QUARTERLY REPORT for the implementation of the PULSE Project APRIL – JUNE, 2019 (I²I QUARTER OF US FISCAL YEAR 2019) FOURTEENTH QUARTER OF THE PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION QUARTERLY REPORT for the implementation of the PULSE Project QUARTERLY REPORT for the implementation of the PULSE Project April – June, 2019 (IІI Quarter of US Fiscal Year 2019) fourteenth quarter of the Project implementation 2 April – June, 2019 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of abbreviations 4 Resume 5 Chapter 1. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING QUARTER 5 Chapter 2. PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 7 ER 1: Decentralisation enabling legislation reflects local government input Local government officials participate in sectoral legislation drafting 9 1.1.1. Preparation and approval of strategies for sectoral reforms 9 1.1.2. Preparation of sectoral legislation 24 1.1.3. Legislation monitoring 29 Resolving local government problem issues and promotion of sectoral reforms 30 1.2. Local governments and all interested parties are actively engaged and use 32 participatory tool to work on legislation and advocating for its approval 1.2.1 Support for approval of drafted legislation in the parliament: 32 1.2.2 Support for approval of drafted legislation in the parliament: tools for interaction with the Government of Ukraine 39 1.3. Local governments improved their practice and quality of services because 57 of the sound decentralised legislative basis for local governments 1.3.1. Legal and technical assistance 57 1.3.2. Web-tools to increase the efficiency of local government activities 58 1.3.3. Feedback: receiving and disseminating 58 ER 2: Resources under local self-governance authority increased 60 2.1. Local self-governance own resources are increased ensuring local government 63 financial autonomy 2.1.1. Tools to increase own resources of local governments 63 2.1.2. Dissemination of best practices and replication of experience 64 2.2. Tools for local government to access additional financial resources are in place and 68 utilised 2.2.1. Capacity building for local government officials 68 2.2.2. Promotion of access to resources 68 ER 3: Capacity of stakeholders increased 70 3.1. Local governments and stakeholders are informed and capable of carrying out 71 new roles and responsibilities flowing from decentralisation reform 3 QUARTERLY REPORT for the implementation of the PULSE Project 3.1.1. Capacity building for local officials at the local level 71 3.1.2. Capacity building for local officials at the oblast and rayon level 79 3.1.3. Training for NGOs’ representatives and librarians as the communicators of reforms 82 3.2. Communication and outreach of decentralisation reform is enhanced 85 3.2.1. Creating communication channels for central authorities outreach and messaging 85 3.2.2. Strategic messaging through different media 86 3.3. Increased public awareness of reform successes and trust in local governments 94 3.3.1. Supporting Offices for Reform Implementation Support 94 3.3.2. Identification and promotion of reform successes 96 3.3.3. Promotion of reform successes 97 3.3.4. Engaging young people and teenagers to decentralisation 98 Chapter 3. IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS AND BARRIERS 99 Chapter 4. SUCCESS STORIES 100 Chapter 5. COOPERATION WITH OTHER PROJECTS 111 Chapter 6. SUGGESTED PLAN OF ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMING QUARTER 117 Annexes 118 Annex А. Calendar of events of the PULSE Project conducted in April – June, 2019 Annex В. Cohort 3 of teams of representatives of libraries and non-governmental organisations conducting information events on citizen participation within the framework of the PULSE Project Annex C. List of sub-agreements with PULSE Project sub-partners 4 April – June, 2019 LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AUC – Association of Ukrainian Cities AUC RO – Regional Office of the Association of Ukrainian Cities CAS – Center for Administrative Services CEC – Central Elections Commission CMU – Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine CSEA – central state executive authorities CTC – consolidated territorial community HCE – health care establishments IRC – inclusive resource center LGS – local governments MCU – Ministry of Culture of Ukraine MESU – Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine MFU – Ministry of Finance of Ukraine MHCU – Ministry of Health Care of Ukraine MIAU – Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine MLSPU – Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of Ukraine MOTIDPU – Ministry of Temporarily Occupied Territories and Internally-Displaced Persons of Ukraine MRD – Ministry of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Municipal Utilities of Ukraine NASU – National Audit Service of Ukraine NEURC – National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission of Ukraine NFS – National Fiscal Service of Ukraine NGO – non-governmental organisation NSS – National Social Standards NSSN – National Social Standards and Norms PIT – personal income tax RLD – regulatory and legal document SEA – state executive authorities SMCA –State Military and Civilian Administration TCU – Tax Code of Ukraine UTG – Unified Tariff Grid UWLGA – Ukraine-Wide Local Government Associations 5 QUARTERLY REPORT for the implementation of the PULSE Project RESUME PULSE Project is working to develop a proper legal framework for decentralisation reform in Ukraine, ensuring that local governments contribute to decentralisation policy development and implementation, increase resources under local government authority and improve local government capacity to effectively use them enhancing the capacity and raising the professional level of key reform stakeholders involved. This report provides the information about the Project implementation in April – June, 2019. The main achievements are presented in Chapter 1. List (calendar) of events is presented in Annex A. List of sub-agreements concluded by AUC with the Project sub-partners is presented in Annex В. Chapter 1. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE REPORTING QUARTER AND CALENDAR OF EVENTS During Quarter II, 2019: • PULSE Project experts and analysts specialists prepared 21 draft regulatory and legal documents; • the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine and the Cabinet of Ministers approved and endorsed 13 regulatory and legal documents of importance for local self-governance, which were prepared with the participation of PULSE Project experts; • PULSE Project expert and analysts prepared 29 expert opinions to draft regulatory and legal documents the AUC received for concurrence from central state executive authorities; • PULSE Project expert and analysts prepared 27 expert opinions on draft regulatory and legal documents, which are being considered by committees of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine; • PULSE Project expert and analysts participated in 24 meetings of 10 parliamentary committees; • PULSE Project expert and analysts participated in 11 meetings of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and 22 meetings of Cabinet of Ministers Committees; x In the course of the discussion of draft agendas of the Cabinet of Ministers and its committees PULSE Project experts and analysts monitored 903 draft regulatory and legal documents, in particular: 59 draft legislation, 29 presidential decrees and directives, 708 resolutions and directives of the Cabinet of Ministers, 107 expert opinions on draft legislation, legislation implementation plans, etc. The draft regulatory and legal documents PULSE Project experts and analysts worked with included 312 (34.6%) documents dealing with local government issues; • PULSE Project organised and conducted 5 working sessions of AUC Professional Groups (157 participants); • PULSE Project organised and conducted 2 sectoral forums (130 participants); x On the eve of the Youth Day in Ukraine, PULSE Project published the booklet under the title: «YOUTH AND COMMUNITY: CHANGES FOR THE SAKE OF THE FUTURE». This compilation of SUCCESS STORIES offers 64 short stories about how decentralisation influences the life of young people in territorial communities. This publication was prepared and promulgated by the PULSE Project; x PULSE Project organised and conducted 27 legislation application laboratories with the participation of 540 local government representatives; x PULSE Project organised and conducted 34 press tours for regional mass media with the participation of 585 representatives of local and regional mass media; x PULSE Project organised and conducted 3 study tours at the national level with the participation of local government representatives and 28 study tours to AUC Regional Offices with the 6 April – June, 2019 participation of 575 local government representatives within the framework of the “Itinerary of Successes” nation-wide exchange study tour Project component; x PP1 regional consultants provided 2,479 consultations on legal and financial issues, as well as local economic development, which promoted the process of consolidation of territorial communities; x In the reporting year, PULSE Project continued implementation of give distance learning courses on the Prometheus Platform (www.prometheus.org.ua). All the courses demonstrated high popularity. The course on gender oriented budgeting demonstrated the highest rating: 7,809 (!) participating students, with 5,916 of those who received their certificates (or, 75.8%) All in all, since the very beginning of the distance learning courses project 19,445 persons took the training, with 8, 071 certified; x PULSE Project conducted 11 expert workshops for 389 representatives of rayon and oblast councils including 218 males and 171 females; x PULSE Project continued cooperation with partner projects and organisations;