On 15 December, the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) signed a Declaration of Intent to support labour market reforms through the newly established JobConnect programme, contributing to Ukraine’s socio-economic development and its path toward European integration.

The Declaration sets out a shared vision of the parties regarding labour market reforms in close connection with social policy, strengthening institutional capacity, and ensuring the effective use of public resources. It also предусматриває openness to the involvement of additional partners.

“JobConnect provides practical tools: for individuals — to find employment, and for businesses — to recruit the workforce they need. We are focused on results: higher-quality employment services, modern approaches to job matching and training, as well as solutions that help people return to the labour market and enhance their competitiveness. The partnership with the Government of Germany enables us to scale these tools and ensure clear coordination among key stakeholders,” said Oleksii Sobolev, Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine.

The signing of the Declaration of Intent forms part of a broader labour market reform agenda in Ukraine and the development of cooperation with international partners to introduce modern employment solutions.

Background

JobConnect is a newly established project financed by the Government of Germany and implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. The project aims to support Ukraine’s socio-economic development and its path toward European integration. Starting in 2026, the Government of Germany will support the implementation of the JobConnect programme with a contribution of EUR 10 million. The programme focuses on supporting labour market reforms in close connection with social policy, strengthening institutional capacity, and increasing the efficiency of public resource use.