The European Union (EU) is preparing new rules to make it clearer how countries can grant or limit certain social benefits to European citizens living in another Member State. The measure covers, in particular, people without work activity and aims to reduce legal doubts between national administrations.
According to the Spanish portal, the agreement is part of the review of the standards for coordinating Social Security systems in the European Union, a process that seeks to adapt the rules to the current mobility of European citizens.
According to the Council of the European Union, representatives of the Member States confirmed the provisional agreement reached with the European Parliament. The text will still have to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council before it comes into force.
What changes in social aid?
One of the main changes is to clarify under which circumstances a country can limit access to certain social benefits requested by economically inactive European citizens.
In practice, this may apply to people who live in another Member State, but who do not work there and do not have a sufficient connection with the respective Social Security system.
Brussels aims to avoid different interpretations between countries and reduce situations in which it is not clear which State is responsible for a certain provision.
Clearer rules to avoid conflicts
The European Commission argues that the review of standards represents an important step towards fairer labor mobility within the European Union.
European rules do not replace national Social Security systems. Each country continues to define who is covered by its legislation, what benefits it grants and under what conditions.
The aim is to better coordinate these systems when a person moves, works, lives or seeks employment in another Member State.
Family benefits and unemployment also covered
The reform is not limited to social benefits for citizens without work activity. The package also includes changes to rules regarding unemployment insurance, family benefits, long-term care and posted workers.
In the case of unemployment, new rules are foreseen for cross-border situations, including the possibility for a person to look for work in another country while maintaining the right to benefits for a certain period.
Family benefits are also part of the review, in an attempt to ensure greater coherence when children live in a country other than the one where the beneficiary works.
The European Union wants to maintain freedom of movement, but seeks to strengthen mechanisms to avoid abuses, administrative errors and conflicts between States.
Among the planned measures is greater cooperation between national authorities, with better exchange of information on the Social Security situation of workers who work in another country.
Clearer rules are also foreseen for posted workers, including deadlines and conditions for affiliation with the Social Security system of the country of origin.
Not yet in effect
Despite political progress, the new rules are not yet in force. The agreement will have to undergo formal confirmation by European institutions and legal-linguistic review.
Only after this process can the reform be officially adopted and begin to take effect in the Member States.
Until then, the current Social Security coordination rules, which have been in force since 2010, continue to apply.
What does this mean for citizens?
For those who work, live or look for a job in another European Union country, the reform aims to make rights and duties easier to understand.
For States, the change seeks to provide more legal certainty and reduce doubts about who should pay certain installments.
In the case of citizens without work, the main message is that access to certain aid may be more conditioned, depending on the effective connection to the country where they are requested.
The European Union therefore tries to strike a balance between protecting citizens’ mobility and ensuring the sustainability of national social systems.
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