Regional cooperation
30 October 2020 17:43

The legal basis for cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of regional development, regional and cross-border cooperation is defined by the provisions of the Association Agreement between Ukraine, on one side, and the European Union, the European Atomic Energy Community, and their member states, on the other side (2014), specifically Chapter 27 “Cross-Border and Regional Cooperation” of Section V “Economic and Sectoral Cooperation.” 


Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU in the field of regional development today is focused on the following directions:

- Establishing interaction between representatives of local and regional authorities of Ukraine and the EU within the framework of the EU Committee of the Regions (CoR);

- Implementation of regional projects funded by EU financial instruments (European Neighbourhood Instrument) and EU financial institutions (European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development);

- Participation in the implementation of cross-border cooperation programs and the “Eastern Partnership” territorial cooperation programs;

- Participation in the implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region and the Danube Transnational Program;

- Cooperation with the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre in the development of regional smart specialization strategies;

- Involvement of Ukrainian regions in the activities of European regional associations:

         - The Assembly of European Regions (AER)

         - Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)

         - Conference of European Regional Legislative Assemblies (CERLE)

         - European Association of Mountain Areas (EUROMONTANA)

         - Association of European Cities EUROCITIES

         - Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy


Practical Regional Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU

Cooperation between Ukraine and the EU continues within the framework of the Working Group on Ukraine, established by the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) in 2015. The aim is to strengthen relations between the EU and Ukraine, unite CoR members, EU institutions, and representatives of Ukrainian cities, regions, and local authorities, as well as to promote dialogue and cooperation on regional policy issues. The Working Group operates within the CIVEX commission (Commission for Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs – one of the CoR bodies) and complements the advisory work of the CoR Secretariat. The Chair of the Working Group on Ukraine at the European Committee of the Regions is Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk (Poland). The Working Group’s meetings are held twice a year, alternating between Brussels and Ukraine.


The Committee of the Regions systematically supports Ukraine’s integration into the EU, particularly during the 160th plenary session of the European Committee of the Regions. One of the main agenda items was the debate on the 2023 Enlargement Package and the adoption of the corresponding position by the CoR, which for the first time included Ukraine. The CoR expressed unequivocal support for Ukraine’s integration into the EU.


The Committee of the Regions, along with its partners, including associations of local and regional authorities from the EU and Ukraine, established the European Alliance of Cities and Regions for the Reconstruction of Ukraine by a decision made at the 150th Plenary Session. The goal is to coordinate joint efforts aimed at assisting in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. The Alliance was launched seven days after Ukraine received candidate status for EU membership.


Representatives of Ukraine are members of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP). CORLEAP is a political forum for local and regional authorities from the European Union and Eastern Partnership countries, established in 2011. It provides a platform for the EU and Eastern Partnership countries to discuss the contribution of cities and regions to the development of the Eastern Partnership. CORLEAP consists of 33 regional and local politicians: 18 CoR members and 15 representatives from the five Eastern Partnership countries. Each Eastern Partnership country has three seats. The EU seats are distributed according to the political composition of the CoR, which is divided among six political groups: European People’s Party (EPP), Party of European Socialists (PES), Renew Europe (RE), European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), European Alliance (EA), and Greens. Ukraine in CORLEAP is represented by one representative each from the Association of Ukrainian Cities, the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils, and the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities. CORLEAP has two co-chairs: one is the President of the European Committee of the Regions (currently Vasco Alves Cordeiro) by position, and the other rotates annually among the Eastern Partnership countries. As of October 1, 2023, the mandate of the co-chair from Ukraine began, with Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko, Head of the Ukrainian Association of District and Regional Councils, elected to this position. The next, 13th annual meeting of the Conference of Regional and Local Authorities for the Eastern Partnership (CORLEAP) is scheduled to take place in Ukraine in the fall of 2024.


The European Committee of the Regions helps Ukrainian cities and regions open their representations in Brussels. As of June 2024, representations of the cities of Lviv, Vinnytsia, Lutsk, Dnipropetrovsk region, the Association of Ukrainian Cities, and the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities are functioning at the Committee of the Regions.


Ukrainian Participation in the EU Danube Region Strategy:

The Ukrainian side is actively involved in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region. The EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR) is an example of a coordinated approach to the development of a large macro-region, which provides opportunities to improve cooperation between Ukraine and the countries participating in the Strategy. It aims to ensure infrastructural, environmental, socio-economic, and institutional development.


The EUSDR was approved by the EU Council on June 24, 2011, and is aimed at ensuring infrastructural, environmental, socio-economic, and institutional development in the region.


The key objectives of the EUSDR are to strengthen international connections, attract political attention to the need for the development of the Danube as a region with significant potential, and enhance cooperation between authorities at all levels to address economic and social inequalities among countries in the region.


Geographically, the EUSDR covers 14 countries:

- EU countries: Germany (Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria), Austria, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovenia, Romania, Croatia, and Bulgaria;

- Non-EU countries: Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Moldova, and Ukraine.


Ukraine joined the implementation of the EUSDR in 2011, clearly defining goals and projects that matched the Strategy's priorities.


Ukraine held the presidency of the Danube Strategy from November 1, 2021, to October 31, 2022, with priorities including "Sustainable Development of the Danube Region: Decarbonization and Economic Transformation" and "Human Capital Development and Labor Markets." The Ministry of Communities and Territories Development served as the national coordinator.


Ukraine supports the initiative to create a new macro-regional EU Strategy for the Carpathian Region, aimed at fostering the development of the Carpathian macro-region, taking into account its unique natural and cultural heritage and internal development potential.


Ukraine and the EU are actively developing regional cooperation through cross-border cooperation programs. Ukraine has joined the EU programs "Interreg Europe" and "URBACT" and has obtained observer status in the "ESPON" program.


At the end of 2023, Ukraine signed financial agreements for five EU regional cooperation programs under "Interreg NEXT" 2021-2027: "Poland-Ukraine," "Romania-Ukraine," "Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine," "Black Sea Basin," and "Danube Transnational Program." These agreements were ratified by the Ukrainian Parliament on May 9, 2024.


Interreg Europe projects are funded by the EU. The program's budget is €682.8 million (including contributions from participating states) and is aimed at assisting local, regional, and national authorities across Europe in developing and implementing better policies and exchanging solutions on regional development issues.


For more details on the programs, please refer to the links:


Poland - Ukraine

https://pl-ua.eu/en

Hungary – Slovakia – Romania - Ukraine

https://next.huskroua-cbc.eu

Romania - Ukraine

https://ro-ua.net/en/home-2021-2027

Black Sea Basin

https://blacksea-cbc.net/interreg-next-bsb-2021-2027

Danube Transitional Program

https://interreg-danube.eu

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