The trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA) lacks territorial depth. The EU-UK Contact Group in the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is currently the only institutional mechanism providing a forum for continued dialogue between the EU and UK Local and regional authorities (LRAs). Therefore I call for formal recognition of the CoR UK Contact Group in the TCA and call for the Commission to re-examine the structures of the Joint Partnership Council also within the TCA to seek to address the lack of territorial depth. Michael Murphy, Rapporteur for the CoR’s opinion on ‘Strengthening the EU-UK relationship at subnational level and remedying the territorial impact of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU’ made these remarks when presenting his opinion during a CIVEX commission meeting.
With respect to the Implementation of the Brexit Adjustment Reserve (BAR) Murphy, who is Mayor of Clonmel Borough District and Councillor – Tipperary County Council, stressed the need to engage regions and local communities in the BAR’s implementation, and to focus on SMEs, measures aimed at the reintegration of Union citizens and on technical assistance.
Murphy, who chairs the CoR ECON Commission highlighted that at the UK sub-national level, there is an appetite for continued participation with European counterparts going beyond simple twinnings. His opinion thus gives a strong focus to concrete areas of mutually beneficial future cooperation relevant to many regions and territories on the continent and in the UK, involving networks in areas such as climate mitigation, Sustainable Development Goals and sustainable tourism.
Murphy held extensive consultations on his opinion. He thanked all stakeholders who shared their views. Referring to consultations held with the Local Government Associations and Parliaments from across the UK, Murphy said that all sides agreed on the need to work together to address the issues which know no boundaries such as climate change, tourism, green and digital transitions and common cultural heritage.
On the basis of extensive feedback to date, he said it was clear Brexit is not an ‘Irish’ question, or at least not “just an Irish” question. He said he regularly hears feedback about the new custom arrangements at Europe’s large ports like Brittany, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg, but also Zeebrugge and Gdańsk and bilateralisation of regional-regional or city-city partnerships and the creation of small-scale projects.
Mr. Murphy briefly quoted the CoR’s new study on New trade and economic relations between EU-UK: the impact on regions and cities (published on 28 March). That study, Mr. Murphy said, notes the asymmetric impact across many regions of Europe, from his own in the South East Ireland, to Hesse in Germany, West Sweden and Vento in Italy, amongst others.
He made a plea for commitment to follow-up and confirm the recognition of an observer status for the CoR and its UK partners in the works of the EU-UK Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, set up under the TCA.
Jesús Gamallo Aller, Director-General for External Relations and Relations with the European Union for the Region of Galicia said “This opinion meets the objectives of bringing the EU closer to the UK and does so through local and regional authorities, which are closest to the citizens. It also responds to many issues from an environmental point of view, taking into account the Sustainable Development Goals, and it includes the basic demands for building a strong relationship in the future”.
Csaba Borboly, President of Harghita County Council, said that the UK is home to many workers and students from Harghita County. He thus called for measures to facilitate the reintegration of those affected by the Brexit restrictions in their home countries. He also stressed the importance of offering relevant information on the changes LRAs will have to face and the new rules to be applied. He called on the European Commission to make major communication efforts, so that local politicians could relay this information to citizens.
Murphy’s opinion was adopted unanimously and will now be presented to the CoR Plenary session. This CoR opinion will be one of the first institutional positions looking beyond the intergovernmental relationship.