In the Press - Europe's gamble: Can it save Iran deal by threatening to kill it?
16 January 2020
The New York Times
It is hard to see those around Mr. Trump, who have opposed the nuclear deal and supported his maximum pressure campaign, granting Iran any concession to get talks started, said Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform.
In the Press - Tit for tat - Trade secrets
13 January 2019
Financial Times
Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, joins us for three blunt questions.
In the Press - Demography could be yet another force for divergence within the EU
11 January 2020
The Economist
Research by the Centre for European Reform suggests that less successful places tend to be older and less productive. The EU has a pot of money to ensure “cohesion”, but it is small and less equipped than national budgets to redistribute from winners to losers.
In the Press - Meanwhile in US talks
10 January 2020
Politico London Playbook
Sam Lowe, Twitter trade expert and Centre for European Reform senior research fellow, says such a stance makes the chances of concluding a comprehensive free-trade agreement with the US in the near future very low. He suggests the UK government should launch a review and turn the whole thing into a process. Sounds very Yes Minister.
In the Press - Brexit is nearly done, but don't expect an easy ride on trade. The EU is terrified of regulatory divergence
07 January 2020
The Telegraph
But equally, says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, the EU is terrified of granting favoured access to its markets without any kind of commitment to stay true to European standards and regulations.
In the Press - Boris Johnson faces his own Iranian nightmare
07 January 2020
Bloomberg
“The problem for the UK now is that it doesn’t want to be isolated,” says Ian Bond, a former British diplomat who’s director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform. “In economic terms, Boris Johnson is looking for a quick something that he can announce on trade with Trump, even if it would be meaningless and there will be a lot of problematic areas. If he offends Trump he’s less likely to get it.”
In the Press - Decisive UK election result cheers companies: PMIs
06 January 2020
Reuters
“I would be surprised if optimism is sustained, unless Boris Johnson extends (the) transition (or) finds ways to deepen the trade agreement,” John Springford, deputy director at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said of the PMI.
In the Press - ‘A more dangerous world’: US killing of Iran's Soleimani stokes fears of regional conflict
03 January 2020
France 24
As Ian Bond, the director of foreign policy at the London-based Centre for European Reform, argued in a Twitter post, targeting non-state terrorists such as al Qaeda’s Osama bin Laden or the Islamic State (IS) group’s Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is “very different from killing a senior official of an internationally-recognised state”. The brazen strike marked a “big escalation by Trump, & a lawless step that increases risk to US & allies,” Bond added.
In the Press - UK braced for fall out as Iranians vow 'severe revenge' for drone killing
03 January 2020
The Scotsman
Middle East experts also warned of retaliations following the US strike. Ian Bond, foreign policy director at the Centre for European Reform, called the air strike a “big escalation” by Mr Trump and a “a lawless step that increases risk to US and allies”.
In the Press - UK at risk after Iran General Qasem Soleimani is killed by US airstrike, experts warn
03 January 2020
The Evening Standard
Ian Bond, foreign policy director at the Centre for European Reform, said on Twitter the airstrike was a "big escalation" by Mr Trump. He added: "No doubt #Soleimani was very bad actor, with much blood on his hands. "But killing non-state terrorists eg [al-Qaida founder Osama] bin Laden or [so-called Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-] Baghdadi very different from killing senior official of internationally-recognised state.
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Future events
CER/DGAP webtalk on 'Brexit: What next in the relations between the EU and the UK?'
23 January 2020
With Charles Grant, Director, Centre for European Reform
Conference on 'Europe and the rest of the world'
04 February 2020
Brussels
With a keynote speech by Phil Hogan, European Commissioner for Trade