EU and social security coordination

In the EU and EEA member states, there are common rules in place regarding the free movement of persons, established to protect the rights of citizens in the area of social security when they reside or work in other EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.

The European regulations on social security coordination – the coordination regulations (the European parliament and Council (EC) regulations No. 883/2004 and No. 987/2009 do not supersede national systems, but only determine which country system will apply to a specific person (citizen, employer) in a particular situation. The member states themselves shall decide who will be insured according to their legislation, what benefits and under what conditions will be paid, while respecting the basic coordination principles detailed in the regulations above.

The key principles of the coordination regulations are: equality of treatment, application of the legislation of one state at a time, aggregation of insurance periods and export of benefits abroad.

The benefits of social security coordination can be found in many life situations. As an example: to be entitled to benefits, one’s nationality is not decisive when assessing the entitlement to benefits also insurance periods completed in another member state are taken into account, the benefits can also be claimed through the institution of another member state, and the benefits can also be paid abroad etc. The coordination rules also govern the assessment whether persons migrating for work are subject to which legislation (identification of the relevant legislation, sending workers abroad), i.e. where the insurance premiums are to be paid and which state should assess their claims and pays their benefits.

Further information on coordination can be found in sections on individual pension and sickness insurance.

The coordination regulations shall apply to:

• sickness benefits
• maternity and equivalent paternity benefits
• invalidity benefits
• old age benefits
• survivors' benefits
• benefits in respect of accidents at work and occupational diseases
• death grants
• unemployment benefits
• pre-retirement benefits
• family benefits