Research
Dealing with the Saudis
29 June 2019
The Week
“The Saudi-led incursion into Yemen is arguably the greatest humanitarian catastrophe in recent years,” said Beth Oppenheim in The Independent. Since 2015, when war broke out between Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and government forces supported by a Saudi-led coalition, it has left more than 100,000 people dead (including 11,000 civilians), and 22 million in need of humanitarian aid. It has also caused the worst cholera outbreak in history.
DESINFORMACIÓN Y FAKE NEWS: EL NUEVO CAMPO DE BATALLA EUROPEO
28 June 2019
CIDOB
A lo largo de la historia, gobiernos, estados y partidos políticos han usado propaganda, extendido falsos rumores o, directamente, mentido, para ganar elecciones, guerras o territorio.
Missing in Libya
27 June 2019
Berlin Policy Journal
The civil war in Libya is getting worse, carrying the risk of spreading instability and extremism. Another refugee crisis could be looming. Yet so far the EU has been divided and passive.
LBC: No deal Brexit GATT 24
26 June 2019
The no deal Brexit GATT 24 debate feels like a diversion, Sam Lowe , a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform tells Iain Dale on LBC – it would require an agreement, and it wouldn’t deal with no deal regulatory barriers/checks/documentation anyway.
Si es usted primer ministro, no haga planes este verano
26 June 2019
El Periodico Internacional
Ya se sabe que Bruselas es una ciudad gris. Aburrida. Llena de burócratas en traje y corbata que de vez en cuando se dejan caer por las capitales del sur para asegurarse de que no están gastando más de la cuenta.
Labour ducks full backing of a People's Vote yet again despite overwhelming support
25 June 2019
The European
In an impassioned speech to the Centre for European Reform, Tom Watson has said: "My party should be making the case for staying in the EU loudly and proudly." But he lamented that "our belief in the EU has been whispered, not shouted".
Boris Johnson on Brexit in 6 quotes
25 June 2019
The Financial Times
Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform says: “The EU cannot fundamentally go along with this. They don’t trust the UK to pursue a trade relationship that will allow physical infrastructure to be voided at the border [across Ireland]. Mr Johnson is effectively saying: ‘Trust me.’ They don’t.”
Leaving EU to bring 'more pain' to UK consumers
25 June 2019
The Belfast Telegraph
But the Brexit hit spreads far beyond consumers. The report quotes calculations by John Springford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, suggesting that the UK economy is 2.5% smaller than it would be had Britain voted to remain in the European Union.
UK needs to boost India relations to seal trade deals
24 June 2019
The Financial Times
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank, has argued that “if the UK is to become a global services trading hub, it will need to create an immigration regime which prioritises enticing people in over keeping them out”.
Ireland backstop issue: New plans for frictionless border ‘within three years’
24 June 2019
The Times
Sam Lowe, from the Centre for European Reform, warned that it would create “two tax and regulatory borders”. He added it would also require Ireland to create a new tax and regulatory border within Ireland.
Brexit has heaped pain on UK economy and more damage is highly likely, researchers warn
24 June 2019
The Independent
The report quotes calculations by John Springford at the Centre for European Reform suggesting that the UK economy is 2.5 per cent smaller than it would be had Britain voted to remain in the European Union. The research by Mr Springford, published in March, puts a figure on what this reduction has meant for government finances.
Cracks start to appear in Boris Johnson camp over Brexit strategy
24 June 2019
The Financial Times
"Clearly the aim is to appeal to hard Brexiter Conservative activists who have the final say on who becomes leader,” said Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform a think-tank. “But this doesn’t take away from the fact that many of his comments on possible Brexit options are simply wrong, as Liam Fox [the Eurosceptic trade secretary] has been quick to point out.”
Can the Irish border 'trilemma' be solved? A new Brexiteer-focused group thinks so
24 June 2019
The Telegraph
Taken all together - checks, paperwork and surveillance - experts like Same Lowe, the trade specialist at the Centre for European Reform also question whether this would be “any less intrusive” or costly than a hard border with infrastructure.
Europe’s unflattering view of Boris Johnson
24 June 2019
US News
"He might be able to pull a rabbit out of his hat," says Camino Mortera-Martinez, a Brussels-based senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, a London think tank.
Who will get EU’s top jobs? Bloc must decide how to fill them first
21 June 2019
The New York Times
“You could eventually end up with someone not ambitious enough, because if you want to satisfy everyone, you might be looking at the lowest common denominator,” said Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform in Brussels.
Judy Asks: Is the Iran nuclear deal salvageable?
20 June 2019
Carnegie Europe
Probably not. Iran has warned it will violate the deal by the end of June unless the EU, Russia, and China deliver on their pledge to provide relief from US sanctions.
BBC Radio 4 - PM: EU negotiations with Switzerland
20 June 2019
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to the Radio 4 PM programme on the EU negotiations with Switzerland (from 51 mins).
UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia have been found unlawful – this could end the war in Yemen
20 June 2019
The Independent
The UK knew the Saudi-led coalition was bombing Yemeni civilians and yet it carried on selling arms. Why has it taken legal action to force the British government to abide by national, EU and international law?
UK exporters given £6.8bn of support last year Government says backing helped to maintain 47,000 British jobs
20 June 2019
The Financial Times
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said UKEF’s increased activity was welcome. “It falls into the category of things we could have done before Brexit but have more prominence now because there has been an increased focus on trade. We are paying a lot more attention to this sort of thing which is good.”
CER podcast: The Big European Sort? The diverging fortunes of Europe's regions
19 June 2019
Beth Oppenheim talks to John Springford and Christian Odendahl about regional divergence across the EU.