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Ten years on from the Brexit referendum, we've published a collection of wonderful essays @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, reflecting on the past decade, discussing where UK-EU relations stand today, and looking at what comes next. Some of the highlights: www.cer.eu/ten-years-af...

Ten years after the Brexit referendum

A new CER essay collection reflects on what the past decade has meant for the UK, the EU, and the future of UK-EU relations.

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Phew – that's it. I'm enormously grateful to all who have contributed. Our @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social collection is packed with insight, so please take a moment to read some of them. www.cer.eu/sites/defaul...

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And in my own essay, I reflect on what the past decade has taught us and what comes next. Britain's European question remains far from resolved a decade after the referendum. The old arguments may have faded, but the task of defining the UK's place in Europe has not. www.cer.eu/publications...

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In a forward-looking piece, @cergrant.bsky.social looks beyond the immediate 'reset' in UK-EU relations. Can be more than a modest exercise in repair? He offers a well-informed perspective on how the relationship might evolve in the coming years and over the longer term. www.cer.eu/publications...

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@dschwarzer.bsky.social asks what would be a practical way forward for the UK-EU 'reset'. And she makes the case for an agenda that is built around economic security, resilience and competitiveness. www.cer.eu/publications...

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But how to move closer? Catherine Day, former EU Commission secretary-general, argues that if Britain wants closer ties, the EU will expect corresponding obligations. It will not weaken the logic of membership for the benefit of a country that chose to leave. www.cer.eu/publications...

@nathalietocci.bsky.social asks if the current reset may have reached its limits – not because it rests on wrong instincts, but because the UK-EU relationship lacks a clear political destination. www.cer.eu/publications...

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Well, that's already a lot of food of thought, but it doesn't stop here. We also have a few fantastic essays asking where the UK-EU relationship goes next.

Nick Butler, an energy expert, writes about how Brexit has complicated energy cooperation between Britain and the EU. He makes an argument that physical interdependence and shared climate goals create a case for closer partnership on energy and climate cooperation. www.cer.eu/publications...

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CER's own @cerianbond.bsky.social writes about Brexit has affected cooperation on foreign and security policy. Britain and the EU face the same shared external threats, but being outside the room has reduced Britain’s institutional access and influence. www.cer.eu/publications...

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Julian King, former EU commissioner, asks how leaving the EU has changed European security. Using some of the latest evidence, he shows how weaker security links since Brexit have made it harder to tackle terrorism and organised crime. www.cer.eu/publications...

In another fantastic piece, @nvondarza.bsky.social looks at how Brexit has affected European politics. He argues that Brexit was only one of many crises the EU has faced over the past decade, and that the EU has emerged more resilient than many expected in 2016. www.cer.eu/publications...

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David Miliband, former UK foreign secretary, reflects on how the world has changed in the past decade. Brexit weakened Britain, Europe and the West at precisely the wrong time and offers ideas for how the UK should step up cooperation with its European partners. www.cer.eu/publications...

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Moving to where we are today in UK-EU relations: Peter Kellner looks at the changing public mood. British voters increasingly regard Brexit as a mistake and what is driving that change. Regret is not the same as a desire to rejoin, he argues. www.cer.eu/publications...

@johnspringford.bsky.social and I look at the costs of Brexit. Brexit may not have ruined the UK economy, but it has lowered its growth path and reduced trade. Our own estimates show how most of the damage comes from leaving the single market than the customs union. www.cer.eu/publications...

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@cbarnard.bsky.social, one of Britain's leading EU law scholars, reflects back to the messy and complex withdrawal process from a legal perspective. She shows how the influence of EU law hasn't disappeared from the UK, and also offers a little glimpse into the future. www.cer.eu/publications...

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In another essay, Philip Rycroft, former senior UK official, asks how Brexit has affected the UK union. Brexit has left the UK itself more fragile, but it's also made the practical politics of Scottish independence and Irish reunification more complex in the future. www.cer.eu/publications...

Starting with how we got here, @davidlidington.bsky.social, former Cabinet minister, looks at how Brexit has reshaped British politics. As he puts it, "the time spent sorting out Brexit was the time and energy unavailable to address more acute challenges facing Britain." www.cer.eu/publications...

Ten years after the Brexit referendum

A new CER essay collection reflects on what the past decade has meant for the UK, the EU, and the future of UK-EU relations.

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

More detail on the impacts of Brexit on different sectors of the British economy — from our latest study with @johnspringford.bsky.social:

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Reposted by Anton Spisak

Martin Sandbu @martinsandbu.ft.com · 19/06/2026

Striking fact about the Makerfield election: left-right divide has barely budged in the last three GEs (7 years). Lab+LD+Green have gained 53-56 per cent of the votes each time; Con+Ref+Restore 43-47. All the action has been voter movements within each tribe. (Table from @peterkellner.bsky.social)

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

I’m very happy to engage with the discussion on how to do modelling well (and how our model can be improved), but ‘I refuse to rely on counterfactuals’ isn’t a good way to start that discussion.

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Heather Stewart @guardianheather.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

Very interesting new Brexit research here from @johnspringford.bsky.social and @antonspisak.bsky.social which a) shows bigger effects on services exports than previously thought and b) disaggregates the impact of leaving single market + customs union: www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

theguardian.com

Rejoining customs union would not fix damage caused by Brexit, research finds

Exclusive: Economists find Brexit caused 12% depression in UK exports, most of which is due to leaving single market

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 18/06/2026

New research out today with @johnspringford.bsky.social. Ten years after the referendum, we estimated the costs of Brexit to UK trade – and identified how much of the damage comes from leaving the single market versus the customs union. Not an easy exercise, but we’ve had some striking results 👇

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John Springford @johnspringford.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

@jdportes.bsky.social and I have updated our estimates of the impact of Brexit and the new migration regime on immigration, now that we have new data for 2025. 1

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

I’m surprised to see this from YouGov. It’s a perfect example of how not to ask a polling question. “Clean energy” can be – and in most instances is – “cheaper energy”.

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

It's the final week to apply for a number of fantastic roles we have @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social:

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

This, to me, suggests that the EU's strategy of "diversification by FTAs" falls short. Europe's biggest problem isn't only competition from Chinese imports in the EU market and supplier dependence, but also intense competition in third markets, esp in high-value segments where China now dominates.

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

An important paper laying out the scale of China's challenge to Germany's – and Europe's – export-led economic model. We should debate how best to respond, but it's a mistake to think we can return to the world of yesterday. Doing nothing is also a policy choice.

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Sander Tordoir @sandertordoir.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

Germany is the epicentre of the China Shock 2.0 reverberating in global markets In a new joint paper, CFR's Brad Setser and I show the shock is a key driver of Germany’s economic malaise. And it's accelerating Berlin needs to stop admiring the problem, and join efforts to fight back 1/many

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

We're a small team @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, but we do lots of fascinating policy work on important issues, in an intellectually rich and autonomous environment. What's not to like? Come and join us, or please spread the word.

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

2. Research fellow in European clean industrial policy, to be based in Brussels or London Closing date: Friday 29 May www.cer.eu/job/research...

Research fellow – economics, climate and industrial policy

The CER is looking for a economics, climate and industrial policy fellow to join its research team.

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Policy jobs! We have several excellent – and rare – openings at @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social in London and Brussels. 1. Senior research fellow in European energy economics and climate policy, based in Brussels Closing date: Friday 29 May www.cer.eu/job/senior-r...