European standards in the field of social protection and their implementation in Ukraine

Abstract

The study’s relevance stems from the urgent need to harmonize Ukrainian legislation with European social protection standards in the context of European integration and post-war reconstruction. Ukraine, as a candidate for EU accession, faces challenges including low levels of social benefits, gender inequality, and insufficient guarantees for vulnerable groups, which are exacerbated by the protracted war, economic crisis, demographic shifts, and institutional weaknesses such as corruption and fragmented governance. The purpose of this study is to conduct a comparative legal analysis of European social protection standards, assess their implementation in Ukrainian legislation, and identify ways to improve the national regulatory framework in the context of European integration. The analysis of key European standards, including the European Social Charter (revised in 1996) and EU directives, highlights their emphasis on the principles of equality, solidarity and dignity, covering pensions, social assistance, working conditions and protection of vulnerable groups, with monitoring through the European Committee of Social Rights and the European Semester. Ukrainian legislation is in the process of active alignment with the European Union (EU) acquis. The main obstacles to this process are financial constraints, institutional barriers, adverse external factors and political challenges. To accelerate the harmonization of Ukrainian legislation, it is necessary to carry out legislative reforms to align with EU directives, increase financing for social programs while reducing dependence on state budget subsidies, and implement institutional reforms. Future research should focus on empirical assessments of the post-war implementation of European social protection standards to ensure sustainable social protection.