EU and International Labour Organization to Help Bring Working Conditions in Ukraine Closer to European Standards

November 7, 2017.

    The International Labor Organization (ILO) with the financial support of the European Union (EU) is launching a new two-year project "Enhancing the labour administration capacity to improve working conditions and tackle undeclared work". As it was announced at the opening of the project on November 7, 2017, the project is being implemented in cooperation with the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine and the State Labour Service with the aim of significant improvement of occupational safety and health (OSH) and tackling undeclared work.
    The EU-ILO project envisages bringing national labour and OSH legislation into line with the provisions of the relevant EU directives and ILO conventions. As a result, all workers and employers in Ukraine will benefit from regular employment, safer and healthier working conditions. At present, the level of occupational injuries in Ukraine remains high. According to the State Labour Service of Ukraine, in the first nine months of 2017 more than 3,135 accidents occurred in Ukraine, including 257 with fatal outcome, which does not differ much from last year's figures.
    "Through this project we want to improve occupational safety and health standards for Ukrainian workers. Thus, their lives and health at work will be much better protected", Ambassador Hugues Mingarelli, Head of the EU Delegation to Ukraine, noted.
    Viktor Ivankevych, the Secretary of State of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine, stressed: "The Government’s priority is to improve working conditions in Ukraine in order to ensure a decent and productive work for all. Cooperation between the Ministry of Social Policy, the European Union and the International Labour Organization in this field is extremely important".
    Within the framework of the project, international experts will share experience in effectively tackling undeclared work with the Ukrainian labour inspectors.
    Markus Pilgrim, the Director of Decent Work Technical Support Team and Country Office for Central and Eastern Europe, ILO, emphasized: "Any modern legislation will just remain a mere piece of paper if a country lacks proper instruments to enforce its compliance. Therefore, the EU-ILO project will provide support for full implementation of the ILO conventions Nos. 81 and 129 on labour inspection ratified by Ukraine in 2004. It is expected that the expertise, knowledge and good practices, which will be shared within the scope of this project by the EU and the ILO with the national partners, will contribute decisively to the improvement of the working conditions in Ukraine".
    Roman Cherneha, the Head of the State Labour Service of Ukraine, stressed: "The State Labour Service is counting on the EU-ILO Project support to reform the occupational safety and health system, to adopt the best practices of labour inspectorates from EU member states and to conduct a nationwide campaign to tackle undeclared work".
    Inspections show the largest number of undeclared workers is involved in the construction and trade, as well as in the service sector and restaurant business.
    Background information:
    The EU-ILO Project contributes to implementation of the European Union - Ukraine Association Agreement, which entered into force on September 1, 2017, as well as of the ILO Conventions Nos. 81 and 129 on labour inspection ratified by Ukraine in 2004.
    The International Labour Organization, founded in 1919, is a United Nations (UN) specialized agency which promotes social justice and internationally recognized human and labour rights. It sets the international labour standards and encourages creating decent work opportunities, enhancing social protection and strengthening social dialogue.
    For more information please contact: Andrii Figol, figol@ilo.org or +38 097 803 64 23