“Social Reform and Court Decisions”: Aspen Institute Kyiv Hosts Dialogue on the Enforcement of Court Rulings in the Field of Pensions and Social Security

On March 31, Aspen Institute Kyiv held a Dialogue, “Social Reform and Court Decisions,” which focused on the enforcement of court rulings related to pensions and social security.

The Dialogue brought together a diverse group of participants: judges of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine, the Supreme Court, and administrative courts; representatives from the Ministries of Finance, Justice, and Social Policy; the Pension Fund of Ukraine; Members of Parliament; lawyers, economists, human rights advocates, scholars, civil society representatives, and attorneys.

The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has repeatedly emphasized that the non-enforcement or delayed enforcement of national court decisions remains a “serious and persistent structural shortcoming” in Ukraine. The European Court of Human Rights first addressed this issue in the case of Kaysin and others against Ukraine in 2001.

Today, the urgency of effectively overcoming these challenges and ensuring social justice is more significant than ever as Ukraine continues its path toward the European Union while also facing severe hardships caused by the ongoing war.

During the Dialogue, participants discussed:

• the current state of enforcement of court decisions on social payments and special pensions;
• possible legislative and institutional reforms;
• strategies for effective communication with the public about necessary changes in the social sector.

Roman Kobets, Candidate of Philosophical Sciences and Research Fellow at the H. S. Skovoroda Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, and Mykhailo Shumylo, Doctor of Law and professor of international, civil, and commercial law at the State University of Trade and Economics, moderated the discussion. 

Olena Fomina, Policy Program Director, coordinated the event. 

The Aspen Institute Kyiv remains open to initiatives and proposals for further work on this critical topic.

The Dialogue was supported by the Council of Europe projects “Support for the Judiciary of Ukraine in Wartime and Post-War Period,” “Strengthening Social Protection in Ukraine,” and the EU Project “EU Support to Justice Sector Reforms in Ukraine” (Pravo-Justice III).