Improving the quality of rural tourism, food and craft products from the frontline and border regions of Ukraine for export to the European market

Economic Development

Ukraine

Timeframe 01.03.2026-28.02.2027 Aktiivne

Target group Ukraina rinde- ja piiriäärsete oblastite ettevõtjad

Budget 126 455 EUR

Funders

ESTDEV

Partners

Tallinna Ülikool

The full-scale war in Ukraine has caused, in addition to the destruction of infrastructure, a systemic crisis in rural development. Frontline and border regions, including Zaporizhia, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Kyiv, Zhytomyr and Volyn regions, have been significantly affected by increasing migration, economic recession and declining educational opportunities for the population. Although the risks in the region are high, the solvent consumers in the form of frontline soldiers have provided many positive impetuses to the development of frontline and border entrepreneurs, significantly increasing the viability of business.

Project objectives

The project aims to improve the quality and export readiness of rural tourism, food and craft businesses from the frontline and border regions of Ukraine. It supports the alignment of products and services with EU standards through the development of voluntary quality frameworks and digital self-assessment tools, while strengthening the capacity of small rural enterprises to access European markets.

Actions and results

Key activities include expert consultations, quality gap analysis, development and pilot testing of self-assessment tools, on-site trainings in Ukraine and Estonia, and an online learning programme. The project fosters a shared understanding of quality requirements and creates practical pathways for Ukrainian businesses to enter the EU market.

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