The following letter was sent to Roxana Mînzatu, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission and to Marta Kos, EU Commissioner for Enlargement.
Dear Vice-President Minzatu and Commissioner Kos,
We are writing to ask the Commission support to defend trade union rights in Ukraine – following the unjustified seizure of trade union offices of FPU, the biggest trade union confederation in Ukraine and ETUC affiliate.
On the 5 June 2025, the Trade Union House, was seized by the police and the state agency ARMA, and trade union staff were expelled and their access restricted.
As you know, this follows the arrest of Grigoriy Osovyi, President of FPU and member of the ETUC Executive Committee (denounced in the ETUC letter of 28 April).
This is the latest in an escalating attack on FPU and trade union offices in violation of trade union rights and Ukraine's international obligations. We recall that the ILO requires member states to guarantee “the right to adequate protection of trade union property as one of those civil liberties which are essential for the normal exercise of trade union rights”.
We also recall that the European Court of Human Rights has repeatedly confirmed that the seizure of trade union property without legal justification of public need is a violation of Article 1 of Protocol No 1 to the Convention. The court has already recognised the FPU as a bona fide owner in past cases.
We call on the Commission to intervene as a matter of urgency and to ask the Ukrainian government to immediately restore the trade union offices and stop its continuous attacks against trade unions.
As Ukraine engages in accession discussions, it is crucial to ensure full compliance with the social acquis, full respect for the role of social partners and trade unions, promotion and reinforcement of social dialogue and collective bargaining. As recommended in the 2024 Enlargement Package Country Report, Ukraine needs to “strengthen the capacities of social partners”. In this framework, trade union rights must always be fully respected, including trade union offices.
We are ready to provide further detailed information and to assist the Commission in any way useful, including by facilitating a dialogue with the FPU.
Thanks in advance for your attention and support.
Yours sincerely,
Esther Lynch
General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation