Research
Donald Trump’s antics mean new boldness is needed in UK-EU links
24 April 2025
The Economist
But Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank, says France is losing this argument, because Germany, Italy and most eastern EU members think building stronger European defence without Britain would make no sense. The new deal will instead allow any country that signs a security-and-defence agreement with the EU, and is willing to pay its share, to draw on EU funds.
Why China's Xi is watching the Trump-Powell clash
23 April 2025
Politico
“The [European Central Bank] has the most ironclad independence of any central bank in the world,” said Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform and a former ECB staffer. “So if you’re worried about central bank independence, I think most investors will probably just have a bit more exposure to Europe and a little bit less to the US.”
Rachel Reeves softens stance over youth mobility scheme with EU
22 April 2025
The Times
But analysis by the Centre for European Reform, a think tank, found a youth mobility scheme could lead to a rise in GDP of between 0.4 to 0.45 per cent in ten years.
Could Canada join the EU? Unlikely … but not impossible
21 April 2025
Politico
Ian Bond, deputy director at the Center for European Reform, believes “it would be extremely difficult to make the case that Canada is a European country” for several reasons.Even if it were to pass the test of so-called Europeanness, “practical economics” would get in the way, he said.
Germany's neighbours eye share of Friedrich Merz's big spending plans
21 April 2025
Financial Times
Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, said German support for its industry will create downstream demand for suppliers in other European countries that are reeling from Chinese competition and the threat of US tariffs.
Europe helped teach China to make cars. Now the tables are turning
17 April 2025
Financial Times
“It’s a change in the sense that it welcomes investment from abroad in a sector that has been one of the prides of European industrial development,” says Elisabetta Cornago, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform think-tank.
“It’s also an acknowledgment that there is a gap between the European homegrown knowhow and what is available externally.”
“It’s also an acknowledgment that there is a gap between the European homegrown knowhow and what is available externally.”
Hard-right friendships tested as Italy's Giorgia Meloni seeks a break on trade from Trump
17 April 2025
NBC News
“Everybody hopes that, but nobody knows what she’s going to be able to achieve,” said Charles Grant, founding director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank. Despite her rapport with Trump, Meloni’s Italy is to some extent also “in the doghouse” with Trump's team, Grant said, because of its low defense spending and trade deficit with Washington — two of Trump’s biggest bugbears.
Taking the Pulse: In light of Trump’s tariffs, should Europe get closer to China?
17 April 2025
Carnegie Europe
The EU and China are both trade-surplus blocs: They rely on external demand and need buyers, not sellers, as the United States reduces its demand.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: The implications of Trump's tariffs
16 April 2025
Aslak Berg and Meredith Crowley discuss President Trump's tariffs.
Donald Trump will den Dollar schwächen – aber keine Dollar-Schwäche
16 April 2025
Capital
„Es ist sehr auffällig, dass in einem Moment der Belastung die Bundesanleihen als sicherer Hafen fungieren, anstatt die US-Staatsanleihen“, sagte Sander Tordoir, Chefökonom am Centre for European Reform.
Trade War: Views from the trenches
16 April 2025
EU Today
As Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform points out, Donald Trump’s second presidency is certainly shaking up the geopolitical landscape. But he says most of the consequences are “harmful, but some are beneficial.”
Kiest Brussel voor de bazooka tegen Trump of juist voor nietsdoen? Vier opties voor de volgende zet in de handelsoorlog
15 April 2025
NRC Handelsblad
Als Europa zijn eerste tegenheffingen alsnog oplegt, is het de vraag wat daarna volgt. „Ik denk dat Europa dan min of meer door de goederen heen is die wij kunnen treffen om Republikeinse Congresleden pijn te doen”, zegt hoofdeconoom Sander Tordoir van het Centre for European Reform.
Na de Amerikaanse kladderadatsch groeit Europas zelfvertrouwen
13 April 2025
NRC Handelsblad
Als de wereldhandel echt instort, wordt Europa vanwege zijn omvangrijke export het hardst geraakt van de grote handelsblokken, zegt econoom Sander Tordoir van denktank Centre for European Reform. Maar in de huidige situatie komt de grootste pijn terecht bij de VS en bij China.
How Brexit, a startling act of economic self-harm, foreshadowed Trump's tariffs
13 April 2025
The New York Times
By the middle of 2022, investment in Britain was 11 percent lower than it would have been without Brexit, based on a model by John Springford, who used a basket of comparable economies to stand in for a non-Brexit Britain. Trade in goods was 7 per cent lower and gross domestic product 5.5 per cent lower, according to Mr Springford, a fellow at the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank in London.
BNR Nieuwsradio: Trump hangt nog altijd ‘infarct in kern van financiële stelsel’ boven het hoofd
13 April 2025
De grootste zorg voor de Amerikaanse economie is het wegvallen van de liquiditeit in het Amerikaanse financiële stelsel door een haperende obligatiemarkt, zegt Sander Tordoir, hoofdeconoom van de denktank Centre for European Reform, in BNR Boekestijn en De Wijk. ‘Als die uit elkaar valt, heb je echt een infarct in de kern van het financiële stelsel en dat dreigde een beetje te gebeuren.’
Investors seeking safety look to German government bonds
11 April 2025
The New York Times
It was “very striking” that in a moment of stress German bunds were acting as the “haven of choice” instead of US Treasuries, said Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform, a research institute. “There does seem to be a real safety premium now being place on German government debt,” he said.
The European Union claims strong ties with Africa
11 April 2025
Semafor
The European Union claims strong ties with Africa but undermines them through restrictive visa policies, argues a Centre for European Reform researcher. Efforts to curb irregular migration via visa restrictions are ineffective, says Katherine Pye, arguing that the EU must instead reform its visa policies, simplify applications, and decouple visas from migration enforcement.
Betrouwbare Bronnen’: De krankzinnige tarievenoorlog van Donald Trump
10 April 2025
Met Jaap Jansen en PG Kroeger bespreekt Sasnder Tordoir de over elkaar buitelende gebeurtenissen in de tarievenoorlog van Donald Trump. Een oorlogsverklaring aan ieder land ter wereld. Van China en Japan tot het straatarme Lesotho. En Europa.
NPO Radio 1: Hoe Europa zijn industrie wil redden
08 April 2025
In onze geopolitieke serie ‘De Oplossing van het Westen’ gaat het vandaag over de Europese industrie. De Amerikaanse importheffingen zijn slechts de nieuwste klap in een lange reeks tegenslagen. Door de torenhoge energieprijzen wordt het voor Europese fabrieken steeds lastiger om te overleven. Maar juist nu zijn die fabrieken onmisbaar,...
Now is the time for a bold new UK-EU relationship
07 April 2025
Reuters
The EU’s attitude is that Britain should not be able to “cherry-pick” bits of the single market unless it is prepared to be a full member, which means agreeing to free movement of people, says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform.