July 9th 2008 - Coordination of Social Security Systems

Delivered by Derek Clark on 9 July 2008

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Speech to Parliament Strasbourg July 9th 2008 Debate,- Coordination of Social Security Systems In 251 amendment 4 mentions mobility for the unemployed.

Does that mean bussing unemployed around the EU looking for work, at taxpayer's expense? And a member state is liable for social security payments for someone who worked there but moved to another and then became unemployed. Amendment 148 suggests that the taxpayer should pay for travel for medical examination in other member state with a reimbursement system between member states, using a complex EU formula. Member states may make decisions on invalidity which are to be binding on another, although complicated by the degree of invalidity, but they may have rules against overlapping of benefits.

The rules will concern all EU citizens moving within the EU for any reason whatsoever. This includes legally resident third country nationals who have worked in more than one member state, as well as stateless persons and refugees. In several places these reports claim to simplify regulations and modernise existing legislation for social security authorities, employers and citizens, while being very inclusive.

There will be, "no implication for the Community budget". Financial and administrative burdens, it says, will be reduced by the rules for coordination which can only be done at community level but that this is not harmonisation. How can one have reimbursement; EU determined formulae; a rule covering all movement and rules for coordination without harmonisation?

All in all these reports are a mass of conflicting statements. If they are adopted they will need a great deal of administrative effort, costing money which the reports say is not needed! Finally, the family has an identity crisis. Birth and adoption allowances are, evidently, not "family benefits". So when is a family not a family and an adopted child is well, what, exactly? So I would like to avoid an identity crisis.

A "frontier worker is a person working in one Member State but Residing in another, providing they return home once a week". This is France and I'm going home tomorrow; am I a frontier worker, even 'though I live right in the middle of England?

Derek Clark MEP Strasbourg July 9th 2008