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  5. Implementing of the right to a pension in the Solidarity-Based Systems of Ukraine and European Union Countries: challenges and prospects

Almanac of law. Issue 16 (2025), pages 467–474.

DOI: 10.33663/2524-017X-2025-16-467-474

Khomych I. O.
Implementing of the right to a pension in the Solidarity-Based Systems of Ukraine and European Union Countries: challenges and prospects

Analyzing the pension systems of foreign countries is important for understanding how each of them solves problems related to population aging and ensuring an adequate level of social protection for its citizens. Therefore, the aim of the article is to examine the challenges and prospects of implementing the right to a pension within the solidarity systems of European Union member states and the possibility of adapting positive experiences to Ukrainian legislation. The article employs a comprehensive set of general scientific and specialized methods, ensuring the conceptual unity of the study. These include the comparative method, analytical method, system and structural approach, and the method of generalization. The study explores the pension models applied in Germany, Poland, and France. Key indicators of the pension systems in these countries have been analyzed, including the amount of insurance contributions, retirement age, and insurance period. The research identifies the problems these States have encountered in this area and the measures taken to address them. It has been established that the pension systems of these countries are based on three-tier models, allowing the use of both distribution-based and funded pension programs, ensuring decent financial support for citizens in old age. Additionally, European pension systems are considered more effective and stable due to the presence of at least one built-in adjustment mechanism in pension programs, which is activated under specific conditions and influences the structure of the system itself. Besides, the growth in pension assets has been supported by policy initiatives aimed at diversifying retirement financing sources to create more resilient pension systems and improving retirement outcomes for individuals. Consequently, over half of the working-age population participates in asset-backed pension systems in most European countries. The study proves that Ukraine faces several challenges common to all European countries (such as population aging, low birth rates, an increasing proportion of pension-age citizens, and inflation) as well as challenges specific to Ukraine (such as war, mass migration of the working-age population abroad, a lack of internal financial resources, and the need for external funding). All these factors further emphasize the urgency of implementing the best European pension practices, aligning Ukrainian legislation with EU standards, and developing additional measures to ensure a decent quality of life for Ukraine’s elderly population.

Key words: pension, solidarity pension system, EU countries, three-tier model, adjustment mechanism, reform.

References

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