On 26 February 2026, a meeting of the Expert council under the auspices of the Representative of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Social and Economic Rights was held in Kyiv. The event took place in a hybrid format.

Representatives of government authorities, trade unions, civil society organisations and the academic community participated in the meeting to approve the work plan of the council for 2026. In particular, at the upcoming meetings it is planned to review the draft of the new Labour Code, the reform of the institutional care system, and responsible business conduct, with a focus on ensuring environmental rights.

Special attention was given to challenges related to the protection of human rights in digital platform economy (the gig economy), taking into account international best practices in regulating platform labour and possible ways to adapt these approaches to the Ukrainian context. Following the discussion, participants emphasised the need to develop balanced solutions that simultaneously foster the development of an innovative economy and ensure an adequate level of social protection.

Ms Olena Kolobrodova also informed members of the Expert Council that in January 2026, the European Committee of Social Rights published its conclusions on Ukraine’s 15th National Report on the implementation of the European Social Charter. The conclusions took into account information presented in the alternative report submitted by the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner in addition to the report of the government.

The Expert Council is a permanent advisory and consultative body that provides professional expert and advisory support to the Representative’s activities. It brings together leading legal specialists, experts from human rights NGOs, charitable foundations, international organisations, and academic and research institutions.

The Expert Council is a permanent advisory and consultative body that provides professional expertise and support to the activities of the Representative of the Ombudsperson on Social and Economic Rights. Its members include leading specialists in relevant areas of law, experts from human rights CSOs, charitable foundations, international organizations, and academic and research institutions.

The event was held with the support of the Council of Europe project  “Strengthening the social dimension in Ukraine” implemented within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Ukraine "Resilience, Recovery, Reconstruction" for 2023-2026. The Project aims to ensure that general public and people from vulnerable groups, including war-affected population in Ukraine, benefit from targeted social protection and support.