Information&analytical Tools of Managing Spatial Development of Territorial-Economic Systems: Eu Experience and Priorities for Ukraine

Topicality. Managing spatial development is an extremely pressing task at national, regional, and local levels. Ensuring the effectiveness of this process becomes particularly significant under conditions of limited resources, which 100 ECONOMIC is typical for a country in wartime. For Ukraine, the need to adapt to EU standards across various spheres of public policy is not only tied to the fact that European integration remains a key foreign policy direction for the country. More critically, without the necessary reforms, funding for a significant portion of state budget programs (in one form or another) will not be guaranteed by the European Commission. The extraordinary reliance of Ukraine’s state budget on external financial and technical assistance, which has increased dramatically since the beginning of russia’s full-scale aggression against Ukraine, has further reinforced the necessity of implementing European integration reforms. To enhance the scientific rigor and accuracy of spatial planning decisions, national, regional, and local governing bodies can systematically employ advanced visualization technologies, including Geographic Information Systems (GIS), 3D modeling and visualization frameworks, scenario-based planning methodologies, participatory governance instruments, integrated data dashboards, remote sensing techniques, and satellite imagery analysis. These tools facilitate evidence-based decision-making by enabling comprehensive spatial analysis, fostering stakeholder engagement, and optimizing resource allocation within territorial and economic systems. The application of information-analytical tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is a highly relevant element of digital transformation in a governance of regional development. This process is actively being developed under current conditions by the Ministry of Regional Development, specifically regarding GIS. It aims to create a nationwide database of territorial development indicators, facilitating the harmonization of Ukrainian statistics with corresponding EU data. Additionally, it enables interregional comparisons between EU and Ukrainian regions and communities. The development and implementation of GIS systems will, in the future, serve as a prerequisite for gaining access to EU funding instruments and programs for Ukraine’s regions and communities. Aim and Tasks. The objective of this study is to explore ways to develop and enhance the information-analytical tools used for managing the spatial development of territorial-economic systems in Ukraine. The realization of this objective is carried out through the following tasks: (1) To examine the EU experience in applying information-analytical tools in the context of spatial development governance of territorial-economic systems; (2) To describe the advantages of utilizing analytical instruments to assess the key socio-economic characteristics of a territory at different levels of decision-making regarding territorial development; (3) To propose a new tool (or improve an existing one) for territorial development governance based on data visualization, which would illustrate the current socio-economic state of the territory and provide relevant territorial characteristics (using Odesa Oblast as an example) to enhance the decision-making process for various stakeholders. Materials and Methods. The methodological framework of this study is based on general scientific and specialized research methods. In particular, system analysis was employed to examine interactive tools used for interterritorial comparisons at the regional and local levels within the EU. The generalization method was applied in formulating a list of visualization tools utilized for more informed decision-making in rational spatial planning at national, regional, and local governance levels. The synthesis method was used to develop a set of socio-economic development indicators for a GIS system across three statistical levels (community, district, and oblast). These indicators are categorized into five key dimensions: economic, social, spatial, governance, and environmental components. Research results. The study examines the experience of the Ministry of Regional Development in implementing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), which constitute a crucial element of the digital transformation of regional development management. Additionally, at the national level, the establishment of a territorial development indicator database will facilitate the harmonization of domestic statistics with corresponding EU data, enabling interterritorial comparisons between regions and communities in Ukraine and the EU. In the future, this will serve as a prerequisite for access to EU financial instruments and funding programs for Ukrainian regions and communities. A key factor in the development of Ukraine’s state regional policy is that GIS relies on European methodologies for collecting socio-economic development indicators to shape regional policy. The updated system parameters will be aligned with European standards, granting Ukraine access to leading EU policies and funding programs. The GIS information-analytical framework and the visualization tools built upon it contribute to informed decision-making, resource optimization, and enhanced efficiency in state regional policy. Thus, the application of GIS in the formulation and implementation of regional development policies ensures scientific validity, systematic planning, and predictive capabilities. This makes GIS an essential component of state governance, aimed at restoring and developing communities in post-crisis conditions. Based on the conducted research, a set of socio-economic development indicators for the GIS system has been proposed at three statistical levels (community, district, and oblast). These indicators, developed using the existing Investment Navigator of Odesa Oblast, are categorized into five key dimensions: economic, social, spatial, governmental, and environmental components. Conclusion. The findings of the study suggest that one of the initial steps toward integrating Ukraine’s territorial and spatial development policy into the frameworks of the European Union’s territorial development and spatial planning policy (commonly referred to as the EU Cohesion Policy) is the implementation of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) by the Ministry of Regional Development. GIS serves as a crucial element in the digital transformation of regional development governance. Regarding the implementation of this tool, the study proposes the formation of a set of socio-economic development indicators for the GIS system at three statistical levels community, district, and oblast. This proposal is intended for egorizes indicators into five key components: economic, social, spatial, governmental, and environmental dimensions.