ENSURING THE ECONOMIC CAPACITY OF TERRITORIAL COMMUNITIES: FOREIGN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

Introduction. The European integration direction of Ukraine's development includes decentralization, regionalization, cohesion, good governance, and revision of environmental policy on the basis of communities. In addition, communal property, as a form of public property, lays down specifics regarding its management. The municipal reform that has already begun is aimed at introducing relevant aspects into the territorial communities of Ukraine. However, new challenges associated with Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine do not allow completing the reforms that have been initiated and do not contribute to the development of institutions of participatory democracy. Despite the fact that modern states of the world that successfully solve the issues of economic development of communities have not encountered war directly, their practices can be useful for Ukraine.

Summary of the main results of the study. We should not limit ourselves to the methodology for forming capable communities approved by the Government. Yes, indeed, this document was the basis for the formation of capable communities in the process of their unification. And although this act remains in force, however, the issues of capacity are not limited to it. An economically viable community is more than economic indicators. The processes of European integration include regionalization, decentralization (of competences and finances) and cohesion of territorial communities, which is a logical continuation of municipal reform after the unification of territorial communities. The incompleteness of the constitutional reform significantly hinders the completion of the municipal one. It can be argued that the cohesion of a territorial community can be at the same time a result, a tool and a consequence of economic capacity. The economic capacity of a community is also the ability to ensure appropriate social standards within the territory. The economic development of a community offers numerous advantages within the community, ensuring that communities shape their local economic future both strategically and practically.

Conclusion. An economically capable community in the modern sense is a cohesive community where the foundations for sustainable development are provided. At the same time, the existence of such communities is possible only in democratic decentralized states. Among foreign measures, it is worth noting: local educational pilot projects within a specific settlement (Finland); systemic projects within a specific industry, where there is a release of workers and the cessation of work of enterprises, aimed at retraining taking into account the development of the industry (EU countries); external and internal migration policy (Canada, Australia, Japan, Portugal); introduction of remote work or work with a flexible schedule, construction of infrastructure for remote work of its residents in small communities; support for local energy communities and the social direction of the economy and modern technologies, etc. Among the successful practices of ensuring the economic capacity of communities that can be implemented in Ukraine, the following should be highlighted: education as a way to fill jobs within a specific community; stimulation of internal migration and remote work as a way to provide the community with workers; development of immigration programs taking into account the needs of communities in workers; support for the creation of local energy communities and the social direction of the economy and the basis of modern technologies. Today, digitalization is also about security, since the availability of information about threats and the availability of administrative orders under martial law ensure the preservation and provision of life and health of the population.Despite numerous successful projects in foreign communities, one should not be distracted from the key aspects of ensuring capable territorial communities of Ukraine. The key components of the strategy for the economic development of territorial communities in Ukraine include the following: completion of decentralization, in particular, the separation of powers between executive authorities and local self-government bodies; implementation of training and stimulation of the practice of involving citizens in decision-making through the institution of participatory democracy; attraction of investments in order to ensure sustainable development and cohesion of territories; increasing the level of community control over the activities of local self-government bodies and officials; further digitalization of communities and the introduction of electronic voting in elections and referendums; definition of community development strategies based on constitutional values ​​and principles of the constitutional order. Finally, one should be wary of a purely ideological basis for reform without taking into account the realities of each territorial community.