Research

And the winner is… Vladimir Putin (for now)

And the winner is… Vladimir Putin (for now)

21 March 2024
Putin’s ‘election victory’ does not mean that he will remain in power forever. Western leaders should plan for continued confrontation, but (unlike Putin) they should not fear change in Russia. 
Better regulation in Europe: An action plan for the next Commission

Better regulation in Europe: An action plan for the next Commission

19 March 2024
As Europe tries to boost its economic growth and become more innovative, the EU must reinvigorate the ‘better regulation’ agenda – and adapt it to how the EU institutions are evolving.
The EU's defence ambitions are for the long term

The EU's defence ambitions are for the long term

13 March 2024
The Commission’s new proposals to strengthen Europe’s defence industry will be hamstrung by limited funding and member-states' doubts. But in the long term, the EU’s role in defence will probably grow.
Weighed down by gravity: UK trade policy after Brexit

Weighed down by gravity: UK trade policy after Brexit

11 March 2024
The post-Brexit vision of 'Global Britain' is slowly replaced by the reality that free trade agreements deliver marginal benefits, particularly for the UK’s service-oriented economy. 
Two years (and ten years) of war in Europe: Hard times for Ukraine

Two years (and ten years) of war in Europe: Hard times for Ukraine

07 March 2024
After a difficult year for Ukraine, Putin may be encouraged to think he can win the war. But this is a fight neither Ukraine nor Europe can afford to lose.
What to expect from the Digital Markets Act

What to expect from the Digital Markets Act

05 March 2024
Thanks to the Digital Markets Act, large tech firms must now give Europeans more choices about how online services work. But competition authorities will see few reasons to relax.
A new equilibrium in Northern Ireland: Can it last?

A new equilibrium in Northern Ireland: Can it last?

Anton Spisak
01 March 2024
The agreement between the British government and the Democratic Unionist Party addresses immediate challenges but falls short of resolving Northern Ireland’s Brexit conundrum.
Europe and the superpowers: Responding to economic nationalism

Europe and the superpowers: Responding to economic nationalism

26 February 2024
Superpower competition poses a significant challenge for Europe's trade-intensive economy. The EU must evolve its toolkit and economic model to respond.
Helping Europe's digital economy take off: An agenda for the next Commission

Helping Europe's digital economy take off: An agenda for the next Commission

20 February 2024
The EU must simplify its digital rulebook, support more privacy-friendly data-driven innovation, and boost investment in digital infrastructure.
How should Europe handle China?: Annual report 2023

How should Europe handle China?: Annual report 2023

09 February 2024
The CER's annual report starts with an essay on how should Europe handle China. The report then highlights some of the CER's most important publications and events from 2023.

Articles

Seven expert views: America first, Europe alone?

Seven expert views: America first, Europe alone?

19 March 2024
Clingendael Spectator
If Joe Biden is re-elected, and the Democrats control both the US Senate and the House of Representatives, then there would be scope for increased transatlantic co-operation.
Judy Asks: Has the war in Gaza irreversibly damaged Europe's credibility?

Judy Asks: Has the war in Gaza irreversibly damaged Europe's credibility?

14 March 2024
Carnegie Europe
Europe’s response to the war in Gaza has greatly undermined its credibility in the Middle East and beyond.
Why do Britain's goods and services exports appear to be holding up?

Why do Britain's goods and services exports appear to be holding up?

08 March 2024
Encompass
On the face of it, UK exports have been surprisingly robust after Brexit. Goods exports to the EU have tracked those to the rest of the world, despite new trade barriers being imposed on the former but not on the latter.

Will Europe's DMA promote gatekeeper competition?

06 March 2024
(CEPA) The Center for European Policy Analysis
The Digital Markets Act aims to level tech’s uneven playing field. This goal requires not just reining in the largest tech companies but encouraging them to compete against each other.
Ukraine's future hangs by a (European) thread

Ukraine's future hangs by a (European) thread

21 February 2024
Time Magazine
Two years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and Western leaders proclaimed their full support for Kyiv, Congressional Republicans seem ready to throw Ukraine under the bus.
Europe and the Gaza war

Europe and the Gaza war

07 February 2024
Encompass
Europeans have struggled to form a coherent response to the Israel-Hamas conflict that erupted after Hamas’ brutal attacks on October 7th.

Press

Kaliningrado: el as en la manga de Rusia en una posible guerra contra la OTAN

27 March 2024
EL Confidencial
"El acceso de Finlandia y Suecia a la OTAN ha mejorado la posición estratégica en la alianza en la región báltica muy considerablemente", dice Ian Bond, vicedirector del Centre for European Reform (CER) y antiguo embajador británico en Letonia. "Antes, la única manera que tenía la OTAN de reforzar a los Estados bálticos era a través del Corredor de Suwalki. Ahora también pueden reforzar el flanco oriental desde Suecia y Finlandia. Y Finlandia, claro, tiene una frontera muy larga con Rusia, lo cual también complica la planificación estratégica de Rusia".

Stormont’s honeymoon ends as Brexit pulls parties apart

Anton Spisak
21 March 2024
Financial Times
Anton Spisak, a policy analyst and former UK government official, who notes in a new paper for the Centre for European Reform that Britain’s trade with Northern Ireland has been stagnant since 2016 while Ireland’s share has surged by 66 per cent. In other words: “Northern Ireland’s trade matters in both directions — east-west and north-south — and needs to be prioritised equally by present and future British governments.”

The long battle over Russia's frozen assets heats up

20 March 2024
Euronews
As Zach Meyers, assistant director of the Centre for European Reform, explained: "This interest legally belongs not to Russia, but rather the Belgian securities depository Euroclear." ..."Euroclear earned approximately €4.4bn on the €19bn of frozen assets in 2023," Meyers added.

UK at last confirms European Political Community summit date

19 March 2024
Politico
Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform think tank, said in February he believed Downing Street was “divided on what to do,” and reported that French officials were “quite pissed off about the British noncommittal to a date.”

Les Européens demandent à leur banque d'investir dans la défense

18 March 2024
Les Echos
« Beaucoup de PME du secteur de la défense ont du mal à accéder aux fonds publics ou privés en raison des règles d'investissement durable qui sont de plus en plus suivies, explique Luigi Scazzieri, du think tank Centre for European Reform. Une plus grande implication de la BEI enverrait un signal politique fort en montrant qu'investir dans ce secteur n'est pas quelque chose de mauvais ».

Britain doesn’t need ‘reform’. It just needs to rejoin the EU

17 March 2024
The Observer
Aslak Berg of the Centre for European Reform has recently produced a disturbing study of the devastating impact of surrendering the trading privileges of membership of the nearby single market for the cloud cuckoo land of pathetically inadequate – or what prove to be nonexistent – trade deals with far-off nations such as Canada, Australia and India. The much-vaunted trade deal with the US suffered the fate of the Titanic; but, never mind, there is a trade deal with Texas instead.

Europe's economy is a cause for concern, not panic

14 March 2024
The Economist
Europe is back to having a trade surplus and a fiscal deficit that looks a lot better than America’s these days, points out Sander Tordoir of the Centre for European Reform, a think-tank.

As trade with China booms, some Russian companies are flourishing

13 March 2024
Reuters
"The surge in Russia-China trade illustrates simply that sanctions lose their bite over time, as non-participating countries take advantage of the economic opportunities left when Western firms retreat," said Zach Meyers, assistant director of the Centre for European Reform think-tank.

The Green Deal a “costly extravaganza.”

12 March 2024
EU Reporter
At the EU level, Elisabetta Cornago, a senior research fellow at the respected Centre for European Reform, says we have seen attempts of centre-right parties in the European Parliament to “kill” Green Deal policies such as the phase-out of internal combustion engine vehicles or the nature restoration law.

Les Vingt-Sept fixent un cap à l’Union des marchés de capitaux

11 March 2024
L'Agefi
«L’UE doit donner à l’Esma et à ses régulateurs des pouvoirs plus larges. À long terme, c’est essentiel pour s’attaquer aux différences d’interprétation et de mise en œuvre des lois européennes à travers le bloc», explique Zach Meyers, chercheur du Centre for European Reform. 

Podcasts

CER Podcast: Can Berlin and Brussels disentangle their economy from China’s grasp?

Sander Tordoir, Shahin Vallée
27 March 2024
Sander Tordoir and Shahin Vallée discuss China and Germany's relationship.

CER Podcast: How is the EU's role in European defence changing?

13 March 2024
Charles Grant and Luigi Scazzieri discuss the EU's role in European defence.

CER Podcast: War in Ukraine: Where are we two years on?

Ian Bond, Dame Melinda Simmons, Hanna Shelest
29 February 2024
Dame Melinda Simmons, Hanna Shelest and Ian Bond discuss the conflict in Ukraine two years on from Russia's full-scale invasion.

CER Podcast: Europe's defence production challenge

Luigi Scazzieri, Camille Grand
31 January 2024
Camille Grand and Luigi Scazzieri discuss European defence.

CER Podcast: The Taiwan election: China cares, but should Europe?

Ian Bond, Christina Keßler, Philippe Le Corre, Helena Legarda
18 January 2024
Ian Bond, Christina Keßler, Philippe Le Corre and Helena Legarda discuss the Taiwan election.

Events

CER/ECB discussion on 'The euro area's economic outlook and monetary policy path'

27 March 2024
Brussels
With Piero Cipollone, Jeromin Zettelmeyer and Sander Tordoir

Discussion on 'Can better regulation unlock Europe's economic potential?'

19 March 2024
Brussels
With Wolfgang Hiller, Zach Meyers, Lotta Nymann-Lindegren, Jörgen Warborn and Michael Wimmer and Sander Tordoir. Watch the video of the event here.

CER/UK Mission to the EU discussion on 'How can we make the international financial architecture deliver for sustainable development?'

18 March 2024
Brussels
With San Bilal, Melinda Bohannon, Jestas Abuok Nyamanga, Heidy Rombouts and Sander Tordoir

CER/UCL European Institute hybrid discussion on 'Ukraine's European future: Prospects and possibilities'

27 February 2024
Hybrid Brussels/Zoom
With Ian Bond, Maryna Iaroshevych, Natalie Pauwels, Luigi Scazzieri and Andrew Wilson