Press
Divided Britain will be weaker, poorer after looming Brexit
23 January 2019
The Asahi Shimbun
With the March 29 deadline for Britain's leaving the European Union fast approaching, it is still uncertain whether the exit will be a hard or a soft one. The Asahi Shimbun interviewed Charles Grant, the head of a British think-tank, to ascertain what can be expected from the Brexit as well as the possible economic impact and other effects.
Italy accuses France of 'Impoverishing Africa' as migration tensions erupt
23 January 2019
Voice of America
Analyst Luigi Scazzieri of the Centre For European Reform says while there is opposition to the CFA franc in some African countries, Di Maio’s accusations are misleading. “Now there’s two reasons for that. One of them being that at the moment the latest data suggests they (migrants) are not from countries using the CFA franc. And the second point is that in any case, if countries remain poor, migration is actually lower,” Scazzieri told VOA.
Theresa May offered plan B for Brexit. It looks a lot like the defeated plan A
21 January 2019
The New York Times
“I think her strategy has always been to postpone the vote until the very last minute, so that even those members of Parliament who are skeptical about her deal, but don’t want there to be no deal, would think twice about voting against it,” said Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow in Brussels for the Centre for European Reform, a London-based research institute.
After that defeat, even more reason to hug the EU close
20 January 2019
The Sunday Times
The influential Centre for European Reform argues that the only option for the prime minister in getting a withdrawal agreement through the Commons will be to further blur her red lines, so pushing Britain towards a softer Brexit.
PIIE: Trade Talks Episode 68: Brexit votes for uncertainty
19 January 2019
Soumaya Keynes and Chad Bown discuss the rocky departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Sam Lowe (Centre for European Reform) joins for an update on the latest political developments as Britain approaches the March 29, 2019 deadline. They then speak with Meredith Crowley (University of Cambridge) and Kyle Handley (University of Michigan) about new research on the economic impact that Brexit-related uncertainty has already had.
Polskie Radio: UE wobec zawirowań wokół Brexitu w Wielkiej Brytanii
19 January 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to Polskie Radio and explained what the Commons’ decision to vote down the withdrawal agreement might mean for the article 50 process.
Zu viel versprochen
19 January 2019
Die Welt
„Es war klar, dass es hart werden würde, über 40 Handelsverträge bis März fertig zu haben“, twitterte Sam Lowe vom Centre for European Reform.
UK fails to close global trade deals ahead of Brexit deadline
18 January 2019
The Financial Times
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, said that while Britain is unable to formally sign new trade deals until Brexit occurs, the government should have been prepared to reach agreements almost immediately after leaving the EU. “This revelation flies in the face of assurances given by ministers that these deals would be ready by now,” said Mr Lowe.
UK can delay Brexit without holding Europe elections, say lawyers
18 January 2019
Financial Times
"In some of the key member states, senior officials believe that if the European Council wants to give the British an extension beyond July 1, the election issue could be solved in a one-page protocol that could be ratified relatively quickly,” said Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform. “This would mean the British would not have to hold elections themselves.”
The Blame for Brexit
18 January 2019
Barron's
John Springford of the Centre for European Reform estimates that the dwindling appeal of the UK as a place to do business since the June 2016 referendum has already lowered British living standards by about 2.5% relative to what they otherwise would have been.
Why taking a no deal Brexit off the table is good for business
18 January 2019
Yahoo Finance
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, told Yahoo Finance UK it was helpful “from a political signalling point of view” that there was a will to stop a no-deal Brexit. But he said he was concerned it might not be enough. “There’s a question of how you take no-deal off the table,” he said, noting that extending the Brexit deadline in March “still requires EU consent.” “You’re still just pushing back the deadline,” he said.
La nueva crisis migratoria de la UE no es cuestión de números
17 January 2019
El Periodico Internacional
Si los líderes europeos siguen dejándose llevar por la retórica del pánico y la construcción de muros, los populistas habrán ganado la partida.
Slow Europe
17 January 2019
The Financial Times
A stellar list of top economists and EMU specialists discuss the politics of slow growth in this series of podcasts from the Centre for European Reform’s annual Ditchley conference.
Don't leave migration to the populists
17 January 2019
Politico
If the EU cannot agree on a common system for legal migration, it may be more realistic for the Union to support bilateral projects between individual member countries or groups and third countries, said Camino Mortera-Martinez and Beth Oppenheim of the Centre for European Reform. “Europe needs migrants, and migration is inevitable,” is how they recently put it.
What are Theresa May's options?
17 January 2019
The Financial Times
“Most probably, May will attempt to amend the withdrawal agreement and political declaration and then push the subsequent parliamentary vote to the wire. To pass her deal, the threat of no deal will need to be tangible, and for that to happen the March 29 deadline will need to loom large.” (Sam Lowe, senior research fellow, and John Springford, deputy director, of the Centre for European Reform)
Altinget: Parlamentet - Bliver det britiske parlament nødt til at udskyde Brexit?
17 January 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to Altinget about Brexit and if it might now be postponed (from 32.00 mins).
¿Cuáles son las opciones de Theresa May?
17 January 2019
ESglobal
La única manera que tiene Theresa May de obtener una mayoría parlamentaria a favor de su acuerdo de retirada es estar dispuesta a negociar una relación más blanda con la UE.
ERR: May's Brexit plans
16 January 2019
Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform spoke to ERR Estonian public TV (from 5:05 mins).“As far as one can tell at the moment, Theresa May’s plan B is plan A again, only louder”.
Corbyn's no-confidence move lays bare Labour's Brexit divisions
16 January 2019
The Financial Times
“Labour’s strategy at the moment is to have a Brexit carried out by the Tories, where they take as little responsibility as possible for the implementation,” said Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform.
Extending Article 50 may mean Britain must elect MEPs again
16 January 2019
The Economist
As Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank, notes, it would also stop the reallocation of the 27 British seats, screwing up other countries’ polls.