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Reposted by Charles Grant

Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

🗓️ JOIN US: 28/09/26 - @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social/ @euinuk.bsky.social fringe event at Labour party conference on 'Building a stronger Europe' With @stellacreasy.bsky.social, @mphamishfalconer.bsky.social, @cergrant.bsky.social and Jukka Salovaara

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

"To work, #Schengen needs to be three things: definitive, defensible and credible. None is possible without mutual trust between EU member-states. And none were on display in #Ceuta," @caminomortera.bsky.social tells @cerianbond.bsky.social in the latest #CERpodcast. Listen here: buff.ly/zODFrdk

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

“Are there some disadvantages to the EU of the British having left?” @cergrant.bsky.social asked Catherine Day in the latest episode of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social podcast. Listen to the episode in full here: buff.ly/UG8qfsj

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

And an essay by @cergrant.bsky.social on how much closer UK-EU relations can go – and what could make a more ambitious partnership possible. buff.ly/Cp1xOlu

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social, the director of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social think-tank, warned that associate membership might be the best that Ukraine and other countries could hope for if they want to join the EU in the near future. buff.ly/qvJrOCX

buff.ly

Why the EU is like trying to order a pizza

Sound tough? This is what EU governments do every time they have to make decisions on issues such as foreign and security policy, borrowing or spending large…

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

Does anyone know anyone who is interested in the philosopher William James? Clearing out an attic I have a dozen books by him (and a few about him) - they need a home.

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

“Both sides would benefit from the increased competition and dynamism that closer economic ties would foster.” @cergrant.bsky.social argues that the UK & EU have a shared interest in a more ambitious economic relationship. Read here: buff.ly/HfyluK7

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

“There has been no serious or coherent British plan for getting significantly closer to the EU.” @cergrant.bsky.social writes on how far the #UK-EU reset can go & what could make a more ambitious partnership possible, in the CER’s essay collection. buff.ly/cN3iLVB

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

@centreeuropeanref.bsky.social was delighted to host Nick Thomas-Symonds today. He said Labour's red lines on EU wd remain till next election - but there was a debate to be had about what next manifesto should say abt them. In meantime they wd look at which parts of single mkt UK shd get closer to.

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

I remember that statement,” he says. “I saw that as veiled language. Because the whole strategy in the campaign was to avoid giving any kind of specificity about what sort of relationship they really wanted … a free trade area can mean all sorts of things.”

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

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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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

As the UK and EU prepare for the July 22 summit, our new publication asks how far the ‘reset’ can go. With essays by @nathalietocci.bsky.social, Catherine Day@dschwarzer.bsky.social and @cergrant.bsky.social. Read here:

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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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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

I learned a lot about what is happening with enlargement from this brilliant podcast, by @milanninberlin.bsky.social and @zecsaky.bsky.social. They are not as pessimistic as I am about the prospects of EU enlargement.

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Europe needs to rapidly improve its deterrence. A new @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social / Hanns Seidel Foundation paper by @armida.bsky.social outlines key steps European governments can take in the next 1-2 years to accelerate rearmament, readiness and deterrence efforts. Read here: buff.ly/rwfLU1S

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

In practice, says @cergrant.bsky.social of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social think-tank, the EU would want to see broad agreement across party lines in Britain before discussing re-entry terms, so that tomorrow’s ministers did not unpick a deal reached by today’s.

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Bre-entry may be the next drama to grip the European Union

An old friend comes knocking

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social, director of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social think-tank, said that while the EU was keen on greater security and defence co-operation with the UK there were some countries, including France, that were “much less keen on extending economic co-operation”. buff.ly/nFSttlj

thetimes.com

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social, director of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social think-tank, is sceptical of a movement to rejoin the EU, arguing that Brussels would not embrace the idea without clear political consensus within the UK. For now, that looks far off. 🇪🇺 🇬🇧 buff.ly/dQlTLsS

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Good column by Janan Ganesh: UK needs a centre-left foreign policy (cos right is anti-EU, pro-US and says don't talk to China); but a centre-right economic policy (cos left is for high tax and welfare spending, and anti-business). @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social www.ft.com/content/8868...

ft.com

Britain’s desperate need for Keir Badenoch

The country requires centre-left foreign policy and centre-right reform at home

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

If the #Hormuz strait remains closed, European governments should avoid the huge fossil fuel subsidies they provided in 2022, argue @elisabettaco.bsky.social and @johnspringford.bsky.social in their new @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social insight. Read here: buff.ly/7gKy4VB

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

excellent analysis of the Hungarian election

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

I think all we can say re: Iran is that Trump pretty clearly wants it to go away without being humiliated. But as that can't happen it's not at all clear what will.

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Mujtaba Rahman @mijrahman.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

We continue to watch and analyse Greenland risks closely. No officials in Copenhagen, Brussels or EU capitals think they've gone away - indeed most think they're rising.

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Finbarr Bermingham @fbermingham.bsky.social · 09/04/2026

Missed this report the other day. Elbridge Colby told Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s US representative: “The US has the military power to do whatever it wants in the world. The Catholic Church had better take its side.”

newrepublic.com

Pentagon Threatened the Pope After He Criticized Trump

It was so bad that Pope Leo changed his plans to travel to the U.S.

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Mujtaba Rahman @mijrahman.bsky.social · 05/04/2026

For over a year, Tisza has led the polls. But when asked who will win the elections, the public has always said Fidesz. This changed in the last 6-8 weeks. In March, Median found 47% who think Tisza will win vs 35% for Fidesz. Publicus measured a similar trend. This is massive

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Here are 10 consequences of the US-Israel attack on Iran - a thread. US soft power is damaged. To launch an attack without clear aims or an exit strategy has upset allies - in Europe, Gulf & Asia - who must bear the economic, political and military consequences. /1

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

“Excluding Türkiye from SAFE means that there is ultimately going to be a mismatch between the European threat map and its institutional map,” @senemaydndzgit.bsky.social told the #CERpodcast. Listen here: buff.ly/MEKSCri

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

LAST WEEK TO APPLY for the 13th Clara Marina O’Donnell #fellowship. Start date: October 2026 for six months Pay: London Living Wage Applications in by: 09/04/26 @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social @brookings.edu @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social @campolis.bsky.social buff.ly/3vV64SZ

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

The US administration seems not to have foreseen that #Iran would attack facilities in the Gulf states with drones, and reportedly turned down a 2025 Ukrainian offer of counter-#drone technology. CER insight by @cerianbond.bsky.social & @thomasmaddock.bsky.social Read here:

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War in Iran: Who wins and who loses?

The attack on Iran by the US and Israel is good news for Russia but bad news for Europe, including Ukraine, and ultimately for the US itself. China could emerge as a long-term winner. Europeans must…

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

A shrewd analysis of where WTO is going, or not

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Ian Bond @cerianbond.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

This thread by @cergrant.bsky.social still looks good. Only point that might have changed over the last 2 wks is Zelenskyy parlaying Ukraine's counter-drone expertise into defence export deals with Gulf states - potentially enabling UA to fund more arms production & offset cuts in US supplies.

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John Springford @johnspringford.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social has been a central figure in European debates for three decades, and has done as much as anyone to build a European civil society. The CER is a fantastic organisation, and that's largely down to him.

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Steven Everts @sbeverts.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

My first ever serious job was @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social when @cergrant.bsky.social gave me a chance. Best ever school in how to be a think tanker. It will be an exceptional challenge to take over from Charles who has turned the CER into a uniquely influential organisation. Details below

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Anton Spisak @antonspisak.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Quite possibly the best job in Europe’s think-tank world. CER is looking for its next director as the irreplaceable @cergrant.bsky.social steps down as director later this year.

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Mujtaba Rahman @mijrahman.bsky.social · 01/04/2026

Good news in a troubled world. France is NOT necessarily drifting towards its first Far Right leader since 1944. Two polls now suggest that the former Centrist PM Edouard Philiippe could beat the Far Right in the 2nd round of the Presidential election next May. 1/

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Charles Grant @cergrant.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

I agree with Ulrike's prescriptions - including the idea that more ambitious countries should move ahead in avant-gardes. I made a similar point in my recent essay on the future of Europe in the CER's annual report: www.cer.eu/sites/defaul... @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social

cer.eu

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 30/03/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social, director of the @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social, said: “A number of EU countries, including Poland and the Baltic states are absolutely determined that their students should not pay higher tuition fees to study in UK universities... www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

thetimes.com

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Centre for European Reform @centreeuropeanref.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

@cergrant.bsky.social has welcomed everyone to our Brussels conference today on 'Can Europe be a global power?'

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