REGIO participates in the EU-Ukraine sub-committee on agriculture and rural development, regional and urban policy, fisheries, aquaculture and maritime policy

The session was co-chaired by NEAR and the EU Delegation in Ukraine. From the Ukrainian side, there were representatives from the ministries of Agrarian Policy and Food, Environmental Protection and Natural Resources, Communities and Territories Development, and Education and Science; and delegates from the State Audit Service, the Government Office for Coordination on European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, and the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers.

Ukraine's Key Contributions and Updates

The Ukrainian Delegation shared among others its progress on regional development, the Public Investment Management system reform, and the State Agency for Reconstruction, identifying remaining challenges and next steps in these areas.

Presentation by REGIO

The Head of Unit D1 emphasised the commitment to supporting Ukraine in the preparations for Chapter 22 negotiations on regional policy. He outlined plans for organising a workshop and technical meetings to present EU cohesion policy principles to relevant Ukrainian actors, helping them align with EU requirements. Additionally, he gave an update on the ongoing developments related to 2021-2027 cohesion policy, including the RESTORE and STEP initiatives.

Ukraine’s active involvement in Interreg programmes was praised, with new projects being selected the same week in Interreg Europe and Romania-Ukraine. The Commission urged further collaboration between Poland and Ukraine on two key priorities: "Accessibility," which focuses on improving road and rail infrastructure to support the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes, and "Borders," aimed at enhancing border management.

Notably, REGIO stressed the importance of improving Ukraine's management and control systems to meet EU standards, acknowledging the swift actions taken following early system audits.

REGIO is also providing ongoing support to Ukraine through capacity-building initiatives, including training on public procurement and management control systems. The presentation concluded by highlighting a new EUR 2 million technical assistance call for cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova, designed to strengthen regional collaboration in the border areas of the two candidate countries.

The core task over the coming months will be for Ukraine to work closely with the Commission to ensure a successful bilateral screening meeting on Chapter 22 (planned for October 2025), including the holding of a pre-screening meeting in the first half of 2025.