PROJECT NEW CHALLENGES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS – ROLE OF UMBRELLA ORGANIZATIONS IN THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FINAL CONFERENCE ON PROJECT’S OUTPUTS BRATISLAVA – 12TH APRIL 2016

ABOUT THE PROJECT International Visegrad Fund’s Eastern Partnership Programme, Extended Standard Grants Implementation period: 1 st April 2015 – 31 st May2016 Project applicant: Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia Project budget: €

ABOUT THE PROJECT - PROJECT PARTNERSHIP 5 associations from the Visegrád Group (V4) countries Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia 3 associations from the EU Eastern Partnership countries Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine

ABOUT THE PROJECT - PROJECT PARTNERSHIP Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia (ZMOS) Union of Towns and Municipalities of the Czech Republic (SMO ČR) Association of Polish Cities (ZMP) Hungarian National Association of Local Authorities (TÖOSZ) Hungarian Association of Local Governments (MÖSZ) National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) Congress of Local Authorities of Moldova (CALM) Association of Ukrainian Cities (AMU)

GOALS 1.networking of LGAs from Visegrád Group and EU Eastern Partnership countries 2.identification of needs of local government associations, cities and municipalities 3.support of the European Year of Development 2015

GOALS - 1. NETWORKING OF LGAS promoting cooperation and facilitating future implementation of common projects; cooperation within international institutions CEMR CLRAE creation of a platform of local governments’ associations institutionalization of future cooperation V4 LGA unique experience Memorandum of understanding Policy note from ZMOS perspective, building on the memorandum with CALM

GOALS - 2. IDENTIFICATION OF NEEDS study visits (V4 countries + Georgia) to identify main areas of common interest and future cooperation published in the database of good practices preliminary topics: Interest representation by LGA Existence of multitude of LG associations in one country Communication with the government Funding of LGA Services provided by LGA Public administration Governmental power Reforms Elections Elected bodies and their competences Mayors’ position Competences Financing Income of LG Financing of competences Administration efficiency Projects

GOALS -3. EUROPEAN YEAR OF DEVELOPMENT 2015 ZMOS intention to contribute to the EYD2015 was the main incentive for project preparation project is an official part of the European Year of Development 2015 in Slovakia promote ideas of development and decentralized cooperation between local governments in Visegrád Group and EU Eastern Partnership countries

ACTIVITIES 1.kick-off conference in Bratislava 27th and 28th April study visit to all four Visegrád Group countries 6th – 11th July study visit to Georgia 7th – 11th December final conference in Slovakia 11th – 13th April 2016

ACTIVITIES 1. KICK-OFF CONFERENCE IN BRATISLAVA held under the auspices of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Slovak Republic Miroslav Lajčák summary of local governments’ development of in last 25 years in the Visegrád Group countries achievements challenges shortcomings preliminary identification of areas of cooperation – input of LGAs from the EU Eastern Partnership countries what would they like to achieve from cooperation and by what means

ACTIVITIES 2. STUDY VISIT TO V4 COUNTRIES Hungary – fiscal decentralisation and LGA interest representation Slovakia – environment and intermunicipal cooperation Poland – financing and administration of (EU) projects Czech Republic – public administration and financing set specific areas of common interest of participating associations of local governments, with will be reflected in memorandum of understanding and policy note best examples will be further elaborated and published in the database of good practices

ACTIVITIES 3. STUDY VISIT TO GEORGIA to further elaborate areas of common interest of participating associations to gain a deeper understanding of public administration in of the EU Eastern Partnership countries (Georgia) and issues it is facing – exchange of information between elected representatives Main topics: financing urban and spatial planning environmental protection

EXPECTED OUTPUTS Memorandum of understanding - cooperation agreement between participating associations - promotion of capacity building of associations from the EU Eastern Partnership countries Policy note - identification of supply and demand, needs and opportunities, financial sources, promoting cooperation between a newly established platform of local governments' association from the Visegrad Group countries and associations from the EU Eastern Partnership countries Database of good practices - transfer of experience between participating associations and their member cities and municipalities based on previous analysis of needs

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION! Roman Staník International Relations Department Association of Towns and Communities of Slovakia