Press
Businesses WILL continue to choose UK over EU countries DESPITE Brexit, strategist says
22 December 2017
The Express
The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said in November that if the UK leaves the single market then financial firms will lose their EU passporting rights. He claimed the UK cannot “cherry pick” at aspects of the single market and it will lose the benefits of the single market when it leaves the European Union. Speaking at a conference by the Centre for European Reform, Mr Barnier said: “On financial services, UK voices suggest that Brexit does not mean Brexit. Brexit means Brexit, everywhere.
New year, old problems for May's Brexit team
21 December 2017
The World Weekly
“The plan for the Irish border doesn’t add up, and everyone knows that,” says Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European reform. “There will have to be a hard border of some sort.” The government, in that case, may have to come up with another fudge. “The British will take their promise not to establish a hard border in a vague way,” Mr. Grant told The World Weekly, “perhaps getting around it by saying they simply promised there would be no physical barriers, and so on.”
Secret Government 'analysis' on Brexit is ridiculed as 'printed off Wikipedia' after it reveals 'food is vital', planes have a 'nose, wings and fuselage' and retail is 'large and diverse'
21 December 2017
The Daily Mail
John Springford, director of research at the Centre for European Reform, said he had reviewed the 'aerospace' analysis and concluded: 'It's entirely descriptive. Zero analysis of Brexit impact.'
The Guardian - Politics Weekly podcast: Corbyn's year, digital diplomacy and loneliness
20 December 2017
Anushka Asthana is joined by Michael Savage, Ellie Mae O’Hagan and Sam Lowe to discuss a year that saw Jeremy Corbyn strengthen his position as Labour leader and confound expert predictions of Labour's demise.
CER podcast: CER researchers review the year 2017
20 December 2017
Charles Grant, Simon Tilford and Ian Bond review the political themes and events that shaped 2017, and take a look at some of the predictions they made last year.
Brexit: House of Commons reaches final day of scrutiny of law ending Britain's EU membership
20 December 2017
First Post
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said that as long as Britain's goals remained vague, competing forces in May's government could keep together. "But the real difficulties ahead lie when the British will ask for special system of regulatory alignment — they won't get it," he said.
Brexit Britain faces a reality check on trade
19 December 2017
CNN
Britain and the European Union are finally set to begin what promises to be the toughest stage of the Brexit process: negotiating a new relationship and a transition phase to bed down the changes.
Barnier: "No special deal"
19 December 2017
Financial Times
Barnier oversaw the financial sector as an EU Commissioner and his views on post-Brexit relations in this field are pretty categorical. His speech last month to the Centre for European Reform outlined his position in more detail.
UK should work more closely with MEPs on Brexit
18 December 2017
EU Observer
When it comes to engaging with the European Parliament on Britain's withdrawal from the EU, Brexit secretary David Davis looks to have made a wise call.
Brace yourself for the next Brexit faultline: The battle over transition
18 December 2017
The Guardian
Will Theresa May be able to convince her party of the necessity for a transition period, during which the UK obeys EU rules without having any say in them?
BBC Today programme: UK's future relations with the EU
18 December 2017
Charles Grant speaks to the Today programme about what the UK's relationship with the EU post-Brexit, he explains that the EU will not be offering a bespoke deal to the UK (from 2:44mins).
New court for Britain after Brexit as Government pushes to break free from Brussels
17 December 2017
The Express
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said: "I can confirm that Brussels officials and Germany officials as well have considered very closely the idea of the EFTA court as a possible model for moving forward."
May wins Brexit boost, but bigger battles await
17 December 2017
Agence France Presse
"The government has to decide what to ask for in phase two, which is going to be very difficult in itself," said Charles Grant of the Centre for European Reform. "The British government is going to find that whatever it asks for, the EU is going to be tough," he told AFP, adding: "I think there's going to be a massive crisis."
EIN SCHATTEN ÜBER DEM LAND
16 December 2017
Die Stern
Ein Bild des Jammers das, und so viel zur Lage Britanniens, die nach dem Verdikt von Leuten, die es wissen müssen, nicht unbedingt besser wird. Charles Grant ist einer dieser Leute. Er ist Chef des überparteilichen „Centre for European Reform“, verfolgt die britische Politik seit Jahrzehnten, aber an ein ähnlich verflixtes Jahr kann auch er sich nicht erinnern. 1992 womöglich, als John Major gleichfalls einer konservativen und kaum beschlussfähigen Regierung vorstand und Windsor Castle brannte und sich Königskinder scheiden ließen und die Queen vom „annus horribilis“ sprach.
Brexit talks set to get messy as unity hits high-water mark
15 December 2017
Bloomberg
"It comes down to the fact that countries have different economic models, different sets of existing ties to the UK, different strategic interests," Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska, senior research fellow at the London-based think-tank the Centre for European Reform, said in an interview. “The second phase of negotiations will be much more challenging for both the UK and the EU and it will be much more difficult for the EU to remain aligned.”
LSM.LV: Īens Bonds par "Brexit" sarunu gaitu un gaidāmajiem izaicinājumiem
15 December 2017
Ian Bond speaks to LSM (Latvian Radio) about how people in the UK are coming to terms with Brexit.
May's Brexit challenges multiply as Phase 2 begins
15 December 2017
Financial Times
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, said: “The real question is whether Tory MPs who are willing to rebel on an issue of process are ready to rebel on an issue of substance like the customs union.”
Romania's justice system under threat
15 December 2017
New Eastern Europe
Discussing the case, Ian Bond, director of foreign policy at the Centre for European Reform, argued that Adamescu is more a “cause celebre” with right wing organisations in the UK than a victim of political persecution.
Tok FM: Rozmowy ws. Brexitu przechodzą do drugiej fazy. Co to zmienia?
15 December 2017
Agata Gostyńska-Jakubowska speaks to Tok FM the latest European Council's decision to move to the second phase of the Brexit talks.
Brexit won't destroy the EU, but it will make it less equal
14 December 2017
Quartz
“Post-Brexit, the Eurozone will represent 85% of the EU’s GDP and 76% of the EU’s population,” says Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska, a research fellow at London-based think tank the Centre for European Reform and an expert on the European institutions.