Research
The difficulties of restoring democracy in Poland
17 December 2024
The restoration of democracy in Poland is a slow-moving process, but it offers valuable lessons to other member-states.
The UK can ride Trump out on trade
12 December 2024
The UK will probably face less trade disruption under Donald Trump than some fear – but will have fewer opportunities to improve ties with the US than some hope.
The gap between the 'Brexit reset' rhetoric and the reality
10 December 2024
Rough-and-ready calculations based on the stated demands of the UK and EU suggest the reset might raise Britain’s GDP by 0.3-0.7 per cent.
Implementing the AI Act: The Commission's first big test for better regulation
06 December 2024
Ursula von der Leyen has said her next Commission will simplify the EU’s complex regulatory environment to boost growth, especially in high-tech sectors.
Learning from CBAM's transitional phase: Early impacts on trade and climate efforts
03 December 2024
The EU should use CBAM revenues to fund support for clean industrial investments in least developed and developing countries.
French lessons for Britain's economy
01 December 2024
Since 2008, the UK has had weak productivity growth compared to the US and France. But France's high-investment model offers more lessons for a smaller, more open economy like Britain.
Enlargement and the rule of law: Diverging realities
27 November 2024
While EU leaders insist that enlargement is a priority, lack of progress on the rule of law is undermining the process.
Is investing in public health a no-brainer?
21 November 2024
The EU should prioritise public health investment under its new fiscal rules and post-2027 budget to secure the productivity of its shrinking workforce and sustain economic growth.
Can Europe navigate Trump 2?
08 November 2024
Donald Trump will be the next US president. Europe’s leaders need to accept this reality and protect European interests.
European common debt: Is defence different?
05 November 2024
European defence bonds could help strengthen Europe's defences, but they face significant obstacles.
Articles
De Duitse economie krimpt, fabrieken sluiten. Het Duitse ‘zelfbeeld’ is niet houdbaar, zegt econoom Tordoir
03 January 2025
NRC Handelsblad
Duitsland blijkt opeens de oude man van Europa. De digitalisering blijft achter, de infrastructuur is verouderd en China ondermijnt de Duitse industriële basis. „Dit is een existentiële bedreiging.”
Is the UK-EU reset worth pursuing?
19 December 2024
Encompass
Labour has taken a defensive position on Brexit since Keir Starmer first set out his red lines at the Centre for European Reform’s 24th birthday party in 2022.
The Joint Expeditionary Force: Deterrent, defender, or distraction?
06 December 2024
Carnegie Endowment
Since Baltic and Nordic member countries remain invested in the force, they should ensure that it has realistic tasks, is resourced to perform them, and contributes to NATO activities in the region.
"Los políticos, incluso los de derecha, saben que los migrantes ayudan a la economía. Saben que Europa los necesita"
05 December 2024
BBC Mundo
Con una baja tasa de fertilidad y a medida que los baby boomers se jubilan, Europa necesita llenar esos puestos de trabajo para mantener su envidiado sistema de bienestar y salud, de acuerdo con John Springford.
What Britain can learn from France about growth
01 December 2024
Financial Times
Planning reform by itself is not enough to supercharge the UK economy
Tackling scams requires a team effort – but the EU is on track to create a blame game
27 November 2024
Finextra
As EU law-makers update Europe’s payments laws, they want to tackle the bloc’s growing number of impersonation, romance and investment scams.
Press
Indian steel exports could suffer as the EU enforces carbon border rules
09 January 2025
Eco Business
A study, published by the Centre for European Reform (CER) think-tank, on December 3, highlights that many countries may require additional support from the EU to upgrade their heavy industries for a net-zero future.
The politics of anger born of economic discontent... The world enters a 'populist cycle'
06 January 2025
Hankyung
Zach Meyers, assistant director of the Centre for European Reform, one of Europe's leading think-tanks, said, "populism is the result of economic insecurity. Europe, including the UK, has been struggling with long-term low growth."
The Telegraph is wrong (again) about Brexit damage
03 January 2025
The New European
Jessop then takes aim at the work of several people including John Springford of the Centre for European Reform, who created a “doppelganger” of a UK economy to which Brexit never happened. This ‘shadow economy’, built through sophisticated modelling, reacts just as the UK has done in the past so we can see how the UK has performed in comparison with the model since Brexit. Springford’s model assesses the hit of Brexit as being 5%.
No, Brexit is not costing Britain £100bn a year
02 January 2025
The Telegraph
The best work here has been done by John Springford at the Centre for European Reform. At face value, his doppelganger models suggest that Brexit has shrunk the UK economy by at least 5pc, which would be well over £100bn a year.
In a right-leaning EU, Meloni poised to be bridge to Trump
31 December 2024
The Parliament Magazine
“It may not be as much of a problem because of the affinity that she has with Trump,” Luigi Scazzieri, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, tells The Parliament. “Maybe he won't pick on her as badly as he would if it were a country that had a left-wing leader.”
Polens EU-Ratspräsidentschaft – Experten erwarten moderaten Einfluss
30 December 2024
Polskie Radio
Die ungarische Präsidentschaft, die am 1. Juli 2024 begann, erregte viel Aufmerksamkeit, blieb jedoch hinter den Erwartungen zurück. Zselyke Csaky, Expertin des Londoner Think Tanks Centre for European Reform (CER), äußerte sich kritisch zur ungarischen Amtsführung. „Es gab viel Lärm, aber wenig echten Einfluss“, so Csaky. Besonders umstritten war die diplomatische Offensive von Ungarns Premier Viktor Orbán im Juli, bei der er in Kiew, Moskau und Peking Gespräche führte.
En 2025, un retour de la stabilité politique en France et en Allemagne est plus que nécessaire pour l’économie de l’UE
27 December 2024
EurActiv
Zach Meyers, directeur adjoint du Centre for European Reform, insiste également sur les profonds désaccords au sein de l’UE concernant la politique à adopter à l’égard du géant asiatique — un point mis en évidence lors de l’imposition par la Commission européenne de droits de douane élevés sur les véhicules électriques chinois, que la France a soutenue, mais à laquelle l’Allemagne s’est opposée avec véhémence.
With Donald Trump on the way and no end to war, EU is in a defence muddle
26 December 2024
The Irish Independent
“We have a problem that some member-states are more constrained fiscally, and some member-states are further away from the military threats, so have much less incentive to pull their weight,” said Sander Tordoir, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform.“Solving it with common borrowing allows you to provide common security for all.”
Charities are often overlooked when it comes to Budget impacts
19 December 2024
Financial Times
John Springford, at the Centre for European Reform, says that by comparing Britain’s trade with the EU to that with the rest of the world, the LSE paper pinpoints one Brexit effect — the barriers imposed directly by the TCA.
John Springford : « Malgré le chaos politique dans l’Hexagone, le Royaume-Uni a des leçons à tirer de la France »
18 December 2024
L'opinion
John Springford est chercheur au Centre for European Reform. Il se spécialise sur la Grande-Bretagne et l’Europe, autour de questions liées au Brexit, aux migrations et aux marchés du travail ainsi qu’au commerce international. Il a été conseiller spécialisé auprès de la commission du Trésor de la Chambre des Communes au parlement britannique. Dans son rapport 'French lessons for Britain’s economy', il illustre les différentes approches économiques des deux pays.
Podcasts
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: The EU in 2024
18 December 2024
Six of our researchers reflect on the past year and look ahead to 2025.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Labour's plan for the EU
28 November 2024
Charles Grant and Stella Creasy discuss Labour's plan for forging closer ties with the EU.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: What does Trump mean for European security?
12 November 2024
Luigi Scazzieri, Ian Bond and Sophia Besch discuss the impact of Trump on European security.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Moldova and Georgia: In Brussels' orbit, or Moscow's?
31 October 2024
Ian Bond and Zselyke Csaky discuss the elections in Georgia and Moldova.
CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: Europe and the Middle East – just a bystander?
14 October 2024
Anunita Chandrasekar and Luigi Scazzieri discuss Europe's role in the Middle East conflict.
Events
CER/HSF hybrid discussion on 'Von der Leyen's second term: What future for the European Commission?'
09 December 2024
Hybrid London/Zoom
With Marco Buti and Catherine Day. Watch the video of the event here.
Launch of 'Learning from CBAM's transitional phase: Early impacts on trade and climate efforts'
03 December 2024
Hybrid Brussels/Zoom
With Aslak Berg, Elisabetta Cornago, Pedro Gazzinelli Colares and Vicente Hurtado Roa
CER/Kreab breakfast on 'UK-EU reset: Progress and ambitions'
27 November 2024
Brussels
With Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby, UK Ambassador to the EU
CER/Delegation of the EU to the UK discussion on 'The EU, the UK and the Indo-Pacific'
13 November 2024
London
With Isabel Hilton, Niclas Kvarnström and Owen Jenkins
Dinner on 'The future of the European economy and its relationship with the UK'
29 October 2024
London
With François Villeroy de Galhau, Governor, Banque de France