On 12 October the President of the European Committee of the Regions, Apostolos Tzitzikostas (EL/EPP), will present the 2021 Regional and Local Barometer to local leaders and the European Commissioner Vice-President, Maroš Šefčovič. The comprehensive report measures the impact of the pandemic on EU's regions, cities and villages, providing key findings, facts and figures on the economic, social, health and digital consequences. WATCH LIVE

The prospect of assembly for members of the UK and European parliaments was on 5 October welcomed by members of the European Committee of the Regions, who called for its evolution into a forum to which regions and cities could also have access.

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.

Local and regional politicians from the European Union voiced short-term relief mixed with long-term caution and concern at their first meeting with UK counterparts since the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement was settled on 24 December. Politicians from both the EU and the United Kingdom emphasised a wish to develop new ties in the wake of an agreement that ended most region-to-region programmes and envisages no role for regions in overseeing and developing the deal.