MEPs to vote on plans to boost pension rights for cross-border workers

Europeans working in another part of the EU already benefit from statuory pension rights, meaning those provided by the state as they are protected under EU law. But until now, there is no such protection for supplementary pension schemes, which are occupational pensions financed or co-financed by employers.

The European Parliament discusses and votes on an informal deal reached with the Council on new rules safeguarding such supplementary schemes for people working abroad. The rules set minimum requirements, such as a vesting period. This means the period of active membership of a scheme needed  to keep supplementary pension entitlements, which must not exceed three years. Parliament insisted that these rules should apply to people working in another member state.

Ria Oomen-Ruijten, a Dutch member of the EPP group, is responsible for steering the legislation through Parliament. After the informal deal had been agreed with the Council, she said:  “European workers can now enjoy full pension rights when they move to another member state. The legislation will help to eliminate barriers to the free movement of workers.”
Once the Parliament approves the deal, member states will have four years to transpose the new rules to national law. You can follow the debate and the vote live on our website by clicking on the link on the right.

About the picture
This article is illustrated with the picture Enjoying retirement on the docks of Lisbon, taken by Sicco Brand, from Amsterdam in the Netherlands. "This is a couple I photographed in Lisbon on a Sunday, enjoying life on the waterside," he explained. He was the March winner of the European Parliament's guest photographer contest. During the coming months the European Parliament will announce a different topic each month until the European elections in May.