The Verkhovna Rada Legislation Institute and the International Organization for Migration, Mission in Ukraine co-organized a roundtable titled ?Challenges in Legal Protection of Ukrainian Labour Migrants in Europe?. Members of the Parliament, experts on international law, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Social Policy, as well as high-level diplomats from the Polish and Czech Embassies, discussed ways to better address the needs of Ukrainians working abroad in order to ensure adequate protect of their rights.

?Ukraine has over 20 bilateral labour agreements on employment and/or social protection signed. However, in a lot of cases the other party to an agreement is not a state where migration flows from Ukraine are directed. Therefore, it is important that the Government of Ukraine activates negotiations on signing bilateral labour agreements with main destination countries,? stated IOM Ukraine?s Chief of Mission Manfred Profazi opening the roundtable.

Among other issues discussed were the link between migration and development, the need to foster better use of migrants? remittances and savings, and promotion of legal ways of employment abroad as an alternative to irregular migration.