Kyiv, 21/07/08

On 16 and 17 July 2008 the Implementation of Twinning Operations Project (ITO) and the Programme Administration Office (PAO) conducted two Workshops for discussing the ‘Practical Guidelines for Twinning Operations in Ukraine’ and the ‘Methodological Recommendations on Using Twinning Institution Building Instrument in Ukraine for the Executive Power Central Bodies’. These events equally became the continuation of the initiative of ‘Friends of Twinning in Ukraine’ meetings.

Participants from 13 Ministries have discussed the ‘Practical Guidelines for Twinning Operations in Ukraine’, a support material prepared by Jana Minarovičová, ITO International Expert. Tetyana Kovtun, Deputy Director of the PAO presented the ‘Methodological Recommendations’ developed by the PAO that were included in a recent Order of the Main Department of the Civil Service of Ukraine. The representatives of Ukrainian Public Institutions regarded the both documents as necessary and useful for their Twinning related activities.

The aim of the workshops was to promote understanding and acceptance by Twinning Beneficiaries of the new methodological documents on Twinning. The ‘Practical Guidelines on Twinning Operations in Ukraine’ as well as ‘Methodological Recommendations’ detail the rights and obligations of the Beneficiaries during different phases of the ‘technological process’ of Twinning project preparation and implementation. During one of the workshops a participant compared the EC Manual on Twinning Projects with the Bible, Practical Guidelines with an interpretation of a priest and the Methodological Recommendations with a letter from the Vatican. The Ukrainian officials proposed to simplify the texts of these documents and make them more user-friendly.

Participants agreed on the need of making a lot of amendments to Ukrainian legislation regarding co-financing of the projects and arranging a work of foreign experts at Ukrainian Public Institutions. The officials expressed their commitment for setting up a Working Group that would focus not only on adjusting Resolution #154 of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dealing with Twinning activities but the ‘Methodological Recommendations’ as well. All the participants agreed that popularisation of Twinning and the information activity should be enhanced.

For information, please contact Olena Troschynska, ITO Information Expert, tel. /fax: +38 044 531 98 83; e-mail: troschynska@twinning.kiev.ua, and see the web site: www.twinning.com.ua

17 July 2008

Rozsudiv (Chernihiv Region), Ukraine – 11:30 on 18 July 2008 – The Ministry of Internal Affairs (MOI) of Ukraine in partnership with the European Commission (EC) will hold the Dedication Ceremony and Opening of a Migrant Accommodation Center (MAC). In the spirit of co-operation between Ukraine and the European Union, all the relevant parties assist in the provision of adequate infrastructure and the appropriate human rights based procedures to be utilized vis-à-vis migrants, thereby facilitating the implementation of the readmission agreement.

Distinguished guests include: Minister of Internal Affairs Yuriy Lutsenko, Ambassador Ian Boag, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine, Chairman of Chernihiv Region State Administration Volodymyr Homenko, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Oleksandr Savchenko, MOI Director of Migration Service Ihor Repeshko, MOI Chief of Chernihiv Region Ivan Katerynchuk, MOI Chief of Capital Construction and Investment Oleksandr Embulatov, MOI Chief of Finance and Accounting Serhiy Kopytov, and IOM Officer in Charge, a.i., James Dasney.

In order to increase the standard of irregular migrants’ stay in Ukraine, the Government-run, pre-existing facility was fitted with furniture, computing equipment, and specialised accessories, the total value of which is approximately € 300,000. Extensive EU-compliant training focusing on protection of migrants’ human rights was provided to MOI personnel at these facilities. These activities were one component of the EU-funded project titled “Capacity Building of Migration Management: Ukraine (Phases I & II),” through which the EC committed approximately € 7,200,000.

In an effort to help the Government meet standards set by European human rights institutions and protection mechanisms, IOM together with its partners produced guidelines on EU best practices. The handbook focuses on bringing transparency and monitoring to the system that was already in place. In this context, particular attention was paid to persons’ safety and security, access to legal, NGO, and interpretation services, health care, physical fitness, nutrition, and hygiene. The cooperative effort has led to innovative reforms, important steps in the transformation process of the Ministry’s new role as the lead Government agency in migration. The increased workload carries with it important border management responsibilities.

The EU assists Ukrainian law enforcement agencies to align with the Government of Ukraine’s stated intention to meet EU best practices on rights and privileges of stranded migrants: race, religion, religious creed, political opinion, colour or ethnic, national or social origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, physical or mental disabilities.

Kyiv, 16 July 2008

In the period from 1-9 July 2008 the EU-funded project “Support to Secondary Health Care Reform in Ukraine” conducted a Study Visit to three EU Member States: Italy, Austria and Slovenia for the project partners from the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the three oblast state administrations in the pilot regions (Zhytomyrska, Poltavska and Kharkivska) and National Academy of Postgraduate Education.

The purpose of the visit was to study and analyse the different ways that the delivery of health care services is organised, financed and managed. The visit also examined whether various country reform models and scenarios could be applicable for Ukraine. The regional strategic planning and priority setting approaches were addressed by speakers from the local administrations, hospitals, regional medical administrations and local governments.

The issue of how regional priorities of healthcare system shaped its structure and organisation were discussed, especially in meetings with experts in Trieste (Italy) and Klagenfurt (Austria). Multi-sectoral collaboration and creation of a healthcare system addressing patient needs were also discussed in the meeting with the Martignacco mayor (Italy), Dr. Marco Zanor.

For more detailed information, please, contact Vasyl Ananyev – project expert in Human Resources and Organizational Development at + 380 (044) 287-72 11, 288 08 66.

Kyiv, 15/07/09

The participants came from Ukrainian public administrations – ministries, agencies, committees - who are involved in EU Twinning projects (institution building support for Ukrainian authorities through civil servant exchange with Member States). The certificates were handed over to the participants by representatives of the project and the European Commission Delegation to Ukraine.

In addition to improving participants' language skills, the training course has improved the participants' skills in networking, partnership building and negotiating and others – all being essential for successful Twinning. The training courses have succeeded in improving participants’ capacity to implement Twinning projects. Participants are now able to express and discuss issues freely and openly with each other and with their EU partners.

The major goal of the English / Professional Skills Training Programme was to improve efficiency and effectiveness of preparation and implementation of Twinning projects in Ukraine. The duration of the training was 10 months. The training sessions were carried out twice a week for two academic hours in the evening for each of the groups. The training was delivered by the Business Link Company which was selected on a competitive basis from among 15 training/educational companies.

The organisation of such a programme was regarded as necessary by all stakeholders of Twinning in Ukraine. Due to a great demand, a third group was also organised and is still ongoing to the beginning of November 2008.

Dr Janos Zakonyi, ITO Team Leader: ‘The proficiency of the participants in the English language has developed a lot. However, a unique aspect of these trainings was the development of human relationships’ skills of the participants – without which no Twinning can be implemented successfully. I'm sure that after this nearly one year of ‘learning and practice’ the participants are able to contact foreign partners in a fully different – better – way than they did one year ago’.

Tetyana Sovsimova, Trainer: ‘The majority of trainees have made a great progress and I'm very proud of it, even if work over-load of some participants prevented them from showing brilliant results. We have adjusted the business English course to specific Twinning demands. The trainees were deeply involved into the topics and some specific issues they knew even better than me. In the planned continuation of the courses from September we will concentrate more on the EU and provide new Twinning related knowledge and experience’.

Svitlana Kozyrenko, Trainee, Main Specialist of the National Electricity Regulatory Commission of Ukraine: ‘I have been attending the training from the very start and can see my personal progress in listening, speaking skills as well as special vocabulary regarding Twinning. The encouraging results of this course make me wish to continue. Before receiving the certificate our mood is very positive, since both results of our work are at hand and we are sitting together with friends. It was interesting to learn about other Twinning projects from colleagues from other Ministries/Agencies. What I value the most in our Twinning project is the readily available experience of our partners from Italy, Austria and the Czech Republic.’  

Information about the Project

The Implementation of Twinning Operations in Ukraine (ITO) is a technical assistance project funded by the EC within the framework of Tacis Programme. The project duration is 2.5 years (15 August 2006 - 14 February 2009).

The overall objective of the project is to support the capacity of Ukraine to make the best use of the EU assistance, in particular the Twinning tool.

For information, please contact Olena Troschynska, ITO Information Expert, tel. /fax: +38 044 531 98 83; e-mail: troschynska@twinning.kiev.ua or visit the web-site www.twinning.com.ua .

8 July 2008

The International Conference "European Commission and civil society in Ukraine: lessons learnt and new opportunities" organised by the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine will take place in Kyiv in Bratislava Hotel on 10-11 July 2008.

The main purpose of the event is to strengthen the level and scope of interaction between Ukrainian civil society and the European Commission through a more coordinated and systematic approach, as well as to assess past achievements and identify lessons learnt from the EC assistance programmes related to civil society in Ukraine.

The conference will provide an opportunity to continue the dialogue between the European Commission and civil society actors on how to enhance the role of civil society in EU-Ukraine relations and the EC assistance framework, particularly, in view of new aid delivery modalities such as Sector Policy Support Programmes and budgetary support.

The conference will gather key project partners of 14 IBPP (Institution Building Partnership Programme) projects implemented in Ukraine during 2006-2008, as well as representatives of civil society organisations from all regions of Ukraine, international donor community, embassies of the EU member states, and central executive authorities. More than 200 participants are expected to attend this event.

The new EC worldwide thematic programmes, procedures of EC calls for proposals and success stories from participants of past programmes will also be presented during the conference.

The conference is expected to improve the dialogue with civil society actors in order to ensure their involvement in policy process and in the new aid modalities within the European Neighbourhood Policy), as well as in monitoring of the fulfilment by government its commitments in the context of EU-Ukraine relations.

Representatives of mass media are invited to take part in the opening of the conference with the participation of Mr. Ian Boag, Ambassador, Head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine. The conference will start at 9:30 in the Galaxy Conference Hall of the Bratislava Hotel (1 Malyshko street, Kyiv).

Interested media representatives shall register before 16:00 on 9 July 2008 by phone (044) 279-85-75 or e-mail: tatiana@cecoforma.com (contact person – Mr. Timur Veysov).

For detailed information and conference agenda please, visit the website of the Delegation of the European Commission to Ukraine at: ../page47959.html