Progress of parliamentary reform in Ukraine discussed with the European Parliament and EU Delegation to Ukraine

July 29, 2020.

    During an online conference last week, experts from the EU-UNDP Parliamentary Reform Project presented to the representatives of the European Parliament and EU Delegation to Ukraine the interim results of the implementation of institutional reform in the Secretariat of the Ukrainian Parliament.
    
    The European Parliament was represented by member of the European Parliament, the Standing Rapporteur on Ukraine Michael Gahler, and Pat Cox, President of the European Parliament in 2002-2004. In 2015-2016, it was Mr. Cox who led the European Parliament's Needs Assessment Mission, whose recommendations formed the basis of the Roadmap for Parliamentary Reform for Ukraine.
    
    Vyacheslav Tolkovanov, Deputy Head of the Parliamentary Reform Office, informed the European Parliament that with the participation of experts from the Parliamentary Reform Office, the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat has developed a Strategy for Human Resources Development and an action plan that takes into account a number of the Needs Assessment Mission recommendations. Mr. Tolkovanov said that the plan for 2020 provided for 36 activities, 16 of which have already been successfully implemented.
    
    In particular, an internal quality management system was developed, gender equality standards were introduced, corporate culture was developed, normative and legal documents on internal communications development were prepared, innovative personnel practices were introduced into the Secretariat, a portfolio containing more than 20 training courses on hard and soft skills development was prepared, etc.
    
    Also, with the involvement of experts from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, an institutional and functional review of the Verkhovna Rada Secretariat was conducted, which analysed in detail both its organizational structure and the distribution of functions between departments and functional capacity in general.
    
    One of the recommendations of the analysis was the introduction of strategic planning and a working group was established, which is finalising the development of a draft Strategic Development Plan for the Secretariat.
    
    Pat Cox praised the progress made, noting that the joint work of EU-UNDP experts and experts of the Verkhovna Rada has made it possible to make significant changes that are in line with the conclusions and recommendations of the European Parliament's Needs Assessment Mission.
    
    Martin Klaucke, Head of Operations Section “Good governance and democratisation” said that "the European Union is pleased that, in partnership with UNDP, we can provide such professional support to the Ukrainian Parliament and help it become a more efficient institution. The current reform of the Secretariat will make it possible to adapt the structure and functions to the requirements of today, and we are ready to support such changes. "
    
    
    
    Background information:
    
    The European Parliament's Needs Assessment Mission to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine led by Pat Cox worked in Ukraine from September 2015 to February 2016. As a result of the Mission's work, a Report and a Roadmap on Internal Reform and Capacity-Building for the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine were developed.
    
    These documents laid the basis of the resolution of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine "On measures to implement recommendations for internal reform and increase the institutional capacity of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine" of March 17, 2016 № 1035-VIII.
    
    The EU-UNDP Parliamentary Reform Project is being implemented by UNDP and funded by the European Union. It aims to strengthen the functioning of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to make it a more effective, accountable and transparent institution.
    
    For additional information, please contact Mykola Yabchenko via mykola.yabchenko@undp.org or at +38 067 290 5501