More than 600 local government officials and councillors from all regions of Ukraine – including frontline, temporarily occupied and de-occupied communities – completed an innovative, practice-oriented training programme on ethics, integrity and corruption prevention on 24 September 2026.

Combining Council of Europe standards with Ukrainian legislation and practice, the training programme focused on the practical application of public ethics and integrity standards in local government, addressing the unprecedented challenges faced by local authorities under martial law and in the context of Ukraine’s EU integration.

Comprising 12 thematic modules, the training responded to priorities identified through a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) conducted using the methodology and tools of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress. It was formally approved by the National Agency of Ukraine on Civil Service (NAUCS).

Participants explored conflict-of-interest management, whistleblowing, anti-corruption mechanisms, ethics infrastructure and organisational culture, with a strong emphasis on strengthening internal processes and embedding integrity into everyday governance. The programme also highlighted the importance of ethical leadership, trust and responsible decision making, particularly in crisis situations.

By building local capacity to apply these standards, the programme helps foster more transparent, accountable and citizen-oriented local governance while reinforcing public trust.

The training programme was organised as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” 2023–2026 and the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, implemented by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.