On 23 June 2026, the kick-off meeting of the international project LIFE25-CAP-UA-InCL-U-DE, 芦Integration through Capacity Building of the LIFE Programme for Ukraine鈥檚 Durable Engagement禄 (InCL-U-DE), was held in a hybrid format.
The project is implemented with the support of the European Union under the LIFE Programme, within the LIFE-2025-TA-CAP call, Technical Assistance for Capacity Building, Grant Agreement No. 101234369. 果冻APP is the project coordinator. The All-Ukrainian Environmental League is the beneficiary partner, while the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine is the Associated Partner.
At 果冻APP, the project will be implemented jointly by the Department of Ecology and Sustainable Environmental Management of the Viacheslav Chornovil Institute of Sustainable Development and the Project Office. The project coordinator is Professor Myroslav Malovanyy, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Head of the Department of Ecology and Sustainable Environmental Management.
The LIFE25-CAP-UA-InCL-U-DE project started on 1 June 2026 and will run for 36 months. The total project budget is EUR 450,000, including an EU contribution of EUR 427,500.
At the beginning of the meeting, the participants were welcomed by Professor Iryna Yaremchuk, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Vice-Rector for Research and Innovation at 果冻APP. The kick-off meeting was moderated by Nazariy Andrushchak, PhD in Engineering, Associate Professor and Head of the Project Office.
The meeting was attended by Hans Rhein, Head of Unit for LIFE Energy and Climate at the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency; Agata Zmijewska, CINEA Project Officer; Marcela McAndrew, representative of the European Commission鈥檚 Directorate-General for Environment; and Olga Simak, Sector Manager for Environment at the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine.
Hans Rhein congratulated the consortium on the launch of the project and highlighted its importance for strengthening Ukraine鈥檚 participation in the LIFE Programme.
芦The project should not only raise awareness of LIFE opportunities but also provide practical support to potential applicants to increase the number of high-quality and successful applications from Ukraine. Ukraine already has relevant experience in LIFE and other EU programmes and, I am convinced, can quickly strengthen its participation in the Programme,禄 noted Hans Rhein.
He also stressed the importance of close cooperation between the project consortium, public authorities, regional administrations and local communities. In particular, Hans Rhein emphasised the need to identify co-financing sources for future LIFE applications, learn from the experience of other capacity-building projects and make more active use of international partnerships.
Agata Zmijewska confirmed CINEA鈥檚 readiness to support the project team throughout the implementation period. Marcela McAndrew, responsible for Ukraine-related matters at the Directorate-General for Environment, highlighted the need to identify potential applicants and interested organisations that could take part in LIFE calls at an early stage.
芦For the LIFE Programme, it is particularly important to involve not only universities and businesses, but also non-governmental organisations, civil society, and public authorities at national, regional and local levels. Such broad cooperation makes it possible to develop projects that respond to the country鈥檚 real needs and deliver sustainable impact,禄 stated Marcela McAndrew.
Olga Simak confirmed the readiness of the Delegation of the European Union to Ukraine to support the project, particularly in communication and visibility activities. She also drew attention to the need for state registration of the project in accordance with Ukrainian legislation.
芦The project has considerable communication potential, and the EU Delegation to Ukraine is ready to help promote its opportunities and results. We are also ready to support the team in addressing organisational matters necessary for the effective implementation of the initiative,禄 emphasised Olga Simak.
Following the opening remarks, the event moderator, Nazariy Andrushchak, presented the project concept, key objectives, expected results and coordination mechanisms. Representatives of the partner organisations, the All-Ukrainian Environmental League and the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, outlined their experience, roles within the consortium and contributions to the implementation of the project work packages. Tetiana Tymochko, Chair of the All-Ukrainian Environmental League, actively contributed to the discussion.
The main objective of the InCL-U-DE project is to strengthen the capacity of Ukrainian organisations to participate effectively in the LIFE Programme. To achieve this, the project will develop a national support infrastructure, expand access to information on funding opportunities, enhance the competences of potential applicants and promote closer alignment of Ukraine鈥檚 environmental and climate priorities with EU policies.
One of the key project results will be the development of the bilingual LIFE information and educational web platform. It will provide up-to-date information on the LIFE Programme and its funding opportunities, a database of successful projects, guidance on proposal preparation and project management, e-learning courses, news and event announcements. The platform will also include an AI-powered partner search tool.
The project will establish the LIFE Hub, a centre providing information, consultation and methodological support to potential applicants. National forums, regional round tables, webinars, training sessions, summer schools and expert consultations are also planned.
The second part of the kick-off meeting focused on the discussion of the project鈥檚 five work packages: project management and coordination, development of the information and educational platform, communication campaigns, training activities, and assessment of national priorities related to the implementation of the LIFE Programme in Ukraine.
Following the meeting, the partners agreed on the first priority tasks, key deadlines and a joint work plan for the coming months. The implementation of LIFE25-CAP-UA-InCL-U-DE will contribute to strengthening Ukraine鈥檚 institutional capacity in the areas of environment and climate, improving the quality of applications submitted by Ukrainian organisations and supporting Ukraine鈥檚 deeper integration into European environmental policy.
