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Over the past few months, various stakeholder events contributed to the development of social dialogue in Ukraine. Enshrined in the Association Agreement between Ukraine and the EU is the need to reform the principles of interaction between trade unions, employers, civil society organizations and the state to better resolve socio-economic problems in the country. According to Articles 469-470 of Ukraine’s Association Agreement with the European Union, work has begun on establishing the envisioned EU-Ukraine Civil Society Platform. As part of the process, a Working Platform entitled "Employment, labor rights, safe and healthy working conditions, social policy" was established. Numerous civil society organizations including the biggest trade unions and employers' organisations in Ukraine joined the platform to discuss ways to implement the agreement in the sphere of social dialogue, which is part of the ratification process of the European Social Charter. 

Unfortunately, the strategy papers developed at the state level or in the strategy of the President 2020, nor in the coalition agreement did not take into account the social dialogue as a tool to solve pressing social problems. Therefore, the Association Agreement EU-Ukraine remains the only instrument of social reform dialogue that allows trade unions, employers' organizations and non-governmental organizations unite for the implementation of European principles of social dialogue.

An important step in the reform of social dialogue in Ukraine was a round table on "Social dialogue in the framework of the Association Agreement with the EU in Ukraine, Moldova and Georgia", which was held on 14 November in Kyiv. The event was dedicated to the development of a common vision on the steps of reforming the system of social dialogue in accordance with the agreement and discusses of the draft strategy of reforming social dialogue in Ukraine.

The round table was organized by the Working Group "Social and labor policy and social dialogue" EaP Civil Society Forum and Bureau of social and political developments.

Participation in the round table adopted by representatives of the European Economic and Social Committee, the largest trade union organizations of Ukraine on a list, representatives of employers' organizations, non-governmental organizations working in the social sector, experts on the development of social dialogue in Moldova, Latvia, Georgia, Finland, Poland, USA, Ukraine.

Moderator of the roundtable Rostyslav Dzundza, coordinator of the Working Group "Employment and labor law, safe and healthy working conditions, social policy" National Platform EU-Ukraine, while opening roundtable, said: "This workshop has one goal - working out specific policies for the social partners to government - that will give a clear roadmap of reforming the social dialogue in Ukraine

The representative of the European Economic and Social Committee Andzej Adamczyk - President of EASTERN NEIGHBOUR FOLLOW-UP COMMITTEE - welcomed the roundtable participants and stressed the importance of joining efforts of trade unions, employers' organizations and non-governmental organizations in the implementation of the provisions laid down in the Association Agreement.

Ambassador of Moldova to Ukraine - Ion STEVILE also emphasized the role of social partnership as a factor of stability in the country. European security is based also on the activity of civil society in ensuring effective social dialogue in dealing with social and labor issues.

Roundtable participants welcomed the heads of major trade unions of Ukraine Grygory Osovyi (FPU), Mikhaylo Volynetz (FTUCU) and Vyacheslav Roy (FPMSPU).

The reports on the experience of reforming the social dialogue in the Eastern Partnership were held by: Nugzar KOHREYDZE - Coordinator of Mobile Center of the International Organization for Migration (Georgia), Eugene ROSHKOVANU - President of the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (Moldova), Daiva KVEDARAYTE - Secretary of International Affairs of the Lithuanian Trade Union "Solidarumas "and Igor Kaminnyk - executive Director of the social and political developments Bureau.

Experts presented the history of the development of social partnership in their countries and the urgent challenges facing them after the signing of the Association Agreement with the EU.

Performances caused great debate among the participants - at the end of which a representative of Georgia said - "You have a deal, it contains specific directives - what, how and when to do - if you want to build a truly European model of social partnership in Ukraine - you should follow these guidelines".

Statement by the representative of Ukraine Igor Kaminnik concerned present-day issues of social dialogue in Ukraine. He presented the analysis of the current legislation that governs the interaction of the parties of social partnership and proposals to reform the social dialogue in Ukraine.

Summarizing the meeting, Rostyslav Dzundza thanked the participants of the meeting and stressed that the meetings in a similar format should be held regularly in order to social dialogue even in the imperfect model that exists now. "The completion of today's meeting does not mean to shutdown - we continue to work online along with all parties to develop concrete recommendations to improve the social partnership in Ukraine."