The government approved the Action Plan for joining the European Employment Services (EURES) network during a meeting on October 29.
Thus, Ukraine is beginning the preparatory phase for joining the European employment structure, in accordance with the recommendations of the European Commission presented in the 2023 Progress Report on Ukraine as part of the European Union's enlargement package.
The approved plan is an important step toward integration into the European labor market and the establishment of free movement of workers. The preparatory measures outlined in the plan are aimed at laying the groundwork for joining EURES.
In particular, the plan includes studying opportunities related to the compatibility of Ukrainian systems and structures with EURES requirements, and implementing regulations that will enable Ukraine to effectively interact with European labor force databases.
“In addition to the need to ensure legislative compatibility of existing Ukrainian systems with European standards, there must be appropriate technical compatibility for effective matching of vacancies and resumes. For this, we need to improve internal information systems and adapt certain technical aspects to ensure compliance with the data required for EURES,” explains Ukraine's First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Yuliia Svyrydenko.
It is noteworthy that currently, EURES supports the free movement of labor in 31 countries of the European Union and the European Economic Area. The platform contains over 4 million vacancies and is quite convenient and effective for employers and job seekers in Europe.
Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine Tetiana Berezhna emphasizes that the action plan is largely focused on studying the experience of countries that have already gone through the process of joining EURES, particularly Poland and Croatia.
“There are several issues that require careful examination for Ukraine to effectively join the EURES network. Among them are the alignment of national occupational classifications with international and European norms and standards, the role of intermediaries in the labor market, and the inclusion of students and interns in the EURES network,” explains Tetiana Berezhna.