Press quotes

  • Cameron warned against two-speed Europe
    Financial Times, 15 February 2011

    David Cameron, Britain’s prime minister, has been warned by his coalition allies that he risks side-lining Britain in a two-speed Europe if he adopts an “empty chair” policy while eurozone countries led by France and Germany take key economic decisions - Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform, argues: "You do lose influence if you're not in the ro

  • Respite ends for European finance ministers facing growing crisis agenda, market pressures
    Canadian Business, 11 February 2011

    "Over the last few weeks a certain amount of complacency has crept in," said Simon Tilford, chief economist at the Centre for European Reform in London. "But I don't think much that happened in the last few weeks has been very favourable." At first, investors viewed the pact, presented as a sign of the eurozone growing closer together, as a step toward growing economic cooperation or even fiscal union, said Tilford. "But when they looked a bit more closely at what that is actually going to include, it is coming up short again."

  • Ireland's anti-EU rhetoric may be here to stay
    Reuters, 10 February 2011

    "Euroscepticism is a political force waiting to take off in Ireland," said Hugo Brady, senior research fellow at the Centre for European Reform. "Irish pro-Europeanism was always a very fickle political force and the version we had has run its course. If the country was seen to be forced to raise the corporation tax I am almost positive that one of the (mainstream) parties would go euro sceptic Ireland's relationship with the EU went through a child-like, puppy-love phase," said Brady.

  • EU nations shut out reform of single currency, says Commissioner
    The Times, 09 February 2011

    Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform said that some European ministers argue that Britain's refusal to be involved in the overhaul of the eurozone has made life extremely difficult for other non-euro countries. He said "There is a feeling among the Poles, Swedes, Danes and others concerned about this Franco-German initiative that Britain is partly to blame, because Britain, rightly or wrongly, has told the Germans they don't want to be involved.

  • An opportunity to shape things to come
    New York Times, 07 February 2011

    "There are many, many other ways for individual countries and the EU to influence change in our neighbourhood," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform in London. "But at the end of the day, if events in the Middle East have taught us anything, it is that Europe has to stick to its values and encourage civil society."

  • Germany and France roll out plan to boost euro
    New York Times, 04 February 2011

    "I think we are seeing the beginning of a euro group which could become a more important organisation politically as well as economically," said Charles Grant, director of the Centre for European Reform. "France has long wanted the eurozone to be on a basis that made it more important and the Germans have now accepted that logic."

  • Brussels flat voice
    Die Welt, 03 February 2011

    However, the Briton (Catherine Ashton) has some genuine strength. In a small circle, she can convince and generate consensus. "She is simply good with people. And she can explains things in a way that everyone understands", says Charles Grant from the British think-tank CER.

  • Security: A German military overhaul
    Financial Times, 31 January 2011

    On the tactical front, the Bundeswehr invested heavily in tanks and armoured brigades. "Their role was to absorb the first wave of Russian tanks advancing across Europe, and halt them, in order to give the US time to come to the rescue," says Tomas Valasek, of the Centre for European Reform in London. "Germany has been saddled with the burden of the past in this regard, and it is right to change it".

  • German military capability could advance
    Financial Times, 31 January 2011

    Germany has a critical role to play if the EU – either as a bloc or as a looser collection of states – is to play a bigger security role in the world. "In defence capability, there is a huge gap between the French and British on the one hand and the rest of the EU on the other," says Tomas Valasek of the Centre for European Reform.

  • Is it the end for the euro?
    Management Today, 31 January 2011

    "The adjustments facing Greece, Ireland or Portugal were always a tall order," argued Simon Tilford, chief economist of the Centre for European Reform, in an analysis of the euro's woes. "Now that borrowing costs have ballooned, those adjustments are impossible. Under no plausible economic growth forecasts will these economies be able to pay back their debts."