Research
Trump stops short of blaming Russia over former spy poisoning
13 March 2018
Voice of America
Expectations are growing for a tough response from May, said Ian Bond, of the Centre for European Reform. "I think she'll be under a lot of pressure to show that the UK takes this very seriously. And that's partly because when she was home secretary, and indeed before that, the British reaction to the murder of [Russian defector] Alexander Litvinenko in London was seen as rather weak."
Could Jersey be the solution to Britain's Brexit trade deal with EU?
13 March 2018
The Express
The island could seal the deal according to trade expert Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform, who told EURACTIV.com that Jersey’s “strange relationship” with the EU could be a blueprint for Britain.Jersey is the largest of the Channel Islands, and is a Crown dependency of the UK with a special relationship with the EU.
Deutschland will klein sein, muss aber Großes wollen
13 March 2018
Der Standard
Nach monatelangem Hin und Her gibt es nun auch in Berlin eine neue Bundesregierung. Mit ihr muss sich Deutschland von alten, liebgewordenen Illusionen verabschieden – unter anderem von seiner Selbsteinschätzung, es sei ein höchstens mittelgroßes europäisches Land.
Deutschland hat sich lange den Luxus erlaubt vorzugeben, etwas zu sein, was es nicht...
Deutschland hat sich lange den Luxus erlaubt vorzugeben, etwas zu sein, was es nicht...
Foreign Office policy of Global Britain is 'superficial rebranding'
12 March 2018
The Guardian
A paper by the Centre for European Reform shows both the EU and UK have declined to be specific about the kind of future foreign policy relationship they have in mind. The CER paper suggested a treaty-based alliance similar to that between the EU and Canada to guarantee consultation on sanctions policy, secondment of British officials to the European foreign policy service and regular meetings with UK officials before meetings of the EU foreign affairs council.
After Brexit – the danger of a 'Boris Border'
10 March 2018
The Irish Times
As John Springford of the UK Centre for European Reform wrote recently: “Theresa May must choose two of the following three options: an exit from the single market and customs union, no hard border with Ireland, and an all-UK approach to Brexit.”
BBC Radio 5 live - Drive: Trump and steel tariffs
09 March 2018
Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform spoke to Radio 5 live on the new tariffs President Trump has imposed on steel and aluminium to the US (from 14:15 mins).
Trump is no ally on trade for post-Brexit Britain
09 March 2018
EurActiv
If there were any faint hopes that the deep cultural and commercial ties between the UK and the US would secure a sweetheart free trade deal for the smaller UK after it leaves the European Union, they are now surely dashed.
Exceptional women who inspire Polish community in Britain
09 March 2018
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in London
The CER's Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska is one of 18 women chosen by the Polish Embassy for a series of stories about modern Polish women, who through their work and commitment create a positive image of Poland on the British Isles.
Der ausgleichende Faktor wird fehlen
09 March 2018
BPB
Europa dürfte die Briten noch schmerzhaft vermissen, meint der Berliner Ökonom Christian Odendahl. Wichtige Errungenschaften der EU wie der Binnenmarkt und die Osterweiterung gingen direkt auf britische Bemühungen zurück.
Jersey holds the key to unlock Brexit dilemma
08 March 2018
EurActiv
Could the Channel Islands hold the key to unlock the Brexit puzzle? Trade expert Sam Lowe of the CER told EURACTIV that Jersey’s ‘strange relationship’ with the EU could be an acceptable ‘halfway house’.
May's trilemma
08 March 2018
Financial Times
John Springford, at the Centre for European Reform, helpfully sums up the PM’s headache in the following “trilemma”: the UK can have two of the following, but not all three at the same time:
Europe split on Nord Stream 2 pipeline as US warns against dependence on Russian gas
08 March 2018
Voice of America
Many Eastern European states also question whether the new pipeline will benefit them economically, says Noah Gordon, analyst at the Centre for European Reform, a London-based research group. “There could be bottlenecks through central Europe and Eastern Europe, and those places could see prices rise and they might be more exposed to a Russian political gas cutoff. Ukraine would lose about $2 billion a year in transit fees.”
IIEA: Thinking about the EU-27: Expert views from across Europe Q&A session
07 March 2018
Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre of European Reform took part in an IIEA debate on the European reforms that have been proposed by Presidents Juncker and Macron, and to present perspectives on the future of Europe from Poland, Spain and Austria.
Tusk says deal with UK will make trade harder
07 March 2018
Bloomberg
“It’s the standard offer in any EU trade agreement,” says Sam Lowe, a research fellow on trade issues at the Centre for European Reform. “They love zero tariffs in goods, because they sell a lot of cars.”
Brexit in an age of Trump and Putin
07 March 2018
Financial Times
Ian Bond of the Centre for European Reform thinks this is a powerful argument. He tells me: “The European Commission is very good at targeting its retaliation on trade and looking at ways it can exercise the maximum leverage. Britain doesn’t yet have any of the technical capability to draw up such a retaliatory list.”
Headmaster Donald Tusk schools Theresa May over single market access - and tells her to end 'cherry-picking' approach
07 March 2018
The Telegraph
In essence, said Sam Lowe, the trade expect at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, the EU is offering the UK a Canada-style free trade agreement (CETA), but with some additional add-ons: a so-called “CETA+++”.
Tusk talks tough on Brexit despite British pleas for good deal
07 March 2018
The National
Observers of the negotiations said the EU had maintained a unified position with some flexibility for London to build on in the talks. “European Council guidelines on FTA coherent and generally sensible, given UK red lines,” wrote Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform.
Germany should finally take the lead in Europe
06 March 2018
Handelsblatt
Now she has won a fourth term, Chancellor Merkel should put little-Germany thinking behind her and be the leader that Europe needs.
Why Germany must spend more on defence
06 March 2018
CNN
Now that Germany has a new government, investing in defense and the transatlantic relationship has to be a priority for Angela Merkel.
As one EU headache subsides in Germany, another starts in Italy
06 March 2018
The Guardian
Germany and France may choose to push ahead without Italy’s support, or they may decide the new environment makes that untenable. “An unstable, Eurosceptic Italy could well put the brakes on Franco-German plans,” said Charles Grant, co-founder of think-tank the Centre for European Reform.