Press

Germany, once a powerhouse, is at an economic 'standstill'

18 January 2024
The New York Times
“Germans are so risk-averse, it’s almost a psychological thing,” said Sander Tordoir, an economist at the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank in Berlin.

Europe scrambles to finalise new fiscal rules after lawmaker vote

17 January 2024
Euronews
According to Sander Tordoir of the Centre for European Reform, the hawkish German government is unlikely to relinquish the numerical targets so painfully hammered out in December – but might be willing to concede on some subdsidiary issues. Tordoir, a senior economist at the think tank, is optimistic a deal will be found, as there’s no unbridgeable philosophical gulf between the parliament and council.

Europe wants to Trump-proof in case of a second term. But that is not an easy task

14 January 2024
CNN
“No amount of de-risking can make up for a sudden policy change that makes it harder for Europeans to sell into America,” says Ian Bond, deputy director at the Centre for European Reform think-tank. “In a second term, it’s not beyond the realms of possibility that he could decide some other material is a risk to American security.”

Half the world to vote in 2024, with global ramifications

09 January 2024
Voice of America
“Putin is not going to have any genuine opponents,” said Ian Bond of the Centre for European Reform. “He has control of all the administrative machinery required to make sure that a crushing vote in favor of him is delivered and we get another six years of Putin up to at least 2030.”

Remember how we used to be? We are not the same

05 January 2024
Politico Brussels Playbook
As Charles Grant from the Centre for European Reform points out, von der Leyen faces far tougher, existential challenges than the French Socialist did. The current Commission president “has a much tougher set of problems to deal with,” he told Playbook. “Delors had to cope with Bosnia and the ERM [Exchange Rate Mechanism] crisis, while VDL has had to deal with even bigger headaches like COVID, Ukraine, illegal immigration and the rise of the far right/Orbán.

Trois ans après le divorce, la relation financière UE-Londres est en quête d'équilibre

04 January 2024
L'Agefi
«Les entreprises ont généralement préféré déplacer la part minimum de leurs équipes nécessaires au respect des exigences légales de l’UE, pose Zach Meyers chercheur du Centre for European Reform, un think-tank basé à Londres. 
Charles Grant

FT podcast - Rachman review: The future of Europe

04 January 2024
It's an important year for the European Union, which holds parliamentary elections in June. As geopolitical turbulence continues to test the strength of global alliances, will Europe pursue further integration or start to pull apart? Gideon discusses these questions, and the role played by European Commission presidents, past and present, with Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform in London.

Trois ans après le divorce avec l’Union européenne, le Royaume-Uni affiche un bilan commercial en demi-teinte

02 January 2024
L'Agefi
«Selon nos estimations, le commerce de marchandises du Royaume-Uni dans son ensemble a été 7% en deçà de ce qu’il aurait été sans le Brexit, alors que le PIB a été amputé de 5,5%. Et ce, en grande partie à cause des nouvelles barrières commerciales entre les deux blocs», explique Zach Meyers, chercheur du Centre for European Reform, un think tank basé à Londres. 

2024, el año en que la extrema derecha puede despuntar en Europa

Camino Mortera-Martinez
02 January 2024
El Periodico de Espana
“Es muy difícil predecir (el resultado de) las elecciones europeas con tanta antelación. No se rigen para nada por los mismos criterios que las elecciones nacionales. En muchos Estados miembros son elecciones de castigo. Y para ver a quien se va a castigar, cuándo y cómo tienes que estar más cerca”, explica Camino Mortera-Martinez.
Charles Grant

Radio 4 - Last Word: Jacques Delors

31 December 2023
Charles Grant spoke with Kirsty Lang on Jacques Delors, the politician and architect of the modern EU (from 0:45).

Ukraine er hårdt presset, Trump kan vende tilbage, og Europa mangler en plan: »Vores strategi er håb«

30 December 2023
Information.dk
»Den træning, vi tilbyder ukrainerne, lever slet ikke op vores egne standarder. Vi træner dem i fem-seks måneder, og i nogle tilfælde væsentligt kortere tid. Hvis det var vores egne soldater, ville vi træne dem i mindst et år, før vi sendte dem ud i den type krig, der bliver udkæmpet lige nu,« siger Ian Bond.
Ian Bond

Polskie Radio 24: Historyczny rok w relacjach UE z Ukrainą. Jest zielone światło dla negocjacji członkowskich

30 December 2023
Z punktu widzenia psychologicznego to było ważne. Brak pozytywnej decyzji byłby sygnałem dla Putina, że Zachód nie zgadza się, by Ukraina była jego częścią. To byłby też krok w tył ze strony Unii - podkreślił w rozmowie z Polskim Radiem Ian Bond z londyńskiego Centre for European Reform.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine: Fighting intensifies in 2023 war of attrition

29 December 2023
Voice of America
By June, Ukraine was able to recapture some territory but failed to break through the Russian lines. The Western weapon supplies were too little, too late, says analyst Ian Bond."The delays in supplying this equipment meant that the Russians had a long time to build up their minefields and their fixed fortifications, so they're actually in a much stronger position than they were. And we've been asking the Ukrainians to launch their counteroffensive when they have very little air capability," Bond told VOA, adding that Ukraine had made remarkable progress in countering Russia's navy.

Cómo reducir al mínimo las reacciones contra las políticas verdes

28 December 2023
ESglobal
No es inevitable que haya una reacción violenta contra las políticas verdes de la UE. Los responsables políticos deben dedicarse a diseñar unas políticas que hagan asequible la descarbonización y destaquen sus beneficios sociales.

Merci, Monsieur Euro

27 December 2023
Süddeutsche Zeitung
"Delors hat Geschichte geschrieben", glaubt Charles Grant, damals Korrespondent des Economist und heute Direktor des britischen Think-Tanks Centre for European Reform, "er mobilisierte die proeuropäischen Kräfte - und lenkte sie geschickt in Richtung seiner Ziele." 
CER review of 2023: What's next for Europe?

CER review of 2023: What's next for Europe?

20 December 2023
Eight of our researchers reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2024.
Future is Blue: EuroInsights: economic lessons in 2023

Future is Blue: EuroInsights: Economic lessons in 2023

20 December 2023
Sander Tordoir, Senior Economist at the Centre for European Reform, together with Raymond Torres, Funcas Europe Director in conversation with Carlos Carnicero Urabayen, Future is Blue host analyse what are the key lessons learned for the EU economy in 2023.

Bij het IMF begint nu een geopolitiek gevecht: blijft het een door het Westen gedomineerde club?

19 December 2023
NRC Handelsblad
De discussie over de stemverhoudingen „kán bijna niet geopolitieker”, zegt Sander Tordoir, onderzoeker bij denktank Centre for European Reform. „De grote vraag wordt: zijn het Westen en zijn bondgenoten, zoals Japan en Zuid-Korea, bereid terrein op te geven?”

Yearender: Europe grappling for united Gaza ceasefire call

18 December 2023
Xinhua
Rifts within the EU challenge the bloc's cohesion as members, such as Italy, re-imposed border controls, leading to "an erosion of the Schengen border-free area," Luigi Scazzieri, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, commented.

Europe may be headed for ‘big public clash with Musk’, say experts

18 December 2023
iNews
“This will be an important test case: X/Twitter seems, given its lack of content moderators, not to be taking its obligations seriously,” said Zach Meyers, the assistant director of the Centre for European Reform.He said the law requires platforms to put measures in place to minimise risks associated with disinformation, but not force disinformation to be removed, because this raises questions about freedom of speech.