To help municipalities navigate the process of obtaining it, U-LEAD conducts consultations and informational sessions. During the events, participants explore the European Commission portal and its priorities and also learn how to register their municipalities in the system step by step.
The European Commission is the driving force behind the European Union. It proposes new laws and programmes, monitors their implementation and allocates funds between different areas of development. The European Commission has outlined key priorities for the next five years, including sustainable prosperity and competitiveness in Europe, strengthening security and defence and sustaining people’s quality of life. Social policy, the protection of democracy and its values, as well as international partnership continue to be important. For Ukrainian municipalities, knowing these priorities helps them better select project ideas and find grant programmes that are most relevant to their needs.
To apply for a European Commission grant, a municipality must sign up on the Funding & Tenders Portal and receive a PIC code. This is an easy and necessary step: it opens up access to programme searches, building partnerships and submitting applications.
According to participants of U-LEAD’s infosessions, the process is much easier with professional support.
Vivien Kali, the Digital Leader of Velyki Berehy municipality:
“U-LEAD experts were very helpful throughout the process of obtaining the PIC code. They explained what to do next and how to use the system step by step. We did not encounter any complications. Our municipality recently received an offer to join an international project, and we needed a PIC code for this. This is a truly important tool for municipalities, as it opens up access to European Commission grants and has a positive impact on development.”
Liubov Uhryn, the Deputy Head of Onokivtsi Village Council:
“Our municipality has been working with U-LEAD for almost 10 years. I always contact U-LEAD for advice and take part in their training programmes. Events focused on European grants are no exception. Participation in these programmes is already having a positive impact on the municipality. We have done a great deal for the development of the area thanks to the investments and financial assistance we have attracted.”
Obtaining a PIC code basically means ‘registering’ the municipality in the European space of opportunities. This opens up access to international partnerships, grants and projects that allow us to implement ideas that once seemed unattainable. And with the support of U-LEAD, municipalities are taking this step faster and with greater confidence.
“The PIC code is not merely a technicality. It is a genuine key to the European grant space for Ukrainian municipalities. We can see that, after receiving this code, municipalities grow more confident in their capabilities and actively seek international partnerships. Keep in mind that not only local self-government bodies can access PIC codes. Although as a Digitalisation Group, we help local self-government bodies to register, schools, kindergartens, municipal institutions, agencies and enterprises can obtain a PIC code to apply for European funding as well. It is crucial that local development agencies, NGOs and other local actors have a PIC code. This creates an entire ecosystem of opportunities at the municipal level, where various organisations can either apply for grants independently or form consortiums to implement large-scale projects. We aim to ensure that every organisation has equal opportunities to participate in European programmes and can implement ambitious projects to improve the lives of residents,” said Pavlo Riabokon, Head of the Digitalisation Working Group at U-LEAD with Europe.
