On 14 October, Brussels hosted a roundtable titled “Regional Development as the Foundation of Ukraine’s Path to EU Integration,” co-organized by the European Association of Development Agencies (EURADA) and the Swiss-Ukrainian project “Ukraine’s Cohesion and Regional Development”, UCORD, implemented by NIRAS Sweden AB with the support of Switzerland.

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The event brought together representatives of UCORD’s six pilot regions — regional development agencies (RDAs), the Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers, the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, as well as EURADA members, OECD experts, and RDA representatives from France, Croatia, Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands.

 

Participants had the opportunity to:

Exchange practical knowledge on regional governance models, legislative frameworks, and cohesion policy fund management mechanisms in EU countries;
Review comparative OECD findings on European approaches to regional policy;
Identify effective models of inter-institutional cooperation that could strengthen the role of Ukrainian RDAs in implementing cohesion policy and advancing EU integration.

Opening the event, Francesco Molica, Director of EURADA, emphasized the importance of mutual learning between Ukrainian and European partners and reaffirmed the EU’s continued support for Ukraine — particularly through experience-sharing and governance best practices in regional development.

Oleksii Riabykin, Deputy Minister for Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, noted that Ukraine continues to create success stories even in wartime. He stressed that cohesion policy embraces not only economic but also social dimensions of development — a theme that resonated throughout the event. He highlighted two key goals for Ukraine: learning from EU countries’ practical governance models and establishing effective cooperation mechanisms.

Roberta Dall’Olio, Senior External Consultant at EURADA, emphasized that Ukraine and the EU will together advance a territorially driven transformation based on the potential of local development.

Maryna Bryl, UCORD Project Leader, noted that participants were not only exchanging knowledge but also building a lasting platform for dialogue, partnership, and shared vision — shaping the future of Ukraine as part of the European community.

To set the scene, Maria Varinia Michalun, Head of the Division for Strategic Planning and Multi-level Governance at the OECD, presented an overview of the functions and positioning of RDAs across the EU. She underlined the importance of strategic thinking and the diversification of functions within legislative mandates. For Ukrainian RDAs, this translates into the potential to evolve into flexible and effective institutions that drive regional competitiveness amid post-war recovery and EU accession.

Speakers from France and Croatia enriched the discussion with practical examples of reforms and strategies to address regional disparities.

Representatives of the Regional Council of Brittany in Brussels and the Development and Territorial Attractiveness Agency of Val-d’Oise (France) outlined key aspects of France’s 2016 administrative reform, which aimed to scale up governance capacity, expand EU fund management authority, and establish strong hubs for innovation and development.

The Croatian experience, presented by experts from Zagreb and the Zadar region, proved particularly relevant to Ukraine — as Croatia, having joined the EU in 2013, continues to update its regional policy legislation. Within these reforms, Croatian RDAs are gaining a leading role in regional strategic planning. Their success illustrates how RDAs can effectively design development strategies and build strong partnerships for territorial growth.

Croatian representatives stressed that partnerships — both interregional and public-private — established during early stages of EU integration remain crucial for sustainable development. This insight reinforces the idea that effective communication and collaboration platforms among regions are essential for Ukraine’s successful integration into the European space.

The event concluded with the signing of cooperation memoranda between Ukrainian regional development agencies and EURADA. This step formalized the commitment to deepen partnerships, exchange expertise, and develop joint initiatives in regional policy, institutional strengthening, and Ukraine’s integration into the European ecosystem of regional development.

The signed memoranda open new opportunities for structured dialogue, joint project implementation, and the inclusion of Ukrainian RDAs in Europe’s broader network of cohesion policy practices.