Research

The story behind the UK's unpopular Brexit deal

30 December 2018
The Financial Times
Charles Grant, of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank, likens the process of negotiating an exit deal to an “accession in reverse” — a reference to the membership talks applicant countries have to go through, in which they mechanically apply the bloc’s rule book.
“It is called a negotiation but in fact it is an imposition,” Mr Grant said. “One side holds all the cards, but the politicians with fewer cards are loath to admit that to voters.”

Seitse valusat migratsiooniküsimust

Camino Mortera-Martinez
29 December 2018
Postimees [Estonia]
Kas migratsioonikriis on 2018. aasta lõpuks enam saabuvate masside või hoopis populistide kriis? Kas Angela Merkelil oli õigus 2015. aastal omaalgatuslikult piirid avatuks kuulutada? Kas ÜRO ränderaamistik päästab kõik või saadab hoopis hukatusse? Need seisid küsimuste seas, mille üle mõtisklesid kolme Brüsseli mõttekoja migratsiooniga tegelevad teadurid: Centre for European Reformi hispaanlanna Camino Mortera‑Martinez, Centre for European Policy Studiesi taanlane Mikkel Barslund ning Bruegeli ungarlane Zsolt Darvas. Mõttekodalastega rääkis Evelyn Kaldoja.

Hispaanlased kahtlevad migratsiooni mõjus parempopulistide tõusule

Camino Mortera-Martinez
28 December 2018
Postimees [Estonia]
Hoolimata radikaalse Voxi partei pääsust Andaluusia piirkondlikku parlamenti, tuleb nende fenomeni puhul ennekõike rääkida Katalooniast, mitte migrandivastasusest, leiab Brüsselis mõttekoja Centre for European Reform tarbeks migratsiooni uuriv Camino Mortera-Martinez. Hispaanlanna seab kahtluse alla mitmel pool Euroopas uudistesse jõudnud narratiivi, kuidas kümnendeid parempopulismita püsinud Hispaania endale sellise jõu lõpuks sai.

The rise of poverty among EU workers since the financial crisis

Christian Odendahl
27 December 2018
The Financial Times
Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, points to Germany having the highest share of low-paying jobs among the EU’s larger economies, resulting from a process of contracting out production processes and weakened trade union membership.

Polskie Radio: Przedwigilijne spojrzenie na mijający rok

22 December 2018
Wielka Brytania chwieje się pod naporem Brexitu, który sama sobie zgotowała. O przyczynach wyjścia Wielkiej Brytanii z Unii Europejskiej i jego już odczuwalnych i dopiero mających nadejść konsekwencjach Dariusz Rosiak rozmawiał z Charlesem Grantem z Centre for Europe Research w Londynie.

Ireland and Britain face their respective Brexit trilemmas

22 December 2018
The Irish Times
Theresa May’s Brexit trilemma was concisely expressed by John Springford of the Centre for European Reform in London last March. He argued that she must choose two of three options: an exit from the single market and customs union, no hard border with Ireland, and an all-UK approach to Brexit. All three cannot be achieved at the same time.

In several scenarios, the likelihood is increasing of extending the Article 50 process

20 December 2018
The Financial Times
“If the deal were passed by MPs, the EU would certainly give a short extension to allow the UK to go through its procedures,” said John Springford, of the Centre for European Reform. “Article 50 itself says withdrawal should be dependent on member states’ constitutional requirements.”

Parliament Live: Exiting the European Union Committee

Sam Lowe
19 December 2018
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, along with Dr Kirsty Hughes, Catherine Barnard and Henry Newman, gave evidence on the progress of the UK’s negotiations on EU withdrawal.

How can Father Christmas deliver presents in a no deal Brexit scenario? Baby, it's cold outside (the EU)

Sam Lowe
19 December 2018
Prospect
In the run up to 25th December, there is one issue that has not received half the attention it deserves: what happens to Father Christmas in December 2019 in the event of a no deal Brexit?

Brexit's impact on services

Sam Lowe
18 December 2018
E!Sharp
Trade in services has not received enough attention in the Brexit debate. But if Theresa May follows through on plans for the UK to leave the single market, UK services exports to the EU-27 will likely fall, in the case of financial services by more than half, and related jobs and tax revenues will suffer.

Tok FM: Drugie referendum w sprawie wyjścia Wielkiej Brytanii z UE możliwe?

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
18 December 2018
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to Tok FM about Brexit and the possibility of a second referendum.

Tok FM: Drugie referendum w sprawie wyjścia Wielkiej Brytanii z UE możliwe?

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
18 December 2018
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke about the idea of holding a second referendum in the UK about country’s EU future.

Italy's attitude highlights Europe's reform deficit

17 December 2018
Global Capital
"It is hard to see a political solution in the short term: not much meat can be stripped from the budget without impeding the government's promises", says Luigi Scazzieri, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform in London. "My assessment is that this fight will increase," he says.

TVN 24: Gostyńska-Jakubowska, Dembiński oraz Rokita o brexicie

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
16 December 2018
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to TVN 24 Bis about Brexit.

Brussels sprouts: Ian Bond on Brexit and what's next for Europe

14 December 2018
Former Ambassador Ian Bond sits down with Dr Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss his perspective on Brexit and what the future holds for the transatlantic relationship.

Winning a second Brexit referendum is possible – with Europe’s help

14 December 2018
The Guardian
Not necessarily, says Charles Grant, the well-plugged-in head of the Centre for European Reform. Sweden, Ireland, Denmark, the Netherlands and perhaps Germany may want to help, Grant says, perhaps adding “some tinsel and coloured lights” to various EU loopholes on migration, so that remain can boast of having reformed free movement. But the more “hardcore federalists” in the commission, and in France, “have mixed feelings about our departure. For decades, we’ve been the pebble in their shoe. We’ve been such a bloody pain” that some will be relieved when we’ve gone.

Fact check: Does the EU want a European super-army?

Sophia Besch
14 December 2018
The Week
The Centre for European Reform  said in 2016 that “Britain’s eurosceptics have spent years frightening people with the idea of an EU army”, and that “conspiracy-minded Brexiters insist that, were the UK to stay in the European Union, British troops might soon be faced with conscription into a Brussels-controlled army”.

The Guardian - Politics Weekly podcast: #Brexitshambles

Sam Lowe
13 December 2018
It was one step forward and two steps back in the Brexit hokey cokey this week. Tuesday’s long-awaited parliamentary vote was cancelled at the 11th hour, as Theresa May realised that a catastrophic defeat could be curtains for her premiership.
MPs raged, and within 24 hours Sir Graham Brady, chair of...

BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room: Brexit - where next?

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
13 December 2018
Theresa May has been back in Brussels to attend a meeting of EU leaders, a day after surviving a leadership challenge at home. Her mission: to try to extract some form of concession from the other 27 EU member-states that might persuade MPs in Westminster to support the withdrawal agreement the UK has concluded with the EU.

CER podcast: CER researchers review the year 2018

12 December 2018
Charles Grant, John Springford and Ian Bond review the political themes and events that shaped 2018, and take a look at some of the predictions they made last year.  

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