The existing room for compromise must be fully used.

For more than nine years, negotiations have been ongoing. However, the revision of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems has still not been successfully concluded. Following three unsuccessful trilogue rounds in 2019, 2021 and 2025, a fourth – and probably final – attempt will be made on 22 April to finally bring the dossier to a conclusion.

More consensus than disagreement

The longstanding contentious issues will once again be on the agenda of the new trilogue: conditions and duration of unemployment benefits when seeking work abroad, exemptions from prior notification requirements for the A1 certificate, and criteria for determining the place of establishment of an undertaking. These topics have repeatedly been the subject of controversy and are well known. The focus should now shift more towards what has already been agreed within the revision package. There is more that unites than divides.

Making full use of the room for compromise

This is at least the view of the representations of the German and French social security institutions in Brussels – DSV and REIF. In a joint statement, they have contributed to the ongoing discussions. Their appeal: make full use of the available room for compromise. Both institutions pointed to progress already achieved, such as agreements on the cross-border coordination of long-term care benefits, on the definition of fraud, and on a common procedure for determining the applicable social security legislation for mobile workers.

Social security requires a stable legal framework

An agreement is also necessary to create a clear and stable legal framework for businesses and citizens. This is a key precondition for the introduction of new initiatives such as the Fair Labour Mobility Package, including the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS), which will facilitate mobility within the internal market. Social security – particularly in the context of digitalisation – requires modern and reliable rules.

Do not merge posting declarations and A1 certificates

The intensity of exchanges between Parliament, Council and Commission on this issue has been very high in the run-up to the forthcoming trilogue. The appeal by the social security institutions therefore comes at the right time. However, it is not limited to calling for a successful conclusion of the revision negotiations on the coordination regulations. DSV and REIF also use the opportunity to warn against merging the procedures for labour law posting declarations and the social security A1 certificate. These are two entirely distinct procedures with different objectives, addressed to different authorities and based on different legal frameworks. Consequently, if the aim is to reduce administrative burden for businesses, the approach must target the appropriate level and reflect the realities of existing communication channels.