Brussels launches social security information system
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(BRUSSELS) - The EU Commission launched Monday a new IT platform that will connect electronically around 15,000 social security institutions of EU Member States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.
The launch of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information system (EESSI), marks an important step forward in modernising social security coordination, says the EU executive.
The tool will replace the current paper-based exchanges between social security institutions, allowing for a quicker, easier and secure exchange of social security information throughout the EU and beyond.
This will make it easier to combat fraud and error, as national social security institutions will use standardised electronic documents in their own language, ensuring that the data they exchange is correct and complete.
The Commission says the new tool will also benefit citizens who have lived and worked in several of the participating countries, and who will see their social security benefits calculated quicker and more efficiently.
Countries now have two years to connect their national systems to the central IT platform.
By July 2019 full electronic exchange of social security data in a simple, speedy and secure way should be a reality across Europe.
The Commission says it will continue supporting EU Member States with the deployment and maintenance of the system over the next years.
Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) - background guide