Social Security
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Coordination of national legislations |
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Co-ordination of social security is
concerned with migrants, people who move to another country in order to live
or work there. Co-ordination provisions ensure that migrants are treated
fairly as regards social security. They also aim to reduce some of the
disadvantages of moving from one state to another, particularly in respect of
long-term benefits such as old age pensions. Co-ordination provisions do not
oblige states to directly alter the substance of their social security laws.
The amount of benefit, duration of payment and qualification periods all
remain the same. Instruments of co-ordination only really effect the
situation of migrants, for example by obliging states not to treat migrants
differently from nationals. The European Convention on Social Security and its Protocol, the European Convention on Social and Medical Assistance and the two European Interim Agreements on Social Security (relating to old age, invalidity and survivors and relating to other than schemes for old age, invalidity and survivors), are the international co-ordination conventions of the Council of Europe aimed at co-ordinating the provision of national social security systems. The European Convention on Social Security is a comprehensive yet flexible instrument based on four principles of international coordination of national social security schemes: 
equality of treatment, a
single set of national legislation applicable,
maintenance of acquired rights and rights in the course of acquisition,
payment of benefits abroad. It applies to all general social security schemes and special schemes whether contributory or non-contributory, in respect of sickness and maternity, invalidity, old-age and survivor's benefits, occupational injuries and disease benefits, death grants, unemployment and family benefits. The Protocol to the European Convention on Social Security amends certain provisions of the Convention with a view to extending its personal scope to third country nationals. |
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