THE ROLE OF THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION IN THE REGULATION OF LABOUR RELATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

Background. This article examines the transformation of the International Labour Organization's role within the system of international labour regulation and identifies the key challenges the Organization faces in the 21st century. The relevance of the study stems from profound changes in the global labour market, including the expansion of the digital economy, the emergence of new forms of employment, and the increasing influence of regional and non-state regulatory actors. These developments significantly affect the International Labour Organization's ability to effectively fulfil its normative mandate.

Methods. The research applies systemic, institutional, formal-legal, and comparative-legal methods. The systemic and institutional approaches are used to analyse the evolution of the International Labour Organization and the transformation of its organizational model; the formal-legal method enables the examination of international labour standards and mechanisms for their implementation; and the comparative-legal method allows the comparison of the International Labour Organization's activities with regional and alternative regulatory initiatives. The study also employs the concepts of the principal–agent problem and bureaucratic inertia.

Results. The article demonstrates that while throughout the 20th century the International Labour Organization primarily fulfilled a norm-setting function, in the 21st century its activities have acquired a more complex nature, combining normative and operational tools. It is shown that the expansion of programmatic activities is accompanied by the growth of the administrative apparatus, the strengthening of institutional inertia, and a slowdown in the adoption of new international labour standards. The analysis reveals internal limitations of organizational effectiveness, such as bureaucratization, as well as external challenges stemming from digitalization, the rise of the platform economy, and the growing influence of regional actors, particularly the European Union.

Conclusions. It is concluded that although the International Labour Organization remains a key actor in the field of international labour law, its future effectiveness depends on overcoming institutional inertia and adapting to the evolving conditions of global governance. The article substantiates the need for comprehensive reform of the International Labour Organization's organizational model aimed at restoring the balance between managerial and expert-normative functions, strengthening analytical capacity, and developing flexible mechanisms of interaction with alternative regulators.