On October 17-18, 2023, the annual meeting of National Contact Points for TAIEX and Twinning instruments “Institution Building Days – 2023” with the assistance of the Commission’s Directorate General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations (hereinafter – DG NEAR) was held in Brussels (Kingdom of Belgium).
“Institution Building Days” meeting is a powerful platform for best exchanging practices of the implementation and use of institutional building instruments in the European Neighborhood countries, carrying out an integrative review of the events implemented under the aforementioned instruments, as well as discussing the key priorities of partner countries in the context of EU assistance.
On October 17, the first day of the “Institutional Building Days – 2023” started. Olivér Várhelyi, European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement, welcomed the participants on the video message, in which he thanked for the greater cooperation and effective implementation of the institutional building instruments. In addition, Olivér Várhelyi announced an aid package for Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Georgia, and expressed hope for further fruitful cooperation.
Mathieu Bousquet, Acting Director DG NEAR A: thematic support, coordination of policy and financial instruments, also welcomed the participants of the event and congratulated them on the 25th anniversary of the Twinning іnstrument and emphasized the importance of holding annual meetings that would allow exchange of experience in the field of reforming the government authorities of the European Neighborhood countries in accordance with EU standards by involving technical assistance.
In addition, a number of issues were discussed, namely: support for key reforms through institutional instruments, a strategic approach to the implementation of institutional building instruments, key priorities in the Eastern Partnership countries and Western Balkans. In particular, the key issue for discussion was the institutional development of Ukrainian government authorities on its way to EU membership.
During the event, a high level of interest was also noted on the part of the Ukrainian government authorities in the implementation and realization of Twinning and TAIEX projects.
The second day of the meeting was dedicated to implementation of the Twinning and TAIEX institutional building instruments, in particular, the value of institutional building instruments in promoting public administration reform, strengthening administrative capacity and the new multi-annual Financial Framework of TAIEX and Twinning in overall EU programming assistance were discussed. Participants of the meeting also had the opportunity to deliberate the key priorities of the Southern Partnership countries in accordance with the European Neighborhood Policy.
The participants of the meeting get acquainted with practical aspects of attracting and using institutional building instruments that will raise effectiveness and productivity of the implementation of Twinning and TAIEX instruments.
The representatives of the EU Member States and National Contact Points, EU Member State officials working on TAIEX events & Twinning projects, TAIEX and Twinning beneficiaries, European Commission and External Action Service headquarters and delegation staff took part at the meeting “Institution Building Days – 2023”.
On behalf of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union, Deputy Director of the Center for Adaptation of the Civil Service to the Standards of the European Union Yuliia Yerchenko and Head of the Twinning Coordination Division of the Unit of Twinning Programme Administration Office activities ensuring Olena Honcharuk took part at the annual meeting “Institution Building Days – 2023”.
