Research
UK's Johnson seeks to rule out Brexit trade pact delay
17 December 2019
The New York Times
Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform think tank said Johnson likely believed that a “firm deadline” would help speed up trade talks with the EU. But he told the BBC that the British government “could easily introduce a later bill saying ‘actually we could extend it.’”“It’s a firmer deadline, but of course there is still some flexibility,” Lowe said.
Top tweet: Talks on UK's future to drag on beyond 2020
17 December 2019
The Guardian
The always well-informed Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, reads the tea leaves. Will he be right? "The election gives BJ the freedom to extend the transition, and to align UK & EU rules, if he wants to. He will probably do this, since leaving the transition without an FTA would be painful for the economy. He can take on ERG since he is master of his party."
Brexit bill to rule out extension to transition period
17 December 2019
BBC News
Sam Lowe, from the Centre for European Reform think tank, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that a December 2020 deadline could help the PM manage his own party when it comes to making concessions to the EU. "The prospect of a no-deal is still there," Mr Lowe said. "The question is whether Boris Johnson wants a no-deal but the evidence of recent time suggests no he doesn't."
Jeremy Corbyn apologises to Labour MPs for defeat 'for which I take responsibility' – as it happened
17 December 2019
The Guardian
Experts from the Centre for European Reform think-tank have been giving interviews today about the government’s decision to rule out an extension to the Brexit transition period. Sam Lowe, a trade specialist at the CER, described it as “domestic virtue signalling”.
UK's Johnson seeks to rule out Brexit trade pact delay
17 December 2019
The Washington Post
Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform think tank said Johnson likely believed that a “firm deadline” would help speed up trade talks with the EU. But he told the BBC that the British government “could easily introduce a later bill saying ‘actually we could extend it.’”“It’s a firmer deadline, but of course there is still some flexibility,” Lowe said.
BBC News: MPs return to Westminster
16 December 2019
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform outlined the trade-off between post-Brexit trade deals with the EU and the US of BBC News.
Fünf gegen Boris
15 December 2019
Die Welt
„Es ist in Trumps Interesse, dass sich die britische Regierung dem Regel- und Zollwerk der EU entzieht. Vor allem im Bereich der Lebensmittelvorschriften“, sagt Sam Lowe, Handelsexperte am Centre for European Reform.
Tok FM: "Miejmy w końcu ten Brexit za sobą" - dlaczego Boris Johnson wygrał wybory w Wielkiej Brytanii?
13 December 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform talks to TOK FM about the UK elections.
Polityka Insight podcast: O przełomowym szczycie i brytyjskich wyborach
13 December 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform talked to Polityka Insight about the UK elections.
After thumping victory, Boris Johnson focuses on swift Brexit, boost to public spending
13 December 2019
The Wall Street Journal
Breaking with the EU may slow Britain’s economic growth in coming years, said Sam Lowe, a researcher at the Centre for European Reform, a London think tank. “But with the majority he has he can probably afford some economic pain,” he said, while adding that a hit to the economy would make it harder to for Mr. Johnson to satisfy his new cohort of working-class supporters.
BBC News - Newshour: UK election result
13 December 2019
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke to Newshour about the general election result.
Path to a softer Brexit? UK PM's win gives him leeway
13 December 2019
France 24
"With a big majority, Boris Johnson can ignore ERG and go for a softer Brexit if he wishes," noted Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform (CER) think tank.
WTO's uncertain future: Invasion of the appellate body snatchers
12 December 2019
The Finacial Times
As the redoubtable Sam “Big Sam” Lowe of the Centre for European Reform points out, an EU-UK bilateral negotiated by end-2020 won’t look much different for most companies than a no-deal Brexit. Trade Secrets is 1-0 up, and the game’s into self-inflicted injury time.
UK heads towards Brexit as Johnson on course for decisive win
12 December 2019
Reuters
“With a big majority BJ can ignore ERG and go for a softer Brexit if he wishes,” said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform.
'Low-hanging fruit' and the politics of perception: Five takeaways from the Paris summit on the war in Ukraine
10 December 2019
Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty
These agreements are "largely low-hanging fruits strategically," Khrystyna Parandii, a fellow at the London-based Centre for European Reform, said in a tweet. ...But she added that they have "important humanitarian implications" - something Zelenskiy had stressed in comments before the talks on a war that has killed more than 13,000 people, displaced millions, and left many remaining residents of the war-torn areas living in dire conditions.
Bullets have been flying in world trade, but as of today there’s no sheriff in town
10 December 2019
Financial Post
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, adds: “The U.S. is no longer the benevolent hegemon of the rules-based system, it is now actively trying to disrupt it and return to a period when all that mattered was size.”
Pressure from Macron and Merkel on Russia is crucial to ending the war in eastern Ukraine
09 December 2019
The Independent
Five years after Russia and its proxies invaded eastern Ukraine, a fresh peace initiative is raising hopes of a solution to the Donbass conflict that has claimed 13,000 lives and left more than 30,000 injured.
Johnson vow to implement Brexit deal by December 2020 in doubt
09 December 2019
The Financial Times
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, said: “We are talking about a big bureaucratic exercise here.” He said something similar to the transition period would have to continue while new systems were put in place.“While it may be possible to have inked a free trade agreement by the end of the year, you would still have to implement it,” he said. “That would require an extension of the status quo, otherwise there would be chaos.”
What the death of WTO's 'Supreme Court for global trade' means for the UK and beyond
08 December 2019
The Telegraph
Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Centre for European Reform, adds: “The US is no longer the benevolent hegemon of the rules-based system – it's now actively trying to disrupt it and return to a period when all that mattered was size.”
Der lange Weg zum Frieden in der Ostukraine
07 December 2019
Wiener Zeitung
Sie sollten allerdings darauf bestehen, dass die Wiederherstellung der "Souveränität und territorialen Integrität der Ukraine" ein Ziel bleibe, schreibt Khrystyna Parandii in einer Analyse für die Denkfabrik CER (Centre for European Reform), die ihren Hauptsitz in London hat. Sie argumentiert, dass das beste Ergebnis der Zusammenkunft in Paris wäre, wenn sich die Parteien auf einen umfassenden Vertrag einigen könnten, der auf dem Minsker Abkommen basiert und zentrale Fragen wie die Entwaffnung paramilitärischer Gruppen regeln würde.