Expert Exchange - Preparation of Ukraine for its accession to the EU in the area of Cohesion Policy

16  December 2024    1:00 pm CET

In cooperation with:
 

Venue

wiiw seminar room, Rahlgasse 3, 1060 Vienna, Austria

Description

On 28 February 2022, four days only after Russia launched a full-scale war of aggression, Ukraine formally applied for EU membership. Accession negotiations were formally launched in June 2024. In parallel, Ukraine pursued its decentralisation reform despite the devastating effects of the war on its local self-government authorities and communities.

The conference aims to exchange key insights from recognised experts on the (actual and potential) regional development challenges faced by Ukraine, especially in view of its future EU membership. The following key questions will be discussed:

  • What are the challenges and impacts of Ukraine’s decentralisation reform?
  • What are the lessons learnt and best practices from other European countries in matters of decentralisation and multi-level governance?
  • What are the stakes of Ukraine's State Regional Development Strategy for 2021-2027 and how does it fit into the country’s wider policy reform agenda and EU accession process?

Programme:

13:00-13:20 - Welcome and Introduction

  • Mario Holzner, Executive Director, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)

13:20-13:30 - Overview of the collaborative project between wiiw and U-LEAD with Europe 

  • Ambre Maucorps, Economist and project coordinator, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)

13:30-14:00 - Keynote - Ukraine’s decentralisation reform 

  • Georg Milbradt, Special Envoy of the German Government to Ukraine on Decentralisation, Good Governance and Public Service

14:00-15:10 - Panel Discussion - The impact of Ukraine’s decentralisation reform on local governance and economic growth 

  • Miriam Kosmehl, Senior Expert, Europe’s Future programme, Bertelsmann Foundation, Germany
  • Benedikt Herrmann, Research Officer, Joint Research Centre of the European Commission
  • Iaroslav Tsvirkun, Mayor of Pereschepyne municipality, Ukraine
  • moderated by Olga Pindyuk, Economist, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)

15:10-15:40 - Coffee Break

15:40-16:50 - Panel Discussion - Challenges of Ukraine’s local and regional development - Best practices for local autonomy and multilevel governance 

  • Nataliia Shapoval, Vice President for Policy Research at the Kyiv School of Economics, Ukraine
  • Piotr Zuber, Senior Lecturer at Warsaw University and Principal Advisor of the Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy, Poland
  • Thomas Prorok, Managing Director of KDZ - Centre of Public Administration Research, Austria
  • moderated by Ambre Maucorps, Economist and project coordinator, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)

16:50-17:00 - Concluding remarks

  • Andrej Horvat, Deputy Programme Director of U-LEAD with Europe
  • Mario Holzner, Executive Director, Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw)

This event is organised with the support of U-LEAD with Europe Programme and under the auspices of the European Union and its Member States: Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Slovenia. The content of the event is solely the responsibility of wiiw and does not necessarily reflect the views of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, the European Union and its Member States: Germany, Poland, Denmark, and Slovenia.

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