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.

Turkey would like to increase its participation in cross-border programmes and to see an upgrading in relations between Turkey and the European Committee of the Regions, Faruk Kaymakci, Turkey's Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Director for EU Affairs, told local and regional politicians from the European Union and Turkey on 27 November.

On 15 February 2019 a delegation of 10 CIVEX members visited Saint-Omer, in France, at the invitation of Mr François Decoster (FR/ALDE), Mayor of Saint-Omer and Vice-president of the Hauts de France Region. The aim of the visit was to present the network of Europe Correspondents that was launched in May 2018 in the Urban Conglomeration of Saint Omer's area (CAPSO).

According to the European Committee of the Regions, education policy strategies in Member States and regions should prioritise cooperation at all levels of governance to align high quality, innovative, digital and learner-centred education with new needs of the labour market. The assembly of EU's cities and regions welcomes the European Commission's proposal for a Digital Education Action Plan but calls for more efforts to reduce the digital divide, to support teachers and educators and to develop young people's media literacy.