Press

Nick Clegg to accuse Ukip leader Nigel Farage over Brussels voting record

05 March 2014
Evening Standard
Having challenged Mr Farage to a debate on the EU before key elections in May, Mr Clegg will admit during a speech to the CER that the EU has faults and should be "pushed back". He will call for the "wasteful" second parliament in Strasbourg to be binned and for more progress developing the single market.

Clegg and Farage trade blows

NIck Clegg
05 March 2014
The Independent
In a speech today, Mr Clegg told the CER: "You would have thought that if your world view was based on the idea that it has been bad for Britain for us to be part of the EU, a party such as the Ukip would have used its berth in the European Parliament to find every possible opportunity to promote reforms that create British jobs."

Nick Clegg attacks Ukip over EU ahead of debate

05 March 2014
The Telegraph
In a speech to the Centre for European Reform think-tank today, Mr Clegg accused Ukip of having "let down" British interests within the EU.

High stakes limit bid to cow Putin

04 March 2014
The Wall Street Journal
"I think a set of targeted economic measures and limited economic sanctions might give Putin pause for thought, given the rather precarious economic situation in Russia," says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank.

Bez riposty za Krym

02 March 2014
Rzeczpospolita
Obawiam się, że NATO nic nie zrobi. A przecież mógłby postawić więcej sił w stan gotowości bojowej lub wysłać siły szybkiego reagowania do Polski – powiedział w rozmowie z „Rz" Ian Bond, ekspert londyńskiego think tanku CER.

Video interview on the way ahead for Ukraine

28 February 2014
Video interview with Ian Bond, director for foreign policy at the CER on the way ahead for Ukraine.

Miliband, Merkel and the f-word

Stephen Tindale
27 February 2014
Progress online
What should Ed Miliband discuss in his meeting with Europe’s most powerful and successful politician, German chancellor Angela Merkel? The economy will rightly be top of the agenda.

Growth forecast prompts hope for end to euro crisis

Simon Tilford
26 February 2014
Voice of America
"Certainly no developed or even second-world country has ever pulled off a fiscal adjustment of the scale that the Greeks have managed.  But they don’t just need a surplus; they need a huge surplus in order to service their debt burden," said Simon Tilford of the CER.

England, conflicted on its place in Europe, looks to Germany

26 February 2014
The New York Times
"They think Merkel is the savior, the great white hope," said Charles Grant, director of the London-based CER. "But her power is much more limited than that."

Ukraine crisis

25 February 2014
CNN
CNN's Max Foster talks to Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the CER about the situation in Ukraine (see 00:46).

Why is the coalition keeping the coal fires burning?

Stephen Tindale
25 February 2014
Green Alliance
In the 20th century, the British political party which supported the coal industry was Labour. The relationship between the Tories and the miners was confrontational.

Ukraine's new government will face old economic challenges

24 February 2014
Marketplace
"The main thing is that Ukraine needs to reform. And that’s what it hasn’t been doing for the last 20 odd years,” says Ian Bond of the CER. He says Ukraine may have to scrap fuel subsidies, tighten controls over public spending, and shake up its system of governance in return for EU and IMF support.

Egypt, Europe and Realpolitik

Rem Korteweg
22 February 2014
Daily News Egypt
"If it had wanted to make a stronger point, the EU could have suspended aid, withdrawn its ambassadors, made a common demarche on the Egyptian ministry of foreign affairs or slapped economic sanctions on the assets and movements of senior government or military officials," says Rem Korteweg of the CER.

Violence in Ukraine

19 February 2014
BBC Radio - The World Tonight
Ian Bond the director of foreign policy at the CER speaks to The World Tonight as the EU threatens sanctions on Ukraine as violence continues in Kiev. (Listen from 16.30)

Gas bonanza for Cyprus hostage to strategic battle with Turkey

Rem Korteweg
18 February 2014
The Telegraph
"If poorly managed, Cypriot gas could harden political divisions. Ankara does not recognise the government in Nicosia and has threatened military force if Cyprus allows drilling in the disputed maritime zone," said Rem Korteweg of the CER.

EU studies citizens' water campaign in democracy drive

Stephen Tindale
17 February 2014
BBC News
Stephen Tindale, an analyst at an EU-focused think-tank, the CER, said the ECI mechanism was a useful way to put an issue on the EU's agenda. ..."It requires the Commission to meet groups, consider the issue and give a response, but it won't necessarily lead to a change in policy," Mr Tindale told the BBC.

Response to DG competition consultation - Draft guidelines on environmental and energy aid for 2014-2020

Stephen Tindale
14 February 2014
The Centre for European Reform is a think-tank based in London, working on economics, foreign policy, energy and JHA. We are pro-European, though not uncritical.

State aid rules are important for the single market, which needs to be deepened in energy. But the single market is not the...

EU professionals find plenty of work in UK

13 February 2014
Financial Times
John Springford of the CER, says in a 2013 paper on EU immigration that the UK looks to be following the US example, where skilled natives are more likely to work as managers and executives while skilled immigrants are more likely to work as scientists, engineers and statisticians.

EU Calls for Ukraine Elections, Shies Away From Sanctions

10 February 2014
Voice of America
"There are some really quite worrying comments coming out of Moscow about Moscow's thinking that maybe Ukraine would be better if it were federalized, which I think is code for some sort of split between east and west," said Ian Bond, Centre for European Reform. (At 2.18 of video)