EU introduces Twinning

On March 2 a new method of cooperation between the European Union and Ukraine called Twinning was presented

Twinning envisages direct cooperation between bodies of the civil service of Ukraine and the corresponding ministries of the 25 EU member countries. Its aim is implementing the best practices of public administration in partnering countries of the EU built on the basis of European legislation and heightening cooperation between bodies of public administration. The ultimate goal of Twinning is adaptation of Ukrainian legislation to the acquits communitarian laws of the European Union. Ukraine became the first country under the TACIS program under the aegis of which the Twinning initiative is being launched.

Head of Twinning Operations Unit European Commission Marco Mazzochi Alemanni explained: "The mechanism is straightforward. Ukrainian ministries send out inquiries on the Twinning program to 25 EU member countries. The ministries of EU member countries interested in them submit their own assistance projects, which after agreement with and approval of the European Commission are processed and they begin work. The selection of proposals will not be based on the cost, rather only on their quality.

Timofiy Motrenko, Head of the Main Administration of the State Service of Ukraine, believes that the Twinning program will foster the adaptation of Ukraine to EU standards in the following spheres:

-          improvement in the legal base;

-          enhancing the professional capacity of Ukraine's civil servants;

-          harmonizing Ukraine's future space and professional skills of regional administrative structures with EU standards;

-          development of creative structures in bodies of public administration in Ukraine to ensure accession to the EU.

He also informed that thus far 12 ministries and departments in Ukraine have submitted proposal for the Twinning program. Among them are the National Energy Regulatory Commission, the Anti-monopoly Committee, the State Veterinary Service, Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Interior and National Space Research Agency.

Motrenko announced, "Three of the subjects submitted have already been agreed to and are in the stage of technical and methodological elaboration. Once this process is complete, the Representative Office of the European Commission will submit them for review by EU member countries. After approval the projects will begin.

Motrenko is also convinced that the selection procedure and the processing of projects rule out the possibility of scheming. He emphasized, "This is a unique tender where the corresponding projects are discussed and selected jointly between the Ukrainian and European sides. Funds will be allocated based on concisely defined goals, rather than on business interests, as it often happens in Ukraine."

Head of Geographical Coordination in Europe Unit European Commission Barbara Lueke assured that over the course of 2006 the European Union intends to allocate funds for developing the Twinning project in the spheres of education, supremacy of law and administration. However, this will only happen after a review of the funds allocated in previous years. Lueke assured, "The main objective today is to learn how funds were spent on EU programs in 2002-2005. Then after this review we will decide how best to spend the newly disbursed funds."

TACIS (Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States) - a program of economic and technical assistance the European Union renders to member countries of the CIS and Mongolia started in 1991.

The program envisages rendering financial and consulting assistance for:

    *Support for institutional, legal and administrative reform;

    *Support to the private sector and assistance for economic development;

    *Support in addressing the social consequences of transition;

    *Development of infrastructure networks;

    *Promotion of environmental protection and management of natural resources;

    *Development of the rural economy;

    *Support for nuclear safety.

In 200 the European Commission approved The 2000 TACIS Regulation. The document envisages the allocation of 2 million euro to Ukraine over the period 2000-2006.

Kiev Weekly

March 8, 2006

By Marian Polyoviy