK-EU Security Pact

Towards a UK-EU Security Pact

06 August 2024
The UK wants to forge a ‘security pact’ with the EU. But too much ambition now risks failure. A gradual approach will be more successful.  
In the UK's plans for AI, Brussels still looms large

In the UK's plans for AI, Brussels still looms large

25 July 2024
The new British government plans to regulate powerful AI models. But it should also influence how European authorities implement their law on AI and help shape global norms on AI regulation.

Articles

Taking the pulse: Is China becoming Germany's new dependency?

10 October 2024
Carnegie Europe
Berlin’s “nein” in the vote on introducing EU tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles came despite the fact that the European Commission was following World Trade Organisation’s rules to offset China’s automotive subsidies.

Navigating data sovereignty: Lessons for Taiwan

07 October 2024
Taiwan Insight
Governments are paying growing attention to the concept of data sovereignty. This poses challenges for countries like Taiwan, whose economies have been built around open digital trade. 
Want a ‘reset’ with the EU, PM? Here’s how you could pull it off…

Want a ‘reset’ with the EU, PM? Here’s how you could pull it off…

02 October 2024
The Independent
With Keir Starmer in Brussels to restore post-Brexit relationships with European leaders, Ian Bond suggests ‘low-key’ is the name of the game when it comes to influencing foreign policy.
Warum der Draghi- Bericht eine Riesenchance für Deutschland ist

Warum der Draghi- Bericht eine Riesenchance für Deutschland ist

Sander Tordoir, Lucas Guttenberg, Nils Redeker
17 September 2024
Handelsblatt
Die Bundesrepublik steht im Zentrum der Krise. Draghis Analyse ist vor allem für uns ein Angebot, die Probleme im EU-Konzert zu lösen. Von Lucas Guttenberg, Nils Redeker und Sander Tordoir.
3 questions on the Draghi report on European competitiveness to Sander Tordoir

3 questions on the Draghi report on European competitiveness to Sander Tordoir

12 September 2024
Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
We asked Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, for his first reactions to the Draghi report.

How to get to an EU-UK security pact

12 August 2024
EU Observer
The UK’s EU reset is fully underway. The European Political Community summit in Blenheim was the perfect platform for Keir Starmer to present the UK as a key ally to its EU neighbours, and Britain’s leaders have been touring European capitals to grease the wheels of diplomacy.

Press

For Europe's economy, US election risks outweigh upside

14 October 2024
Reuters
"Whoever the winner of the US election is, it is unclear whether Europe can continue to benefit from US growth without reducing trade with China itself," said Zach Meyers of the Centre for European Reform (CER) think-tank."Both US candidates have the same direction of travel - Trump less predictable and perhaps willing to be more confrontational with the European Union."

The UK and the EU are entering a situationship

10 October 2024
The Irish Times
“My guess is in the long run we will end up with something that actually is more ambitious than you would think at the moment,” says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a British think-tank.

Ein in seinen Grundfesten erschüttertes Land

10 October 2024
Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
Aslak Berg und Zach Meyers vom Center for European Reform in London sehen in einer überparteilich gestützten Hinwendung der USA zu Protektionismus. 

Europe braces for Chinese retaliation over EV import tariffs

07 October 2024
Voice of America
Beijing’s intentions aren’t yet clear, according to Sander Tordoir, a senior economist at the Centre for European Reform.“The European Commission followed the World Trade Organization’s rules in designing the countervailing duties on Chinese electric vehicles,” Tordoir wrote in an email to VOA.

EU backing for China EV tariffs shows Berlin's waning influence

07 October 2024
Reuters
Zach Meyers, assistant director of the Centre for European Reform, said the tariff dispute illustrated Germany no longer led EU trade policy and that the influence of France too was more limited after Commission President Ursula von der Leyen removed French commissioner Thierry Breton and gave a less influential role to his successor.

Analysts: Germany’s ‘selfish’ EV vote aims to channel Chinese retaliation onto France or Spain

07 October 2024
EurActiv
Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, told Euractiv that Germany could potentially enjoy “the best of both worlds” by enjoying the protective benefits of tariffs while avoiding the negative effects of any Chinese retaliation.However, he also warned that, regardless of whether China retaliates against German combustion engine vehicles, German automakers are experiencing profound structural problems.

Win in China EV tariffs vote leaves EU relieved yet wary over Beijing's likely retaliation

05 October 2024
South China Morning Post
“The stakes are hard to overstate. If Scholz had succeeded in overturning the tariffs at the eleventh hour, it would have vindicated China’s efforts to lean on individual member-states and been the final nail in the coffin of EU efforts to have a foreign economic policy,” said Sander Tordoir of the Centre for European Reform.

EU member states set to confirm EV tariffs, resisting German, Chinese lobbying

04 October 2024
EurActiv
Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, said it would be “profoundly damaging” to the EU’s global credibility if Beijing had succeeded in “peeling off” enough member states to block the tariffs.He also noted that, although the vote will almost certainly not trigger a complete cessation in EU-China trade links, it could represent a significant “milestone” in the history of Brussels and Beijing’s political relationship.

Europe's industrial nightmares are coming true

01 October 2024
Bloomberg
The scale of the problems facing Europe, though, with Germany giving up hope of achieving any growth this year, mean a lot has to go right. If energy costs are a competitive disadvantage for industry, that’s a separate challenge to needing more R&D spending. Trade policy will also have to play a part in leveling the playing field for domestic industries, with an imminent decision due on China EV tariffs. All these will have to work alongside foreign policy in the race to secure raw materials, as the Centre for European Reform notes. 

Duitse autosector ‘verkeert in slaaptoestand’, verdeeldheid over staatssteun

23 September 2024
BNR Nieuwsradio
Hulp bieden aan consumenten om de auto-industrie te helpen kan een oplossing zijn, denkt Sander Tordoir, senior econoom van het Centre for European Reform. 'Mijns inziens zijn maatregelen die de consument versterken wel nodig. Dit jaar zijn ongeveer 2,5 miljoen auto's in Duitsland. Dat is bijna een miljoen minder dan de piek voor de pandemie. Er is een zwakke vraag in Duitsland zelf, daar kan je natuurlijk iets aan doen.'

Podcasts

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Europe and the Middle East – just a bystander?

14 October 2024
Anunita Chandrasekar and Luigi Scazzieri discuss Europe's role in the Middle East conflict.

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: What does the US presidential election mean for Europe’s economy?

Aslak Berg, Zach Meyers, Alan Beattie
03 October 2024
Alan Beattie, Aslak Berg and Zach Meyers discuss the transatlantic economic relationship.

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Evaluating Mario Draghi's report on competitiveness

13 September 2024
Elisabetta Cornago, Luigi Scazzieri, Sander Tordoir and Zach Meyers discuss Mario Draghi's report.

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: NATO at 75

Luigi Scazzieri, Sophia Besch
02 August 2024
Luigi Scazzieri and Sophia Besch discuss NATO and European security.

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: What's happening in France and what it means for Europe

Charles Grant, Sophie Pedder
12 July 2024
Charles Grant and Sophie Pedder discuss the French elections.

Events

Discussion on 'Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and long-term prospects for European security'

08 October 2024
London
With Daniel Fried, Weiser Family Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council

CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK Conservative party conference fringe event on 'Working together to support Ukraine'

01 October 2024
Hall 8a, The ICC, Birmingham
With George Freeman, Bernard Jenkin, Alicia Kearns, Isabell Poppelbaum and Valerii Zaluzhnyi

CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK discussion on 'The soft power of languages'

26 September 2024
London
With Alison Graves, Bernardette Holmes and Dominic Schroeder. Listen to the opening remarks here.

CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK Labour party conference fringe event on 'Working together for European security'

23 September 2024
Auditorium 1C, ACC, Liverpool
With Stella Creasy, Kitty Donaldson, Stephen Doughty and Pedro Serrano

CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK Liberal Democrat party conference fringe event on 'Working together towards an inclusive world order'

16 September 2024
Empress Room, The Grand, Brighton
With Yevheniia Kravchuk, Layla Moran, Pedro Serrano and Julie Smith