Removing unjustified obstacles to the cross-border provision of services would speed up economic recovery in Europe, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) believes. The opinion drafted by Jean-Luc Vanraes (BE/Renew Europe), Member of Uccle Municipal Council, will be adopted in the CoR plenary session this week.

Johannes Hahn, the European Commissioner for the EU Budget, will discuss the European Union's recovery plan and emerging long-term budget with local and regional leaders on 2 July, at a plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions shaped by the economic and health problems created by the pandemic. Three other European Commissioners will also discuss the EU's political and policy responses to the crisis, with Vice-President Dubravka Šuica addressing issues of democracy and demography, Commissioner Thierry Breton responding to questions about the internal market, and Commissioner Janez Lenarčič reviewing some of the EU's crisis-management actions.

Trade Commissioner Phil Hogan joined the members of the European Committee of the Regions' (CoR) commission for economic policy (ECON) on 2 March to discuss the opportunities and obstacles of implementing EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) on local and regional level. The ECON members also adopted their recommendations on the implementation of FTAs, the budgetary instrument for convergence and competitiveness and the service package.

On 6 December from 11am Michel Barnier, the European Union's Chief Negotiator for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union, will discuss Brexit and its impact on regions and cities with local leaders from all the EU's member states. His visit to the European Committee of the Regions in Brussels comes on the eve of UK parliaments crucial vote on the agreed Withdrawal Agreement