Britain & EU member-states
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.
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.
Bulletin Issue 115 - August/September 2017
20 July 2017
- Brexit and the threat to Northern Ireland, Edward Burke
- The Hartz myth: Drawing lessons from Germany, Christian Odendahl
- What the German elections mean for Europe, Sophia Besch
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.
Arrested development: Why Brexit Britain cannot keep the European Arrest Warrant
10 July 2017
The European Arrest Warrant (EAW) has made it easier for the UK to extradite criminals. But once it leaves the EU, Britain will find it almost impossible to negotiate as good an arrangement as the EAW.
Ulster's fight, Ulster's rights? Brexit, Northern Ireland and the threat to British-Irish relations
07 July 2017
Brexit risks destabilising the peace process in Northern Ireland. The EU and UK may need to agree on a special status for the Province.
The limits to Labour's 'constructive ambiguity' over Brexit
06 July 2017
Labour proposes a "jobs-first" and hard Brexit at the same time. This means the party can't capitalise on the Tories' stewardship of the economy.
Brexit maze: The role of EU institutions in the negotiations
05 July 2017
Theresa May will be reluctant to openly discuss the difficult choices ahead of the UK. Citizens and business should look to the EU institutions for information about their future post-Brexit.
Britain prepares for a softer Brexit
27 June 2017
Britain’s general election has increased the chances of a ‘softer’ Brexit. But what would a softer Brexit look like? And could it include a customs union with the EU?
Hard Brexit, soft data: How to keep Britain plugged into EU databases
23 June 2017
Retaining full access to EU databases fighting crime and terrorism will not be easy for Britain. Any deal will require a role for the European Court of Justice and keeping EU privacy laws.
How should the EU react to Britain's general election?
15 June 2017
The EU-27 can force Britain's politicians to acknowledge Brexit’s trade-offs, by offering the British four options from which it must choose.