“Parliament open to find compromise on the revision of social security coordination, whether in this term or the next.”
Press statement by MEPs leading the negotiations on the coordination of social security systems regulation on behalf of the European Parliament.
Gabriele Bischoff (S&D, DE), rapporteur of the file, said: “The reform of social security coordination has seen 18 trilogues, 12 Presidencies and two provisional agreements. Council has failed twice to find a majority on the agreed provisional agreements, in 2019 and 2021, despite significant concessions made by MEPs to facilitate a compromise.
The reluctance of the Belgian Presidency to continue the efforts by the Spanish Presidency to find an overall compromise is disappointing. Parliament cannot accept a split but wants to work on a well-balanced package. The Parliament does not allow to be taken hostage because member states have difficulties finding a common position and give in to threats of an all-or-nothing approach. The European Commission has put forward this proposal to introduce a fairer distribution of costs and benefits for intra EU-mobility in Europe. Parliament fully supports this goal and is willing to work towards it. We need fair mobility that works for all. The EP was and is still open to find compromise on this revision of social security coordination, whether in this term or the next.”
Dragoș Pîslaru (Renew, RO), Chair of the Social Affairs and Employment Committee, said: “Finalising only parts of the reform is unacceptable for the Parliament, as this would imply renouncing to essential points of its position indefinitely. It is irrelevant whether a split is done by disregarding certain parts in an overall reform of the regulation or by splitting the file into two legal acts, with only one act being adopted in this mandate. The rapporteur and the entire negotiating team have consistently expressed that any possible provisional agreement of the revision of the coordination of social security systems must be a well-balanced package.
We regret the Belgian Presidency’s approach to this file. However, even as we have been discussing this for more than five years, we still are ready to explore possible avenues for concluding negotiations. At least five million mobile workers, including seasonal and cross-border workers, rely on clear rules regarding the unemployment benefits they are entitled to, including digital tools for communications between administrations and citizens on their social entitlements. As representatives of European citizens, we cannot neglect the rights of cross-border and seasonal workers that proved to be essential during the pandemic to the provision of critical goods and services in key economic sectors.”
Background
On 13 December 2016, the Commission submitted its proposal to amend the Regulation on the coordination of social security systems (883), aiming to modernise EU social security coordination rules by making them clearer and fairer, and by improving their enforceability, and as such, to ease free movement of persons within the EU.
A provisional agreement between the Parliament and the Council was reached twice, in 2019 and 2021, but neither agreements secured a majority with member states.
Contacts:
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Arianne SIKKEN
Press Officer