FOSTERING UKRAINE s INVOLVEMENT IN THE EUSDR: A Civil Society Perspective

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1 FOSTERING UKRAINE s INVOLVEMENT IN THE EUSDR: A Civil Society Perspective Igor Studennikov Executive Director Centre for Regional Studies, Odessa, Ukraine

2 BACKGROUND Key Characteristics Ukraine, a non-eu country involved in the EU Danube Strategy process, shares significant part of the Danube-Carpathian Region. The Ukrainian part of the Danube Region is formed by four oblasts (regions) Odessa Oblast, Chernivetska Oblast, Ivano-Frankivska Oblast and Zakarpatska Oblast occupying 68,100 sq km with a population of 5.9 million.

3 BACKGROUND Key Characteristics In terms of a river basin approach and according to the ICPDR methodology, the Ukrainian part of the Danube Region is located in the sub-basins of the Danube Delta, the Prut and the Siret, and the Tisza River.

4 BACKGROUND Attitude Theoretically, in Ukraine the EU Strategy for the Danube Region is seen as a tool for the sustainable development of the areas belonging to the Ukrainian part of the Danube Region and a factor able to accelerate Ukraine s move towards the European integration. Nevertheless, since the beginning of the Danube Strategy process, at the official level Ukraine has never been an active player demonstrating more or less clear understanding of its own expectations from the EUSDR. The Government s formal attitude to Ukraine s involvement in the EUSDR.

5 BACKGROUND Governance & Coordination Structure Ukraine is a unitary state with a highly centralised public administration system. Formally, in the EUSDR coordination structure Ukraine is represented by the central Government. Currently the Ministry of Regional Development and Housing performs the responsibilities of the EUSDR national coordinator in Ukraine. On 21 September 2011 the Coordination Centre for the Implementation of Activities Related to Ukraine s Involvement in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region was established by the Decree of the Cabinet of Ministers. But since then only two meetings of the Coordination Centre have been held (last one on 15 February 2013).

6 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT the Beginning In April 2010, an independent working group on the basis of the Civic Expert Council of the Ukrainian part of the EU- Ukraine Cooperation Committee (CEC) was established to ensure that Ukrainian civil society is involved in the development of an updated Ukrainian vision of the Danube Strategy. In fact it was a civil society s response to extremely poor quality of the 1 st Ukrainian contribution to a future Danube Strategy prepared by a governmental cross-sectoral working group coordinated by the Ukrainian Ministry of Regional Development and Housing and submitted to the EC on 25 May 2010.

7 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT the Beginning Major results: Public Vision of Ukraine s Participation in the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (2010) developed with financial support from the International Renaissance Foundation; 2 nd (updated) position document Ukrainian vision of a future Danube Strategy produced in cooperation with the governmental working group and submitted to the EC at the stage of the EUSDR elaboration; Action Plan for the UE Strategy for the Danube Region: Analysis and Implementation Perspectives for Ukraine (2012) developed with financial support from the International Renaissance Foundation; Series of public hearings on the EUSDR in Ukraine (2011).

8 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT Consolidation In February 2013, an EU-funded project Strengthening Civil Society Involvement in Assisting the Government with the Implementation of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region has been launched. Overall objective is to strengthen the Ukrainian civil society involvement in the implementation of the EU Danube Strategy (EUSDR), and to promote dialogue between CSOs and the Ukrainian authorities responsible for the coordination of Ukraine s involvement in the EUSDR implementation.

9 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT Consolidation Key components of the project are: The development of a Comprehensive Vision of Ukraine s Involvement in the EUSDR Implementation. The development of a Public monitoring scheme for assessing the efficiency of Ukraine s involvement in the implementation of the EUSDR. The establishment of a Ukrainian network of the Danube Civil Society Forum. The advocacy of the EUSDR as an opportunity for the improvement of regional development policy in Ukraine.

10 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT Consolidation The Ukrainian network of the Danube Civil Society Forum (28 member organisations today) is seen as an institutional tool for assisting with the EUSDR implementation in Ukraine involving CS and independent expert community. The development of a Comprehensive Vision of Ukraine s Involvement in the EUSDR Implementation has brought together 20 experts in various fields of regional development.

11 CIVIL SOCIETY INVOLVEMENT & THE GOVERNMENT The Public monitoring scheme for assessing the efficiency of Ukraine s involvement in the implementation of the EUSDR is a tool for the monitoring of the government s attitude to Ukraine s involvement in the Danube Strategy process. 1 st National Public Hearing, 22 April 2015, Kiev International conference PAVING THE WAY FOR A COMMON EUROPEAN FUTURE: Ukraine and the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, 6 October 2015, Odessa, 1 st big event providing an opportunity for a public dialogue on Ukraine s involvement in the Danube Strategy process and involving CS, independent expert community and the government.

12 BUILDING UP AN INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR UKRAINE S CLOSER INVOLVEMENT IN THE EUSDR The creation of an Association of Local Self-Government Bodies in the Context of the EUSDR a tool for closer involvement of local actors in the EUSDR and achieving a good balance between the national coordination of Ukraine s involvement in the Danube Strategy process at the central government level and real actors acting at the regional and local level.

13 LESSONS LEARNT Civil society is a real actor in the Danube Strategy process able to fulfill complicated tasks. But civil society cannot be the only actor in the EUSDR process. The government cannot be the only actor in the EUSDR able to ensure a country s successful involvement. A good coordination structure is needed to ensure that general coordination at the official level is achieved; a policy dialogue on the country s strategic priorities in the framework of the EUSDR implementation is maintained involving civil society and expert community; both the government and civil society are involved in the joint coordination process at the EUSDR level.

14 Vom Schwarzwald zum Schwarzen Meer was uns in Europa verbindet From the Black Forest to the Black Sea our common link to Europe

15 Thank you for your attention! CONTACT DETAILS: Centre for Regional Studies tel/fax: