In modern conditions of globalization, the priorities of human development and ensuring a high standard of living of the population are the main factors of human progress. Not a single state in the world has yet managed to achieve high indicators of the level and quality of life without a drastic increase in living standards and effective investments in human and social capital. The implementation of the state's social policy is based on meeting the material, cultural and spiritual needs of citizens. The goal of the social policy of the state in Ukraine in modern conditions is to ensure the standard of living of the population in accordance with the standards of the European Union. Social policy is a socio-historical phenomenon: it appeared together with the emergence of the state, is aimed at coordinating the joint activities of people and is a regulator of relations between social structures and social institutions, as well as between public and individual human life. In the work, the social policy of the state was investigated, in particular, the social policy of the EU countries and Ukraine was taken as an example. From the conducted research, it can be concluded that the main goal of the social policy of the EU today is to improve the acceptability of the EU in the eyes of the population through the strengthening of the social sector. Today, the existence of the principle of subsidiarity is the main problem for strengthening the social policy of the EU. limiting the competence of the EU in the field of social policy, primarily, stimulating the movement of the workforce. Also, the main problem in strengthening the social policy of the EU can be called the lack of interaction between its member countries on social issues. As for Ukraine, the social direction of cooperation between Ukraine and the EU consists in the adaptation of the national social policy. This refers to the implementation of reforms in the system of insurance, labor protection, health, pension provision, employment policy and other areas of social policy, in accordance with EU standards and the gradual achievement of the pan-European level of social security and protection of the population. The implementation of reforms in this direction must be implemented based on EU programs by involving EU institutions in this matter.