EU supports Decentralisation and Regional Policy reforms in Ukraine with €55 millions - Main contents

European Commission - Press release

Brussels, 27 November 2014

Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Johannes Hahn i, and Valery Pyatnitsky, Acting Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, signed today a Financing Agreement to launch a new programme "Support to Ukraine's Regional Policy". The programme will support Ukraine's Decentralisation and Regional Policy reforms with 55 million euros. The EU funds will support the implementation of the State Regional Development Strategy 2020, which was approved by the Government of Ukraine on 6th August this year.

Commissioner Hahn pointed out: “By good chance, my first financing agreement with Ukraine is on a subject very close to my heart. As a former Commissioner for EU Regional Policy, I know how crucial this area is to the competitiveness and prosperity of any country. With this agreement, the EU commits to support Ukraine's Decentralisation and Regional Policy reforms. The EU funds will support all three objectives of the Ukrainian State Regional Development Strategy 2020, namely competitiveness of regions; territorial socio-economic cohesion and effective State Governance of Regional Development." Support to Ukraine's Regional Policy will result in improved Regional Policy legislation, the provision of stable and predictable financing for regions and municipalities, a strengthened financial autonomy of local authorities, higher competitiveness of regions and improved territorial socio-economic cohesion. The funds will be paid in four tranches to the Ukrainian State Budget between 2015-2018.

Background

Regional Development has been a priority in EU-Ukraine cooperation in the past six years. The EU has been supporting Regional Policy in Ukraine with various programmes and projects, the Support to Ukraine's Regional Policy being the most recent one, to be delivered through Budget Support, Technical Assistance and Twinning with Member States administrations.

Regional Policy has become one of the most important policies also in the EU. It has brought significant and tangible results in areas such as infrastructure, job creation, innovation and reduction of disparities between different European regions. Cohesion Policy, as part of the Regional Policy, has played a key role for the 12 Member States that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007. Regional Policy covers 45 per cent of the EU's 2014 overall budget. For more information Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine: http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/ukraine/

For more information: Maja Kocijancic - Tel.: +32 229 86570; Anca Paduraru - Tel.: +32 229 66430

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