On December 13-14, 2007, a follow-up EU project against money laundering and terrorism financing in Ukraine (MOLI-UA-2) held an expert meeting focused on legal basis for fight against illegal financial activities. The project organized a conference on Strategies of Training Specialists in Fight against Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing along with a training session for specialists in combating money laundering held at the Institute for Legislation of Verkhovna Rada (Ukraine’s Parliament).

In late November the project also organized a training trip of Ukrainian delegation to Cyprus to study local experience in combating illegal profits and financing of terrorism. Prior to that, a workshop on Financial Monitoring and Cooperation with Financial Regulators brought together representatives of respective Ukrainian authorities and international experts from Latvia, Netherlands, Belgium, and Estonia.

MOLI-UA-2 is a follow-up to the MOLI-UA Project implemented in February 2003 – June 2005 by Ukraine’s State Committee for Financial Monitoring with the support from the European Union and the Council of Europe.

MOLI-UA-2 is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Council of Europe. The project lasts 36 months (until April 2009) with the budget of EUR 5.3 million.

The project’s target group is Ukraine’s system of fight against money laundering and terrorism financing and its key players, including the State Committee for Financial Monitoring, law enforcement services and financial market regulators.

The project aims to facilitate prevention of and fight against money laundering and terrorism financing in Ukraine, based on European standards and best practices, to improve skills of specialists in the relevant bodies in Ukraine, and to develop organizational and technical infrastructure of this system.

For more information, please address State Committee for Financial Monitoring: sdfm@sdfm.gov.ua, (044) 594 1648.

By the end of 2007, the EU-funded project ZHORNA (a Ukrainian acronym which stands for Media Skills Development) has fulfilled most of its tasks, including delivering of the up-to-date equipment to three Ukrainian universities, and publication of four practical contemporary journalist handbooks.

Television and radio equipment, computers and software for teaching students through advanced news production techniques have been delivered to the Institute for Journalism of the Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University, and journalism schools at Tavria and Uzhgorod National Universities.

In the framework of this initiative, a number of teachers from journalism schools attended trainings to enhance their knowledge and teaching skills assisted by trainers from Macedonia and Great Britain.

The project has also published four handbooks for journalists, including Ukrainian translations of “Ethics for Journalists” by R. Keeble, “The Universal Journalist” by D. Randall, “Diligent Journalist Guide” written by nine Ukrainian journalists. ZHORNA has also reprinted “A Journalist's Dictionary" prepared at the Uzhgorod National University with the support from the US Embassy's Media Development Fund. Three more practical handbooks for journalism students focusing on media law (written by Ukrainian authors), broadcasting and newspaper journalism (translated from English) are also prepared for publication.

Project experts coordinated the work of professors and students from Kyiv Institute for Journalism who drafted guidelines of journalism ethics for Ukrainian students to be published on the Institute’s website.

For more details please address office@zhorna.org.ua, “ZHORNA”, room 124, Melnykova St. 36/1, Kyiv 04119 (Kyiv Institute for Journalism); (044) 481 44 13 (contact person: Yuliya Panchyzhna).

Kyiv, 25 December 2007

In February 2007, the European Commission and the World Bank jointly launched an initiative aimed at providing policy advice to the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian business community. The initiative aims to analyse the current human resources situation in Ukraine (training policy etc.) and to provide recommendations for its improvement.

In November 2007, the European Commission launched a project, entitled "Support to the joint World Bank - European Commission Initiative on the Development of Human Capital for Economic Growth, Competitiveness and Innovation in Ukraine" which is charged with contributing to preparation of a Policy Note for modernisation of the Ukrainian education and training delivery system reflecting best international practices and local realities.

Three main topics have been identified through thorough consultations with the Ukrainian stakeholders, to be addressed in the Policy Note: a) quality, b) financing and c) governance of the education and training system.

The project has the following objectives:

1. To support the policy work of the World Bank - European Commission Initiative

2. To provide technical expertise in three pre-identified topics

3. To contribute to drafting the Policy Note

International and local project experts will work jointly with the experts of the World Bank and European Training Foundation to analyse the current situation in human recourses development sector in Ukraine, to carry out comparative assessment with the best practices in the European Union, and develop recommendations for the Ukrainian Government to improve education and training policy and strategy.

The Policy Note will be developed based on a wide range of consultations, discussions, round-tables and workshops with the Ukrainian stakeholders: the Ministry of Education and Science, the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Cabinet of Ministers and Verkhovna Rada, associations of employers and business communities, relevant educational, academic, research and consulting institutions. Such a consultation process has already begun.

The project is being implemented by ECORYS Netherlands.

For further details please contact: the European Commission Delegation to Ukraine, Vira Rybak, Project Manager Education Sector (+ 380 44 390 80 10; vira.rybak@ec.europa.eu) or the Kyiv project office: (+380 44 528 00 52; ecorys_kyiv@voliacable.com).

Kyiv 18 December 2007

The Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine and Belarus extends the network of the EUi Centres. Currently there are six EUi Centres functioning in Ukraine (Dnipropetrovs’k, Kyiv, Ternopil and Chernivtsi) and one EUi Centre in Belarus (Minsk). The main goal of the EUi Centres’ activity is to disseminate information about the EU and its policy, grant the assistance to universities and research centres in students’ studies and researches concerning European integration and also promote students’ participation in debates on European issues.

On Friday, December 14, 2007 the common meeting of the representatives of the EUi Centres in Ukraine and Belarus took place in Kyiv. The meeting was organised in the framework of the “Support to EUi Centres in Ukraine and Belarus” Project funded by the European Commission. The meeting participants were given an opportunity to exchange experience and create a network of professional contacts to ensure more efficient activities of the EUi Centres. A new EUi Centres’ logo and promotional materials produced in the Project frameworks were presented to the representatives of the European Union Information Centres.

During the meeting, the participants visited one of the EUi Centres located in the Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration at the President of Ukraine in order to review the EUi Centre’s activities, principles of its establishment and available materials.

Reference information:

Currently, there are six EUi Centres functioning in Ukraine:

1) Ukrainian Academy of Public Administration at the President of Ukraine

Library, 20 E. Portier St., 4th floor, Kyiv 03057, Ukraine, Tel. (8-044) 453-34-01

2) Institute of International Relations of Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University

Library, 36/1 Melnikova St., Kyiv, 04119, Ukraine, Tel. (8-044) 481-44-14, 481-44-42

3) Institute of International Relations of National Aviation University

Library, build. 7, 4 Vidradniy Avenue, Kyiv, 03061, Ukraine, Tel. (8-044) 406-77-66

4) Dnipropetrovs’k National University

Library, 8 Kozakova St., Dnipropetrovs’k 49050, Ukraine, Tel.: (8-0562) 46-92-16

5) Ternopil National Economic University

Library, build. 1, 11 Lvivska St., Ternopil 46020, Ukraine, Tel.: (8-0352) 43-61-72

6) Chernivtsi National University

Library, 2^nd floor, 23 Lesi Ukrainky St., Chernivtsi 58000, Ukraine, Tel.: (8-0372) 58-47-60

The EUi Centres have a broad variety of publications and official materials of the EU institutions, as well as EU bulletins, journals and other EU-related information. Visitors have free public access to all materials of the EUi Centres.

For more information about the EUi Centres, please, visit the EC Delegation website at: http://www.delukr.ec.europa.eu/page4509.html.

Kyiv, 14 December 2007

The European Commission today presented a first report on the oil spill that occurred in the Kerch Strait on 11 November 2007 together with the Terms of Reference for a next Post Disaster Damages and Needs Assessment (PDNA) for medium to long-term recovery. Following a request for assistance from Ukraine asking for expertise to assist its own authorities in evaluating the environmental impact of the oil pollution in the Kerch Strait, a team of oil pollution experts were sent to Ukraine by the European Commission's Monitoring and Information Centre (MIC). The experts spent three days in the region and visited four sites on the Ukrainian coast, including Tuzla Island. The experts completed their work and left Ukraine on 24 November 2007.

Benita Ferrero Waldner, Commissioner responsible for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy and Stavros Dimas, Commissioner responsible for Environment and Civil Protection, jointly stated "Our co-operation with Ukraine is beneficial for both parties. The Black Sea is one which we both share and manage. It is in our mutual interest as well as that of other littoral countries to continuously strive not to unbalance its delicate ecosystem and the livelihood of all those that benefit from it."

The European Commission deployed a team of experts in response to a request for assistance from Ukraine through the MIC, which is the EC's office responsible for civil protection and marine pollution actions. The team found that costal pollution appeared to be more limited than feared, that the clean-up operation was well under way and there was no need for additional emergency equipment. The report concluded that it was unlikely that a substantial amount of heavy oil had sunk to the sea-bed, but nevertheless recommended that appropriate monitoring should be carried out. It concluded that the sunken sulphur did not pose an immediate acute risk to the environment but recommended that the sunken ships with sulphur on board be salvaged so that the sulphur can be appropriately processed. The report also recommended that an environmental assessment should be made of the long-term environmental impacts of the oil spill on the Sea of Azov and that a lessons learned exercise from this accident should be undertaken and national and regional oil spill contingency plans updated accordingly.

In addition, the European Commission (EC) through its Directorate General for External Relations (RELEX) is finalising a support for a next comprehensive multi-sectors Post Disaster Damages and Needs Assessment (PDNA) for a medium to long-term recovery process.

The PDNA will be a four months’ assessment starting in January 2008. It will be conducted by the Government of Ukraine with the assistance of a team of international scientists from the European Commission, UNEP, World Bank and EU Member States and it will be financed by the EC Relex Instrument for Stability.

The European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) CleanSeaNet service monitored the disaster area in the Kerch Strait, supporting the work done by the European Commission. Satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images covering the region have been acquired and delivered to the MIC.

For more information on European civil protection, marine pollution and Instrument for Stability visit:

Civil protection - http://ec.europa.eu/environment/civil/index.htm and IP/07/1715

External Relations - http://ec.europa.eu/world/index_en.htm

CONCLUSIONS

• The oil spill clean-up activities were well under way and much progress had been made.

• There was no need for assistance with the immediate emergency response or for equipment.

• According to the Ukrainian authorities there was no more free-floating oil on Ukrainian waters and all sources of pollution had been contained. No aerial surveillance images were available but the team observed no free-floating oil during the crossing from the mainland to Tuzla Island.

• Sulphur does not pose an immediate environmental threat but, as little is known about the possible future impacts, it is recommended that the sunken ships with sulphur on board are salvaged so that the sulphur can be appropriately processed.

• This was a relatively small-scale disaster and the short-term impacts were limited to coastal pollution and approximately 150 dead birds on the Ukrainian side. The medium and long-term environmental impact could not be assessed during this mission.

National Festival of Social Advertising.

EveryChild Ukraine was awarded with The Grand Prix of the Festival of Social Advertising for the complex PR-campaign “Every child needs a family!” and the 1-st prize in the nomination “Social complex projects”. Informational campaign was also considered the Best Work in the nomination.

The PR-campaign was developed and implemented within the framework of the EU Project “Development of Integrated Social Services for Exposed Families and Children”.

The National Festival of Social Advertising was initiated in 2005 by the Ministry of Ukraine for Family Youth and Sports, State Social Service of Ukraine for Family Children and Youth, The Union of Advertising Agencies of Ukraine and Ukrainian Professional magazine “Marketing and Advertising”.

The Festival is aimed at attracting the public attention to social problems and involving professional advertising agencies, artists, designers, state, public and private institutions to the development of social advertising; increasing the quantity and improving the quality of social advertising, search for new creative ideas.

Every year the professional jury of the Nation Festival is considering thousands of works presented by regional centers of social services for family, children and youth, NGOs and individuals. The themes of the works are various – from raising the family values to prevention of drugs and alcohol abuse, anti-AIDS issues etc.

The winners of the Festival have an opportunity to watch their works on the TV channels, outdoor and indoor advertising places, in printed mass media.

This year the Festival organizers conducted round tables, Master Classes, press-conferences, presentations of the best works and invited Ukrainian and foreign professionals in advertising. EveryChild Ukraine participated in the round table “Efficiency of social advertising: how it can be measured?”

Presentation available on www.everychild.kiev.ua

Kyiv, December 10, 2007

The EU-funded project “Small and Medium Enterprises Support Services in Priority Regions” organised a final reception on December 7, 2007 to mark its closure and to celebrate the results achieved.

This event was first and foremost a social occasion to provide an opportunity for the project's management to say a “big thank you” to those who contributed to the project’s success.

The project has been implemented by a consortium led by GFA Consulting Group (Germany) and was tasked with contributing to the formation of a favourable SME working environment in Ukraine in the following areas:

a) SME Policy Advice and Regulatory Framework;

b) Business Development Services;

c) Training and Dissemination of Results.

The project has mainly geared its activities and resources to the following three priority regions in Ukraine: Chernihiv, Rivne, and Zhytomyr and was very successful in its achievements.

As a small expression of appreciation the project awarded citations to people who enabled and supported the project and its mission and contributed to the achievement of its objectives.

For more information please contact:

Victoria Tetyora, Project Training and Dissemination Expert

Victoria.tetyora@smeuk.org.ua

Tel.: 8044 501 10 42

The project’s two-year activity will be aimed at assisting respective authorities in shaping up-to-date infrastructure and organizational development of the secondary healthcare in three pilot regions (Zhytomyr, Kharkiv and Poltava).

Staff training will play a significant role in the work of the project. Special attention is to be paid to development of managing skills and infrastructure planning in a modern healthcare institution. European best practices will be transmitted due to participation of project’s lead European experts from Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Finland, UK and Russia, as well as through appropriate training for Ukrainian professionals in the EU member states.

The project will broadly use experience gained by three preceding EU projects implemented in Ukraine over the recent years, focusing on various aspects of the healthcare system reform: “Preventive and Primary Healthcare Measures in Ukraine”, “Funding and Management in the Healthcare System Area in Ukraine”, and “Support to Medical Standards System Development in Ukraine”.

The project’s commencement meeting was attended by high-ranking officials and relevant specialists of the Ukrainian Ministry of Public Health, representatives of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine, heads of the medical institutions in the pilot regions, representatives of the National Medical Postgraduate Academy, Institute for Public Health, National Family Doctors Association, Dnipropetrovsk State Medical Academy, European and Ukrainian experts involved in the project implementation, and journalists.

For more information, please address Nataliya Luchsheva, tel. (044) 288 0866; 288 0867; 287 7211; e-mail: louchsheva@yahoo.com

EU-funded project “Improving Access to Justice for Rural Population” implemented by the Institute for Civil Society participated in the Third Ukrainian Municipal Forum. This event was held on November 29 – 30 in Pushcha Ozerna, near Kyiv, and brought together mayors and local government officials from all over Ukraine.

The Forum was particularly focused on major tasks, priorities and directions of administrative and territorial reform in Ukraine, as they are viewed by local authorities. Anatoliy Tkachuk, the founder of the Institute for Civil Society and advisor to the President of Ukraine, presented a draft law on Justices of the Peace developed within the project.

Project’s experts drafted this concept in order to revive the institution of Justice of the Peace that functioned in Ukraine until 1923 and was later abolished by the Soviet regime. Experts used foreign experience and drafted provisions on JPs election procedures, their responsibility, mandate etc.

Undefined legal status of JPs creates an essential obstacle for implementing this institution in today’s Ukraine. Although JPs should be an integral part of the judicial system and its lowest unit, their status is not defined in the Ukrainian Constitution. As a result, the project proposes another possible option: establishment of this institution attached to self-government bodies on a voluntary basis. In this case JPs would be elected by these bodies.

The project “Improving Access to Justice for Rural Population” is jointly implemented by the Institute of Civil Society and “Counterpart” Creative Center and is funded by the EU.

For more information, please contact Mariya Tkachuk, the project manager: tel. (044) 574 64 11; 529 73 94; fax (044) 574 64 13; e-mail: mary@csi.org.ua