New Project Launch: Path to Europe Starts Locally

The municipality of Harmannsdorf in Lower Austria and the Palanka Rural Territorial Community in Ukraine's Cherkasy Region have started a joint project, Path to Europe Starts Locally: Harmannsdorf – Palanka Community Partnership for EU-Aligned Governance. Over eight months, from October 2026 to May 2027, Palanka will explore how EU-aligned local governance works in everyday practice in Harmannsdorf, while sharing its experience of how the community operates and serves residents during wartime. European Centre for Freedom and Independence (EUCFI) represents the Austrian community in the project and coordinates activities within it funded through the A4U Municipal Exchange Fund.

The partners met online for the kick-off on 14 October 2026. Read more about the kick-off meeting.

Two communities, one shared agenda

Palanka was formed in 2017 as an early adopter of Ukraine's decentralisation reform. Today it unites 18 villages near Uman and is home to about 15,400 people, including more than 600 internally displaced persons. Like many Ukrainian communities, it has taken on wide new responsibilities while coping with the consequences of the full-scale war: staff shortages, tight budgets, damaged schools and homes, and the need to support displaced residents.

Harmannsdorf is a municipality of about 3,950 residents in seven villages close to Vienna, with nearly 180 years of self-government and membership of the Climate Alliance since 2005. Its multi-village structure makes it a natural peer for Palanka, and its everyday practice is fully embedded in the EU framework.

The project aims to build a long-term partnership between the two municipalities and to support democratic governance and European integration at the level where people feel it most — in their own community. The exchange works in both directions: Palanka gains first-hand insight into how EU standards work in municipal practice, while Harmannsdorf learns from Palanka's experience of keeping public services runningand managing crises in wartime.

What comes next

The project runs until May 2027 and is built around a number of activities, including the following:

• Study visit to Harmannsdorf, 1–7 November 2026. A Ukrainian delegation of 14 members composed of management, civil sector and business representatives of Palanka Community, and All-Ukrainian Association of Communities will spend a week with their Austrian colleagues. Over five days, the group will see Austrian local self-government in practice through meetings with the Mayor and municipal staff, site visits and discussions. Topics include strategic planning, local finances, education, municipal services, social protection and inclusion.

• Four online seminars, November–December 2026, on strategic planning and EU governance , municipal budgeting and financial management , citizen participation and transparency , and public services, social protection and the integration of displaced persons.

• Methodological recommendations and digital booklet, February 2027: practical, Ukraine-adapted tools based on Austrian municipal practice, developed by an expert group in cooperation with both municipalities and published in Ukrainian and English.

• A round table in Palanka and a final online conference, April 2027, to share the results with other communities, national institutions,members of the All-Ukrainian Association of Communities and other beneficiaries.

About the project partners

The Harmannsdorf Municipality is the lead partner of the project, represented by the European Centre for Freedom and Independence (EUCFI), Vienna, Austria, which also performs the overal coordination of the project. The Harmannsdorf community hosts the study visit and provides expertise for the project activities. The Palanka Rural Territorial Community represents the Ukrainian partner of the project, together with All-Ukrainian Association of Communities that provides informational support to the project and coorganises the final conference.

This project is funded by the Austrian Development Agency as part of International Partnerships Austria and the Austrian Association of Cities and Towns (AACT) through the Municipal Exchange Fund Austria for Ukraine – A4U, which is implemented by KDZ Centre for Public Administration Research as a part of U-LEAD with Europe – a multi donor action of the EU and its member states Germany, Denmark, France, Austria, Poland and Slovenia.

This publication has been produced with funding from the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) as part of International Partnerships Austria. The Austrian Development Agency (ADA) accepts no responsibility for the content of communication materials produced by partner organisations. The statements, opinions, and information contained therein are solely the responsibility of the respective authors and do not necessarily reflect the position or stance of the ADA.

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