Press

Boris Johnson's Brexit deal moves a step nearer to approval

26 October 2019
The Economist
As Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank, says, this means that the EU, nervous of being undercut, will offer Britain only a relatively thin free-trade deal. That implies a harder Brexit with more trade barriers than Mrs May’s deal, raising the costs to the economy of leaving the EU.

Ulster's unique position: Boris Johnson is trying to turn Northern Ireland into Hong Kong

Sam Lowe
26 October 2019
The Economist
The deal might encourage some firms to relocate to Northern Ireland. It would have a unique status: manufacturers could export to European and British markets with zero tariffs and few regulatory barriers, argues Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank.

Polskie Radio: Od czego Unia Europejska uzależnia przełożenie Brexitu

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
26 October 2019
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform talks to Polskie Radio about the extension of Brexit talks.

Europe and UK play game of Brexit chicken

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
25 October 2019
Forbes
“France is thinking a stricter extension could lead to a greater pressure to ratify the deal,” said Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska a Brussels-based analyst at the Centre for European Reform policy group.

Departing Draghi looks to bind wounds at ECB

Christian Odendahl
24 October 2019
France 24
"The ECB is rightly worried about the balance between monetary and fiscal policy" after years fighting its inflation battle almost alone, economist Christian Odendahl of the Centre for European Reform told AFP.

Boris Johnson raised the issue of Northern Ireland export forms with Jean-Claude Juncker and then agreed to them

Sam Lowe
24 October 2019
Buzz Feed
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, said: "These declarations are lodged electronically where they are then assessed on the basis of risk. Presumably for NI exports to GB this process could be streamlined, considering that it is UK authorities operating on both sides of the sea.

BBC Radio 4 - The Briefing Room: Brexit: A pivotal week

Sam Lowe
24 October 2019
Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform spoke about the future trade relations with the European Union (from 11:24 mins).

Trump's Syria and Ukraine moves further alienate America's already wary allies

24 October 2019
The New York Times
“European governments have a very low regard for Trump anyway," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. “They know that they need to work with the United States, but it confirms to them that Trump is incapable of thinking strategically, handing victory to the Russians in Syria.”

North/South and East/West conundrum poses headaches for Brexit-weary firms

Sam Lowe
24 October 2019
Independent -Ireland
The answer is not much, according to a research paper by Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform think-tank. He says that access is given, for example, for data processing software, advice and other things that support financial services, "but not for banks' main job - lending".

CER podcast: What next for Brexit?

Charles Grant, Beth Oppenheim
23 October 2019
Charles Grant and Beth Oppenheim discuss what will happen next with the Brexit process, as well as what the future UK-EU relationship could look like.

Britain awaits EU verdict on Brexit delay as deadline looms

Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska
23 October 2019
Voice of America
The EU doesn't want to be blamed for a no-deal Brexit, so it will likely eventually agree to an extension, said Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska of the Centre for European Reform policy group."I think the EU should focus on having as constructive a partnership with the U.K. as possible. Now those discussions will not always be easy, but it seems to me that within the EU's mindset, the U.K. has actually already left," she said.

Getting Brexit deal over finish line would only begin a tortuous new race

Sam Lowe
23 October 2019
The New York Times
“Under this deal, relative to May’s, the worst case scenario is worse,” said Sam Lowe, a senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform, a research organization.

Rejet de Sylvie Goulard, une manœuvre infondée

22 October 2019
La Croix
Une vingtaine de personnalités européennes demandent au président du Parlement Européen David Sassoli de ne pas entériner le vote des deux commissions qui ont rejeté la candidature de Sylvie Goulard. ...Comprenant Charles Grant, Directeur du Centre for European Reform, Londres, ancien chef du Bureau de The Economist à Bruxelles, trustee du British Council.

The European Commission in EU Defense Industrial Policy

Sophia Besch
22 October 2019
Carnegie Europe
The European Commission has become more involved in EU defense policy. To see changes implemented, however, it must prove it can help the EU develop into a more capable defense actor.

Britain 'will pay EU billions more' to buy time for new post-Brexit free trade deal

Sam Lowe
22 October 2019
The Telegraph
Sam Lowe, the trade specialist the Centre for European Reform said that having a trade agreement completed and ready to go by the end of 2020 was “a very tall order”. “Even if Mr Johnson seeks a ‘bare bones’ FTA, there will still need to be complex discussion on level playing field issues, as well as agreements on a plethora of other areas, such as defence co-operation, justice and home affairs, scientific research and a framework agreement to bind them all together.”

Draghi's ECB tenure: Saving the euro, faltering on inflation

Christian Odendahl
21 October 2019
Financial Times
“It is widely agreed that [his] pledge to make the ECB the de facto lender of last resort to governments was the key to arresting the euro crisis,” said Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform. 

Minister admits: MPs being asked to approve Brexit without knowing full economic damage

21 October 2019
Evening Standard
In the short term, the Centre for European Reform estimates that Britain’s economy is already £69 billion smaller than it would have been if the country had not voted for Brexit.

The UK might be close to a deal, but Brexit wrangling could last for a decade

21 October 2019
CNBC
A London-based think tank, the Centre for European Reform, also noted in a report last week that “the biggest victim of the Brexit vote has been business investment.”

Pound hits $1.30 amid Brexit deal and trade war hopes - as it happened

Sam Lowe
21 October 2019
The Guardian
"A while ago I wrote a paper in which I estimated the potential impact being in a free trade agreement (much like the one Johnson wants) would have on UK services exports to the EU." As you can see, the work (by trade expert Sam Lowe of the Centre for European Reform) suggests a free trade deal would cause severe damage to some UK service sector exports -- particularly the City...

IFO Institute: Europas ökonomische Souveränität

Christian Odendahl
21 October 2019
Christian Odendahl, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform spoke a the IFO Institute, Munich about Europe’s economic sovereignty.