Centre for European Reform

What happened during #Czechia’s elections and what do the results mean for the EU going forward? @zecsaky.bsky.social looks at the implications of the vote.

Read here: buff.ly/NQity3w

CER quick reaction: The Czech elections Czechia’s elections mark a populist shift, but Babiš faces a hard path to form a government. The further he’s pulled to the right, the greater the risk of EU fragmentation.

#Czechia’s elections mark a populist shift, but Babiš now faces a hard path to form a government. The further he’s pulled to the right, the greater the risk of EU fragmentation.

Quick @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social reaction from @zecsaky.bsky.social

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📅 JOIN US - Tomorrow - 15.30-17.00: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social fringe event at Conservative party conference on ‘Rebuilding European security’

Speakers: Bernard Jenkin MP, @kitty-donaldson.bsky.social, @georgefreemanmp.bsky.social & Pedro Serrano

Chair: Charles Grant

🎙️@aslak.bsky.social spoke with @agathedemarais.bsky.social to discuss where EU trade policy goes from here, the impact on the global trade system & priorities for the EU going forward. 🎙️

Listen to the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social #podcast episode here: buff.ly/Uu7KDnV

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Nothing can bring back lost trade except rejoining the customs union and the single market, he adds.

If you liked Brexit, you’re going to love what the Conservatives want next | Polly Toynbee Leaving the ECHR could mean higher food prices and an even bigger blow to trade. The Tories’ new proposals will end the party for good, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

He lists consultants and accountants going back and forth to clients in the Schengen area, as well as UK events companies transporting performers and orchestras to venues around Europe. He says they are losing out massively to EU operators.

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...Services – Britain’s biggest export category – are severely restricted by the time limit. Take Rolls-Royce: it doesn’t just sell engines, but services planes, too, sending engineers back and forth across the English Channel all the time, says @johnspringford.bsky.social.

EU institutions are conscious of the fact that retaliation would be self-harm. If you retaliate to tariffs with tariffs, these retaliatory tariffs will be paid for by European firms & consumers @agathedemarais.bsky.social told @aslak.bsky.social in the new #CERpodcast.

Listen here: buff.ly/Uu7KDnV

We are delighted to welcome @armida.bsky.social to the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, she will be working on European security, defence and foreign policy.

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On this week’s @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social #podcast @aslak.bsky.social sat down with @agathedemarais.bsky.social to discuss where EU trade policy stands since the signing the EU-US trade agreement in July.

Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/Uu7KDnV

📅 JOIN US - 7/10/25: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social
fringe event at Conservative party conference on ‘Rebuilding European security’

Speakers: Bernard Jenkin MP, @kitty-donaldson.bsky.social, @georgefreemanmp.bsky.social & Pedro Serrano

Chair: Charles Grant

"The challenge is enormous," he said. "The US has long constituted about 50% of global trade deficits, acting as a key source of incremental demand for global exports."

@sandertordoir.bsky.social, chief economist at the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, said Europe could lead a 'rest of the band' group, but noted that it and others such as Japan ran trade surpluses and so needed buyers, not more sellers.

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🎙️ How do you respond to US #tariffs in a way that is not going to harm EU economies?

@agathedemarais.bsky.social asked @aslak.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast. 🎙️

Listen here: buff.ly/Uu7KDnV

Thank you to Douglas Alexander MP, @stellacreasy.bsky.social, @emilythornberry.bsky.social & Pedro Serrano for speaking at our @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social event at the Labour party conference on ‘Facing global challenges & engaging with the rest of the world’ this morning.

@sandertordoir.bsky.social chief economist at @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social says a big reason was that China's export boom back then was in low-end manufactured products... "not in the industries that are the hallmark of the German economy, namely autos, chemicals, and machines."

📅 JOIN US - This morning: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.socialfringe event at the Labour party conference on ‘Facing global challenges and engaging with the rest of the world’

Speakers: Douglas Alexander MP, @emilythornberry.bsky.social, Pedro Serrano & @stellacreasy.bsky.social

Thank you to @christophehansen.bsky.social for speaking at our @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ Kreab breakfast on 'The European agrifood sector: Sustainability, competitiveness and global trade' in Brussels this morning.

📅 JOIN US - 30/9/25: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.socialfringe event at the Labour party conference on ‘Facing global challenges and engaging with the rest of the world’

Speakers: Douglas Alexander MP, @emilythornberry.bsky.social, Pedro Serrano & @stellacreasy.bsky.social

Rachel Reeves will struggle to sell growth case to UK fiscal watchdog, economists warn Chancellor wants the OBR to give her credit for trade deals and proposed EU mobility scheme

Previous analysis by @johnspringford.bsky.social, associate fellow @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, suggested that an EU mobility scheme could be one of the more significant elements of a UK-EU “reset”, but only if it was an “expansive” scheme of the kind Brussels had pushed for.

If you would like to receive all our publications directly to your inbox as soon as they are published, you can sign up to our mailing list here: buff.ly/9tFCSxR

Can Europe save Ukraine – and itself – from Putin and Trump? Trump is not on Ukraine’s side, or Europe’s, but he cannot deliver peace on Putin’s terms. Rather than taking their lead from Trump, European leaders should act urgently to stop Russia’s advances and…

A force of Ukrainian and other allied troops could be powerful enough to make Putin think twice. 🇺🇦 🇪🇺

New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social policy brief by @cerianbond.bsky.social

Read here: buff.ly/r3HJ1Z1

📅 JOIN US - 7/10/25: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social
fringe event at Conservative party conference on ‘Rebuilding European security’

Speakers: Bernard Jenkin MP, @kitty-donaldson.bsky.social, @georgefreemanmp.bsky.social & Pedro Serrano

Chair: Charles Grant

@aslak.bsky.social, @elisabettaco.bsky.social and @sandertordoir.bsky.social spoke about the #Draghi report, the state of the EU economy and the trade deal with the US in the latest #CERpodcast.

Listen to the episode here: buff.ly/OQj4J9S

📅 JOIN US - 30/9/25: @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social fringe event at the Labour party conference on ‘Facing global challenges and engaging with the rest of the world’

Speakers: Douglas Alexander MP, @emilythornberry.bsky.social, Pedro Serrano & @stellacreasy.bsky.social

European governments must stop hoping that the war will be resolved with minimal effort from them. 🇺🇦 🇪🇺

New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social policy brief by @cerianbond.bsky.social

Read here: buff.ly/r3HJ1Z1

Can Europe save Ukraine – and itself – from Putin and Trump? Trump is not on Ukraine’s side, or Europe’s, but he cannot deliver peace on Putin’s terms. Rather than taking their lead from Trump, European leaders should act urgently to stop Russia’s advances and…

#Ukraine now has the largest and most battle-hardened army in Europe, and an innovative defence industrial sector. 🇺🇦 🇪🇺

New @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social policy brief by @cerianbond.bsky.social

Read here:

CER Podcast: Unpacking Europe: One year after the Draghi report Aslak Berg, Elisabetta Cornago and Sander Tordoir discuss where the EU stands one year after the landmark Draghi report.

Draghi charted a rather pragmatic way forward pointing to possible creation of a coalition of the willing in different areas @elisabettaco.bsky.social told @aslak.bsky.social & @sandertordoir.bsky.social in the new #CERpodcast.

Listen here: buff.ly/OQj4J9S

📅 JOIN US - 29/9/25 - Brussels: @centreeuropeanref.buff.ly/fLzEx1Y breakfast on 'The European agrifood sector: Sustainability, competitiveness and global trade' with @christophehansen.bsky.social

Email: brussels@cer.eu for info and registration