Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II

Strengthening Ukrainian Public Administration for EU Integration

Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II (N4CB-II) is an EU-funded, multi-component capacity-building project implemented by the College of Europe in Natolin to support Ukraine at a decisive stage of its European integration path. Following Ukraine’s acquisition of EU candidate status and the launch of accession negotiations, Phase II was conceived as a comprehensive and modular intervention addressing the diverse and evolving capacity needs of the Ukrainian public administration involved in the accession process.

It builds on the experience and results of the first phase of the Natolin4Capacity Building project (2021–2024), which contributed to strengthening analytical and policy capacity within Ukrainian public administration in the context of EU integration.

Rather than a single training programme, N4CB-II is structured as a coherent set of complementary and non-overlapping components, each targeting a specific group, competence gap, and institutional need.

Implementation and Cooperation

The project is fully funded by the European Union and implemented in close cooperation with key Ukrainian stakeholders, including the Government Office for Coordination of European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, the National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service and the High School of Public Governance.

Strategic Objective

The overarching objective of Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II is to professionalise Ukraine’s accession machinery by equipping public administration employees with the knowledge, analytical capacity, negotiation skills, and pedagogical tools required for effective EU accession management.

The project focuses on strengthening both individual competencies and institutional learning capacity, ensuring that expertise is not only developed, but also retained and disseminated within the public administration.

Target Group

Phase II targets Ukrainian public administration employees at the central level who contribute directly to the EU accession process, including:

• preparation and conduct of accession negotiations;
• harmonisation and approximation of national legislation with EU law;
• coordination and implementation of accession-related reforms.

The ideal candidate is a mid- to high-level Ukrainian public administration employee working in a key position related to EU integration. Managing accession negotiations requires deep knowledge of EU law and policies (the acquis), strong analytical and negotiation skills, and English language proficiency.

Participants are selected through competitive and transparent procedures, with different project components addressing different professional profiles and levels of responsibility.

Educational Offer

Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II consists of five distinct but complementary components, implemented in Poland and Ukraine:

1. Tailored Onsite Knowledge and Analytical Skills Programme in Natolin A six-week onsite programme delivered at the College of Europe in Natolin for 100 selected participants. The programme focuses on EU accession-related topics and includes analytical work addressing issues related to legal approximation, administrative capacity, and negotiation preparation.
2. Training of Trainers (ToT) Module A Training of Trainers module for 36 public administration employees interested in developing and delivering EU integration-related training within their institutions.
3. Customised E-Learning Courses A set of 21 e-learning courses on European integration, including five newly developed courses. Selected courses will be made publicly accessible.
4. Onsite Intensive Training Sessions in Kyiv A series of onsite training sessions in Kyiv for 90 participants, addressing practical aspects of EU accession and legislative approximation.
5. Expert-Led Webinars A programme of expert-led webinars covering selected EU integration and accession-related topics.

Added Value of Phase II

Natolin4Capacity Building Phase II complements other EU-supported public administration reform initiatives while maintaining a distinct role through:

• a modular design that avoids overlap between activities;
• targeted interventions tailored to specific professional needs;
• a strong focus on accession negotiations and legal approximation;
• a balance between intensive training, scalable learning formats, and institutional capacity-building.

Results

By the end of Phase II in 2027, the project will deliver:

• strengthened analytical, negotiation, and English-language skills among participating civil servants;
• increased institutional knowledge of the EU accession process across the Ukrainian public administration;
• enhanced internal training and knowledge dissemination capacity;
• improved quality and coordination of Ukraine’s EU accession efforts.