Peculiarities of decentralization reform in the EU member states: Experience and practice for Ukraine

The paper examines the history of decentralization in foreign countries and its main models. Modern major processes of decentralization reform in Ukraine are analyzed. Best practices of decentralization reform are examined and its specifics in the Eastern and Western European countries are outlined: in particular, in France and Italy that conducted the reforms in the beginning and in the middle ХХ century and Poland and Lithuania that had the long-lasting experience of centralized governance. Main features of local governance models are shown. Positive and negative sides of decentralization are generalized based on foreign experience. The ways to introduce reforms on authorities’ decentralization in Ukraine are defined.