The online presentation of the CivicLab Toolkit brought together 172 representatives of local authorities from across Ukraine.
On 13 August 2026, the Council of Europe project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery” presented the updated CivicLab Methodology and Digital Toolkit for engaging citizens in decision-making processes.
CivicLab is a Council of Europe methodology developed in 2020 to support public authorities in engaging residents in the development of inclusive, transparent and evidence-based public decisions. It provides a step-by-step framework for organising consultations and can be applied in in-person, remote or hybrid formats.
In 2026, the CivicLab Methodology and Digital Toolkit were updated and adapted to make them more user-friendly and effective for practical application by public authorities. The updated version takes into account the provisions of the Law of Ukraine “On Public Consultations” and can be used to conduct all forms of public consultation provided for under Article 9 of the Law. The Toolkit includes templates, model documents, step-by-step guidance and digital tools for preparing and conducting consultations, processing proposals and preparing analytical reports.
The Council of Europe project is launching an open call for local authorities interested in piloting the CivicLab Methodology and conducting consultations in September–October 2026.
Following a competitive selection process, up to five local authorities will receive comprehensive expert, methodological and organisational support in preparing and conducting consultations using the CivicLab Methodology. The Council of Europe project’s support will cover all key stages of the process — from expert methodological guidance during the preparation and conduct of the consultation to processing its results and preparing an analytical report.
To apply, local authorities are invited to complete the online application form available here.
Application deadline: 27 August 2026 at 23:59 Kyiv time.
The online presentation was organised within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023-2026 and the project “Strengthening multilevel governance and local democracy to support Ukraine’s recovery”, implemented by the Council of Europe Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities.
