Ukraine's Deputy Prime Minister Pavlo Rozenko in Strasbourg signed the European Code of Social Security on Thursday, 10 November.
"Ukraine over the past two years has been passing through the greatest trial in 25 years of its independence. Despite the military aggression in Donbas and the annexation of Crimea, Ukraine has clearly stepped on European path of democratic reforms and implementation of basic European values into social reality," the government portal quoted Rozenko as saying after the signing ceremony.
The compliance with social rights and guarantees becomes particularly acute in times of crisis, when the government resorted to austerity budget, the official stressed.
He noted that the Ukrainian government carries out reforms in the social and labour sphere to secure social rights guaranteed by the European Social Charter, of which Ukraine is a signatory since 2007.
"Article 12 of the Charter says that the parties undertake to maintain the social security system at a satisfactory level at least equal to that equal to the level required for the ratification of the European Code of Social Security," he said.
"By signing the Code, Ukraine has made a very important step toward the hard work on the way to its ratification, and, eventually, the full-fledged accession of Ukraine, including Article 12 of the European Social Charter (revised)," said Rozenko.
He also assured that the government will continue to adapt national legislation to EU standards.
In June, the president signed the law, which raises social standards from 1 December.