Research
Why Russia must pay for the damage it has done to Ukraine – and how to ensure it does
19 June 2023
Western taxpayers should not pay all the cost of reconstructing Ukraine, when there are Russian assets that could be used.
Reform of Europe's wholesale power markets: In need of a jolt?
13 June 2023
The European Commission’s proposal to reform the electricity wholesale market is modest, but pragmatic. But the EU must strengthen the grid to improve its energy security: infrastructure planning should be co-ordinated at European level.
Europe can withstand American and Chinese subsidies for green tech
12 June 2023
European policy-makers are fretting about subsidised green tech imports from the US and China. But shipping costs are increasingly discouraging imports of these goods from faraway countries.
EU-UK co-operation in defence capabilities after the war in Ukraine
09 June 2023
Despite warming EU-UK relations, defence co-operation remains thin and the EU’s deepening involvement in defence industrial policy means there is a growing gap in developing military capabilities.
Ukraine's progress towards NATO membership: Going from Bucharest to Vilnius without moving?
08 June 2023
At its upcoming Vilnius summit, NATO is likely to offer Ukraine a closer relationship than before, but less than full membership.
Erdoğan's victory and the West
31 May 2023
Erdoğan’s re-election as Turkish president means that Ankara’s relations with its Western allies will remain turbulent. The West should expect a bumpy ride.
CER bulletin: Issue 150 - June/July 2023
30 May 2023
- Why the EU can be tougher on China, Zach Meyers, Sander Tordoir
- The Commission: More power demands more accountability, Camino Mortera-Martinez
- 25 years on ..., Charles Grant
25 years on ...
30 May 2023
This 150th edition of the bulletin appears 25 years after the first. It prompts me to recall the birth of the CER in 1998.
Why the EU can be tougher on China
30 May 2023
EU policy-makers have dithered over their approach to China and Taiwan. They must persuade Beijing that the economic consequences of an invasion would hurt China, but be bearable for the EU.
The Commission: More power demands more accountability
30 May 2023
As the European Commission becomes more political, it will need to embrace both the Spitzenkandidaten process and reform.
The UK's competition authority is ready to regulate big tech
26 May 2023
The UK competition authority has decided Microsoft cannot acquire games company Activision. This should reassure politicians that the authority wants dynamic and competitive markets.
Are the costs of Brexit big or small?
09 May 2023
Critics say my estimate – that the British economy is around 5 per cent smaller due to Brexit – is implausibly large. This insight tests their scepticism against other ways to estimate the cost of Brexit.
Can the European Political Community be a bridge between the UK and the EU?
28 April 2023
The European Political Community (EPC) could promote closer EU-UK co-operation. But the EPC's ability to do so will depend on its future evolution, which only partly hinges on UK-EU relations.
Protecting Europe's critical infrastructure from Russian hybrid threats
25 April 2023
European policy-makers are concerned about the threat posed by Russia's hybrid attacks on critical infrastructure.
Note to the West: Help Georgia and Moldova as well as Ukraine
21 April 2023
Russian influence in Georgia and Moldova is a threat to Western interests. While Putin is tied up in Ukraine, the West should weaken his position in the other two states.
Will the EU's reform of retail electricity markets help consumers?
19 April 2023
Retail energy markets in Europe have performed poorly during the recent crisis. The Commission’s proposed reforms are a step forward, but they should do more to empower consumers and protect the vulnerable.
Five proposals for enforceable EU fiscal rules
17 April 2023
As the EU reforms its fiscal rules it risks repeating past mistakes. The EU should couple Commission discretion with stronger enforcement mechanisms to get member-states to follow debt reduction plans.
CER bulletin: Issue 149 - April/May 2023
03 April 2023
- A British strategy for Europe?, Charles Grant
- Where is Britain's growth plan?, John Springford
- The best national security that (no) money can buy?, Ian Bond
Where is Britain's growth plan?
03 April 2023
The government will have to confront vested interests and raise investment to boost growth. A strategy founded on trade deals with far-off countries and deregulation won’t work.
The best national security that (no) money can buy?
03 April 2023
The UK’s ‘Integrated Review refresh’ is more sober than its 2021 precursor. But the gap between the challenges the UK faces and the resources available to meet them has grown.