EU-Ukraine bilateral meetings on social policy and employment start in Brussels

On 24 March, a bilateral meeting between representatives of Ukraine and the European Commission started in Brussels, Belgium, as part of the official screening of the compliance of Ukrainian legislation with EU law under Chapter 19 – Social Policy and Employment. Such meetings are part of the negotiation process of Ukraine’s accession to the European Union.

The head of the delegation and chief negotiator, Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration and Minister of Justice of Ukraine Olha Stefanishyna opened the meeting online. Over the course of two days, on 24 and 25 March, Ukraine’s progress will be presented offline in Brussels by Deputy Minister of Economy Tetiana Berezhna and Deputy Minister of Social Policy Iryna Postolovska, as well as representatives of ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Social Policy, Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agrarian Policy and Food, and the Verkhovna Rada.

“Ukraine and the EU have a long-standing cooperation in the field of social policy and employment. Our integration process covers about 100 legal instruments that regulate labour relations, social policy and employment. These complex issues affect the lives and interests of Ukrainians across the country and beyond,” the Deputy Prime Minister said in her opening remarks. She reiterated the readiness to bring Ukraine’s national legislation in line with EU law in this area.

According to Olha Stefanishyna, the Government of Ukraine is currently actively working to transform labour legislation and modernise laws that have remained unchanged since 1971. This will help create a labour market that is competitive, protects employees’ rights and promotes fair working conditions.

The Government has also made significant strides in implementing policies aimed at protecting children’s rights and welfare, especially in the context of the challenges of war. In particular, it approved the Strategy for Ensuring the Right of Every Child to Grow Up in a Family Environment for 2024-2028, which also incorporates EU policies and best practices.

“The issue of protecting children and ensuring the best conditions for them is one of the key priorities of our social policy. 

Therefore, we would like to officially join the Eropean Child Guarantee mechanism and participate in the relevant coordination meetings. Ukraine requests that the application for joining the programme be considered as an element of accelerated integration,” Olha Stefanishyna emphasised.

In addition, she noted the role of the European Employment Services (EURES), the European Labour Authority (ELA) and the instruments of the European Social Fund. “These EU initiatives are important for Ukraine’s integration into the European space, as they modernise our labour market and social policy, providing the necessary tools to implement reforms. It is about strengthening social stability and ensuring that our policies are in line with the best EU practices. Thus, thanks to EURES, our employers and employees can exchange experience and knowledge with their European counterparts.”

In particular, the Government of Ukraine is seeking to formalise the partnership by joining the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+).

The EU-Ukraine bilateral meetings on Chapter 19 – Social Policy and Employment will last for two days, 24 and 25 March. During the meetings, the Ukrainian delegation will present progress in the approximation of legislation to EU law and the next steps in the following areas:

• European system of social rights;
• Labour law;
• Health and safety in the workplace;
• Social dialogue;
• Employment policy;
• Social protection and social integration;
• European Social Fund;
• Non-discrimination in employment and social policy;
• Equality of women and men in employment and social policy.

The meetings will focus on the degree of approximation of social legislation covering minimum standards in labour law, equality, health and safety at work, and anti-discrimination.