Organized by U-LEAD, the event took place in the EU project office in Mariupol that is supported by U-LEAD and EU Anti-Corruption Initiative. During this meeting, the members of the European Parliament discussed with heads of Ukrainian municipalities the achievements and challenges of the decentralisation reform implementation in the conflict-affected areas of Donetsk and Luhansk Oblasts.

The European Parliament representatives were also briefed on the support that local municipalities received from U-LEAD:

• All municipalities in the Azov region, except for Sartanska municipality, where the local elections were not held due to security reasons, took part in the initiative of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme "First Steps". They have received special support after the first local elections to form capable local self-government bodies. At the same time, U-LEAD continues to provide special advisory assistance to Sartanska municipality on other relevant topics.
• Kalchytska, Nikolska (both Donets Oblast), and Osypenkivska (Zaporizhzhia Oblast) municipalities are currently elaborating local development strategies with expert support from U-LEAD.
• Berdyanska, Prymorska, Kyrylivska (Zaporizhzhia Oblast) and Novotroitska (Kherson Oblast) municipalities were selected for the online training programme “Spatial planning and natural resources management”. Based on the results of their participation in this education programme, Prymorska municipality will also receive expert support in the preparation of terms of references for the complex spatial plan.

We remind you, that in the recent resolution on the implementation of the EU Association Agreement with Ukraine, the European Parliament recognized the successes of decentralisation reform and U-LEAD’s contribution to strengthening local self-government in Ukraine.