Feedback from German Social Insurance issued 9 February 2026

Call for evidence by the European Commission on a European Social Security Pass

Preliminary remarks

The German Social Insurance (DSV) welcomes the announced initiative for a European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) and considers it an important instrument for further simplifying, digitalising and ensuring the interoperability of administrative procedures in the context of social security coordination. A functional ESSPASS can help support the free movement of employed and self-employed persons within the European Union (EU) and further facilitate the exercise of social security entitlements.

Position

In order to effectively address the challenges associated with the implementation of these modern solutions, it is important that the ESSPASS builds on existing structures and is designed in a practice-oriented manner. To ensure barrier-free and independent use for all insured persons, physical documents should remain available alongside digital solutions (such as the European Digital Identity Wallet – EUDI Wallet). At the same time, physical documents can be further developed in order to optimise their use and added value for insured persons. Parallel applications, such as a dedicated ESSPASS app, should be avoided, and a consistent user experience should instead be ensured through a central wallet solution. The ESSPASS, the EUDI Wallet and the European Business Wallet (EBW) must be coordinated in such a way that redundant structures are avoided and synergies are fully utilised.

A European Social Security Pass should contribute to establishing faster and more efficient procedures for insured persons, administrations and companies, reducing administrative burdens and guaranteeing benefits such as ease of use and real-time verification of insurance data. To this end, a broad approach should be pursued in order to ensure optimal application possibilities for users. At the same time, insured persons must always retain control over their personal data. This enhances security and transparency and leads to greater acceptance in the introduction of these new solutions.

The umbrella organisations of the German social insurance institutions are in close exchange at both national and European level in order to make the opportunities offered by the ESSPASS tangible for European citizen.

About us

The German Federal Pension Insurance (DRV Bund), the German Social Accident Insurance (DGUV), the National Association of Statutory Health Insurance Funds (GKV-Spitzenverband), the national associations for statutory health and long-term care insurance funds at the federal level and the Social Insurance for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture (SVLFG) have joined forces to form the "German Social Insurance - Working Group Europe" (Deutsche Sozialversicherung Arbeitsgemeinschaft Europa e. V.) with a view to their common European policy interests. The association represents the interests of its members vis-à-vis the bodies of the European Union (EU) as well as other European institutions and advises the relevant stakeholders in the context of current legislative projects and initiatives. As part of the statutory insurance system in Germany, health and long-term care insurance with 75 million insured persons, pension insurance with 57 million insured persons and accident insurance with more than 70 million insured persons in 5.2 million member companies offer effective protection against the consequences of major risks of life.

DSV feedback on the call for evidence by the European Commission on a European Social Security Pass