Policy paper 168
Access to social benefits for EU mobile citizens: “tourism” or myth?
As many voices are raised to denounce possible “benefit tourism” or “welfare tourism” within the EU, the aim of this policy paper by Sofia Fernandes is to shed some light on this complex debate on mobile EU citizens’ access to benefits
Though intra-European mobility is still a limited phenomenon, a fierce debate has emerged in many hosting Member-States with regard to the impact of “mobile EU citizens” on national welfare states. This is partly due to the sharp increase in mobility within the EU since 2004, together with the fact that mobile citizens enjoy access – under certain conditions – to social benefits in the host country.
Against a backdrop in which there are major differences between national welfare systems (with some based on non-contributory assistance benefits rather than on insurance-based contributory benefits), many voices have risen to denounce possible “benefit tourism” or “welfare tourism” within the EU.
The aim of this policy paper by Sofia Fernandes, senior research fellow at the Jacques Delors Institute, is to shed some light on this complex debate on mobile EU citizens’ access to benefits.
1. The first section focuses on the scope of intra-European mobility, the profile of mobile EU citizens and their burden on host countries’ welfare systems.
2. The second section presents an overview of the EU’s legal framework with regard to mobile citizens’ access to benefits by identifying the provisions concerning workers, economically inactive citizens and first-time jobseekers.
3. The third section highlights both the responsibility of Member States in the organisation of their welfare system and the recently adopted reforms which limit EU citizens’ access to benefits as well as the modifications foreseen in the EU-UK deal to the relevant European legislation.
4. Lastly, the fourth section presents the challenges to be met and the outlook for the future.
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Académie Notre Europe – “Social Europe” session [FR]
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Ludwigsfelde, 2 October 2019 – Citizen dialogue and Trilateral Experts seminar on Social Europe
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Paris, 5 September 2019 – Global Convergences Forum
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Paris, 6 April 2019 — Social justice in the energy transition in Europe
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Bruxelles, 21 February 2019 – Expert Debate on the European Pillar of Social Rights
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Paris, 18 December 2018 – Social Europe
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Paris, 11 January 2019 – Académie Notre Europe: Social Europe
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Paris, 20 November 2018 – How to accompany the low-carbon transition to be fair?
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Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, 14 November 2018 – What is Europe doing to protect us? Trade Policy, Social Europe, Environment and Security
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Paris, 24 October 2018 – Companies: missions and reasons to be
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Dardilly, 10 October 2018 – What future for social Europe?
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Paris, 3 October 2018 – Is European solidarity still possible?
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Brussels, 3 October 2018 – Europe needs a social pact for the energy transition
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Paris, 24 September 2018 – European social dialogue: what future?
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Bruges, 12 July 2018 – Just a transition or a just transition? Jobs, skills, energy poverty
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Luxembourg, 20 June 2018 – The reform of the EMU: which social dimension?
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Paris, 17 May 2018 – France and the European Pillar of Social Rights
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Toulouse, 17 April 2018 – A protective Social Europe : myth or reality?
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Tours, 4 April 2018 – Toward a Social and Political Europe?
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Angers, 29 March 2018 – From the Treaty of Rome to today
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Champigny-sur-Marne, 23 January 2018 – Social Europe
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Paris, 28 September 2017 – What future for a Social Europe?
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