Access to money and how much power should be given to give to local government were the central themes when local leaders from the European Union and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia met in Skopje on 11 September, against the backdrop of a renewed drive by the country to join the European Union.

The United Kingdom and the European Union should be aiming for an "ambitious agreement" that enables a "genuine and continuous partnership" after the UK ceases to be a member of the EU, a delegation from the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) told Northern Irish politicians on 23 May at a meeting focused on the implications of Brexit on the peace process, business, and cross-border cooperation on the island of Ireland.

The European Union should give local communities and governments a greater role in its emergency response to disasters, the European Committee of the Regions said in recommendations adopted on 16 May that also insisted that attention to the prevention of disasters still needs to be increased.

On 16-17 May members of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) will voice their concerns about the European Commission's far-reaching proposals to direct EU funding away from regional development after 2020, and will adopt a position on the UK's withdrawal from the EU after a year of consultations, surveys and studies with local and regional authorities. The CoR's members will also consider ways in which cultural policies can contribute to reinforcing European identity.