Britain & EU member-states
UK + EU = Canada+?
01 December 2017
A post-Brexit deal along the lines of the EU-Canada trade agreement would do a lot of damage to the British economy. Can the UK hope for anything better?
Bulletin Issue 117 - December 2017/January 2018
29 November 2017
- Ten predictions for the Brexit talks, Charles Grant
- All is not well in the Visegrad economies, Simon Tilford
- PESCO: Paper tiger, paper tanks?, Sophia Besch
Ten predictions for the Brexit talks
29 November 2017
Arguments over the Irish border may block the start of talks on the future EU-UK relationship. When those talks begin, the EU will reject British proposals for a bespoke deal.
A new deal for the eurozone: Remedy or placebo?
24 November 2017
The eurozone is finally witnessing an economic upturn but if it fails to win back the support of disaffected citizens, the bloc could face an existential crisis.
Dig for Victory?
16 November 2017
A UK trade deal with the US will create more problems for British agriculture and food consumers than it would solve.
Relaunching the EU
07 November 2017
The EU is ripe for fundamental reform. New policies are needed for migration and the euro. The EU also needs more flexible structures so that countries can opt in and out of key policies.
Populism – culture or economics?
30 October 2017
Are economic factors to blame for the rise of populism, or is it a cultural backlash? The answer is a bit of both: economic weakness strengthens social conservatives' illiberal views.
EU enlargement: Door half open or door half shut?
09 October 2017
EU enlargement has spread peace and prosperity, but it has now stalled. The EU should keep the door open, and prepare countries for coming inside.
Crunch time in Catalonia: Why Spain needs a constitutional overhaul
04 October 2017
Catalonia's illegal referendum has resulted in a constitutional crisis in Spain. Madrid needs to urgently revise the country's model of regional government.
How the ECB should respond to a German fiscal boost
26 September 2017
A German stimulus has the potential to help the eurozone economy. But how the ECB reacts is key.
Brexit and energy: Time to make some hard choices
25 September 2017
If Britain quits the EU’s single energy market, it will have to invest more in electricity generation, pay higher prices and accept a bigger state role in the energy sector.
How strong a Brexit card is Britain's money?
19 September 2017
Britain’s strongest card in the negotiations is the money that the 27 claim it owes to the EU. But the money card gives Britain a pair rather than a flush.
The EU will become less monolithic
19 September 2017
The EU is becoming less monolithic and will develop tiers of membership. This could re-energise the enlargement process and neighbourhood policy – and may allow the UK to re-engage one day.
Could Germany end up with a minority government?
04 September 2017
The SPD has probably bottomed out and a centre-right coalition might not have the numbers. But neither the SPD nor the Greens are keen on the junior role under Merkel.
What the German elections mean for Brexit
30 August 2017
The German elections will not affect the outcome of Brexit, whatever coalition partner Angela Merkel may choose.
Make German politics interesting again
18 August 2017
Merkel is disarming the SPD, which is too cautious to promise real change, while Die Linke’s radicalism is poisoning the SPD’s only possible route to power.
Why Brexiters should get behind Philip Hammond's transition
01 August 2017
A comprehensive transition that includes continued membership of the single market and customs union is ultimately in the interest of hardliners in the British government.
Brexit and the threat to Northern Ireland
20 July 2017
A hard Brexit risks many of the gains of twenty years of peace and cross-border co-operation in Northern Ireland. Only a special EU status can stop the rot.
The Hartz myth: Drawing lessons from Germany
20 July 2017
Germany's Hartz labour market reforms were no miracle cure. Rather than copying them, the rest of Europe should learn more nuanced lessons from the German experience.
What the German elections mean for Europe
20 July 2017
Germany's next chancellor won't be able to govern alone. A coalition of parties with differing views on Eurozone reform and German military power will shape Berlin's Europe policy after the election.