Press

Barnier wasn't dull but wasn't dangerous

Philip Whyte
15 January 2010
The Wall Street Journal
European officials say they are conscious of the potential to do damage by loading one regulation atop another. But in a new paper, Philip Whyte of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank, says "little attention is being paid to the overall impact of all the proposed changes".

Chaotic Greek economy spells trouble for eurozone

Simon Tilford
15 January 2010
Radio Free Europe
Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform in London, says that the case in particular of Greece poses a significant challenge to the eurozone. "On the one hand, they can't let Greece get away with pursuing unsustainable policies; on the other hand, at the same time they can't be too tough with the Greek government, because there is only so much the Greek government can do, there is already risk of social instability in Greece," Tilford says.

Spain signals ambitious EU presidency, at the risk of friction

14 January 2010
The Telegraph
"The presidency is an important domestic issue for the (Spanish) government," said Hugo Brady, an analyst for the London-based Centre for European Reform. ..."I respect Spain for their audacity, they're saying the current system of the Lisbon strategy is not working and they're right," said Brady. "But the reality of politics is that certain large (EU) member-states will never accept a binding system or sanctions regarding economic policy.

Despair in West over situation in Ukraine

Tomas Valasek
12 January 2010
Reuters
"Ukraine has gone from being a darling of the EU to a complete and utter nightmare," said Tomas Valasek at the Centre for European Reform think-tank. "A few years ago most EU states were convinced it should be in the European Union within a few years. All that has changed." ...Valasek said the election could be a last chance for Ukraine to revive its EU prospects. "With the economy being in such terrible shape, the appetite and desire among EU member-states to consider Ukraine as a potential member has decreased correspondingly," he said.

New treaty for EU, but same jostling for power

Tomas Valasek
08 January 2010
The New York Times
Tomas Valasek, director of foreign policy and defence at the Centre for European Reform, said: "Spain wants to hold on to as many of the trappings of the old rotating presidency as it can. No-one wants to lose cachet." ...The consequence, Mr. Valasek said, is that "it leaves Van Rompuy in a situation where the Spanish would rather that he didn't exist."

Carbon tariffs resurface in Copenhagen aftermath

Simon Tilford
08 January 2010
EurActiv.com
Experts expect carbon border tariffs to make a comeback in the post-Copenhagen debate as carbon-intensive industries seek to protect domestic production from international competitors. "I think there is a very real risk following Copenhagen that governments, particularly within the EU, will argue more strongly for border tax adjustments," said Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform (CER), a think-tank.

EU Commission nominees face scrutiny by parliament

08 January 2010
Reuters
Among the Commission candidates who can expect intense questioning are those from Romania and Bulgaria - the two newest EU member states - with doubts about their abilities for the agriculture and international aid posts respectively. "They are the danger candidates," said Hugo Brady, a political analyst at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, explaining that the parliament was keen to exercise the extra authority it had gained with the passage of the Lisbon treaty. "Parliament will gladly take a scalp," he said.

Serbia EU membership bid faces range of hurdles

Tomas Valasek
08 January 2010
Voice of America
Tomas Valasek, with London's Centre for European Reform, says Serbia's membership bid comes at a difficult time. "The Serbian situation has not been helped by the reality and the fact that lots of EU member states have really got cold feet on further enlargement. Quite a few, especially the older member states, feel that the EU has already enlarged too far, too fast and that we now need a period of rest and a pause, rather than rushing into another enlargement. Having said that, the EU is committed to enlarging eventually to the western Balkans.

The next big thing in EU defence? Spare parts, faster

Clara Marina O'Donnell
07 January 2010
Defence News
But Clara O’Donnell, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, cautions that it may take quite some time before EU members trust one another enough to ful¬fill the potential of the directive. "Some member-states, in particular the eastern European members, have less of a track record in enforcing effective export controls," O'Donnell said. ...O'Donnell said the next five or so years might bring more European competition in nonsensitive areas such as military boots, rifles and uniforms.

Charismatic outsider

Katinka Barysch
07 January 2010
European Voice
"Westerwelle does not have a lot of experience with foreign policy and his public statements on international issues so far do not add up to a coherent Weltanschauung [worldview]," says Katinka Barysch, an expert on Germany at the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank. She says that the finance ministry would have been a more natural choice for Westerwelle, who has campaigned on tax reform and liberalising Germany's labour market.

Russia's new arms dealers

Tomas Valasek
06 January 2010
Foreign Policy
"There is already a concern among Eastern and Central European states that NATO is not taking them seriously enough," says Tomas Valasek, director of foreign policy and defence at the Centre for European Reform.

Kedeligt, men effektivt svensk formandskab

Clara Marina O'Donnell
01 January 2010
Information.dk
Det må ses som Reinfeldts største bedrift, at det lykkedes ham, at få Klaus til at sætte sin underskrift på traktaten for det spændte ben for utroligt meget, at den ikke kunne træde i kraft,« mener Clara O´Donnell, forsker ved den europæiske tænketank CER (Centre for European Reform).

Tre getingar till Reinfeldt som EU-ordförande

Clara Marina O'Donnell
29 December 2009
Sidan 4: Debatt
Statsministern och hans team var kompetenta förhandlare. Men de stora framgångarna lyste med sin frånvaro under ordförandeskapet, skriver Clara Marina O'Donnell.

Missing another EU opportunity

18 November 2009
The Guardian
When Britain's foreign secretary, David Miliband, made clear that he was not interested in being the European Union's new "high representative" for foreign policy, the UK lost a unique opportunity to craft the EU more in its own image.

Israel's dark view of the world

13 November 2009
The Guardian
The official explained to Bibi Netanyahu that if there was a peace settlement, extra investment would push Israel's longterm growth rate from 5% a year to 7%. The Israeli prime minister responded that if the country had 5% growth, it did not need peace.
Netanyahu was joking, according to the official...

Is Tony Blair the right man to be president of Europe?

Charles Grant, Henry Porter, commentator for The Observer
25 October 2009
The Observer
Yes, says Charles Grant. His presence would improve the global credibility of the EU. No, says Henry Porter. He co-authored the Iraq war and is not a convinced democrat.

Blair would be a good choice for Europe

07 October 2009
Financial Times
If the Lisbon treaty enters into force, which seems likely, the European Union will appoint a president to chair the European Council, which brings together the heads of government.

Look who's sclerotic

Simon Tilford
28 September 2009
International Herald Tribune
A popular Continental misconception about Britain is that it is some kind of ultra-free economy where there is limited social welfare and where the market has been introduced into every aspect of life.

Obama's missile defense change shows different targets

Tomas Valasek
21 September 2009
Yale Global Online
Washington rankled some of its European allies and delighted Moscow on September 17 when president Obama cancelled plans to build missile defense bases in the Czech Republic and Poland.

Warsaw warms to Moscow

Tomas Valasek
18 September 2009
The Guardian
Tabloids make a poor guide to understanding a country's policy. While the newspaper headlines in Poland and the Czech Republic scream of the US "betraying" eastern Europe by cancelling missile defence bases there, the official reaction in Warsaw and Prague has been muted.