Press
Law and Justice party set for victory in Polish election
14 October 2019
Financial Times
Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, from the Centre for European Reform, said that such policies could lead to further clashes between Warsaw and Brussels. However, she said she did not expect a big confrontation before Poland holds presidential elections next spring. “I think there could be clashes here and there . . . but I don’t think that Law and Justice will want to have a fundamental row with the EU, at least in the first year in power, as immediately after the parliamentary elections, they will start gearing up for presidential elections, where they will want to appeal to moderate voters,” she said.
Prayer is Brexit strategy as services brace for red tape storm
14 October 2019
Bloomberg
“A lot of British companies selling into Europe or across Europe are going to be breaking the law without realizing it,” said Samuel Lowe, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform.
Election results give hope to opposition in Poland and Hungary
14 October 2019
The Guardian
“It looks like this may be a small step in the right direction – but it’s clear the opposition still has an awful lot of work to do,” said Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
Backstop compromise is still on, but trade issue could yet derail Brexit agreement
14 October 2019
The Telegraph
But Sam Lowe, a trade policy expert with the Centre for European Reform, said that the risk posed to the EU by such a scheme, when applied to Northern Ireland, would be “much smaller” when applied to Northern Ireland than UK-wide.“In practice, with a few exceptions, the day-to-day life for people living under a dual-tariff regime would for most just look and feel as if Northern Ireland were in a customs union with the EU,” he added.
EU showdown: Poland's ruling party election victory could reignite judicial row with EU
13 October 2019
The Express
The party also wants to continue with its judicial overhaul, which sparked concern with Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska from the Centre for European Reform. She said that this could lead to further clashes between Warsaw and Brussels. But she added she did not expect a big clash before Poland holds presidential elections next spring.She said: “I think there could be clashes here and there . . . but I don’t think that Law and Justice will want to have a fundamental row with the EU, at least in the first year in power, as immediately after the parliamentary elections, they will start gearing up for presidential elections, where they will want to appeal to moderate voters.”
Boris Johnson's love-hate relationship with Brussels over half a century as Prime Minister prepares for crunch EU summit
11 October 2019
iNews
Charles Grant, a fellow member of the Brussels press pack who now runs the Centre for European Reform, tells i that Mr Johnson was considered more a figure of fun than a threat to the European establishment. “He was cheerful and he was funny,” Mr Grant says. “People thought he was pretending to be eurosceptic because of his career. Nobody thought he was going to become prime minister! His prime purpose was to entertain - and to get on the front page of the Telegraph.”
Britain and EU step up last-ditch Brexit talks
11 October 2019
The New York Times
“The EU want a deal,” said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a research institute based in London. “They have a lot on their plate: a new commission; the possible resurfacing of a eurozone crisis; the migration crisis, which threatens to rear its ugly head again; the trade wars with Trump’s America.”
Commission takes Poland to court on eve of election
11 October 2019
EU Observer
"If PiS wins a parliamentary majority in both houses of parliament, it would probably attempt to further undermine democratic checks and balances. For example, PiS wants to make it easier for the government to lift the immunity of judges," Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, wrote in a recent analysis.
Newsnight: Ongoing Brexit negotiations
11 October 2019
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to BBC Newsnight about the thawing in Brexit negotiations over the past few days.
European Parliament, flexing muscle, rejects France's Commission nominee
10 October 2019
The New York Times
Camino Mortera-Martinez, a researcher at the London-based Centre for European Reform, said, “The Parliament never misses an opportunity to flex its muscle, but it was a misstep by Macron to put forward a candidate that he didn’t think was OK to be in his own government.”
La ofensiva mediática de Londres suscita dudas sobre sus intenciones ante el Brexit
10 October 2019
France 24
En opinión de Charles Grant, director del instituto de reflexión Centre for European Reform, el uso de este tono beligerante es un error."Hacer este tipo de amenazas vacías no es realmente una forma de conseguir lo que se quiere en la UE", afirma.
No escaping an arms export policy
10 October 2019
Berlin Policy Journal
Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen is “enthusiastically working toward a defense union.” Without a co-ordinated stance on European arms exports, this could prove difficult.
CER podcast: Von der Leyen's carbon border tax
09 October 2019
Sam Lowe talks to Beth Oppenheim about the incoming Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for a carbon border tax. How could it work and what are the risks?
BBC News: World update - Brexit deal, highly unlikely
09 October 2019
Charles Grant, director of the CER spoke to BBC World update this morning about the current Brexit negotiations (from 35.00 mins).
No-deal tariffs shake-up as ministers gear up for 'do or die' Brexit
08 October 2019
The Telegraph
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, described the no-deal tariff plans as a “quite an extensive unilateral liberalisation” in order to keep prices low. It would make post-Brexit Britain one of the most open countries in the world.
Parliament Live: Home Office preparations for Brexit
08 October 2019
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, along with Dr Anna Jerzewska, Customs and Trade Consultant gave their thoughts on the Home Office preparations for Brexit.
Brexit: Experts divided over Irish border plan
08 October 2019
BBC News
Sam Lowe, from the pro-EU Centre for European Reform, said the plan was not appropriate for a post-conflict region. The experts were addressing MPs sitting on Westminster's Home Affairs Committee on Tuesday. Mr Lowe said he "admires the honesty" of the government finally admitting that Northern Ireland would have to continue to align with some EU rules to prevent a harder border.
PARLIAMENT LIVE: Scrutiny of Brexit negotiations
08 October 2019
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform along with Victoria Hewson, Head of Regulatory Affairs and Research Associate, Institute of Economic Affairs discussed the Government’s proposal for an amended Ireland/Northern Ireland protocol.
Odds of a Brexit deal fade as Boris Johnson and Angela Merkel clash
08 October 2019
The New York Times
To Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform, a research institute, it is all about constructing a narrative of “the people versus the elite.”“They understand theater in Downing Street,” Mr Grant said, “and the theater of ‘the people’s Boris’ being pushed around by out-of-touch judges and other European Council leaders, suits his narrative.”
There's no chance fibber Johnson will 'get Brexit done' by end of January
07 October 2019
The Times
Yet even if he [Johnson] agreed to a free trade agreement on these terms, it would still create a lot more trade friction than presently exists, warns Sam Lowe, a trade expert, in a new paper for the Centre for European Reform.