eu-funded project "implementation of ukraine’s commitments under wto and enp frameworks in...

EU-Funded Project "Implementation of Ukraine’s Commitments under WTO and ENP Frameworks in the Rural Sector (Sector-Wide Approach)"

Institutional capacity and the problems of agrarian NGO’s in

Ukraine

Bohdan Drozdowskij,Team Leader of the EU-Funded Project

"Implementation of Ukraine’s Commitments under WTO and ENP Frameworks in the Rural Sector

(Sector-Wide Approach)"


Implementation of Ukraine's Commitments under WTO and ENP

Frameworks in the Rural Sector (Sector-Wide Approach)


Project Structure

Overall objective is to achieve greater EU integration and harmonisation with closer compliance with WTO requirements

Specific purpose is to support the application of a Sector Wide Approach for agriculture and rural development in the context of WTO accession and European Neighbourhood Policy Action Plan

Components1. Institutional development of Ministry of Agrarian Policy of

Ukraine2. Improvement of Ukraine's food safety system3. Market Infrastructure Development4. Rural Development


Position on Non-Government Organisations

• Non-government organisations and associations are key stakeholders of the sector-wide approach

• Rural development (LEADER+ programme) is reliant on rural communities' initiative and the involvement of NGOs

• Improvement of agriculture market infrastructure requires development of effective professional associations


Number of Professional Associations by Areas of Activity

Areas of Activities Number

Grain production and processing 3

Production and processing of meat and meat products 6

Production and processing of milk and dairy products 4

Sugar production and processing 3

Fruit farming, viniculture, winemaking 3

Crop production (by crops: soya, sunflower, hops, vegetables)

9

Production and sale of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, beer 3

Other activities (veterinary medicine, bio energy production, agrichemistry, land use, etc.)

12


Areas of Activities Number

Industry-wide NGOs 14

Associations of agriculture producers 12

Associations of processors and food producers 7

NGOs in fruit farming, viniculture and winemaking 5

NGOs intended to resolve land issues 12

Youth organizations 6

Organic production associations 4

NGOs in other areas (veterinary medicine, science, bio energy production, agrichemistry, agriecology, agriculture machinery )

19

Number of Community Organisations by Areas of Activity


NGOs Assessment Criteria

• Availability of information on organisation's operations (web site, media coverage, etc.)

• Capacity to represent members' interests at the national and international levels (representation capacity)

• Cooperation with government authorities (public hearings, drafting legislation, involvement in program development)

• Organisation and participation in public events

• Infrastructure - office space and qualified personnel


Professional Associations

Performance Indicators Total Number

Number in a Group %

Capacity to attain the overall objective and accomplish tasks of an association adequately

43

28 65.1

Capacity to attain the overall objective and accomplish tasks of an association satisfactorily

15 34.9

Low effectiveness (ineffectiveness) in attaining the overall objective and accomplishing tasks of an association

0 0


Performance Indicators Total Number

Number in a Group %

Capacity to attain the overall objective and accomplish tasks of an association adequately

79

22 27.8

Capacity to attain the overall objective and accomplish tasks of an association satisfactorily

25 31.6

Low effectiveness (ineffectiveness) in attaining the overall objective and accomplishing tasks of an association

32 40.5

Community Organisations


Perceived Priority Tasks of the Government

1.To resume trust to the government by legislating the following issues: Operations of professional associations and NGOs in the agrarian

sector Logistical support of agriculture production Government support of the agrarian sector Implementation of new technologies Government accountability for decision making

2. To provide a Pan-Ukrainian Association of Non-Government Organisations with an exclusive right to represent professional associations and NGOs at all government levels and internationally.

3. To eliminate conflicts in the legislation on professional associations and NGOs in the agrarian sector.

4. To legislate delegation of government powers to professional associations and NGOs.


Perceived Priority Tasks of Professional Associations and NGOs

1. To participate in formulating the country's agrarian policy at the national and international levels

2. To initiate necessary changes in Ukrainian legislation

3. To organise professional training and re-training of member staff; and to introduce best practices

4. To coordinate and lobby the interests of member organisations

5. Vision and strategy of the organisation’s development


• Translating of foreign legislation that useful in regulating professional associations and NGOs

• Engagement of international technical assistance

• Exposure to international professional associations and agrarian NGOs in other countries

• Lesson sharing – dissemination of best Ukrainian practices and models

• Developing and publishing training and methodological materials

Effective External Support


• Professional associations and NGOs have been set up in virtually all segments of the Ukrainian agrarian sector. However,

– duplication of functions, inconsistency of actions and, sometimes, competitions;

– Some enterprises are members of several organisations; leading to dilution of funds and resources;

– Associations’ capacities and potential are often ignored by government authorities, and sometimes misunderstood by potential members;

– Foreign NGO’s are confused as to whom they should talk to, and who is authorised to talk to them on behalf of Ukrainian agriculture companies;

• Though there are several competent Pan-Ukrainian professional associations in the agrarian sector, they face numerous problems and are limited in their activities

• To a large extent, the situation is not helped by imperfection of the legislation regulating agrarian professional associations and NGOs

Summary (Professional Associations)


• Ukrainian agrarian NGOs are guided by the Law of Ukraine "On Non-Government Associations"

• This Law establishes procedures for setting up and registering NGOs. In so doing, the Law does not define NGOs' functions, authorities and processes of NGOs' interaction with national and local government

• It is getting harder for agrarian NGOs to attain their objective and goals

• At the moment, the government's role in civil society development is very small and little is being done to improve the situation through a legislative framework.

• Current legislation fails to exempt not-for-profit organizations from the tax on income from membership fees

Summary (Community Organisations)


Draft Law of Ukraine"On Agrarian Chambers in Ukraine"

Adoption of this Law will help Ukraine:

• Strengthen the role of professional associations in development and implementation of agrarian policy

• Develop the agrarian market and its infrastructure• Train and develop agrarian specialists• Monitor and provide informational support to legal entities and

individuals• Develop non-agricultural activities - social infrastructure in rural

areas and integrated rural development• Support trade unions in the agrarian sector• Improve quality and competitiveness of Ukrainian agriculture

produce• Support export of Ukrainian agriculture produce and balance

export and import of agriculture produce


Improving the Institutional Framework The status and functions of self-regulatory organisations must be

better legalised Government strategy and policy for developing agrarian self-

regulatory professional associations must be clear and legalised Agrarian NGOs should be allowed to exercise authorities delegated

to them by government Agrarian NGOs should be able to resolve all issues within

authorities delegated to them without government interventions Government authorities must be obliged to agree on important

issues that concern activities of self-regulatory organisations Self-regulatory organisations should be involved in implementation

of government policy and programmes The public should be able to influence government's actions,

including distribution and use of funds All players must be accountable for decisions taken

eu-funded project "implementation of ukraine’s commitments under wto and enp frameworks in...

Documents