Press
Covid realities temper optimism around eurozone growth
29 July 2021
Financial Times
“The post-pandemic boom will subside next year once everyone has done their pent-up spending but by then governments will reduce their fiscal spending,” says Christian Odendahl, the Berlin-based chief economist at the Centre for European Reform think-tank. “This reminds me of 2010 and 2011, when Germany and others switched to austerity too soon.”
The explosive Brexit spat that no one is talking about could slam the UK economy
28 July 2021
CNN
"In cases that involve victims of corporate human rights abuses, business-versus-consumer cases, and family law -- in those cases, the party that has more financial resources may try to introduce arguments about which country should be hearing the case, and whether a UK court judgment can be enforced," says Zach Meyers, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
UK’s shadow chancellor promises Labour will repair trade ties with EU
26 July 2021
Financial Times
Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, argued that a Swiss-style deal of this kind would leave the UK “permanently bound to EU food hygiene rules”, but in return there would be no more need for export health certificates and other red tape.
Why would anyone trust Brexit Britain again?
24 July 2021
CNN
"Biden has a specific interest in Northern Ireland and its stability, and does view the UK as the antagonist in that discussion," said Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
"Ongoing disputes with the EU over Northern Ireland and threats to renege on commitments creates a problem with the US, but I'm not convinced it creates huge problems with any other countries," he added.
"Ongoing disputes with the EU over Northern Ireland and threats to renege on commitments creates a problem with the US, but I'm not convinced it creates huge problems with any other countries," he added.
The rising cost of leaving the EU: £18bn blow in lost trade to Britain
22 July 2021
The Evening Standard
The Centre for European Reform estimates that leaving the single market and customs union at the end of December 2020 had reduced UK trade by £10 billion, or 13.5 per cent, in May. The think tank said this was on top of a £8 billion, or 10 per cent, hit to trade between the June 2016 referendum and splintering away from the single market.
ECB looks to keep rates low for longer
22 July 2021
The Wall Street Journal
“In truth, the ECB is not delivering on its new strategy,” said Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think tank. “It seems the ECB just wanted to wait for inflation to come, instead of pushing hard for it.”
CER podcast: The EU's climate action plan for 2030: What's inside the Fit for 55 package?
22 July 2021
Sam Lowe speaks to Elisabetta Cornago about what Fit for 55 could mean for EU and international climate action.
Europe Express: The Brexit stats gap
22 July 2021
Financial Times
Ask officials in Brussels and London how trade has changed and you may get two very different answers.
Sky News: UK considers import taxes to combat 'carbon leakage' but wants global deal
21 July 2021
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said: "In the real world we have to appreciate the EU is moving ahead unilaterally with its own carbon border adjustment mechanism, and we've seen a proposal from the Democrats in the US this week, of something similar."
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BBC Radio 4 PM: Northern Ireland protocol
21 July 2021
Sam Lowe a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to Evan Davis about today's proposal paper on the Northern Ireland protocol and what the British solution is to the impasse on GB-Northern Irealand trade.
UK considers import taxes to combat 'carbon leakage' but wants global deal
21 July 2021
Sky News
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said: "In the real world we have to appreciate the EU is moving ahead unilaterally with its own carbon border adjustment mechanism, and we've seen a proposal from the Democrats in the US this week, of something similar."
Lagarde's strategy hints at new era of ECB teamwork with Germans
19 July 2021
Bloomberg
“As long as the ECB continues to expect too-low inflation, the new strategy would require it - strictly speaking - to loosen its policy,” said Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform in Berlin. “The true test of the negotiated consensus is still ahead.”
UK forced to reopen sensitive Ukraine trade pact after errors in text
18 July 2021
The Independent
Sam Lowe, senior fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said that mistakes in trade deals are “unfortunate but not entirely uncommon”. He added that it was “unsurprising that it had happened with a rollover agreement” because these have tended to include more copying and pasting of text than fresh deals.
Europe Express: Compromise on tech
16 July 2021
Financial Times
The US and EU working together has always been a delicate tightrope to walk, most recently epitomised by the EU’s now-delayed digital tax. The Centre for European Reform argues that the two powers should not seek regulatory harmonisation, but instead co-operate on semiconductors and the promotion of new sources of rare earths outside China.
Australian trade deal fears justified, says ex-negotiator
16 July 2021
BBC News
Sam Lowe, from the Centre for European Reform think tank, told the committee that while there was likely to be some impact on Welsh farmers, this was likely to be marginal."Because [the amount of Australian produce being imported] is so low right now, even a six hundred per cent increase isn't that much in quantity terms," he said.
Letters: Fait accompli
16 July 2021
Prospect
Julian King’s assessment of Michel Barnier’s role in the Brexit talks (“The Brexit illusions,” July) is fair minded.But perhaps he underplays Barnier’s nationality. The Frenchman was a key link in the Brussels-Paris axis that drove the EU to be hard on the British.
Welsh Affairs Committee: One-off session on the implications for Wales of the UK/AUS FTA
15 July 2021
Sam Lowe gave evidence this morning at the Welsh Affairs Committee about the UK-Australia trade deal and what it will mean for Wales (from 10:17).
Why the European Union is a less-than-jolly green giant
14 July 2021
The Economist
Slashing emissions is a rotten problem for the officials, politicians and diplomats who must solve it. The costs come now and the benefits are reaped only in a generation, points out Elisabetta Cornago of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank.
Europe unveils plan to shift from fossil fuels, setting up potential trade spats
14 July 2021
The New York Times
The cross-border carbon tax proposal could have the greatest impact on goods from Russia and Turkey, mainly iron, steel and aluminum, according to data analyzed by the Centre for European Reform. The impact on U.S. exports to Europe would be far smaller, according to the analysis.
Europe’s carbon prices are going global
14 July 2021
The Wall Street Journal
Brussels worries that continuing to grant free ETS allowances might breach World Trade Organization rules, but industry representatives believe CBAM and free allowances - without which their exports risk becoming uncompetitive - can coexist. Russia, Turkey, China and the UK are expected to be hardest hit, according to the Centre for Europe Reform, a British think-tank.