On 28 October, the Odesa Regional State Administration hosted the presentation of the international project EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD — "Building Collaborative Pathways for Regional Development and Improved Administrative Capacity for EU Cohesion Policy Adoption in Ukraine and Moldova".
This is a truly landmark event for regional development: for the first time, a Ukrainian regional institution acts as coordinator of an EU programme covering four regions of Ukraine — Odesa, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi and Chernivtsi — and the entire territory of the Republic of Moldova. The initiative creates a new level of interaction between the countries, opening the door to partnerships, exchange of experience and the introduction of European approaches to regional governance.
The event brought together representatives of the European Commission, Ukrainian government structures, partners from Moldova and Romania, as well as representatives of communities, universities, business and development agencies. Dmytro Radulov, Deputy Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, addressed the participants with a welcome speech. Hanna Bielokos, representative of the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine coordinating international technical assistance and cooperation with the EU, took part on behalf of the Ukrainian government.
Serhii Kononenko, Director of the Regional Development Agency of Odesa Region, stressed that the implementation of the project is the first practical step towards applying the principles of European cohesion policy in Ukrainian regions:
"EUroBRIDGE is not just international cooperation. It is an opportunity for Ukrainian regions to learn to work according to the European logic of development, to form partnerships, to manage grant programmes and to strengthen the capacity of communities."
Olha Sorochenko, Deputy Director of the Agency and project manager, presented the EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD work programme, outlining the implementation stages, key activities and expected results. In particular, the project foresees the creation of a Steering Committee, the launch of two cross-border grant programmes worth over €1.5 million, and the establishment of an SME Support Centre and a Pool of Experts from Ukraine, Moldova and Romania.
The participants discussed the next steps of cooperation and the opportunities for Ukrainian and Moldovan communities, development agencies, universities and businesses to join the joint grant initiatives.
EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD aims to create a shared development platform for the regions of Ukraine and Moldova. It is a powerful instrument for strengthening economic resilience, increasing investment attractiveness, developing entrepreneurship and digital transformation.
EUroBRIDGE_UA_MD is a bridge of opportunities that unites regions, communities and people for a common European future.
The project is funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed in this publication are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the position of the European Union or the European Commission.