Press
CER podcast: Democracy and the rule of law in the EU
22 January 2020
Ian Bond and Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska talk to Beth Oppenheim about the decline in respect for the rule of law across the European Union, and discuss possible remedies.
The UK and European security co-operation, post-Brexit
22 January 2020
Aspenia Online
The UK’s departure from the EU at the end of January raises the question of what security co-operation between member states and the UK will look like after Brexit.
The challenges ahead for EU defense co-operation
22 January 2020
The GMF
As the European Union enters a new institutional era in 2020, its ability to sustain the recent defense momentum will be scrutinized.
NfP podcast: Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska on Poland, the EU and rule of law
22 January 2020
In the latest Notes from Poland podcast, our editor-at-large Stanley Bill talks to Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform in Brussels.
Judgment time
21 January 2020
The Financial Times
A new report from the Centre for European Reform finds evidence of “widespread” breaches to the rule of law across the EU and calls for Brussels and its top judges to step in when governments don’t heed warnings.
City of London braces for a post-Brexit squeeze
21 January 2020
The Wall Street Journal
“The long-term trend for the EU is to ensure that activity happens inside its borders rather than offshore,” said Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform.
Tok FM: Demokracja kontra praworządność
21 January 2020
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska talks to TOK FM about her latest publication Democracy and the rule of law: Failing partnership?.
Farmers demand law to ensure chlorinated chicken is banned
18 January 2020
The Times
Sam Lowe, of the Centre for European Reform, said that a key question was whether Britain ensured that its regulations remained aligned with the EU to continue trading “relatively freely” or moved towards America. “The broader issue here [with chlorinated chicken] isn’t whether it’s safe or not,” he said. “It’s about our farmers’ future trade with the EU.”
Boris Johnson expected to open trade talks with US before negotiating with the EU
17 January 2020
The Telegraph
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said that if Mr Johnson pushed the button on US-UK talks, it would not pre-determine the outcome. “Staging a big ‘kick-off’ moment is an easy political win for both Johnson and Trump. But it would not surprise me if the UK decides not to publish its objectives, which would require it to publicise exactly what it wants from a deal with the US,” he added.
Europe's gamble: Can it save Iran deal by threatening to kill it?
16 January 2020
The New York Times
It is hard to see those around Mr. Trump, who have opposed the nuclear deal and supported his maximum pressure campaign, granting Iran any concession to get talks started, said Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform.
EU sticking to tried and tested approach to Brexit talks
15 January 2020
Encompass
Boris Johnson, fresh from a resounding election victory, is determined to avoid extending the post-Brexit transition period and agree a new partnership with the European Union by the end of the year.
CER podcast: Can Europe overcome its paralysis on Palestine?
15 January 2020
The EU has struggled to take decisive action on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Quotation of the day: Europe gambles it can save nuclear deal with threat to kill it
15 January 2020
The New York Times
“If you have nuclear weapons you can get love letters from the president, and if you don’t, your generals can get killed.”IAN BOND, the director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform, on why he believes Iran will accelerate its nuclear program.
Should the UK introduce a border carbon adjustment mechanism?
14 January 2020
The zero carbon campaign
A stronger carbon price is a pre-requisite for the UK achieving a 68 per cent drop in emissions by 2030, and net-zero emissions by 2050.
Demography could be yet another force for divergence within the EU
11 January 2020
The Economist
Research by the Centre for European Reform suggests that less successful places tend to be older and less productive. The EU has a pot of money to ensure “cohesion”, but it is small and less equipped than national budgets to redistribute from winners to losers.
Meanwhile in US talks
10 January 2020
Politico London Playbook
Sam Lowe, Twitter trade expert and Centre for European Reform senior research fellow, says such a stance makes the chances of concluding a comprehensive free-trade agreement with the US in the near future very low. He suggests the UK government should launch a review and turn the whole thing into a process. Sounds very Yes Minister.
Boris Johnson faces his own Iranian nightmare
07 January 2020
Bloomberg
“The problem for the UK now is that it doesn’t want to be isolated,” says Ian Bond, a former British diplomat who’s director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform. “In economic terms, Boris Johnson is looking for a quick something that he can announce on trade with Trump, even if it would be meaningless and there will be a lot of problematic areas. If he offends Trump he’s less likely to get it.”
Brexit is nearly done, but don't expect an easy ride on trade. The EU is terrified of regulatory divergence
07 January 2020
The Telegraph
But equally, says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, the EU is terrified of granting favoured access to its markets without any kind of commitment to stay true to European standards and regulations.
Decisive UK election result cheers companies: PMIs
06 January 2020
Reuters
“I would be surprised if optimism is sustained, unless Boris Johnson extends (the) transition (or) finds ways to deepen the trade agreement,” John Springford, deputy director at the Centre for European Reform think-tank, said of the PMI.
Britain’s priority: Overcoming European growth lag
04 January 2020
OMFIF
As Charles Grant from the Centre for European Reform has written, achieving a free trade agreement in 10 months is unusually quick: normally it takes the EU five to seven years to negotiate an FTA. As recent as July 2017, after May’s disastrous decision to call a June 2017 general election, UK ministers were suggesting a new trade accord could come into effect in summer 2022.