Press
New French foreign minister faces baptism of fire
17 May 2012
France 24
But Charles Grant, director of the CER told FRANCE 24 that such is Assad's defiance of international pressure that "no matter what France says towards Syria it will not make any difference".
Europe needs Germany to lighten up
16 May 2012
The Washington Post
As economist Simon Tilford of the CER puts it, "any attempt to permanently lock-in [German] competitiveness gains will simply perpetuate the crisis."
Austerity to strain transatlantic ties at NATO Chicago summit
16 May 2012
Reuters
"There is definitely going to be an effort to present things in the best light possible, but the fact remains that as soon as we are talking about more ambitious forms of defence cooperation, which require large budgetary investments, it's really hard to progress and it's going to remain so for the foreseeable future," said Clara O'Donnell of the CER. ... O'Donnell said that, given its own budget woes, Washington wants to rely more on allies to take responsibility for their regions so the United States can reduce its involvement.
Aliancia nepatrí do múzea
16 May 2012
SME Daily (Slovakia)
Svet bez NATO sa dá predstaviť, ale bola by to chyba. Aj keď teraz je ekonomická kríza väčšou hrozbou ako nedostatok bezpečnosti, nemusí to tak zostať natrvalo.
Nadchádzajúci summit NATO v Chicagu bude jeden z tých dôležitých. Na oficiálnej agende budú záležitosti od Afganistanu po Rusko, ale dominovať budú...
Nadchádzajúci summit NATO v Chicagu bude jeden z tých dôležitých. Na oficiálnej agende budú záležitosti od Afganistanu po Rusko, ale dominovať budú...
Greece sets showdown vote over euro
16 May 2012
The Wall Street Journal
"The contagion risk is serious, but I don't think the euro zone is bluffing," said Simon Tilford, chief economist at the CER. "The Greeks have misread the politics" of Northern Europe, where many policy makers "believe a Greek exit would be a salutary and cleansing experience," Mr. Tilford said.
Only Lord Mandy could make austerity this cool
15 May 2012
The Times
The blooming bromance between Ed Balls and Lord Mandelson had to be seen to be believed. Odd couple does not even begin to cover it. But it seems the old enemies over the euro are now as one on how to save the eurozone. Yesterday, they went public at an event organised by the Centre for European Reform think-tank.
Holland will try to sway Merkel to his vision
15 May 2012
International Herald Tribune
He may even push for a restructuring of the rest of Greek debt. But it will be a hard sell, and Mr Hollande has to be careful, notes Charles Grant, director of the CER. "If Hollande tried to gang up with, say, Italy and Spain, to force Germany into a complete U-turn, he would fail ...
Greek deadlock drives increased eurozone fears
15 May 2012
ABC News
But Charles Grant, director of the CER, says the Greek economy will be thrown into greater turmoil if it exits the currency bloc. Without the financial support of the eurozone and the International Monetary Fund, Greece will have to print money to pay salaries and pensions. "You'd get hyper-inflation, at the same time Greece would devalue its currency, so it would become more competitive and it might start to export more, [but] it wouldn't take away the need for austerity," Mr Grant said.
François Hollande faces a baptism of fire in Berlin
14 May 2012
The Guardian
"France has much less clout in the EU than Germany. The financial crisis and the euro crisis have highlighted the vulnerabilities of the French economy: its waning competitiveness," wrote Charles Grant, director of the CER. ... "Can Hollande really make a difference? He might ... The political crisis in Greece makes it urgent for Merkel and Hollande to find a modus vivendi … Until recently, many German leaders seemed disconcertingly certain that their policies for dealing with the eurozone crisis were absolutely right.
Greece to make final push Tuesday to form coalition
14 May 2012
CNBC
"If Greece moves towards exiting the euro ... the EU would then need to enlarge its bailout funds and prepare other emergency measures," said Charles Grant, director of the CER. ... "They should tell the Greeks that if they wish to stay in the euro they cannot avoid austerity and structural reform ... But to raise the Greeks' morale the EU will have to relax Greece's deficit reduction targets, write off much more Greek debt and think more imaginatively about how to encourage external investment in Greece. Merkel will find such policies harder to embrace than Hollande."
Greece and risk of contagion
14 May 2012
BBC News
Simon Tilford talks about the impact of Greece leaving the eurozone on the news at 10. Watch at 6.23.
Shadow chancellor offers hints on EU referendum
14 May 2012
Financial Times
Although Labour has never ruled out a plebiscite, Mr Balls's comments at a Centre for European Reform debate surprised senior colleagues who had agreed not to speculate on the subject. Mr Balls said there were questions about "whether there could be a case for there being a referendum more widely on Britain's relationship with Europe as a new settlement evolves". He added: "That might be an issue whose time comes, that might be. But I don't think it’s now."
Greek impasse prompts euro exit warnings, rattles markets
14 May 2012
Reuters
"If Greece moves towards exiting the euro ... the EU would then need to enlarge its bailout funds and prepare other emergency measures," said Charles Grant, director of the CER think-tank in London. ...
Isolated Merkel sticks by austerity after vote setback
14 May 2012
Reuters
"Merkel will find it hard to resist them all," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform in London.
Ed Balls backs calls for new referendum on Europe
14 May 2012
The Guardian
Speaking at a Centre for European Reform seminar in London, Mandelson also praised as prescient a speech by Balls in 2010 in which he set himself up as an early opponent of the coalition's government's deficit reduction policy.
Miliband to get back on track with reshuffle
14 May 2012
Financial Times
Lord Mandelson also joined Mr Balls on the platform of a Centre for European Reform event and praised the shadow chancellor for his "prescient" speech two years ago at Bloomberg in which he warned of the dangers of sucking demand out of the economy as a storm approached.
Blair to back Labour's economic strategy
13 May 2012
Financial Times
On Monday when Lord Mandelson appears alongside his one-time political foe Ed Balls, shadow chancellor, at a CER event. Both men are expected to share a common critique that David Cameron has left Britain marginalised in Europe and that he should be helping to forge a growth strategy at an EU level.
Soccer boycott could kick Ukraine toward reform
11 May 2012
Bloomberg
If war is a continuation of politics by other means, then so is soccer. That's why European Union leaders are right to use the"beautiful game" to pressure an ugly regime in Ukraine.
Chevron and Shell near Ukraine gas deals
10 May 2012
Financial Times
"Through Ukraine's dependence on Russian gas, Moscow always has this weapon to bring Kiev to heel if it, say, tries to move closer to Europe," said Katinka Barysch, deputy director of the CER. "If that stranglehold no longer existed, Ukraine would have more freedom to choose its own path."
Developing joint policies is a slow and difficult job
08 May 2012
Financial Times
"The Lisbon treaty has triggered a huge degree of turf warfare between the European Commission and the External Action Service," says Thomas Valasek of the CER.