Press quotes

  • How might it feel out in the cold?
    Sunday Politics London, 27 January 2013

    Simon Tilford, chief economist at the CER discusses how might it feel if the UK was to leave the EU. "We would be a less influencial country", he said.

  • Britain and the EU
    Polish Radio, 26 January 2013

    Charles Grant speaks to Polish radio about Britain and the EU [in Polish].

  • German strength shows Europe's economic split
    The Wall Street Journal, 24 January 2013

    "What we have is an extraordinarily weak periphery and a core that is not as strong as many people believe," Philip Whyte of the CER said. "Germany is not providing a huge impetus to the eurozone because it is still reliant on external demand for its growth," he said.

  • Britain could be on path to EU exit
    Voice of America, 24 January 2013

    "His [Cameron's] plan is impractical if it works because there would be lots of non-tariff barriers, different regulations, different standards, so products couldn't be as freely traded within Europe as they are at the moment," said Stephen Tindale of the CER.

  • David Cameron's Europe speech - the key questions
    Channel 4 News, 23 January 2013

    Charles Grant, director of the pro-European Centre for European Reform, told Channel 4 News: "If he thinks he can repatriate any significant powers in policy-making areas, he is wrong. If he asks for treaty opt-outs he will fail, but if he asks for reform he might succeed."

  • Cameron take note: International police work is no place for eurosceptic grandstanding
    The Independent, 23 January 2013

    As Hugo Brady of the CER pointed out, why should member-states now acquiesce to British cherry-picking in policing and justice?

  • Abstimmung über EU-Zugehörigkeit: So what?
    Handelsblatt, 23 January 2013

    London ist gewohnt, die Linie vorzugeben, statt sich mühsam auf die Suche nach Kompromissen zu begeben. "London denkt viel mehr global als europäisch", sagt Katinka Barysch beim Centre for European Reform in London.

  • David Cameron's EU speech: A counterproductive strategy of blackmail
    The Guardian, 23 January 2013

    "Germany, France and other EU countries have indicated that they want to accommodate Cameron to help Britain to stay in the union" wrote Katinka Barysch, deputy director of the CER in a response to David Cameron's EU speech.

  • Was treibt den Briten-Premier zur Rein-Raus-Abstimmung?
    Bild Zeitung, 23 January 2013

    As a former global power, London is used to setting its own agenda instead of laboriously searching for compromise. "London tends to think more global than European", says Katinka Barysch from the CER in London. The fear that Southern European countries could drag Britain even more deeply into the crisis is creating further aversions.

  • Europe is edgy as Briton seeks to loosen ties
    The New York Times, 23 January 2013

    After being consumed for so long by efforts to salvage the euro zone, "leaders now think it is safe and are becoming perhaps too complacent," said Charles Grant, director of the CER. "The only time European leaders have agreed to take important steps is when there is a crisis. As soon as the crisis stops they relax."