The government approved an Action Plan for joining the European Employment Services (EURES) at its meeting on 29 October.
This marks the beginning of Ukraine's preparatory phase for integration into the European employment framework, aligning with the European Commission's recommendations outlined in the Ukraine Progress Report under the EU's 2023 Enlargement Package.
The approved plan represents a significant step toward integrating into the European labour market and establishing the free movement of workers. The preparatory measures outlined in the plan are aimed at creating a foundation for Ukraine's accession to EURES.
The plan includes exploring compatibility between Ukrainian systems and structures with EURES requirements, as well as implementing regulations that will enable Ukraine to effectively interact with European labour databases.
“Beyond the need to ensure legislative compatibility of existing Ukrainian systems with European standards, technical compatibility is also essential — for effective matching of job openings and resumes. This will require us to enhance our internal information systems and adapt certain technical aspects to ensure data compatibility with EURES,” explained First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, Yuliia Svyrydenko
It should be noted that EURES currently supports the free movement of labour across 31 countries in the European Union and the European Economic Area. The platform, hosting over 4 million job vacancies, is both user-friendly and effective for employers and job seekers throughout Europe.
Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna emphasized that the action plan is largely focused on studying the experiences of countries that have already joined EURES, including Poland and Croatia.
“There are several issues requiring thorough examination for Ukraine to join the EURES network effectively. These include aligning the national classification of occupations with international and European standards, the role of labour market intermediaries, the coverage of students and trainees by the EURES network, etc.,” explained Tetiana Berezhna.