Research
How the UK and the EU can deepen defence co-operation
07 March 2025
The UK and the EU face daunting common security challenges. Linking Britain more closely to EU defence tools would strengthen Europe's security.
Freezing EU funds: An effective tool to enforce the rule of law?
27 February 2025
The EU cannot operate unless member-states respect the rule of law. Withholding EU funds is a powerful tool to enforce compliance, but it has yet to show its teeth.
Trump's tariffs – how should the EU react?
26 February 2025
The ‘Fair and Reciprocal Tariff Plan’ proposed by Donald Trump sounds innocuous but is a roadmap towards an all-out global trade war. To avert one, Europe must act firmly and speedily.
How to build and fund a better EU green industrial policy
19 February 2025
The EU should revamp its industrial policy for clean technologies not to cede leadership in clean tech manufacturing to China as Trump's America backtracks from decarbonisation goals.
Can Keir Starmer reset relations with the EU?: Annual report 2024
17 February 2025
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on whether Keir Starmer can reset relations with the EU.
Trump is back, worse than last time. Is Europe ready?
11 February 2025
Donald Trump’s America is an unreliable ally. Individual European states will be tempted to hope Trump attacks someone else. They must work together instead, to reduce their dependency on America.
It's time to upgrade the EU-India relationship
07 February 2025
The EU’s new leadership team all agree that relations with India should be a priority, and both sides stand to gain by deepening co-operation.
Towards an EU 'defence union'?
30 January 2025
The EU can play a substantial role in strengthening Europe's defences, in synergy with NATO and national efforts, if it adopts a pragmatic approach, sharply focused on military needs.
Why tech firms should not stoke transatlantic tensions
24 January 2025
Some large US tech firms want to enlist President Trump in their attempts to water down EU tech laws. Such a strategy will only make life harder for US firms in Europe – and globally.
Europe and the global economic order
22 January 2025
Geopolitical rivalries threaten the legal order on which European trade depends. To maintain its influence and secure its trade relations, the EU must maintain its openness and build alliances.
Articles
Een Duitse begrotingsimpuls biedt de EU hoop
12 March 2025
NRC Handelsblad
Duitsland kan door het loslaten van de rem op staatsschulden investeren in defensie. De EU versterkt zo zijn strategische positie, stelt Sander Tordoir.
Filling the USAID gap: How Europe can step up to support democracy
11 March 2025
European Democracy Hub
The suspension and slashing of US democracy grants have left a yawning shortfall of approximately $2 billion per year, impacting thousands of civil society organisations and independent media outlets and placing many at risk of closure.
Heavy industry is Europe’s Trump card
07 March 2025
Foreign Policy
Whether or not the United States now qualifies as Europe’s adversary, it’s clear that its postwar role as guarantor of Europe’s security is over.
What is the perception of defence industrial partnerships with the EDTIB by non-EU countries? The case of the United Kingdom
25 February 2025
ARES Group
The UK’s approach to defence capability development emphasises international partnerships. Britain has close relationships with many EU countries.
Taking the Pulse: Is the transatlantic relationship at a breaking point?
20 February 2025
Carnegie Endowment
The transatlantic relationship is fracturing, but not so much between Europe and America as between competing visions of world order.
How European Defense Bonds could work
13 February 2025
Internationale Politik Quarterly
Common EU debt issuance does not create an off-the-shelf bazooka. Making bonds work implies inevitable trade-offs and requires real tax revenues.
Press
Volkswagen pode voltar a produzir veículos militares
14 March 2025
Diário Causa Operária
Segundo Sander Tordoir, economista chefe do Centre for European Reform, a ociosidade nas fábricas pode ser aproveitada tanto para aumentar a fabricação de veículos elétricos quanto para a produção militar.
Pourquoi les Gafam sont au cœur du bras de fer commercial entre Donald Trump et l’UE
12 March 2025
Liberation
«Il est possible que l’UE ait recours à un outil qu’elle n’a encore jamais utilisé : l’instrument anti-coercition (IAC)», analyse Aslak Berg, chercheur spécialisé en économie internationale pour le think-tank Centre for European Reform. Un outil qui, jusqu’ici, faisait plutôt office de «bouton nucléaire», ajoute l’expert.
Een duurzaam, zelfstandig en krachtig Europa lonkt, ondanks de beschamende Nederlandse obstructie
12 March 2025
de Volkskrant
De communis opinio is dat onze zware industrie stervende is. Maar de eigenzinnige econoom Sander Tordoir, van het Berlijnse Centre of European Reform, wijst ons er fijntjes op dat het juist die basisindustrie is waarmee Europa de Verenigde Staten dik verslaat.
Volkswagen open to building military equipment for German army
11 March 2025
The Telegraph
Sander Tordoir, the chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, said building military equipment could provide “a new line of business” for struggling carmakers.Pledges to stoke German consumer demand by easing “debt brake” budget rules and unleashing government stimulus were unlikely to push factories back up to full capacity, he added.
« L’Europe conserve de vrais atouts en cas de guerre commerciale avec les Etats-Unis »
11 March 2025
Le Monde
« Elon Musk et ses entreprises pourraient en faire partie », estime Aslak Berg, du cercle de réflexion Centre for European Reform. Il suggère par exemple que les publicités sur le réseau social X – qui appartient au milliardaire – pourraient être interdites dans l’UE.
The dawn of euro defence bonds?
11 March 2025
Reuters
The Centre for European Reform said last month that bond issuance for defence was feasible and had many upsides. In particular, they noted that a 500 billion euro fund at current yields would generate an annual interest bill of less than 20 billion euros."Since everyone would be on the hook to repay the debt, it could also reduce countries free-riding on the defense capabilities of rapidly ramping-up peers like Poland," it said.
Britain is dependent on US weapons. We now face a terrible choice
10 March 2025
The Telegraph
Sander Tordoir, at the Centre for European Reform, says Britain should now look to co-operate with key allies such as Germany, France and Italy who are in the same boat. Along with the EU they have pledged to unlock hundreds of billions of euros for domestic defence spending.
No European defence without Germany
08 March 2025
Financial Times
Now the EU has a panoply of measures to promote joint procurement and innovation in defence technology. Luigi Scazzieri of the Centre for European Reform provides an excellent overview of the EU’s ambitions in this field
EU must brace for impact of Trump wrecking ball on global trading system
09 March 2025
The Guardian
Recent analysis by Aslak Berg at the Centre for European Reform, suggested a 20% tariff on all EU exports would lead to a decline in exports to the US of $200bn a year. “Given the weakness of the European economy, this would certainly cause a recession,” he said.
The Ukraine crisis has accelerated a reset of UK-EU relations – but will it last?
07 March 2025
The Guardian
“The defence and foreign policy wonks were already comfortable with a closer relationship with the UK,” said Ian Bond, another former UK diplomat, who is deputy director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank. “The problem is what happens in other parts.”He added: “The thing will be to keep as much as possible of the new relationship at the level of leaders. Macron gets it, I think that when Friedrich Merz becomes German chancellor he will get it.
Podcasts
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Can Europe still rely on the United States?
11 March 2025
Charles Grant and Kori Schake discuss what America’s hostility to the rules-based international order means for transatlantic relations.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: A snapshot of the war in Ukraine
21 February 2025
Ian Bond and Iuliia Osmolovska discuss the war in Ukraine.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: How can Europe survive Trump's tariffs and a second China shock?
05 February 2025
Sander Tordoir and Zselyke Csaky discuss Trump's tariffs and the second China shock.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Trump's inauguration: What's next?
24 January 2025
Luigi Scazzieri, Ian Bond and Constanze Stelzenmueller discuss Donald Trump's inauguration.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: The EU in 2024
18 December 2024
Six of our researchers reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2025.
Events
CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK discussion on 'Can Europe become a tech power house?' with Priit Alamäe, Katherine Bennett, Gaelle Drory-Liaudet and Roberto Viola
17 March 2025
London
Email [email protected] for further information, including how to register.
27th birthday party, London
26 February 2025
London
With a keynote speech by the Rt Hon David Lidington CBE, former Minister for the Cabinet Office & Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster & Chair, RUSI. Listen to the audio of the speeches here.
Hosted by Inigo Lambertini, Ambassador of Italy to the United Kingdom.
Hosted by Inigo Lambertini, Ambassador of Italy to the United Kingdom.
CER/HSF hybrid discussion on 'Implications of the German election for the UK'
24 February 2025
Hybrid London/Zoom
With Markus Ferber, Christine Heuer, Marion Messmer and Christoph Meyer. Watch the video of the event here.
Hybrid discussion on 'What future for Ukraine?'
19 February 2025
London
With Iuliia Osmolovska and Richard Shirreff. Watch the video of the event here.
Dinner on 'Preserving competition at the digital frontier'
05 February 2025
Brussels
With Benoît Cœuré, President, Autorité de la Concurrence