The project provides support to the Lviv Oblast authorities and partners to further develop the planning, programming, budgeting and implementation framework for regional economic development, in the specific context of the cross-border implications of Poland entering the EU. After the initial budgetary reform period a new level of change is required – making what has already been established work better, keeping in mind “EU compatibility” as a longer term requisite for the methodologies adopted, and using Polish accession driven experiences as a major source of inspiration for development of specific solutions based on Ukrainian policy and Lviv Oblast needs and focusing on partnership and practicality. Our project management approach is principally based on the concept of developing results through working groups. Working groups will in principle involve representatives of the various tiers of government, other stakeholders (private sector, NGOs), and local specialists; they will be placed and hosted within the administration; and supported by our project team. Through this method we work in full partnership with the Lviv Oblast institutions and organisations involved in the project. The main features of our approach involve:
- Guiding our partners through the full process involving specific planning, programming and budgeting tools and agendas;
- Developing a better understanding of the developmental issues facing the Oblast, including the impacts of Poland’s EU accession;
- Introducing solutions for better linking strategic planning with budgeting;
- Developing an operational manual for the participants of the process.
The establishment of two local development agencies will constitute a learning by doing experience in implementing a measure prioritised and developed in the strategic documents. Activities under component two have been designed to facilitate as much as possible the improvement of the business and investment environment in Lviv Oblast. Activities will mainly involve:
- Development of the knowledge base required for targeting the growth of business investments in the region;
- Ongoing development of an Oblast policy action plan for decreasing barriers to investment, and investment promotion and business support measures;
- Support for the establishment of a Euro-Info Centre and upgrading of effectiveness of the Economic Forum;
- Actions for developing the market infrastructure, including business development services, banking products, financial institutions.
A further component has been designed to additionally strengthen the capacity building actions incorporated under components one and two, through the introduction of a dedicated institution building platform. The platform will be developed in the form of an institution building master plan, involving two specific packages: a training package; and the institutional/process reform/change package. This will be a cross-cutting effort, with component activities helping to link the various actions under the other components and thus introducing within the design one coherent capacity development programme – the institution building master plan.
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