Stalowowolskie San Francisco

Agency for Regional Development and European Integration

Contact details:
Olga Mykhaylyuk
Executive Director
Tel/fax: + 38 032 297 41 41, 297 41 67
Email: liuba@ardei.lviv.ua
Address:
7 Halytska Square
Lviv 79008
Ukraine

Agency for Regional Development and European Integration (ARDEI)was established and started its activities in March 2002. It was founded by Lviv Regional State Administration and the City of Lviv among other founders as a non-profit association.

ARDEI's main goal is:

To foster the social and economic development of Lviv region. This includes a focus on the facilitation of cross-border cooperation and realization of the opportunities that arise from European Union (EU) enlargement. Agency positions itself as an instrument for the effective implementation of various regional policies, mainly those, which deal with strengthening the capacity of the beneficiaries of Neighbourhood Programmes and building up the capacities of local and regional authorities in the field of cross-border cooperation.

ARDEI's objectives are:

to establish and maintain effective networkingbetween Lviv region organizations and institutions involved in regional development,
to generate, to implement and coordinate such programsin Lviv region, which focus on regional development including the realization of the economic potential of the region and cross-border cooperation development,
to provide informational supportto Ukrainian enterprises in the field of economic cooperation with companies from the EU countries,
to foster and facilitate new efficient partnershipsbetween enterprises and organizations of Lviv region and the bordering regions of Poland as a new member of the EU,
to facilitate introductionof Ukrainian entities to the best practice of economic, environmental and social regional development of the EU, oto
to disseminate knowledge and provide trainingin cross-border cooperation with the EU countries.

ARDEI is seen as a catalyst for the local NGOs and authorities networking in the area of regional development. In order to develop this type of capacity the Agency has established a informal network, which includes over a 100 regional organizations. Among others, the purpose of such network is:

to coordinate the efforts of all these organizations for the sake of effective allocation of local resources,
to provide trainings and share knowledge and experience in the field of strategic planning, local development, project management etc.

There has also been established a cooperation network between local development agencies of Lviv and Volyn regions of Ukraine and Podkarpackie and Lubelskie voivodships of Poland (this network is further developing). The abovementioned regions border each other and to a great extent share common economic and social problems. Thus the solutions for these problems can be found through participation in technical assistance projects, exchange of ideas and experience.

In the framework of its objectives, the Agency has been involved in the number of activities. For example, the first step towards achieving competence in the area of assisting regional authorities in regional and local strategic planning (issue of high priority taking into consideration the EU enlargement), the Agency has developed various analytical reports on current social and economic situation for a number of small communities of Lviv region.

A number of activities have been undertaken by the Agency for the purpose of its positioning and recognition on both the national and local level as an effective intermediate between local communities, NGO's, authorities of various levels, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and other institutions (e.g. The Agency has been involved as one of initiators of an NGO advisory council established at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine).

ARDEI initiated and held two Partnersearch Forums (2002 and 2003), which took place in the framework of Lviv International Economic Forum. These were the first events of the kind not only in Ukraine but also in the Eastern Europe. The Forums aimed at establishing new contacts for partnerships between representatives of local authorities, NGO's, entrepreneurs from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Slovenia Belarus and other countries; and at providing opportunities to meet representatives of main donor organizations that are working in Ukraine.

Another interesting and successfully implemented activity of ARDEI within the last year of 2005 was an International Conference named "Programme instruments for the implementation of the EUs Neighbourhood policy in Ukraine: present situation and outlook", which took place within the framework of the International Economic Forum "Ukraine-European Union" in Lviv.

The achieved goal of the Conference was the development of the proposals coming from Ukrainian border regions and Ukraine nationally concerning the implementation of the realization of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument on the borders of Ukraine and the EU.

Lviv region is a part of Carpathian Euroregion, the first one among the Euroregions established in the former Soviet Union (1993). The Agency has been involved in its activities (training for local officials and local NGOs within "Cooperation within Carpathian Euroregion" program funded by Polish PHARE CBC SPF. In October 2003 ARDEI became a branch office of the Ukrainian National Office in Carpathian Euroregion.

The following is the selection of Agency's projects:

TACIS CBC MPF project "Sustainable development of Turka border area" (is due to start in 2006)

Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Stalowowolskie SanFrancisco" (2005-2006)

Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Euroregional cooperation system" (2005-ongoing)

Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Agrotourism - a chance to find employment for Poles and Ukrainians" (2004)

"TACIS CBC SPF Project "Polish-Ukrainian Cross Border Agency - towards the future" (2003-2005)

RITA III project "Telephone cooperation: from USA via Poland to Ukraine - cooperation as a way of establishing civil society and breaking up the state monopoly in the public services sector" (2003)

Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Development of local product: exchange of experience" (2003)

Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Ukrainian-Polish network of local development institutions" (2003)

East-East programme project "Partnership without borders" "Solving ecological problems of cultural and historical centres of Eastern Europe" (2004)

Royal Danish MFA project on Development of Regional Economy of Lviv Oblast based on CBC Strategy/COWI (2003-2004)

DFID project in Ukraine "Support to the Creation of Ukrainian-Polish Agency for the Cross-Border Regional Economic and Social Development" (2002-2004)

EC project "Information Campaign Support Tacis Cross-Border Cooperation - Small Project Facility" (2002-2003)

Project PHARE CBC SPF "Euroregional System of Co-operation", "Supporting of Ukrainian-Polish System of Cross-Border Co-operation" component. (2002-2003)

UNDP Umbrella Project "Development of Strategies for Local Communities" (2002-2003)

Through participation in and management of the abovementioned projects the ARDEI has gained valuable practical experience, which, in its turn enabled the Agency to build up its competence and capacities and to evolve into a regional centre of excellence in cross-border cooperation. An independent non-governmental institution with a solid network of contacts of authorities and self-governments (at the national, regional, and municipal levels) as well as development institutions throughout Ukraine, ARDEI presents an institutional network and as such is well positioned to consolidate efforts of various stakeholders and actors from different regions of Ukraine to produce a coordinated position on cooperation strategy with Ukraine's neighbours based on the on-the-ground CBC experience and local perceptions.

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Agency for Regional Development and European Integration Contact details: Olga Mykhaylyuk Executive Director Tel/fax: + 38 032 297 41 41, 297 41 67 Email: liuba@ardei.lviv.ua Address: 7 Halytska Square Lviv 79008 Ukraine Agency for Regional Development and European Integration (ARDEI)was established and started its activities in March 2002. It was founded by Lviv Regional State Administration and the City of Lviv among other founders as a non-profit association. ARDEI's main goal is: To foster the social and economic development of Lviv region. This includes a focus on the facilitation of cross-border cooperation and realization of the opportunities that arise from European Union (EU) enlargement. Agency positions itself as an instrument for the effective implementation of various regional policies, mainly those, which deal with strengthening the capacity of the beneficiaries of Neighbourhood Programmes and building up the capacities of local and regional authorities in the field of cross-border cooperation. ARDEI's objectives are: to establish and maintain effective networkingbetween Lviv region organizations and institutions involved in regional development, to generate, to implement and coordinate such programsin Lviv region, which focus on regional development including the realization of the economic potential of the region and cross-border cooperation development, to provide informational supportto Ukrainian enterprises in the field of economic cooperation with companies from the EU countries, to foster and facilitate new efficient partnershipsbetween enterprises and organizations of Lviv region and the bordering regions of Poland as a new member of the EU, to facilitate introductionof Ukrainian entities to the best practice of economic, environmental and social regional development of the EU, oto to disseminate knowledge and provide trainingin cross-border cooperation with the EU countries. ARDEI is seen as a catalyst for the local NGOs and authorities networking in the area of regional development. In order to develop this type of capacity the Agency has established a informal network, which includes over a 100 regional organizations. Among others, the purpose of such network is: to coordinate the efforts of all these organizations for the sake of effective allocation of local resources, to provide trainings and share knowledge and experience in the field of strategic planning, local development, project management etc. There has also been established a cooperation network between local development agencies of Lviv and Volyn regions of Ukraine and Podkarpackie and Lubelskie voivodships of Poland (this network is further developing). The abovementioned regions border each other and to a great extent share common economic and social problems. Thus the solutions for these problems can be found through participation in technical assistance projects, exchange of ideas and experience. In the framework of its objectives, the Agency has been involved in the number of activities. For example, the first step towards achieving competence in the area of assisting regional authorities in regional and local strategic planning (issue of high priority taking into consideration the EU enlargement), the Agency has developed various analytical reports on current social and economic situation for a number of small communities of Lviv region. A number of activities have been undertaken by the Agency for the purpose of its positioning and recognition on both the national and local level as an effective intermediate between local communities, NGO's, authorities of various levels, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and other institutions (e.g. The Agency has been involved as one of initiators of an NGO advisory council established at the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine). ARDEI initiated and held two Partnersearch Forums (2002 and 2003), which took place in the framework of Lviv International Economic Forum. These were the first events of the kind not only in Ukraine but also in the Eastern Europe. The Forums aimed at establishing new contacts for partnerships between representatives of local authorities, NGO's, entrepreneurs from Ukraine, Poland, Romania, Slovenia Belarus and other countries; and at providing opportunities to meet representatives of main donor organizations that are working in Ukraine. Another interesting and successfully implemented activity of ARDEI within the last year of 2005 was an International Conference named "Programme instruments for the implementation of the EUs Neighbourhood policy in Ukraine: present situation and outlook", which took place within the framework of the International Economic Forum "Ukraine-European Union" in Lviv. The achieved goal of the Conference was the development of the proposals coming from Ukrainian border regions and Ukraine nationally concerning the implementation of the realization of the European Neighbourhood and Partnership Instrument on the borders of Ukraine and the EU. Lviv region is a part of Carpathian Euroregion, the first one among the Euroregions established in the former Soviet Union (1993). The Agency has been involved in its activities (training for local officials and local NGOs within "Cooperation within Carpathian Euroregion" program funded by Polish PHARE CBC SPF. In October 2003 ARDEI became a branch office of the Ukrainian National Office in Carpathian Euroregion. The following is the selection of Agency's projects: TACIS CBC MPF project "Sustainable development of Turka border area" (is due to start in 2006) Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Stalowowolskie SanFrancisco" (2005-2006) Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Euroregional cooperation system" (2005-ongoing) Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Agrotourism - a chance to find employment for Poles and Ukrainians" (2004) "TACIS CBC SPF Project "Polish-Ukrainian Cross Border Agency - towards the future" (2003-2005) RITA III project "Telephone cooperation: from USA via Poland to Ukraine - cooperation as a way of establishing civil society and breaking up the state monopoly in the public services sector" (2003) Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Development of local product: exchange of experience" (2003) Phare CBC SPF Poland project "Ukrainian-Polish network of local development institutions" (2003) East-East programme project "Partnership without borders" "Solving ecological problems of cultural and historical centres of Eastern Europe" (2004) Royal Danish MFA project on Development of Regional Economy of Lviv Oblast based on CBC Strategy/COWI (2003-2004) DFID project in Ukraine "Support to the Creation of Ukrainian-Polish Agency for the Cross-Border Regional Economic and Social Development" (2002-2004) EC project "Information Campaign Support Tacis Cross-Border Cooperation - Small Project Facility" (2002-2003) Project PHARE CBC SPF "Euroregional System of Co-operation", "Supporting of Ukrainian-Polish System of Cross-Border Co-operation" component. (2002-2003) UNDP Umbrella Project "Development of Strategies for Local Communities" (2002-2003) Through participation in and management of the abovementioned projects the ARDEI has gained valuable practical experience, which, in its turn enabled the Agency to build up its competence and capacities and to evolve into a regional centre of excellence in cross-border cooperation. An independent non-governmental institution with a solid network of contacts of authorities and self-governments (at the national, regional, and municipal levels) as well as development institutions throughout Ukraine, ARDEI presents an institutional network and as such is well positioned to consolidate efforts of various stakeholders and actors from different regions of Ukraine to produce a coordinated position on cooperation strategy with Ukraine's neighbours based on the on-the-ground CBC experience and local perceptions.	Targi Inwestycji i Nieruchomości we Lwowie W dniach 5-7 października 2005r. we Lwowie odbędą się "Międzynarodowe Targi Inwestycji i Nieruchomości Ukraina - UE" more Forum Ekonomiczne we Lwowie W dniach 5-8 października 2005 we Lwowie odbędzie się "V Międzynarodowe Forum Ekonomiczne Ukraina - UE" more Targi Wielobranżowe 2005r. w Mielcu Zarząd Agencji Rozwoju Regionalnego MARR S. A. w Mielcu organizuje w dniach 6-8 października 2005 roku cykl spotkań promujących przedsiębiorczość oraz regionalną tradycję i kulturę. Całość odbywać się będzie w Regionalnym Centrum Kultury w sali Promocyjno - Wystawienniczej na ul. Niepodległości w Mielcu. Uroczyste rozpoczęcie "Targów Wielobranżowych - Kooperacja 2005" planowane jest na godzinę 11.00. Detailed information: Monika Klimczak tel. (017) 773-82-57 mklimczak@marr.com.pl
Stalowowolskie San Francisco Polish-Ukrainian Cooperation Programme	Web design OSI Go3.pl 2005