RENKAS T. Interregional cooperation of Western regions of Ukraine: prospects of development

During the analysis of significant amount of publications dedicated to the subject it was determined that finding optimal ways of strengthening and growth of interregional cooperation remains relevant. The research has showed that the issue of interregional cooperation institutionalization, improvement of its legal regulations, personnel and financial provisioning still requires attention. It was established, that interregional cooperation needs to be viewed not only as managerial resource for solving today’s economic and social problems of regional development, but also as one of the effective mechanisms of encouraging innovative processes and attracting investments for realization of innovative projects that are of common interest and capable of forming new centers of economic development. The research determined the level of the theoretical research of the problem on the basis of domestic and foreign scientists’ publications, completes a review of conceptual and categorical apparatus and legal regulation of interregional and crossborder cooperation; characterizes the experience of EU countries and leading countries of the world in forming interregional cooperation. This discovered the ability to use the best foreign practices according to networks of agencies and regional development funds, interregional associations etc., that are effectively cooperating with local and central government as focused center of strategic planning. Crossborder cooperation clearly means the cooperation of adjacent territories of neighboring countries, and existence of the border between cooperating territories is a determining factor in this process. It was proved that these types of cooperation are different forms of a common direction – collaboration and solving regions’ social and economic problems. Today’s interregional and crossborder legal regulations and norms were analyzed and determined that institutional support of this process is needed. It was scientifically proved that legal definition of the term “interregional cooperation” is required by the development and adoption of the Interregional Cooperation Law of Ukraine, which will encourage common understanding in practical management. A conceptual approach for improving interregional and crossborder cooperation was determined. The core of the conceptual approach is in harmonizing legal standards of such cooperation according to main European norms that were created for providing regional development, their investments attractiveness, and continuing social and economic progress. The state of regional policy in the context of the implementation of interregional cooperation of the western regions of Ukraine is analyzed and revealed the implementation features of programs in this area. The expediency of development was substantiated, it was rated organizational, legal, financial, economic and information mechanisms of interregional cooperation of this territories. The conceptual approaches and directions of effective functioning of interregional cooperation on the basis of sustainable development of west regions of Ukraine are substantiated. It is determined and scientifically substantiated the feasibility of the development and implementation of the Concept and on its basis, the Roadmap for the modernization of mechanisms for the development of interregional cooperation of the western regions of Ukraine, which defines the purpose, goals and functional objectives of their achievement, the main priority directions, stages of state support and mechanisms for the development of this cooperation.