The SI Ukraine Cooperation Programme offers the opportunity for Swedish actors and their partners in Ukraine to apply for funding to jointly implement projects aimed at supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction and reform efforts for EU integration.
To better categorise and understand how different projects align with Ukraine’s EU integration efforts, SI has identified a set of six distinct EU integration support areas for the applicant to choose from. These areas are not ranked in importance to SI but serve as a framework for classifying project contributions. In the application, please select the support area that best reflects your project idea.
EU Acquis / Chapter Negotiations
Scope: Projects that actively work on aligning legislation and meeting concrete requirements under the EU’s body of law (the Acquis) or that directly support negotiations on specific chapters of the accession process.
Examples: Legislative harmonization, technical adaptation to directives and regulations, targeted efforts to fulfil conditions in EU membership negotiations.
EU Integration Capacity and Competence Development
Scope: Projects aimed at strengthening the knowledge, skills and readiness of key individuals such as politicians, civil servants – as well as organizations and institutions to effectively manage EU integration processes and membership negotiations
Examples: Workshops, mentoring, capacity-building initiatives focusing on EU legislation, institutions, negotiations, and administrative procedures.
EU Standardization
Scope: Projects that involve the adoption or alignment of standards, product requirements, or technical regulations to match EU standards.
Examples: Support for SMEs to comply with EU product safety and environmental regulations, ensure compliance with agricultural or food quality standards or ISO certifications relevant to the EU market.
EU Policy, Reform, and Alignment
Scope: Projects that implement, reference, or support broader reforms in line with EU policy documents, strategies, or general requirements—without necessarily focusing on a single negotiation chapter or purely technical standardization.
Examples: Judicial reforms, alignment with broad EU strategies (e.g., Digital Services Act, Youth Action Plan), institutional changes that address EU guidelines and enhance government accountability and efficiency.
EU Internationalization and Funding
Scope: Projects aimed at enhancing the overall ability of Ukrainian institutions, municipalities, universities and organizations to engage in international cooperation, secure funding, and participate at EU and other international platforms. Such projects do not have to be directly linked to formal EU membership negotiations.
Examples: Training for municipalities on accessing EU structural funds, strengthening networks for cross-border cooperation, support for participation in Horizon Europe or Erasmus+, and development of international partnership strategies.
EU Principles and Values
Scope: Projects that promote fundamental democratic principles, human rights, equality, freedom of expression, and other core EU values.
Examples: Initiatives to strengthen the civil society, foster gender equality, combat corruption, enhance youth engagement, or raise awareness of democratic values and the rule of law. Cultural heritage preservation projects that strengthen national identity and EU integration narratives.