Press
Britain's EU ambassador resigns weeks before Brexit talks
03 January 2017
Financial Times
Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform said in a tweet on Tuesday: "Ivan Rogers' resignation makes a good deal on Brexit less likely. One of the very few people at the top of the British government who understands the EU".
Economists dispute claim that Brexit could create 400,000 jobs
03 January 2017
The Guardian
Simon Tilford, the deputy director of the Centre for European Reform thinktank, said Change Britain “seem to assume that leaving the deepest and biggest customs union and free trade agreement in the world, the EU, with which we do half of our trade, will not have any negative economic implications and will not cost employment – that’s an unserious proposition.”
UK ambassador to EU quits amid Brexit row
03 January 2017
The Guardian
Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform, tweeted that Rogers’ resignation meant the UK had lost one of its most experienced EU negotiators at a crucial juncture.
“The EU 27 will take Rogers’ resignation as a sign that May’s government prefers to placate hardline sceptics than keep its top EU expert,” Grant said.
“The EU 27 will take Rogers’ resignation as a sign that May’s government prefers to placate hardline sceptics than keep its top EU expert,” Grant said.
Brexit blow: UK's top EU diplomat quits as Article 50 deadline looms
03 January 2017
International Business Times
Simon Tilford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, spoke to IBTimes UK about Rogers' resignation.
BNR: Brexit: snelle scheiding niet per se minder pijnlijk
31 December 2016
Rem Korteweg speaks to BNR about the Brexit work ahead for Theresa May and the future of the EU-UK trade relationship.
Brexit Tory Michael Gove attacked for refusing to let his claims about 'experts' go
28 December 2016
Mirror
Ian Bond of the pro-EU Centre for European Reform think tank said: "Why is Michael Gove allowed to say experts should show their evidence & then to claim with no evidence that NHS will get £350m a week?"
Will the EU get serious on defence?
26 December 2016
Prospect
Faced with deteriorating security at borders, tensions between Russia and the west, the migration crisis and the threat of terrorism, Europeans feel that the EU is not doing enough to protect them.
VPRO: Wat de Brexit voor onze Britse buren gaat veranderen
23 December 2016
Rem Korteweg talks to VPRO 6 months after the Brexit vote about the obstacles ahead.
Theresa May says she wants to negotiate transitional Brexit deal
21 December 2016
Financial Times
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said the timetable was “overambitious”, not least because a trade deal would have to be ratified by 27 EU member states plus regional parliaments such as Wallonia in Belgium.
Europe's top court guts key parts of UK spy law
21 December 2016
Politico
The decision is doubly awkward for Davis, who removed his name from a legal challenge to the rules after being promoted to Theresa May’s cabinet. There could “still be some frosty moments in cabinet” after the decision, said Ian Bond of the CER.
The Telegraph: Sophia Besch on Merkel and the Berlin terror attack
21 December 2016
German political expert Sophia Besch says Angela Merkel's facing tough questions over her asylum policy following the Berlin attack (15:54 pm).
CER podcast: CER researchers review the year 2016
21 December 2016
Charles Grant, Simon Tilford and Ian Bond review the political themes and events that shaped 2016.
BBC Radio 4: World at One talks to Charles Grant
20 December 2016
Charles Grant talks to the World at One about Nicola Sturgeon's announcement on Scotland staying in the single market (22:42).
Share Radio: Ian Bond on the Berlin attacks
20 December 2016
Ian Bond is director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform, and joined Share Radio's Juliette Foster on the line for more on these stories.
The Briefing, Monocle: Ian Bond on the shooting in Turkey
20 December 2016
Ian Bond on the shooting in Russia, and how this will affect Russia Turkey relations.
Russia Today: Charles Grant warns that Nicola Sturgeon's single market plans are 'unrealistic'
20 December 2016
Charles Grant says independence is the more realistic way for Scotland to stay in the single market.
Berlin truck terror attack puts pressure on Merkel's re-election hopes
20 December 2016
CNBC
Via emailed comments to CNBC, Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform said that it was still too early to tell how much this will impact Merkel's electoral chances.
"There are still months to go before the elections, and she has plenty of time to show that the government is on top of the terrorist threat," Bond explained.
"But if there are more attacks, especially if they involve asylum seekers, then that is likely to increase the vote for the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany," he added.
"There are still months to go before the elections, and she has plenty of time to show that the government is on top of the terrorist threat," Bond explained.
"But if there are more attacks, especially if they involve asylum seekers, then that is likely to increase the vote for the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany," he added.
'Brutal' Commission insider deliberately derailing Brexit with 'ridiculous' €60 billion demand
19 December 2016
Breitbart News Network
Charles Grant, the director of the pro-EU Centre for European Reform think-tank, said if that was the kind of deal the government wanted, a showdown with hard-line Brexiteers was necessary. “There will have to be a transitional period in which we stay in the single market and the customs union, pay into the EU budget, accept ECJ rulings and, probably, accept free movement,” he said.
Sturgeon lays out Scotland plan to stay in single market after Brexit
19 December 2016
Financial Times
Charles Grant, a member of the Scottish government’s advisory Standing Council on Europe, said a special deal would be “extremely difficult” given the legal complexity and lack of support from the UK government. “It would be legally possible for Scotland to have control over immigration that would allow freedom of movement, but politically Mrs May would be highly unlikely to go for it,” said Mr Grant, the director of the CER.
Brexit Bulletin: Turkey for Brexit?
19 December 2016
Bloomberg
"Given the political difficulties, custom union membership seems an unlikely outcome in the long term," John Springford, director of research at the Centre for European Reform, said in a report last week. "But it would be a sensible arrangement for a transitional deal."