On 1 May 2010 new rules on the coordination of social security
systems within the European Union started to apply by the
implementation of Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 and No 987/2009.
These regulations supersede the previous Regulations No 1408/71 and
No 574/72. The new rules are now applicable in the EU Member States
and later also in the EES-countries (Norway, Iceland and
Liechtenstein) and Switzerland since separate agreements are needed
in these countries.
In order to facilitate free movement and to avoid employees who
work in different Member States not being adequately covered in
either of these Member States, the above mentioned regulations
contain coordination rules for the social security systems. The
purpose is to ensure that there is always one applicable social
security system. It is still up to each country to determine what
social security benefits to apply. The basis for the new rules is,
in principle, the same as before, but the rules entail, inter
