From 4 to 29 April, within the framework of the WM4U Programme, a series of online meetings are being held between Ukrainian communities and their Swedish partners. This stage of preparation for an upcoming study visit to Sweden, scheduled for May, represents a crucial step towards enhancing inter-municipal cooperation in the field of waste management.
Opening the dialogue
The first introductory online meeting was launched by the Ivano-Frankivsk cluster on the Ukrainian side and the Southern cluster of Sweden. It brought together 37 participants from both countries, including municipal specialists, community heads, environmentalists, economists, specialists from territorial development, infrastructure and housing departments, as well as waste management and environmental protection officers, department directors, analysts, and WM4U Programme coordinators.
Over the first week, more than 100 representatives of Swedish and Ukrainian municipalities participated in four cluster meetings. The main focus was on getting acquainted, understanding the project structure, its goals, and the role of each partner in implementing the pilot component.
Focus on the baseline report
The second phase of online meetings, scheduled from 14 to 18 April, will be dedicated to the content of a baseline report that will reflect the current state of waste management in each cluster. Participants will discuss data availability, existing resources, division of roles and responsibilities, and the organisation of collaboration between Ukrainian and Swedish municipalities. The development of the report will be the first common assignment for the clusters and will be finalised during the fall of this year.
Preparing for the study visit
During the third round of meetings, teams will discuss the study visit programme, travel logistics, and expectations from the professional exchange. It is anticipated that this visit will give Ukrainian communities a first-hand opportunity to observe how different levels of cluster cooperation operate in Sweden – from informal knowledge exchange to fully integrated waste management systems.
What is a cluster and why does Ukraine need it?
In waste management, clusters are groups of territorial communities that can take various forms – from information exchange to shared ownership of infrastructure. This flexible approach allows local specificities of each region to be taken into account.
The Ukrainian clusters were selected for participation in the WM4U Programme based on criteria such as their willingness to engage in inter-municipal cooperation, openness to change and technical support, commitment to strategy implementation, political will, and results-oriented thinking.
Important context: revision of local waste management plans
One of the key objectives of the cluster exchange is to develop or update Local Waste Management Plans (LWMPs) in response to the updated National Waste Management Plan approved on 27 December 2024. New EU requirements – including the waste hierarchy, separate collection, extended producer responsibility (EPR), and other regulatory instruments – require adaptation at the local level.
In the pilot regions, consultancy companies will be engaged to support this process, and clusters will act as drivers of coordinated planning between regional and local authorities.
Swedish-Ukrainian cluster pairings:
• Northern Cluster (Sweden) → Lozova (Kharkiv region)
• Eastern Cluster → Vinnytsia
• Western Cluster → Kremenchuk (Poltava region)
• Southern Cluster → Ivano-Frankivsk
Purpose of the partnership:
• To build effective waste management models based on the cluster approach;
• To reduce the volume of landfilled waste and increase recycling and reuse rates;
• To integrate modern European approaches into local planning and management;
• To develop realistic investment plans for infrastructure development;
• To prepare communities for transformative changes within the European integration process.
The partnership between Swedish and Ukrainian clusters under the WM4U Programme opens up new horizons for Ukrainian communities. This is not just an exchange of experience – it is a shared future, built on cooperation, sustainable development, and a commitment to European standards of quality of life.