On 27 May, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted the Law of Ukraine \u201cOn Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine Regarding the Promotion of Participation of Local Self-Government Authorities in the Implementation of International Technical Assistance Programmes and Projects and International Territorial Cooperation\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The new Law creates favourable conditions for the more active participation of local self-government authorities in the implementation of international technical assistance programmes and projects, as well as interregional, cross-border and transnational cooperation initiatives financed through budget support, assistance and\/or grants provided by the European Union, foreign governments and municipalities, international organisations and donor institutions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The key provisions of the Law include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 introducing a clear mechanism for providing additional remuneration to local self-government officials for the extra workload related to the implementation of international technical assistance programmes and projects and international territorial cooperation initiatives;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 enabling such additional remuneration to be financed through international funding and grant support;<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 stipulating that the procedures for granting such remuneration will be determined by local councils based on model regulations approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the Interreg NEXT Poland \u2013 Ukraine 2021-2027 Programme, the adoption of this Law is particularly important, as a significant share of Ukrainian beneficiaries are local self-government authorities. The new legislative provisions will provide additional incentives for local government staff to engage in the implementation of international projects and will contribute to a more effective use of the opportunities offered by our Programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Law will enter into force three months after its official publication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n