A Composition of Comparative Characteristics of Social Policy of European Countries

Abstract

The aim of the study is a scientific substantiation and compositional presentation of comparative characteristics of social policy trends in a number of European countries, taking into account a certain set of social security criteria and drawing analytical conclusions about their changes. The relevance of expanding the spheres of implementation of social policy, conditioned by the current transformations of social values and rapid technological development of the world economy, is substantiated. This requires constant monitoring of social changes and analysis of the impact of the global environment on the socioeconomic development of countries. Some comparative characterizations of social security of the population of several European countries are provided according to a number of criteria (ratification of the updated ILO Conventions on Social Security, effective social protection coverage (including the SDG indicators 1.3.1, 3.8.1), expenditures on health care and social protection, legislative coverage of social protection, child and family benefits, maternity protection, sickness assistance, protection against occupational injuries, protection against unemployment, disability benefits, old age pensions). The clear difference between the social policy of Ukraine and the European countries, which is mainly related to the socioeconomic situation of our country and has intensified since the beginning of the aggravation of hybrid threats and the need for military protection, is emphasized. The tendencies that determine the critical necessity of the current reforms in social policy and having a significant impact on the socioeconomic situation of the European countries are allocated. The further deepening of social problems and the need for even more active reform of the social sphere are emphasized. It is concluded that the main task of Ukraine in the current conditions is to meet the basic needs and interests of society, to maintain the basic processes of life of society, to ensure the development and creation of social values at a sufficient level.

Keywords

• social policy
• social security
• social relations
• social protection
• countries of the eu.