The 10th meeting of the Donor Coordination Council of the Energy Efficiency Fund took place today, bringing together representatives of the Government of Ukraine, the European Union, Germany, the International Finance Corporation, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and other partners. The hybrid-format event served as an important platform to discuss the EEF’s results and its strategic plans for the future.
A key decision at the meeting was the approval of an updated grant policy for the “VidnovyDIM” Program, which introduces several important changes. These include increased grant amounts for restoration projects, an expanded list of eligible measures — including the installation of individual heat substations — and the possibility of financing for technical project support, including supervision. These updates aim to make participation in the program even more accessible and attractive for homeowners’ associations, while continuing to implement the Build Back Better approach.
Aliona Shkrum, First Deputy Minister of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, emphasized the importance of transparent program operations and assured that the Ukrainian government will continue to support these initiatives. She noted that the Ministry is ready to cooperate closely with the EU to ensure the effective implementation of EEF’s programs and stable financial support.
Max Rasch, Deputy German Ambassador, confirmed that Germany will continue providing technical assistance to the EEF through the GIZ.
Goslen Corne, Head of the Energy, Infrastructure, and Environment Department at the EU Delegation in Ukraine, expressed gratitude to the EEF and IFC for implementing a large number of projects. He also highlighted the need to strengthen cooperation with the banking sector to facilitate HOAs’ access to favorable loan resources.
Participants also noted that the Multi-Donor Trust Fund is currently undergoing restructuring. All parties expressed hope that the Energy Efficiency Fund will successfully pass the EU Pillar Assessment, enabling it to directly manage EU funds. This will open new opportunities for financing energy efficiency programs in Ukraine and increase the EEF’s capacity to respond quickly to the needs of HOAs.
Ahead of the Council meeting, a press conference was held where EU Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Maternova, announced an additional €18 million in funding for the Energy Efficiency Fund. She emphasized that these funds will be used for investments and technical assistance through effective resource management and praised the EEF’s achievements: “The EEF has grown from 90 projects in 2021 to over 1,500, assisting 217,000 families”.