Press
Key win secured by UK even before Boris Johnson's showdown with EU chiefs
15 June 2020
Express
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, last week told MPs: “If – and this is a big if – the headline issues can be resolved, then actually the differences between the UK and EU are fairly minor when it comes to the substance of the free-trade agreement and can probably be resolved.”
Post-Brexit: Johnson will Brüssel drohen
15 June 2020
Deutsche Welle
Es gebe (noch) keinen Grund zur Panik, sagt der britische Handelsexperte Sam Lowe vom Thinktank "Centre for European Reform". Trotz der gegenwärtigen Feindseligkeiten gebe es noch einen Weg hin zu einem Abkommen, das für beide Seiten akzeptabel ist. Aber dafür müssten sie sich in den zentralen Punkten aufeinander zubewegen.
Key Brexit meeting concludes ‘more momentum’ needed to break deadlock
15 June 2020
The Parliament Magazine
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said, “A deal between the EU and UK remains possible. But neither side is likely to compromise on its current negotiating position until later in the year, when the cost of failure will become significantly more tangible.”
Trade triangle: US, Britain, and European Union
14 June 2020
Politico
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, also argued British attempts to game the EU on standards won’t work. He pointed out that Britain has little to threaten the bloc with, having already accepted new barriers to trade with Brussels."This could have been much more of an issue if the UK was trying to get a much deeper relationship with the European Union than it currently has, in that there would be a much bigger discussion about trade-offs and avoiding costs," he explained.
Brexit: Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen to hold 'high level' talks next week
12 June 2020
Euronews
"The best-case scenario would see the pair agree in general terms on a landing zone for the future relationship, giving the negotiations fresh impetus. The worst case would see Johnson collapse the talks in an attempt to distract from domestic criticism over his government's handling of COVID-19," Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform thinktank, said on Friday.
Inforadio: Senkung der Mehrwertsteuer kann Konsum-Motor sein
12 June 2020
Das Bundeskabinett hat bis zum Jahresende die Absenkung der Mehrwertsteuer beschlossen. Ökonom Christian Odendahl vom Centre for European Reform in London begrüßt den Entschluss, da alle Bürgerinnen in etwa gleich davon profitieren.
UK in U-turn on full post-Brexit border controls
11 June 2020
Financial Times
Sam Lowe, a trade expert with the Centre for European Reform think-tank, warned that it was unlikely that the EU — which has already invested heavily in new port infrastructure and personnel in Calais and Rotterdam — would reciprocate fully.“The most we can hope for the EU is what they agreed last time, in terms of no-deal mitigations, but I wouldn’t expect them to waive animal health and plant product checks, for example,” he added.
Britain unveils plans to impose EU border checks in stages
11 June 2020
Reuters
Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said Britain could face chaos if it did not get it right. “COVID-19 has also made things worse ... and government just hasn’t had the time to fully prepare itself for a full fat border,” he said.
Brexit trapdoor exposed: How rushed deal with EU could derail UK plans
10 June 2020
Express
Charles Grant from the Centre for European Reform said: “I think the best possible outcome the British Government can hope for in negotiations with the EU is the sort of bare-bones free trade agreement by the end of the year. “Covering trade and goods, zero tariffs and zero quotas.”
Last minute Brexit trade deal likely - but fireworks will come first - experts tell MPs
10 June 2020
The Telegraph
Trade expert Sam Lowe told the Brexit Committee this decision would not be taken by Michel Barnier and David Frost, saying he expected Boris Johnson and the leaders of the EU27 to intervene. But while he said he thought the EU would shift on state aid, there were no signs of backing down on fisheries.
The Centre for European Reform estimated there was a 70 per cent chance of a deal, saying he was "on the optimistic side of things... although I expect there to be fireworks in the coming months".
The Centre for European Reform estimated there was a 70 per cent chance of a deal, saying he was "on the optimistic side of things... although I expect there to be fireworks in the coming months".
Brexit: UK borders still not ready for leaving single market at end of year, MPs told
10 June 2020
The Independent
Sam Lowe, a senior fellow and trade expert at the Centre for European Reform told the same hearing of the Commons EU future relationship committee that many things needed to be sorted irrespective of whether the government managed to get a deal with the EU or not. "From a preparedness point of view, due to the nature of the future relationship that is on the table, most of these questions apply whether there is a free trade agreement or not," he said.
Germany opens the spending tap
10 June 2020
The Economist
The pragmatism of the new generation earns them a hearing among policymakers, says Christian Odendahl, an economist at the Centre for European Reform.
Parliament Live: Future relationship with the European Union Committee
10 June 2020
Sam Lowe, Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for European Reform along with Professor Catherine Barnard, Professor of EU law and Employment Law, University of Cambridge and Dr Anna Jerzewska, PhD, Independent Customs and Trade Consultant UN International Trade Centre gave evidence on the progress of the negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.
Parliament Live: International Trade Committee
10 June 2020
Sam Lowe, Senior Researcher, Centre for European Reform along with Professor David Collins, Professor of International Economic Law, City University and Hosuk Lee-Makiyama, Director, European Centre of International Political Economy (ECIPE) gave evidence on the UK trade negotiations.
A Japan-UK trade deal is more important than ever. Here are the key opportunities and tensions
09 June 2020
The Telegraph
Negotiations with the Japanese may be nowhere near as controversial as with the USA, but don't assume they'll be a walk in the park.
Onshoring is no panacea for EU medical supplies
08 June 2020
Encompass
The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted weaknesses in Europe’s medical supply chains, particularly its reliance on imports from China and elsewhere.
Europe's big two kiss and make up for pandemic rescue deal
06 June 2020
The Guardian
Christian Odendahl, chief economist at London thinktank the Centre for European Reform, cited the temporary cut in VAT the UK government introduced in 2008, pointing out that only “75% of businesses passed [the cuts] on to consumers”.
How the coronavirus makes a no-deal Brexit more likely
05 June 2020
The New York Times
“It’s quite foolhardy to say that because the economic impact of coronavirus will be large that no one will notice the difference,” said Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform in London. “It’s a sophistic argument — that because we’ve been thrown to the floor, we won’t feel another kick.”
Boris Johnson facing backlash after scrapping pledge to keep chlorinated chicken out of British supermarkets
05 June 2020
The Independent
Sam Lowe, a senior fellow at the Centre of European Reform and an expert on international trade, suggested that it was inevitable that the UK would have to give ground on food standards if it wanted a deal with Donald Trump.“It has always been the case that if the UK is to secure a free trade agreement with the US, it will need to find a way of giving America what it wants when it comes to agriculture and food standards,” he told The Independent.
Merkel stimulus seals German shift from frugality to largess
04 June 2020
Bloomberg Quint
Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, praised the measures unveiled on Thursday, saying that “very meaningful support” for families and municipalities “will all help a recovery.”“The VAT cut is the biggest surprise,” Odendahl told Bloomberg. “It’s a broad-basedstimulus” that allows “people to pull forward major purchases.”