On 29 April 2021, the Commission launched a detailed stakeholders consultation EU-wide protection of geographical indications for non-agricultural products which will be open till 22 July 2021. The consultation aims at capturing the views of all relevant stakeholders on the problems related to the existing legal protection of authentic geographically-rooted non-agricultural products within the internal market; on the benefits and risk of EU action; on the available policy options including the control and enforcement of a future EU-protection system for such products; on the potential impacts of these policy options. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently drafting an opinion entitled " Revised Trans-European Energy Infrastructure Regulation fit for the Green and Digital Transition" .  

On 4 March 2020 the European Commission published the European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan , which proposes employment, skills and social protection as the headline targets to be achieved by the end of the decade as part of the EU's strategic agenda to strengthen the social dimension of the Union and to build a cohesive, resilient Europe for the future. These targets should guide policy decisions in the Member States and their regions and should also allow to measure and monitor progress, along with the revised Social Scoreboard. 

The European Committee of the Regions is in the process of elaborating its position on its opinion on "Future plan for care workers and care services – local and regional opportunities in the context of a European challenge". 

On 15 December 2020, the European Commission unveiled the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, as "two milestones in making Europe fit for the Digital Age". These two legislative proposals correspond to the declared commitment of the Von der Leyen Commission to the revision of the internal market rules for digital services and will trigger an impact on citizens, providers of digital services, business users of digital services and the society at large. 

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an opinion on "Experiences and lessons learned by regions and cities during the COVID-19 crisis". It highlights the crucial role of local and regional authorities in the response to the crisis and in the recovery and aims to bring forward recommendations to the EU level based on evidence from the ground.  

The European Committee of the Regions is in the process of elaborating its position on the recently published European Commission Communication "A Union of Equality: EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025". An exchange of views on the basis of a Working Document by the Rapporteur, Ms Yoomi Renström (SE-PES), is scheduled on 25 November 2020, within the framework of the meeting of the CoR Commission for Social Policy, Education, Employment, Research and Culture (SEDEC).  

The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is in the process of elaborating its position on the recently published European Commission's Migration and Asylum Pact. An exchange of views is scheduled on 4 December, within the framework of the meeting of the CoR Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs (CIVEX). 

We live in a time of multiple and multi-dimensional transitions. The green and digital transitions, the demographic change and the COVID-19 pandemic are reshaping our way of life and work. These changes highlight the need for a paradigm-shift on skills. A novel European skills agenda will drive the twin transition and ensure recovery from the social-economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

On 11 September 2020, the European Committee of the Regions' Bureau approved the proposal by the SEDEC commission to draft an own-initiative opinion on the Restart of Cultural and Creative Sectors. The SEDEC commission will adopt the draft opinion on the Restart of Cultural and Creative Sectors, with Giuseppe VARACALLI (IT/Renew Europe) as rapporteur, at its meeting on 25 November 2020. 

The German Presidency has requested that the European Committee of the Regions provides insight into how cohesion policy could help overcoming the economic crisis resulting from the ongoing pandemic, and promote growth through innovation and economic change. By means of this written consultation, the CoR rapporteur for this opinion, Mr Michiel Rijsberman, would like to consult relevant stakeholders and gather their input in order to draft the opinion.  

​The topic of public transport is extremely important for local and regional authorities (LRAs) as it is within their core competencies to provide public service to their citizens. Therefore, the European Committee of the Regions has decided to issue an own-initiative opinion on the "Challenges for public transport in metropolitan regions", to be drafted by Adam STRUZIK (PL/EPP), Marshal of the Mazovian Voivodeship. 

Around 70% of EU policies are implemented at the local and regional level. At the same time, EU policies affect people's daily lives in ways that policy makers cannot always foresee. This, combined with the lack of information on the EU and outright disinformation campaigns sometimes leads to a perception of the EU as distant from the people.