The ECR Group organised a fringe event at the Conservative Party Conference on Sunday 30 September. The Party Conference, whose theme was opportunity, took place in Birmingham over the course of four days ending on Wednesday 3 October with the Prime Minister Theresa May's speech. A key theme throughout the conference was the UK's future relationship with the European Union.

The ECR Group fringe event titled "life after Brexit – local government cooperation " looked at how the future relationship between UK and EU devolved administrations and local and regional authorities could be structured. It looked at how the sharing of best-practices can continue after the UK leaves the EU and what the key areas will be where such continued cooperation will be needed. 

 The speakers at the fringe event were Rob Jonkman (President of the ECR Group in the CoR), Cllr Joe Cooney (Member of Pendle Council in the UK, Vice President of the ECR Group in the CoR and leader of the UK delegation in the ECR Group); Andrew Lewer MP (Member of the Parliament for Northampton South and an honorary Alderman of the county of Derbyshire); and Jonathan Werran (Chief Executive of Localis). The event was moderated by Neva Sadikoglu-Novaky (Secretary General of the ECR Group in the CoR).

 "As the CoR, we are currently trying to find new platforms for sub-national cooperation after the UK leaves the EU. One option being explored is the creation of a CoR-UK Joint Commission that would explore the opportunities for continuing dialogue and collaboration between the CoR and UK local and regional authorities, and devolved administrations" said Rob Jonkman. He also touched on the importance of continuing political ties and said that "as Conservatives across Europe, we also need to continue to work together in developing free market and localist solutions to global trends. We also should think about how to continue our structured political dialogue."

 "We need to think about how the relationship of the different tiers of government can continue after the UK leaves the EU so that we can continue to share best-practices and ideas. Many of the global challenges we face that impact our localities depend on local action. We will need to see cooperation continue at a devolved administration and local and regional government level not just in the form of cross-border cooperation between the UK and the Republic of Ireland, for example. We will need to see continued cooperation in things like the buying and selling of public services as well as in collectively addressing things like the quality and protection of our air and seas, illegal migration and mitigating the risk of natural disasters like floods" said Cllr Joe Cooney.

The speakers underlined that structured cooperation at an institutional and political party level would be needed for devolved administration and local and regional authorities to continue sharing best-practices and lessons-learnt. It was also noted that as the UK looks to devolve some of the powers coming back from the EU, the more localist systems that exist in different parts of Europe could offer some good examples that the UK could draw from.