European Commission's proposal to update EU rules on social security coordination
The European Commission is currently proposing a revision of EU legislation on social security coordination. The proposal aims to ‘modernize the current rules to ensure that they are fair, clear and easier to enforce’. These rules should guarantee that EU citizens do not lose their social security protection when moving to another Member State (free movement). The proposal updates the EU rules in the following four areas:
- Unemployment benefits
- Long-term care benefits
- Access of economically inactive citizens to social benefits
- Social security coordination for posted workers
According to the proposed changes, jobseekers may export their unemployment benefits from the current minimum period of 3 months to at least 6 months. According to the Commission, this should give them a better chance to find work, and help tackle EU-wide unemployment and skill mismatches.
In terms of access of economically inactive citizens to social benefits, the proposal clarifies that Member States may decide not to grant social benefits to mobile citizens which are economically inactive citizens – this means those who are not working nor actively looking for a job, and do not have the legal right of residence on their territory. Economically inactive citizens have a legal right of residence only when they have means of subsistence and comprehensive health coverage.
We are currently investigating the implications of this proposal and whether this could lead to increasing impoverishment of mobile EU citizens. The Salvation Army EU Affairs Office will follow the developments of this proposal and will continue to give updates in this newsletter.
For more information and to read the proposal, see here
Tags: Europe