UKRAINIAN THINK TANKS LIAISON OFFICE IN BRUSSELS

The mission of the Ukrainian Think Tanks Liaison Office in Brussels is to build a permanent, independent communication channel for the Ukrainian think tanks community in order to support and to further European integration of Ukraine. The Brussels Office provides help in the EU for its Ukrainian members and serves as a contact point for the European partners that are interested in Ukraine. The main aim is to spread knowledge about Ukraine in the Member States of the EU.

The Brussels Office performs representative functions of Ukrainian non-governmental analytical community in Brussels within the mandate given to it by its members. The Brussels Office represents Ukrainian Think Tanks and creates a permanent platform for their activities in Brussels and in the Member States of the EU.

 Activities

 Ukrainian Think Tanks Liaison Office in Brussels was registered as a non-profit organisation under Belgian law in April 2014. Its actual activities started in February 2014.

In its activities, the Office combines the functions of a think tank and a support/liaison centre for members of the Office for their operations on the European level:

 1. Enhancing information presence of the Ukrainian analytical sector and its impact on EU policy towards Ukraine

• Presentation of research results of the member-organisations to the EU officials dealing with Ukraine
• Creation of a database of the EU officials, politicians and experts dealing with Ukraine
• Organisation of closed-doors consultations with the EU officials dealing with Ukraine (i.e. Support Group for Ukraine)
• Assistance with regular electronic communication
• Arrangement of collective visits to Brussels for personal communication with politicians, officials and experts

 2. Obtain information in a timely manner, about discussion on Ukraine and related topics in Brussels

• Creation of the calendar of events on Ukraine and allied matters held in Brussels and the EU countries
• Assistance with organisation of participation in such events or presentation of materials of member organisations, if organisation representatives cannot take part
• Information about decisions of EU institutions (passed or pending) dealing with Ukraine
• Information about the results of public events where Ukrainian issues are discussed
• Information about the results of personal meetings with the EU officials and politicians

 3. To get greater access to European funding opportunities for activities in Ukraine and the EU

• Providing information about the EU tenders, in which Ukrainian think tanks may take part
• Assistance with search of European partners for bidding
• Assistance with search of consultants for execution of bids
• Arrangement of meetings with EU officials who develop projects for Ukraine
• Organisation of trainings on how to write applications for the EU tenders
• Organisation of consultations with EU officials about writing tender
• Support of the application in the EU institutions

4. Better integration into the European think tanks community

• Informing about Brussels and EU think tanks implementing or planning to implement projects dealing with Ukraine
• Information about the European networks and possibilities of the membership in them
• Information about the arrangement of events of those organisations dealing with Ukraine and allied matters of interest for those organisations
• Assistance with organisation of participation in such events or presentation of materials of member organisations, if organisation representatives cannot take part
• Assistance with search of experts, partners for projects, reporters for participation in the events of the organisations in Ukraine
• Support in joining the network of European NGOs
• Information on their activities
• Support of organisation within these networks

 5. Getting support for organisation of visits to and activities in Brussels

• Organisation of the working visits to Brussels for public and close-door consultations with the EU officials, representatives civil society and business communities
• Assistance with arrangement of events of the visiting organisation(s)
• Search for donors of the event
• Assistance with search of partners and participants of events from Brussels or the EU member countries
• Information support for events, delivery of announcements and releases
• Arrangement of personal meetings and interviews
• Communication with Brussels media

 Members

As of November 2014, the Office has 21 members – Ukrainian think tanks from all over Ukraine:

1.  Centre for political and legal reforms (Kyiv)
2.  Centre UA (Kyiv)
3.  DiXi Group (Kyiv)
4.  Europe without Barriers (Kyiv)
5.  European Centre for democracy development
6. Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initaitives Foundation (Kyiv)
7. Institute for Euro-Atlantic Cooperation (Kyiv)
8. International Centre for Policy Studies (ICPS) (Kyiv)
9. Internews- Ukraine (Kyiv)
10. OPORA civic network (Kyiv)
11. Ukrainian Independent Centre for Political Studies (UCIPR) (Kyiv)
12. Ukrainian Legal Foundation
13. Regional and International Cooperation Research Centre (Lviv)
14. Resource and Analysis Center ‘Society and Environment’ (Lviv)
15. Podolian Agency for Regional Development (Vinnytsa)
16. Association for Community Self-Organization Assistance (Odessa)
17. Centre for Regional Studies (Odessa)
18. Centre of International Research by Odessa National University (Odessa)
19. Kharkiv Institute for Social Research (KhlSR) (Kharkiv)
20. Center for Regional Policy Studies (Sumy)
21. Polissya Fund for International and Regional Studies (Chernigiv)