On 23 October 2025, on the eve of the Second International Forum of Agglomerations, representatives of Ukrainian communities took part in a peer-to-peer exchange visit in Lviv dedicated to metropolitan governance and inter-municipal cooperation. The visit was organised by the Council of Europe Project ‘Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery’ in co-operation with the Association of Local Authorities ‘Lviv Agglomeration’.

Participants learned about inter-municipal cooperation practices, the organisational model and strategy of the Lviv Agglomeration, and explored opportunities for regional development. Participants from six regions of Ukraine learned about practical mechanisms and successful examples of inter-municipal cooperation implemented within the Lviv Agglomeration. Particular focus was given to three key areas: mobility, solid waste management, and culture and tourism.

The programme opened with an official meeting at the Lviv City Council. Andrii Sadovyi, Mayor of Lviv, Chairman of the Association ‘Lviv Agglomeration’ and Liubomyr Zubach, Deputy Mayor of Lviv, welcomed the guests. They emphasised the importance of consolidating community efforts for joint sustainable development, especially in times of war and post-war recovery.

 

 

‘The European Union is not a union of countries. It is a union of cities, regions and agglomerations. By establishing an agglomeration, you can immediately apply for various grants that would otherwise be unavailable. In other words, many opportunities open up. This needs to be done. We are ready to share our experience,’ said Andrii Sadovyi.

Considerable attention was paid to the experience of the Zhovkva community. The group visited the section of the M-7 Rava-Ruska – Zhovkva highway that is currently being reconstructed with SFRD funding. Particular attention was drawn to the cycle path, which is being constructed through a collaboration between the Lviv, Kulykiv, and Zhovkva communities. Pavlo Artymovych, Acting Deputy Head of the Department – Head of the Street Infrastructure Division, spoke about financing, planning and coordinating this project, which showcases effective collaboration in the realm of transport infrastructure.

 

 

Participants also visited the reclaimed solid waste landfill site in Velyki Hrybovychi village, part of the Lviv community. Petro Kinash, Director of the Municipal Enterprise ‘Administrator of Solid Waste Management Services’, presented Lviv’s extensive experience of overcoming the ‘garbage crisis’ and implementing a large-scale reclamation project. This case study vividly illustrates how shared responsibility and investment can solve complex environmental problems affecting entire agglomeration.

 

 

A broad discussion of cooperation issues took place in Zhovkva, in which community leaders who are members of the Association participated: Oleh Volskyi, Mayor of Zhovkva, as well as heads/deputy heads of neighbouring communities: Bohdan Stakhiv (Kulykiv) and Petro Sokolovskyi (Novyi Yarychiv). The leaders shared their experience of coordinating cultural, tourism and joint municipal services activities. Final discussions took place in Lviv, where participants shared their impressions and ideas for future cooperation.

Oleh Volskyi emphasised that ‘Zhovkva is part of the Lviv Agglomeration and is one of the driving forces behind this association. We were among the first to agree to join, and we persuaded other communities to do the same. Cooperating within the Agglomeration has opened up many opportunities for us, from participating in international forums to collaborating on projects that promote our region to the world.’

A significant and emotional part of the programme was the visit to the Unbroken rehabilitation centre. Participants observed the running of the centre, which is one of Ukraine’s largest social projects aimed at restoring and supporting affected citizens. This emphasised the social aspect of metropolitan governance and community priorities in healthcare and rehabilitation

The visit was a significant step in promoting the effective multilevel governance models necessary for the recovery of Ukraine. Both the organisers and participants believe that the experience gained by the Lviv Agglomeration will encourage stronger inter-municipal cooperation and help communities throughout the country become more resilient.

The following day, participants will take part in the Second International Forum of Ukrainian Agglomerations ‘Agglomerations and Functional Territories: European Approaches and Their Implementation in Ukraine’, where they will continue to share experiences with colleagues from other regions of Ukraine and Europe. View the Forum online on the Association's Facebook page: Львівська Агломерація / Lviv Agglomeration | Lviv | Facebook

The event was part of the Council of Europe’s extensive efforts to support effective multilevel governance, decentralisation, and sustainable recovery in Ukraine.

The event is held with the assistance and support of the Council of Europe Project ‘Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery’, implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine ‘Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction’ for 2023–2026 by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.