Press

Europe struggles to avoid deflation’s grip

Simon Tilford
03 June 2014
The New York Times
“Inflation is so low,” said Simon Tilford, deputy director of the Centre for European Reform in London, “because wages have fallen sharply and consumer demand and investment have been depressed.”

Tumbling German inflation clears way for ECB blitz

Simon Tilford
02 June 2014
The Telegraph
Simon Tilford, from the Centre for European Reform, said the governing structure of the ECB prevents it from acting with the force of the US Federal Reserve or the Bank of Japan, which is needed to achieve full psychological effect.

In or out, your Euro-nightmare begins here

Matthew Parris
31 May 2014
The Times
There are three years to go before a possible referendum on Europe, and already it’s impossible to know what to think

European agency reports surge in illegal migration, fueling a debate

30 May 2014
The New York Times
In the UK, the recession has given an added piquancy to anti-immigrant backlash,” John Springford [of the CER] said. “There are fears that Romanians and Bulgarians will take away jobs, even as there is little evidence for this. When people’s prospects are being squeezed, migrants are an easy culprit.

EU Citizens turn backs on integration as vote results intensify euroscepticism

29 May 2014
Rianovosti
Ian Bond, the Director of the foreign policy CER says the divergent expectations of the European Parliament and EU member states set the stage for the failure of the Spitzenkandidat initiative.

Populists’ rise in Europe vote shakes leaders

26 May 2014
The New York Times
But assertions by Mr Farage that the European Union had suffered a fatal blow are overblown, according to Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, a British research group. “Cats have nine lives, and the EU has already had seven or eight,” Mr Grant said.

Anti-EU, far-right parties post strong gains in European elections

26 May 2014
The Wall Street Journal
"If the survival of the euro requires greater federalization, that's a worry because it's not going to happen," said Charles Grant of the pro-EU Centre for European Reform, based in London.

Anti-EU parties soar in “political earthquake” elections

26 May 2014
The New American
Charles Grant says the Parliament's primary concern “has been to get more power for itself and more money for the European Union”.

Fringe groups gain in European voting

25 May 2014
The New York Times
Mr Grant said, the European legislature “exists inside the Brussels bubble and doesn’t talk about things most people care about.” Its principal concern, he added, “has been to get more power for itself and more money for the European Union.”

Putin promises to 'respect' Ukraine's election

23 May 2014
The Wall Street Journal
"He has already achieved many of his objectives—he's got Crimea, he's made sure he has a seat at the table at whatever happens with the future of Ukraine—so he can afford to be magnanimous," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform.

European elections: Is concern about Russia boosting EU popularity?

22 May 2014
The Christian Science Monitor
Ian Bond of the CER says “Putin has a narrative about European expansionism that rather appeals to [far-right] ideas that Europe is trying to take everyone over.”

Elections won’t solve many of eurozone’s problems

Larry Elliott
20 May 2014
Gulf News
The euro could be reformed fundamentally along the lines proposed by Charles Grant director of the CER.

First ever televised debates struggle to electrify EU voters

19 May 2014
Oman Daily Observer
Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform think-tank also laments the fact that the candidates from the largest political parties “are remarkably similar,” even though they “claim to be offering voters a choice of Europes.”

UK influence in Brussels wanes as Cameron faces defeat

19 May 2014
Bloomberg
“If we send medium-to-lightweight politicians to Brussels, then obviously they’re not going to get good, influential jobs,” said Charles Grant. “If you don’t have a good communicator who commands respect, then it will be harder to win a referendum campaign for staying in.”

Peter Jones: Better off out of EU? It’s a fantasy

Peter Jones
19 May 2014
The Scotsman
The CER studied British trade with EU countries, comparing that with the 30 largest trading partners that are not in the EU [...] and found that in the period between 1992 and 2010, British trade with the EU was 55 per cent higher than would be expected.

Vladimir Putin faces giving ground in China to seal gas deal

19 May 2014
The Telegraph
“The reality is that China now holds the whip hand and they will drive a very hard bargain. For them this is just commerce,” said Ian Bond, from the Centre for European Reform.

The eurozone's problems have not gone away, and elections won't change much

Larry Elliott
18 May 2014
The Guardian
One of two things could happen. The euro could be fundamentally reformed along the lines proposed by Charles Grant, the director of the Centre for European Reform.

Elected, yet strangely unaccountable

17 May 2014
The Economist
Charles Grant, of the London-based Centre for European Reform, notes that “the parliament has serious shortcomings as an institution…much of the time its priority appears to be more power for itself.”

EU elections 2014: Does Germany rule your world?

Simon Tilford
15 May 2014
The Telegraph
The success of Germany’s Mittelstand is “partly down to the structure of the German financial system. Small and medium sized businesses have been able to access long-term capital at quite favourable interest rates." says Simon Tilford of the CER.

Recovery stalls in Europe as austerity grinds on

Simon Tilford
15 May 2014
The Telegraph
Simon Tilford says “We think it is highly unlikely that the ECB will launch the kind of shock and awe QE needed to convince the markets that they are really going to stay the distance”.