Research

Boris Johnson pressed to move Brexit deadline amid Coronavirus threat

14 March 2020
The New York Times
“In a rational world, the UK would ask for an extension in June even if coronavirus wasn’t happening,” said John Springford, the deputy director of the Centre for European Reform, a London-based think-tank.“The pandemic makes it even more pressing,” Mr Springford said, “because the British state will not have the personnel needed to enact the sweeping changes necessary to leave the single market.”

Coronavirus is Boris Johnson's worst nightmare

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
14 March 2020
CNN
"Now that future relationship talks are being interrupted, it is inevitable that both sides will have to start considering possible extensions," says Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska at the Centre for European Reform, based in Brussels.However, she adds: "The request should come from the British government and, obviously, an extension wouldn't come without costs for the UK. Questions, including the financial contributions, will have to be taken. There is no such thing as a free lunch."

500 Euro, um das Nötigste abzufedern

Christian Odendahl, Anke Hassel
13 March 2020
Die Zeit
Eltern, Selbständige, Minijobber: Die Eindämmung des Virus wird zu finanziellen Engpässen führen. Die Lösung wäre ein vorläufiges Corona-Geld für jeden Bundesbürger.

Coronavirus tests Europe’s cohesion, alliances and even democracy

12 March 2020
The New York Times
“And that just feeds Salvini,’’ said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, referring to Matteo Salvini, the Italian far-right populist who is a sharp critic of immigration, globalization and the European Union itself.
Matters will get worse with the economic impact of the crisis, Mr. Grant said. “The euro crisis could return, because there are too many bad debts in banks,’’ especially in Italy, “and there is still no proper bank resolution regime and no eurozone deposit insurance.’’
The populists, he said, “will make hay with that.’’
 

What Trump's Europe coronavirus travel ban means

Sophia Besch
12 March 2020
Atlantic Council
“The ban in its current shape appears to be intensely political. Two things have struck people here in Berlin in particular: the fact that it seems to not have been coordinated or prepared with European leaders, and the fact that it appears to target Schengen and President Trump’s dislike of a ‘borderless Europe’ in particular.

Judy Asks: Is Europe betraying refugees?

12 March 2020
Carnegie Europe
Europe has been betraying refugees since Syria’s civil war began, but the situation is worsening.

The future of the EU: New perspectives - Italy

12 March 2020
The UK in a Changing Europe
The current trajectory of Italian politics is likely to impact considerably on the EU’s future. Ten years ago, Italy was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of European integration.
Milan airport empty March 2020

CER podcast: How to contain the coronavirus fall-out

Christian Odendahl, Luigi Scazzieri, John Springford
11 March 2020
The new coronavirus has been spreading rapidly in Europe, and Italy has imposed strict constraints on movement to contain the outbreak there.

Wie sich die Coronavirus-Rezession eindämmen lässt

Christian Odendahl, John Springford
10 March 2020
Makronom
Die Covid-19-Krise ist ernst und wird kurzfristig schwerwiegende wirtschaftliche Folgen haben. Aber wenn die Fiskal- und Geldpolitik mutig und entschlossen gegenhält, lassen sich die langfristigen Schäden begrenzen.

What is the European Green Deal and will it really cost €1tn?

09 March 2020
The Guardian
The EU will face a backlash from its citizens, fuelled by populist politicians, for persisting with green policies, predicts Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank.He points to the gilets jaunes protests in France, which took off after rises in fuel taxes intended to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and the rise of the AFD in Germany. “The AFD is fuelled partly by climate scepticism. Populists are keen to promote anti-greenery, as they listen to voters,” he says.

Italy to call for suspension of the EU Stability Pact as coronavirus stretches eurozone defences

06 March 2020
The Telegraph
“It would be very hard for the Northern Europeans to say no and be too ‘Hanseatic’ about this given the difficulties that Italy is in, and the fragility of the Italian government,” said Charles Grant from the Centre for European Reform. “The EU thinks that this is the least bad government that is possible today in Italy and they don’t want it to collapse,” he said.

The EU and UK can agree on the scope of a new trade deal, but the devil is in the detail

Sam Lowe
05 March 2020
Encompass
The EU and the UK have set out what they want their future partnership to look like and the horse trading has begun.

Now in EU interest to work with Turkey on migration

05 March 2020
EU Observer
The European Union is facing the prospect of renewed migration crisis after Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared he would "open the gates" and allow the over four million refugees living in Turkey to freely travel to Europe.

¿Es el momento de que la UE reexamine sus relaciones con Bielorrusia?

Khrystyna Parandii
05 March 2020
ESglobal
La política de la UE respecto a Bielorrusia no ha tenido ambición.

Ignore EU bluffing! Trade deal possible SOON - trade sources speak out

Sam Lowe
05 March 2020
The Express
Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said Britain accepts leaving the single market and customs union will give it more autonomy but also put up more barriers to trade. But he said there is no longer the “have your cake and eat it” attitude of Theresa May’s government which means both sides should be more willing to budge one certain issues.

CER podcast: Are the Brexit negotiations doomed to fail?

Charles Grant, Sam Lowe
04 March 2020
The EU and the UK have now published their objectives outlining what they want a future EU-UK partnership to look like. There is much headline disagreement, but is there a landing zone in sight? Charles Grant and Sam Lowe discuss.

Putin CER

04 March 2020
Financial Times
Ian Bond of the Centre for European Reform offers six pointers to western leaders on how to deal with Vladimir “master of gaslighting” Putin: “Western leaders should not forget history, ancient or recent, or ignore the reality of Putin’s Russia, but nor should they be its prisoners. The disappointed hopes of their predecessors may be buried all round the Kremlin; but the West’s relations with Russia do not always have to be as bad as they are now.”

Whisper it … an EU-UK deal is there to be done

Sam Lowe
04 March 2020
Politico
As Sam Lowe, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, has pointed out, the UK accepts that leaving the EU’s single market and customs union means more autonomy but also more barriers to trade. There is none of the cognitive dissonance of the early May era, when the UK wanted to “have its cake and eat it.” “Beyond the headline issues the two parties aren’t so far apart,” Lowe said.

We’ll ditch all EU rules, vows UK’s trade talks army

Sam Lowe
03 March 2020
The Express
Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform said: “A deal by the end of the year is still possible but it will require both parties to drift away from their opening positions. “In practice, it requires the UK to move a lot and the EU to move a little.” 

Germany and Spain scramble to reverse the flight of youth

02 March 2020
The Guardian
“You have had a lot of out-migration from places that were less economically successful and a clustering of younger people … in more successful regions of Europe. And so that is going to exacerbate social divides and it’s going to show up politically,” said John Springford, from the Centre for European Reform, who co-authored the The Big European Sort?, a 2019 report.