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	The International Centre for Policy Studies is an independent research organization whose mandate is to promote the concept of public policy and related processes as a guarantee of effective democracy in Ukraine and other post-soviet countries		[ advertise with us ]


This Week’s Topic

		EU Environmental policy: Looking for opportunities to cooperate How serious is environmental pollution in Europe’s maritime basins? How adequate is the policy response and how might it be made more effective through sub-regional cooperation? These and other issues were discussed during a conference called “Environmental and maritime issues in four European sea basins” that took place in Reykjavik in May 27–28 Read more ปป
ICPS Position

		The Eastern Partnership: Thinking Ahead, Moving Forward The International Centre for Policy Studies welcomes the launching of the Eastern Partnership as a positive step in the European Union’s relations with its eastern neighbours in general, and with Ukraine in particular. This initiative may improve strategic thinking on all sides, while at the same time helping to integrate willing partner countries with the EU. One of its key benefits is the possibility of economic integration and convergence. The EaP must evolve on a primarily bilateral basis, with assessment based on individual country achievements rather than on group performance. Read more ปป
ICPS New Mission

		European Integration: Fighting the crisis and looking further One of ICPS’s major project foci in recent years has been European integration. ICPS Director Olga Shumylo explains the Centre’s new priorities in this sphere and what this means for us and for Ukraine as a whole Read more ปป
Periodicals

		ICPS’s 400th Newsletter The weekly bulletin of the International Centre for Policy Studies has been an information bridge between the Centre and those who use ICPS materials in their work. The Newsletter not only informs readers about current research, projects and events at the Centre. By following the life of the Centre, the Newsletter moves in unison with Ukrainian and international events, reporting on and analyzing them with professional opinion, analysis and comments. This issue talks about what the ICPS Newsletter’s materials are based on and summarizes what Newsletter issues were record-breakers in terms of downloads from the ICPS site Read more ปป
ICPS Research

		Spain and Ukraine - Recommendations The International Centre for Policy Studies has published conclusions and recommendations from the working group on “Spain and Ukraine: Prospects for partnership”, which met in Barcelona over December 2007 at the initiative of ICPS, the CIDOB Foundation and the Madrid branch of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation. This document presents the five main spheres for eventual cooperation between Kyiv and Madrid Read more ปป
New publications

		Eurointegration: New context, new institutions The future Agreement on Association between Ukraine and the EU will place new commitments and demands on Ukraine. There will be large-scale adaptation of domestic legislation to EU standards in more than 20 spheres, as well as the restructuring of institutions. This means qualitatively new approaches to strategic planning, lateral coordination, and the drawing of aid. How prepared is the country to take on these new commitments? How well does the government apparatus suit the requirements of this new context? A paper called “European Integration: New context, new institutions” and published in the context of the “Preparing the Government of Ukraine to implement the Agreement on Association: Analytical and methodological support” project, provides some answers. Read more ปป

		Ukraine’s Participation in European Union Agencies and Programs: Prospects and opportunities In 2007, the European Commission presented a list of agencies and programs that are partly or completely open for neighboring countries to participate in, including Ukraine. Given the lack of consolidated information on this subject, the International Centre for Policy Studies has prepared a report called “Ukraine’s Participation in European Union Agencies and Programs: Prospects and opportunities.” This document contains detailed information about EU agencies and programs and can serve as the analytical base for negotiations and the foundation of future, informed decisions on the part of the Government of Ukraine Read more ปป

		Impact Assessment of an EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement ICPS has prepared a policy paper entitles "Free Trade between Ukraine and the EU: an Impact Assessment", in which Centre's experts presented their analysis of possible consequences of the FTA for a number of sectors of Ukraine's economy, positions of various stakeholders regarding the FTA and recommendations for the negotiations. This report was prepared in the framework of "Public Consultations on the EU-Ukraine Free Trade Agreement" project implemented by ICPS with the support of the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative of the Open Society Institute (OSI). Read more ปป

		Reforming Local Government in Ukraine This White Paper was prepared under the “Public Consultations and Public Awareness Campaign on Local Government Reform in Ukraine—Phase 2” project undertaken jointly by the International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS) and the Center for Ukrainian Reform Education (CURE) with funding from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy. This report outlines key problems in local government today, describes reform measures proposed to resolve them, and summarizes the positions of various interest groups regarding current problems and the suggested pathways to a solution. Read more ปป


		Prospects for Deep Free Trade between Ukraine and the EU Although it is the easiest alternative in terms of implementation, a simple Free Trade Agreement that cancels tariffs on goods in addition to the conditions of WTO accession would bring very few advantages to Ukraine—and even fewer to the EU. On the contrary, although it will definitely be harder to institute, a deeper accord on Free Trade with the EU, the FTA+, could form the basis for an economic strategy that would ensure rapid growth in Ukraine. Read more ปป