1. General information
   1. Staff members
   2. Contact information
   3. Introduction
2. Matra programmes
   1. Matra Projects Programme (MPP)
   2. Matra Small Embassy Projects Programme (KAP)
   3. Matra Small Local Activities Programme 
   4. Matra KNIP 
   5. MTEC
   6. Matra Flex

1.  GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Staff members

Pieter van Vliet
Kateryna Bardadym
Lyudmilla Bilenko

1.2 Contact information

Royal Netherlands Embassy Kiev

Matra section
Kontraktova Ploshcha 7
01901 Kiev, Ukraine
Tel:  +38 044 4908 200
Fax: +38 044 4908 209
E-mail: kie@minbuza.nl (attn: ‘Matra programme’).

1.3 Introduction

Since the early 1990s, the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had the 'Matra programme', which supports social transformation in Central and Eastern Europe. Matra supports fifteen different countries, including Ukraine and starting 2006 Moldova, in their transformation from totalitarian States into modern, democratic nations – multiform countries built on a constitutional foundation, where citizens may assume responsibility for shaping the society in which they live. The basic concept behind Matra is to strengthen institutions in the target countries by way of twinning with institutions in the Netherlands.

Matra is not an organisation for development aid. The programme is focused on supporting activities that accelerate positive changes in the structure and operation of the affiliated Eastern European states, their institutions, civil organisations and networks that connect these entities. It provides this support through bilateral relations that target both, local governments, and the public in the countries involved. Matra also aims to contribute to the countries’ development as they prepare for accession to the European Union.

Matra operates in the following countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine. From 2006, Moldova, Georgia and Armenia have been added to this list.

In Ukraine, the Social Transformation Programme of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in line with the Joint Action Programme for 2004-2006 between the Government of the Netherlands and the Government of Ukraine.

Over the years, the Matra programme has grown considerably, from an initial budget of 11 million euros in 1994 to 50 million euros in 2003. Feedback from the region suggests that the programme’s success is, in part, due to the fact that it is flexible and demand-driven. It focuses on institutional strengthening through forging relevant, bilateral partnerships between organisations. It is Matra’s aim to be a practical, low-profile player that is easy to deal with and that gets things done.

The results of the 10 years programme activity in Ukraine are described in the booklet “Matra in Ukraine: Ten years of Social transformation” 

2. MATRA PROGRAMMES

2.1 Matra Projects Programme (MPP)

Matra’s most important instrument – is “twinning”, hence,  direct cooperation between local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Dutch NGOs that offer support for projects carried out with and by their Eastern or Central European partners. These projects cover the full scope of Matra’s themes. In addition to the input from the NGO’s, projects are also submitted by Dutch municipalities and provinces based on their twinning arrangements with towns and provinces, or by consultancy firms. For more information, please visit the website of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For the list of MPP projects that are being implemented in Ukraine now, please click here.

2.2 Matra Small Embassy Projects Programme (KAP)

Small Embassy Projects are small-scale local initiatives that are given modest financial support by a Dutch Embassy. More information can be found in the Matra KAP Guidelines. The programme provides limited contributions to help NGOs fund activities in the areas of, for example, human rights, culture, public information provision or education.

The Embassy supports up to 50 small scale projects annually. If you are interested in seeing the Matra KAP overview for the year 2007, please download the file Matra KAP Programme Overview – 2007.

To download the Matra KAP application form, click here.

2.3 Matra Small Local Activities Programme

This programme is implemented by NCDO (a Dutch NGO: the National Commission on Sustainable Development). It aims to fill the gap between the limited scope of the “Small Embassy Projects Programme” and the large “Matra Projects Programme” proposals.

Grants requests must be sent to:

NCDO (attn. ‘Matra KPA’)
P.O. Box 18184
1001 ZB Amsterdam
The Netherlands

For more information, visit the website of NCDO.

2.4 Matra KNIP

For more information on MATRA KNIP, please visit the chapter ‘Agricultural & Nature’ on this website.

2.5 Matra Training for European Cooperation

Matra Training Programme for European Cooperation is a grants scheme, which allows education establishments located in the Netherlands to offer postgraduate courses to students from the target countries, including Ukraine and Moldova. Please find presentation materials of the MTEC Programme in Ukrainian and Russian. For more information, visit the MTEC-website.

Here you can get information on the following MTEC programmes for the academic year 2008-2009 available for Ukraine and Moldova: The MSc Programme in Public Administration, The MSc Programme in Public Health, The MA Programme in European Studies, The L.L.M. Programme International and European Law. All costs of the programme are paid for.

2.6 Matra Flex

Matra Flex provides financial resources for exchanges between ministries and their agencies in order to strengthen the network for European Cooperation at the governmental level. For more information please visit the web-site of the Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD).