In 2024, Ukraine joined the interregional cooperation program (Interreg Europe), which aims to improve regional development policy by identifying and exchanging good practices among EU regions. The Round Table organized by the Ukrainian Institute of International Policy was dedicated to the achievements gained by Ukraine within the framework of the first competition of the Interreg Europe program.
The Interreg Europe program focuses on 6 areas in which partners in 36 countries create projects and exchange their good practices: “Smarter Europe” – research and innovation, digitalization, startups; “Greener Europe” – energy efficiency, waste and water management; “More connected Europe” – development of the European transport network and sustainable mobility; “More social Europe” – education, health care, social inclusion, development of culture and sustainable tourism; “Europe closer to citizens” – integrated urban and non-urban development; “Better policy governance” – improving the work of local governments and the level of services they provide to citizens.
“This program is for those who create policy,” emphasized Erwin Sieveris, Director of the EU Interregional Cooperation Program. – Our activities rely on two pillars. The first is the traditional way of creating projects for a specified limited number of regions that exchange their good practices of joint regional development. The second one is the Policy Learning plat., which is a platform for further use of projects and sharing the program benefits with everyone.”
Ukraine joined this program only at the beginning of last year, and has already a prominent place among the countries where projects are implemented. In total, 39 institutions from 13 regions of Ukraine are involved in the projects.
During his speech, Erwin Sieveris announced the Interregional Cooperation Forum, which will be held on March 19-20 in Krakow, and invited Ukrainian Interreg Europe partners to participate in it.
The Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers has been designated as the national management body for the program. According to iIts representative Yana Romanyuk, the financial agreement with the Interreg Europe program has been signed. The next stage is its ratification, because in this case the procurement rules differ from the national rules in Ukraine.
It is worth noting that the national controller is the State Audit Service, which will verify the costs.
The verification of the Interreg Europe program financial agreement in the parliament will have a positive result when voted on. Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Ukraine’s Integration into the European Union Maria Mezentseva is confident in this.
“Back last summer, knowing that Ukraine would fully join the program from January 2025, we had already conducted trainings and identified problematic issues. Among them were knowledge of foreign languages, understanding of our partners, representatives of communities, territories, regions, the ability to find partners. As for the event in Krakow, communities and regions need to be prepared for it so that they come with specific proposals or look for partners they can count on,” advised the Verkhovna Rada’s representative.
Sławomir Tokarski, Director of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission (DG REGIO), highlighted the incredible resilience of Ukrainian partners of the Interreg Europe program in working in difficult conditions.
“I would also like to emphasize the strength of European integration. Ukraine is an important partner, and we hope to help you on your European path, and for this it is important that regional and local government representatives are involved in planning and implementing the activities. This program is very special, because it allows representatives of different countries to exchange their best practices. This unites us, and we are moving step by step closer to a strong and stable Europe,” Sławomir Tokarski said.
Addressing partners in the regions, Nadiya Afanasyeva, Director of the Ukrainian Institute of International Policy noted the importance of complying with all the terms of the EU accession negotiations.
“This year, the screening of Chapter 22, which concerns regional policy and structural funds, will open. Your projects on planning, social protection, and security relate precisely to the implementation of these recommendations of the European Commission at the local level. Thus, you can practically help both the Verkhovna Rada and the European Integration Office at the national level,” she added.
