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Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank described the proposals as "window-dressing ... to cover up the embarrassment of member states closing their borders to each other".

The coronavirus fallout is likely to be uneven. “The producers of toilet paper don’t have a recession at all, and the restaurants and hotels have a very deep one,” said Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, based in Berlin. Manufacturers, he said, have more hope of a “V-shaped” recovery – that is, an economic bounce-back as rapid as the descent – because they will benefit from pent-up demand.

"Now that future relationship talks are being interrupted, it is inevitable that both sides will have to start considering possible extensions," says Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska at the Centre for European Reform, based in Brussels.However, she adds: "The request should come from the British government and, obviously, an extension wouldn't come without costs for the UK. Questions, including the financial contributions, will have to be taken. There is no such thing as a free lunch."

“And that just feeds Salvini,’’ said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, referring to Matteo Salvini, the Italian far-right populist who is a sharp critic of immigration, globalization and the European Union itself.
Matters will get worse with the economic impact of the crisis, Mr. Grant said. “The euro crisis could return, because there are too many bad debts in banks,’’ especially in Italy, “and there is still no proper bank resolution regime and no eurozone deposit insurance.’’
The populists, he said, “will make hay with that.’’
 

The EU will face a backlash from its citizens, fuelled by populist politicians, for persisting with green policies, predicts Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank.He points to the gilets jaunes protests in France, which took off after rises in fuel taxes intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the rise of the AFD in Germany. “The AFD is fuelled partly by climate scepticism. Populists are keen to promote anti-greenery, as they listen to voters,” he says.

Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said Britain accepts leaving the single market and customs union will give it more autonomy but also put up more barriers to trade. But he said there is no longer the “have your cake and eat it” attitude of Theresa May’s government which means both sides should be more willing to budge one certain issues.