In this interview, Guido Milana (IT/PES) answers five questions on Farm to Fork , the new strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally-friendly food system in the EU. The municipal councillor from Olevano Romano and former Member of the European Parliament calls for a radical change in food production and consumption, starting with a shift to greener production systems that respect biodiversity and ecology principles. The rapporteur of the opinion 'From Farm to Fork: the local and regional dimension ' stresses that COVID-19 makes it even more urgent to move towards a more sustainable and resilient food system. The opinion is to be adopted during the December 2020 plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed up the deep interrelations between public health, ecosystems and food systems. In an opinion drafted by Guido Milana (IT/PES) and adopted by the plenary of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR), local and regional leaders welcome the "Farm to Fork" strategy but call for a greater emphasis on short supply chains and on local and regional forms of production, based on animal and environmental well-being, and nutritional quality.

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) discussed with Janusz Wojciechowski , European Commissioner for Agriculture, how to boost recovery in Europe's rural areas. Regions and cities demand a 'Rural Deal' to set targets and coordinate Common Agricultural Policy, structural funds and the Recovery and Resilience Facility to overcome the crisis in rural areas, strengthen cohesion, make the agro-food industry greener, support local producers and diversify growth opportunities in rural communities. The Rural Deal should also provide for an inclusive governance mobilising EU, national, regional and local actors to deliver a sustainable recovery in Europe's rural areas. These points were reinforced in an opinion on the EU Strategy for Rural Revival (a real call for Rural Agenda) backed by CoR members.

The European Union's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Kahn, and the President of Brittany, Loïg Chesnais-Girard, will address the European Committee of the Regions' first fully virtual plenary on 9 December. The debate on Brexit, which comes just over three weeks before the transition period of the United Kingdom's withdrawal comes to an end and with a trade deal yet to be finalised, will discuss the territorial impact and future relations of Brexit on UK-EU regions and cities and the devolved administrations.