Adaptation of EU public governance standards in the field of social protection of war-affected persons in Ukraine

Abstract

The article examines the process of harmonizing the national public administration system with European standards in terms of ensuring the rights and social guarantees of persons affected by armed conflict. The relevance of the study is conditioned by a unique historical context: Ukraine’s acquisition of EU candidate status during the active phase of a large-scale armed conflict, which requires the simultaneous resolution of crisis management tasks and institutional reforms of the state administration. The author provides a detailed analysis of the European Union’s normative architecture based on the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Pillar of Social Rights, identifying key principles of good governance. Particular attention is paid to Directive 2001/55/EC on temporary protection and to the specifics of coordinating social security systems under Regulation 883/2004. The study demonstrates that adaptation for Ukraine lies primarily in the incorporation of procedural safeguards and systemic coherence principles. During the research, three key structural dysfunctions of the current Ukrainian system were identified and classified: (1) terminological and status inconsistency (fragmentation of the statuses of internally displaced persons, veterans, and affected persons); (2) procedural deficiencies, particularly in the context of automated administrative decision-making and limitations on the right to effective appeal; (3) coordination deficiencies between public administration entities (the Ministry of Social Policy, the Pension Fund, and local self-government bodies). Special emphasis is placed on the experience of the Republic of Poland in implementing a special legal regime for displaced persons, which is considered as a reference model for optimizing domestic administrative procedures. The study substantiates the expediency of moving from departmental fragmentation toward the concept of a unified comprehensive status of conflict-affected persons. In conclusion, the article formulates specific proposals for improving administrative and legal regulation, including: the development of a codified legal act on the social protection of affected persons; the normative consolidation of “good administration” standards in the use of algorithmic decision-making systems in public administration; and the creation of a legal framework for integrated cooperation between state authorities and international organizations. The article is of practical relevance for law-making activities and for the reform of the public service system under martial law and in the post-war recovery of Ukraine. Keywords: social protection, conflict-affected persons, adaptation of legislation, public governance, EU standards, temporary protection, European integration, martial law, administrative services.