Trade effects of Brexit likely to become clearer only after 1 October, senior EU official tells EU and UK local and regional politicians at meeting that puts spotlight on Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. Movement across the United Kingdom's borders with Ireland and Spain were central issues discussed at a meeting of British and EU local and regional politicians that focused on connections at risk of being lost by the UK's withdrawal from the EU.

In two letters addressed to Maria do Céu Antunes , Minister for Agriculture of Portugal, who is holding the rotating Presidency of the Council, and to Janusz Wojciechowski , Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) call on the co-legislators to ensure a comprehensive and common European approach to the governance of regional interventions in the future Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). The letters were sent ahead of the Agriculture Council's meeting (26 April) and ahead of a new round of negotiations between the European Union's Institutions on the future CAP. The Agriregions Coalition, AREFLH, AREPO and Euromontana have joined the claims of the CoR.

Zvýšit objem rezervy na vyrovnání se s důsledky brexitu z 5 miliard EUR na 6 miliard EUR, přizpůsobit podporu rybolovu regionálním dopadům, poskytnout větší flexibilitu v oblasti státní podpory a zapojit místní a regionální zástupce do procesu přípravy a řízení nového nástroje. To jsou hlavní požadavky obsažené ve stanovisku, které vypracoval Loïg Chesnais-Girard (FR/SES), předseda rady regionu Bretaň, a které bylo přijato na plenárním zasedání Evropského výboru regionů (VR).

Charles Michel, President of the European Council, will on 17 March make his first address to the European Committee of the Regions, starting a plenary session that will bring into focus local and regional perspectives on policies to end the COVID-19 pandemic and to promote a green and inclusive economic recovery. Four European Commissioners will lead debate about COVID-19 vaccinations and building resilience in EU's regions, the economic recovery package, the Green Deal, and integration of migrants. An award to honour the memory of Paweł Adamowicz, late mayor of Gdańsk, will be launched and the winners of the European Entrepreneurial Region Award will be announced.