The European Union (EU) has taken a new step in reviewing Social Security coordination rules, in a process that could clarify in which situations Member States can limit access to certain social benefits by economically inactive European citizens who do not meet the conditions applicable in their country of residence.
The change is part of a wider reform of European rules that regulate social protection when a person lives, works or moves between different EU countries.
According to the European Parliament, the co-legislators reached a provisional political agreement on April 22, 2026. The agreement was then confirmed by Member State representatives on April 29 and approved by the European Parliament’s Committee on Employment and Social Affairs on May 6. The process still depends on formal adoption by the European Parliament and the Council, so it should not be presented as a rule already fully in force.
What is at stake?
The objective of the reform is to clarify situations in which countries can limit access to certain social benefits requested by economically inactive European citizens.
In practice, Member States will have clearer rules to assess whether or not a person meets the conditions for accessing certain benefits in the country where they reside.
The measure does not end freedom of movement within the EU, nor does it automatically remove the rights of all EU citizens living in another country. What changes is the possibility for governments to apply more defined criteria to certain social supports, within European rules.
Brussels wants to avoid doubts and conflicts
The European Commission has defended for several years the need to modernize these rules, to reduce conflicts between national administrations and provide more legal certainty for citizens and institutions.
Currently, the coordination of Social Security in the EU is based on Regulations No. 883/2004 and No. 987/2009, which determine, for example, which country is responsible for applying Social Security legislation when a person has a connection with more than one Member State.
Among the general principles continue to be coverage by only one national system at a time, equal treatment between citizens covered by the rules, the possibility of counting periods of work, insurance or residence in other countries and, in certain cases, the export of benefits.
Citizens without activity may be more affected
The change is expected to primarily affect EU citizens who reside in an EU country without working, actively seeking employment or without meeting the applicable residence and access conditions for certain benefits.
In these cases, Member States may limit certain benefits, especially support of an assistive nature or special non-contributory benefits.
The reform seeks to answer an old question: who should pay certain support when the person lives in a country, but does not work in that State or contribute to the respective system?
Not all support is at stake
Despite the change, the review does not mean that any social benefit can be freely refused. European rules continue to provide for principles of coordination between countries, to avoid overlaps, protection gaps and unjustified discrimination.
The proposal also covers other areas, such as unemployment benefits in cross-border situations, family supports and long-term care benefits.
In the case of unemployment, the European Parliament states that the new rules clarify how periods of work, insurance or self-employment are counted in different Member States. For workers in a cross-border situation, it is foreseen that the State where the person worked, paid or was insured becomes responsible for paying the benefits if there was an uninterrupted period of at least 22 weeks.
Separately, the agreement provides that a person seeking work in another EU country can continue to receive unemployment benefits from the previous country for six months, a period that can be extended until the benefit ends if that country allows it.
Rules seek to accompany greater mobility
The reform comes in a context of greater labor and residential mobility within the EU. More and more citizens live in one country, work in another or accumulate contribution periods in several Member States.
This reality has created administrative doubts, especially when it is necessary to decide which country should assume the payment of certain benefits.
With clearer rules, Brussels aims to reduce situations of legal uncertainty and make access to support more predictable, both for citizens and national authorities.
Final approval is still needed
Although the political agreement represents an important step forward, the legislative process still requires formal approvals. Therefore, the concrete application of the new rules will depend on the completion of the European procedure and the way in which they are applied by national administrations.
Until then, citizens living in another EU country must continue to pay attention to national rules on residence, work, discounts and access to social benefits.
The main message of the reform is clear: the EU wants to maintain the protection of mobile citizens, but also give countries clearer rules to limit certain supports when there is no work activity, active job search or compliance with applicable conditions in the national system.
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