- Funding Programme
- Year
- 2022
Shared Public Services for Stronger Local Communities
The European Commission supports Lithuania in developing a legal and institutional framework for shared municipal public service provision, with a pilot in the Tauragė+ functional zone. Funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument, it aimed to improve the efficiency, accessibility, and sustainability of local public services by promoting inter-municipal cooperation and innovative delivery models.
Context
Lithuania faces demographic decline, population ageing, and territorial disparities in access to quality public services, particularly in rural and shrinking areas. These trends challenge the sustainability of local service delivery. To address this, Lithuania is exploring shared municipal service models. However, legal, fiscal, and institutional barriers persist. The project contributed to the EU’s objectives for territorial cohesion, public sector efficiency, and resilience—supporting structural reforms aligned with the Recovery and Resilience Facility and broader efforts to modernise public administration and improve service accessibility through innovative, collaborative governance models.
Support delivered
The European Commission, through the Technical Support Instrument, supported Lithuania in creating the conditions to facilitate shared municipal public service provision. Implemented in cooperation with international experts and national stakeholders, the project included legal and institutional analysis, assessment of international practices (notably from Finland), and in-depth consultations. It delivered a diagnostic of the Tauragė+ functional zone needs and challenges leading to the development of strategic roadmaps for piloting shared services in healthcare and long-term care, and actionable proposals to address institutional, legal and fiscal framework impeding shared service provision. Capacity-building activities strengthened stakeholders awareness and institutional readiness at both central and local levels for shared service provision between Lithuanian municipalities.
Results achieved
The project delivered a strategy and action plan for improved governance and coordination of public service provision, alongside tailored roadmaps for piloting shared services in the Tauragė+ functional zone. It enhanced institutional capacity at national and local levels, including the CPMA, to support reform efforts. By identifying legal and fiscal gaps, and proposing a coherent set of hands-on measures inspired by European good practices, the project paves the way for more efficient, accessible public services. In the long term, it is expected to foster inter-municipal cooperation and contribute to more sustainable and equitable service delivery across Lithuania.
More about the project
You can read the documents related to the project here: