Cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union in the field of employment and social policy is primarily based on the EU–Ukraine Association Agreement, which provides for the approximation of Ukrainian legislation to the EU acquis in the areas of labour law, occupational health and safety, social dialogue, anti-discrimination, gender equality, and social protection. The implementation of the Association Agreement, together with the fulfilment of the European Commission’s recommendations within Ukraine’s EU accession process, particularly under Chapter 19 “Social Policy and Employment”, constitutes the foundation of this cooperation.
In 2026, Ukraine completed its domestic procedures for joining the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) strand of the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), following the signing of the relevant Agreement in Rome in July 2025.
With a budget of EUR 762 million, the programme is open to candidate countries and aims to support evidence-based policymaking and social experimentation, labour mobility initiatives, and the operation of non-financial instruments, as well as to finance projects focused on implementation, cross-border partnerships, and service provision. The principal policy framework guiding the use of these funds is the implementation of the European Pillar of Social Rights, with the objective of developing an integrated EU labour market and pan-European targeted labour mobility schemes to address labour market shortages and mismatches where they are identified.
Funding is provided under the principle of direct management by the European Commission, based on an Annual Work Programme, which defines priority areas, budget allocations, and calls for proposals. The European Commission publishes open Calls for Proposals through the EU Funding & Tenders Portal, in which potential beneficiaries from participating countries may take part, including:
Project applications are assessed by independent experts against criteria such as alignment with EU policies, quality, innovation, European added value, and cost-effectiveness. Following project selection, the European Commission concludes a grant agreement directly with the project coordinator. Funding is then disbursed in stages, including a pre-financing payment, interim payments following reporting requirements, and a final payment upon project completion.
The main areas covered by projects implemented under the EaSI programme have included the development and testing of innovative approaches in employment and social policy, support for worker mobility through the EURES network, promotion of social entrepreneurship, research activities, mutual learning initiatives, and the strengthening of institutional capacities in EU Member States and partner countries.
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