Energy & climate
Power losses: What's holding back European electricity trade?
29 April 2025
The EU is falling behind in its push to create a European power market. This analysis sets out a five-point plan for the EU and national governments to hasten integration.
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.
Learning from CBAM's transitional phase: Early impacts on trade and climate efforts
03 December 2024
The EU should use CBAM revenues to fund support for clean industrial investments in least developed and developing countries.
Can Europe navigate Trump 2?
08 November 2024
Donald Trump will be the next US president. Europe’s leaders need to accept this reality and protect European interests.
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.
Between competition and co-operation: How to engage with China on climate
27 June 2024
How should the EU engage with China on climate? European policy-makers need to use both competition and co-operation to advance on climate action.
How should Europe handle China?: Annual report 2023
09 February 2024
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how should Europe handle China. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2023.
European Electricity Market Reform – ambitions and realities
08 February 2024
The EU’s electricity market reforms do a good job of promoting more stable energy prices. But member-states must do more to deliver a fully integrated EU-wide energy market.
How to minimise the 'greenlash'
18 December 2023
A backlash over the EU’s green policies is not inevitable. Policy-makers should focus on designing green policies that make decarbonisation affordable, and highlight its social benefits.
EU climate and energy policy after the energy crunch
05 December 2023
After the energy crunch, EU member-states should roll back ‘unlimited’ energy subsidies, further co-ordinate their energy policy – for example, to expand power grids – and accelerate the implementation of climate policy.
State of the Union: From Putin's war to a trade war?
26 September 2023
If she wants the EU to be greener, fairer, and more resilient, Ursula von der Leyen, or whoever comes next, should stay away from trade spats and support a more ambitious industrial policy instead.
Reform of Europe's wholesale power markets: In need of a jolt?
13 June 2023
The European Commission’s proposal to reform the electricity wholesale market is modest, but pragmatic. But the EU must strengthen the grid to improve its energy security: infrastructure planning should be co-ordinated at European level.
Europe can withstand American and Chinese subsidies for green tech
12 June 2023
European policy-makers are fretting about subsidised green tech imports from the US and China. But shipping costs are increasingly discouraging imports of these goods from faraway countries.
Will the EU's reform of retail electricity markets help consumers?
19 April 2023
Retail energy markets in Europe have performed poorly during the recent crisis. The Commission’s proposed reforms are a step forward, but they should do more to empower consumers and protect the vulnerable.
Europe needs both fiscal and energy solidarity
14 March 2023
EU governments should curb energy subsidies and raise support for clean energy investment. The EU should expand common borrowing to fund green investment: this would accelerate the energy transition.
Ditchley conference report: Macroeconomics in a time of pandemic and war
24 February 2023
In November, the CER held its annual economics conference on the macroeconomic consequences of the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
A year of war in Europe: The balance sheet
22 February 2023
Since Russia attacked Ukraine, the CER has tracked the war’s effect on the protagonists, the EU, NATO and other powers. What conclusions can be drawn from the past year?
The impact of the war in Ukraine: Annual report 2022
10 February 2023
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how the war in Ukraine is changing Europe. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2022.
How to save energy in a smarter way
14 November 2022
Reducing energy demand can help Europe cope with high energy prices. Consumers need more than pleas to save energy: governments need to provide a mix of prompts, advice and rewards.