On 7 July 2026, the European Parliament approved a long-awaited revision of the EU rules on the coordination of social security systems, aimed at making social security rights clearer and easier to exercise for people who live or work across borders within the EU.
The revision updates Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems and its Implementing Regulation (EC) No 987/2009. The changes are particularly relevant for mobile workers, including researchers and other professionals who work temporarily or regularly in more than one Member State (MS).
The revised framework addresses several important areas of cross-border social security coordination.
What are the main changes?
Unemployment benefits
The revised rules clarify how periods of insurance, employment or self-employment completed in different MS are taken into account when determining entitlement to unemployment benefits.
Unemployed persons who move to another MS to look for work will be able to retain their unemployment benefits for 6 months, with the possibility for the competent institution to extend this period until the end of their entitlement.
The rules also clarify responsibility for unemployment benefits for certain cross-border workers. Where a worker has completed an uninterrupted period of at least 22 weeks of insurance, employment or self-employment in the MS of their most recent activity, that MS will generally be responsible for providing the unemployment benefit.
Long-term care benefits
For the first time, the EU coordination rules will contain a specific definition of long-term care benefits and provide a clearer framework for their coordination between MS. This is intended to increase legal certainty for people requiring long-term care as well as for persons providing such care.
Family benefits
The revised rules introduce a clearer distinction between different types of family benefits, particularly between benefits intended to compensate for income lost when a parent reduces or stops working to raise a child and other family benefits intended to cover general family expenses.
The changes aim to make the coordination of family benefits across borders clearer and more consistent.
Posting of workers and self-employed persons
Employees and self-employed persons temporarily carrying out activities in another MS may continue to be covered by the social security legislation of their home MS for up to 24 months, provided that the relevant conditions are met.
The revised rules strengthen the link with the social security system of the sending MS by introducing a requirement for a minimum period of 3 months of prior affiliation before a person is sent to work in another MS.
They also introduce clearer procedures for notifying the competent social security institution before the activity abroad begins and for requesting the document certifying the applicable social security legislation, commonly known as the Portable Document A1 (PD A1).
Certain exceptions are foreseen, including for business trips and, with the exception of the construction sector, activities lasting no more than 3 consecutive working days within a 30-day period.
Working in two or more Member States (MS)
The revised rules also provide further guidance for determining the applicable social security legislation where a person works in 2 or more MS.
When identifying the employer's “registered office or place of business”, authorities will consider factors such as where essential business decisions are taken, where the central administration is carried out, where turnover is generated and where general meetings are held.
Better cooperation and digitalization
The revision strengthens cooperation and information exchange between national social security institutions, including measures aimed at detecting errors, fraud and abusive practices. It also supports the further digitalization of social security coordination, including online procedures for determining the applicable social security legislation and the digitalization of requests for and issuance of social security documents.
What happens next?
The European Parliament adopted its position at 1st reading on 7 July 2026, following a provisional agreement reached with the Council earlier in 2026.
The revised rules are not yet generally applicable. The legislative process must be completed and the final Regulation published in the Official Journal of the European Union. Moreover, the adopted text provides for transitional periods, with a number of the substantive changes expected to apply only 24 months after the Regulation enters into force.
Nevertheles, the revision represents an important step towards clearer and more effective social security coordination for people moving, living and working across borders in Europe!
For further information see:
European Parliament – Clearer social benefits rules for EU mobile workers