Restoring "lost connections" between the EU and the UK as a consequence of Brexit through local and regional authorities

Abstract

The United Kingdom (UK) left theEuropean Union(EU)on 31January 2020. However, the terms of the UK’s departure from the EUwere to a large extent unclear until as late asDecember 2020, which markedthe end of the transition period. While Brexit itself was negotiated at the highest levels of national governments and EU authorities, italsoaffectslocal communities and regions. In recognition of that fact, the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) launched a UK Contact Group intended to maintain lines of communication between local and regional authorities (LRAs) in EUand UK cities, regions,and devolved administrations. Thisstudy aims to provide scientific support to the CoR-UK Contact Group in the assessment of the impact of Brexit on the functioning of LRAs, analysing the lostconnections between the UKand the EUat the local and regional level as well as exploring possible avenues and methods of future cooperation betweenEU and UK LRAs following Brexit.