Research
Judy Asks: Is European support for Ukraine dependent on the United States?
28 October 2022
Carnegie Europe
There are three ways to look at US aid to Ukraine in comparison with aid from Europe. The first is in terms of military support.
The new US National Security Strategy: Battling China for technological leadership
24 October 2022
Despite the gravity of the war in Ukraine, the focus of the new US National Security Strategy is China.
What Giorgia Meloni’s government means for Europe
24 October 2022
Encompass
Giorgia Meloni, the right-wing firebrand leader of Brothers of Italy is now Italy’s Prime Minster – notably the first woman to hold the role.
The EU should abandon chip nationalism
20 October 2022
With the US aggressively throttling China’s chip capabilities, the EU wants to protect itself by subsidising its own domestic chip manufacturing industry. But Europe has better and more realistic alternatives.
In defence of borrowing for climate action
13 October 2022
Even though interest rates are rising globally, European governments should still borrow large sums to finance green projects. In some cases, the EU should help.
Bulletin issue 146 - October/November 2022
29 September 2022
- Can Truss reset relations with the EU?, Charles Grant
- Trussonomics has failed at the first hurdle, John Springford
- A world of troubles for Liz Truss, Ian Bond
State of the Union: Seven months into Putin's war
28 September 2022
Ursula von der Leyen has managed to keep the EU together so far. The coming months will test this unity.
What Meloni's victory means for Europe
27 September 2022
UK in a changing Europe
Luigi Scazzieri examines the result of the Italian general election and sets out what the victory of Giorgia Meloni and the right-wing Brothers of Italy party means for Italy and for Europe.
El plan de energía de la UE para un invierno difícil: ¿qué opciones hay?
23 September 2022
ES Global
El nuevo plan de la Comisión Europea aspira a reducir el uso de la electricidad para disminuir los precios y los posibles apagones, extraer parte de los beneficios extraordinarios de las empresas energéticas y recortar los ingresos de Rusia por el gas.
Europe should not forget the challenges to its south
22 September 2022
Europeans are rightly focusing on the war in Ukraine, but they should not think they can insulate themselves from what happens to their south.
What Giorgia Meloni would mean for Europe
16 September 2022
A government led by Giorgia Meloni would lead to some turbulence between Rome and Brussels – particularly on migration and economic policy. But Italy’s EU and foreign policies – including towards Russia – are unlikely to change much.
The EU's energy plan for a difficult winter: What are the options?
09 September 2022
The European Commission’s new plan aims to cut electricity use to reduce prices and possible blackouts; to extract some of the windfall profits of energy companies; and to curb Russia’s gas revenues.
How to fix the Northern Ireland Protocol
08 September 2022
Hilary Benn MP considers the stalemate between London and Brussels over the Northern Ireland Protocol and highlights key areas where both sides can achieve a compromise.
The EU needs a bigger playing field – not a level playing field
01 September 2022
Despite appearing to be legalistic and bureaucratic, the EU’s level playing field instruments are more flexible – and can be used more strategically – than they first appear.
Press
The Westminster sitcom has a new male lead. Pass the popcorn
30 October 2022
The Sydney Morning Herald
Divorce from Brussels has made GDP more than 5 per cent smaller than it would have been otherwise and investment 13 per cent lower, according to the Centre for European Reform. Last year alone, UK exports to the EU fell by 13 per cent.
FMQs: Nicola Sturgeon destroys claim that Scotland must join the euro to get into EU
27 October 2022
The National
Just yesterday, here is the deputy director at the Centre for European Reform. ‘I'm not a Scottish nationalist, but euro membership doesn't get forced on member-states’.
Giorgia Meloni sworn in as PM but Berlusconi snipes from the shadows
23 October 2022
The Sunday Times
She [Giorgia Meloni] may be lukewarm, however, about any moves towards further European integration — seen by France, in particular, as a precondition for the further eastward expansion of the EU, said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. “This will be very bad for those who really care about enlargement, because the French and others are quite clear there will not be another country joining the EU until the treaties have been changed to have more majority voting,” he said.
Chips Act sceptics
21 October 2022
Financial Times
The Centre for European Reform argues that the EU’s Chips Act is unlikely to deliver the financial firepower to ensure Europe can compete globally or significantly increase Europe’s strategic autonomy.
Delusions of grandeur are root of Britain’s chaos
21 October 2022
Reuters
The folly of Brexit, which I campaigned against, has played a role in the subsequent madness. Its supporters maintained leaving the EU would put rocket boosters under the UK economy. It has done exactly the opposite, cutting the size of the economy by over 5%, according to the Centre for European Reform.
As another Tory PM teeters, the costs of Brexit keep mounting
20 October 2022
The New European
In June, the Centre for European Reform estimated the price-tag for Johnson’s oven-ready Brexit was already running into the billions with UK gross domestic product (GDP) 5.2% – or a whopping £31bn – lower than it would have been if the UK had not left the EU.
EU leaders debate gas price cap as north-south energy rifts deepen
20 October 2022
Energy Monitor
“After focusing on electricity market interventions in September, the European Commission has now turned to measures to tame gas prices,” says Elisabetta Cornago, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank. “Price limits for gas transactions on the TTF exchange may be difficult to implement and might risk muddling incentives to save energy. Joint procurement of gas instead is a smart approach to negotiate more convenient gas prices, which should ultimately benefit consumers.”
Don't blame Brexit
19 October 2022
The Atlantic
In figures provided to me by the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank, Britain’s average GDP growth rate (in real terms) from 1945 to 1973 - outside what was then called the European Common Market - was 2.8 percent.
Economy in crisis, Tories in meltdown: How I have told the sad, strange story of Britain
17 October 2022
The Guardian
Modelling by the Centre for European Reform found that solely because of Brexit, British trade in goods was down during the first half of last year, ranging between 11 and 16% month to month.
Europe’s united front has surprised Russia and there might be more surprises to come
15 October 2022
Arab News
Elisabetta Cornago from the Centre for European Reform think-tank, for example, has described the gas price-cap proposal as “kind of a cry for help. The bloc has run out of low-hanging fruit to address the energy crisis and is gradually moving away from orthodoxy, despite the potential perils the shift entails.”
Podcasts
Ask CER - Episode 7: Emergency EU energy measures, UK divergence from EU rules and power shifts in Europe
21 October 2022
You asked, we answered.
CER podcast: What might Macron's European Political Community look like?
03 October 2022
In this week's CER podcast Camino Mortera-Martinez spoke to Charles Grant about the European Political Community.
CER podcast: Finding a solution to the Northern Ireland Protocol
21 September 2022
Hilary Benn MP and Charles Grant discussed the standoff between the UK and the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Ask CER - Episode 6: The EU's China challenge, its plans for tax reform, and the unfinished banking union
24 August 2022
You asked, we answered: the sixth episode of our 'Ask CER' podcast series.
CER podcast: Draghi out - What next for Italy?
26 July 2022
In this week's CER podcast Rosie Giorgi spoke to Luigi Scazzieri about Mario Draghi’s resignation as Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni and a probable right-wing coalition government.
Events
CER/AIG Geopolitical Risk Series: Webinar on 'China's 20th Party Congress'
17 October 2022
Speakers: Jörn Beißert, Head of Division AP01 (China), Federal Foreign Office, BerlinStefan Gätzner, Chief Representative Greater China, Federation of German Industries (BDI)Chair: Ian Bond, Director of Foreign Policy, Centre for European Reform
CER/EDAM 18th Bodrum Roundtable
07 October 2022 to 09 October 2022
Bodrum
Speakers included: Carl Bildt, Volkan Bozkır, Baiba Braže, Ünal Çeviköz, Angelina Eichhorst, Ahmet Kamil Erozan, Jeffry L Flake, Alexander Gabuev, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff, Gideon Rachman, Odile Renaud-Basso and Nathalie Tocci
Conservative party conference fringe event on 'Britain and the EU: what kind of relationship do they need?’
04 October 2022
Birmingham
With Thomas Erndl, Greg Hands, Juliet Samuel and Theresa Villiers
Labour Party Conference fringe event on 'The future of the EU-UK relationship'
26 September 2022
Liverpool
With Stella Creasy, David Lammy and João Vale de Almeida
CER/Clifford Chance hybrid lunch on 'How to achieve energy security in Europe'
21 September 2022
Hybrid Brussels/Zoom
With Maria Rita Galli, András Hujber and Øyvind Vessia. Watch the opening remarks here.