The project focuses on areas where the Council of Europe has a clearly identifiable and widely recognised added value among other international players, as developer and guardian of the European Charter of Local Self-Government – the first benchmark international treaty in this area, which is ratified by all member-states – and a range of standards on good democratic governance and citizen participation.

The project is structured into three key components:

1. Improving legal and institutional frameworks on multilevel governance in line with the European Charter of Local Self-Government, European standards and good practices.

2. Improving the quality of local and regional governance through strengthened institutional capacities and collaborative approaches adopted by local and regional authorities and their associations, as well as other public (state) authorities.

3. Boosting democratic innovations and participatory governance to foster public participation and strengthen collaboration with civil society organisations (CSOs).

  Funding: voluntary contributions of the Council of Europe member states

  Duration of the project: 1 April 2025 – 31 December 2026

  Leaflet of the Project 

  Leaflet of the Congress

The project is implemented as part of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine “Resilience, Recovery and Reconstruction” for 2023–2026 by the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance at the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe.  

The project will benefit a variety of stakeholders in Ukraine:

• Public authorities: the project supports strengthening multilevel governance and inclusive decision-making processes fostering broad-based stakeholder participation and engagement. It promotes transparency and inclusivity while introducing innovative practices in participatory and deliberative democracy.

• Civil society organisations (CSOs): the project will build the capacity of CSOs, enabling them to play an active role in Ukraine’s recovery and effectively advocate for citizens' interests.

• Inhabitants and communities: the project will promote participatory governance and transparent decision-making, empowering residents to actively contribute to shaping the policies that affect their daily lives.

Through these efforts, the project seeks to build sustainable, democratic, and inclusive governance systems that contribute to Ukraine’s recovery, strengthen communities, and reinforce the country’s European integration.

Provides support to improve the advocacy role of national associations of local and regional authorities on local self-government reform and transition from military to civilian administration, thus strengthening local democracy and contributing to Ukraine’s EU integration process.

Encourages peer exchanges between Ukrainian and other European associations of local and regional authorities to strengthen local self‑government and the resilience of local communities in times of war and during the recovery and reconstruction

Facilitates multistakeholder negotiations and dialogue platforms on multilevel governance reforms and fosters central–local co-operation.

Provides policy advice, legal opinions and expertise on draft and existing legislation at the request of national partners.

Promotes integration of European standards for local democracy and human rights in the strategies and practices.

Supports intermunicipal, metropolitan and cross-border co-operation through expert and financial support.

Promotes participatory and deliberative democracy in line with European standards and best practice.

A more resilient, transparent, and democratic governance system that meets citizens’ needs during and after the war and contributes to long-term stability and democratic resilience across communities in Ukraine

Improved legal frameworks and institutional structures enabling a more decentralised and efficient public administration.

Greater participation of citizens and CSOs in decision making through the implementation of open government principles and participatory democracy, including deliberative processes.

Enhanced collaboration between public authorities, international partners, and communities.

Multilevel governance

• Recommendation CM/Rec(2023) 5 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the principles of good democratic governance

• bE-Open: Open Local Government | A tool for action 

• Human rights handbook for Local and Regional Authorities: Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3

Public ethics and integrity

• Leaflet on Public Ethics

• European Code of Conduct for all Persons Involved in Local and Regional Governance

Civic participation

• Guide: How to organise a deliberative process at the local level

• Recommendation CM/Rec(2023)6 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on deliberative democracy

• Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)11 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the need to strengthen the protection and promotion of civil society space in Europe

• Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)4 of the Committee of Ministers to member States on the participation of citizens in local public life

• Guidelines CM for civil participation in political decision making

• Youth Empowerment. Manual on human rights, democracy and civic participation education for local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, youth trainers and educators

• SDG for Kids. How to make your town a better place

Cultural heritage

• Culture Without Borders: Cultural Heritage Management for Local and Regional Development

Multilevel governance

• Analytical note “Application of the Industrial Parks Tool within Inter-Municipal Co-operation“

• Best Stories of Resilience and Co-action in Communities in Time of War: 2023, 2024, 2025

• Implementing Democratic Innovations During Wartime at Local Level

• Training of trainers manual “Co-creating Local Open Government Commitments”

Civic participation

• Report: Citizens’ Assembly 2024. Slavutych City Territorial Community. How can we improve the household waste management system in our community?

• Report: Citizens’ Assembly 2024. Zviahel Сity Territorial Community. Creating urban spaces as public locations for social interaction and recovery.

• UChange Tool for teaching the fundamentals of public participation in a game format

• CivicLab methodology Toolkit 

• School Participatory Budgeting Toolkit 

Human rights at local level

• Assessment report on the implementation of a human rights-based approach at the local and regional level in Ukraine

• Preventing and Combatting Sexism at Local Level in Ukraine: Guide for Women and Men in Local Politics

Integrity and public ethics

• Preventing and Managing Corruption Risks. Practical recommendations for local authorities in Ukraine