In the Press - Europe pieces together €750bn plan as Berlin ditches the frugal four
30 May 2020
The Telegraph
“The proposal is for the first time a European fiscal response to a severe shock and I think that is significant,” says Christian Odendahl, chief economist of the Centre for European Reform. “This will be temporary and those who are sceptical about fiscal integration will make sure it is temporary.”
In the Press - Milliarden als Medizin (und ihre Nebenwirkungen)
30 May 2020
Der Spiegel
Eine "hohe Konsumneigung" nennt das Christian Odendahl, Chefökonom des Centre for European Reform. Heißt: Eltern konsumieren meistens schneller als andere, auch eine Einmalzahlung würden sie also eher nicht aufs Sparbuch legen. Aus diesem Grund hält Odendahl auch eine Verdoppelung des Kindergeldes für einen Ansatz, "bis die Krise vorbei ist".
In the Press - Stilton, whisky and pork pies become the next Brexit battleground
29 May 2020
The Telegraph
“I’m slightly at a loss as to why the UK thinks it can reopen the discussion on GIs, having already conceded to the EU’s demands as part of the Withdrawal Agreement,” said Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
In the Press - Game-changing EU recovery fund must deliver cash fast to succeed
29 May 2020
Bloomberg Quint
“What is the immediate fiscal and macroeconomic boost, that we get from this? It may be more modest than many believe,” said Christian Odendahl, the Berlin-based chief economist at the Centre for European Reform. “It’s important that national governments complement this investment-led strategy with more down-to-earth, plain-vanilla demand spending of their own.”
In the Press - Deadlock looms at Brexit talks next week
28 May 2020
The Economist
Mujtaba Rahman of the Eurasia Group, a consultancy, says it is even possible that the June summit may decide to abandon the negotiations, though Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank, suggests the crunch is more likely to be in the autumn.
In the Press - Has the EU just crossed its Rubicon to unity?
28 May 2020
The New European
Christian Odendahl, the chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, confirms. However, German politicians are stressing that the half-a-trillion-euro plan is a one-off solution for a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, he says.“So, in a way you can say that Germany broke its own taboos – but only to a certain extent,” Odendahl told me. “This shows that Germany really is willing to put its money where its mouth is and provide solidarity for Europe in an crisis. Describing it as a 180-degree turnaround is not fair though. It does not change the basics.”
In the Press - 'Defining moment' as EU executive pushes for €500bn in grants
28 May 2020
The Guardian
“Member-states hate [EU taxes] because they basically lose power,” Philippe Lamberts, a Belgian Green MEP, told the Centre for European Reform think-tank on Wednesday. But he expressed hope EU finance ministers would change their attitudes. “I think that the pandemic and this recovery plan are gamechangers and if we agree to borrow together we will need to reimburse together … in a way the pandemic opened doors that many believed totally shut up until now.”
In the Press - Brexit fury: Boris and Varadkar set to clash over UK-Ireland customs infrastructure
21 May 2020
The Express
Centre for European Reform research fellow Sam Lowe added: “The British request to have British qualifications recognised by default, subject to terms and conditions, goes far beyond the EU-Japan deal, or the CETA deal with Canada.“This is not necessarily impossible but it is not the kind of things the EU hands readily in its free trade agreements.”
In the Press - UK: Brexit trade deal demands 'go beyond' other EU agreements
20 May 2020
City A.M
Centre for European Reform research fellow Sam Lowe added: “The British request to have British qualifications recognised by default, subject to terms and conditions, goes far beyond the EU-Japan deal, or the Ceta deal with Canada.
“This is not necessarily impossible but it is not the kind of things the EU hands readily in its free trade agreements.”
“This is not necessarily impossible but it is not the kind of things the EU hands readily in its free trade agreements.”
In the Press - To burn or not to burn? Waste and bridges
20 May 2020
Interfax
But interestingly, a few days ago, an article was released in London about how Covid-19 is transforming how the European Union works, by Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. Despite the fact that the UK has left the EU, Grant remains one of the most informed and acute experts and he highlights the following as what he sees as undesirable trends for Europe: