The legal framework on cross-border portability of supplementary occupational pension rights

The issue of cross-border portability of supplementary (occupational) pension rights for ED workers and self-employed has been discussed for more than fifteen years. The free movement of persons is one of the fundamental goals of the ED. Currently labour mobility is impeded by the lack of a clear framework protecting supplementary pension entitlements for workers and self-employed persons who move across different Member States for employment purposes. The challenge of providing enhanced social security and adequate pensions, in the light of demographic changes, further puts emphasis on the need for the ED working population to be able to move to different Member States for employment without being penalised, through reduced pension entitlements. The aim of this study is to identify the legal framework on portability of supplementary occupational pension rights for ED workers and self-employed persons who move or seek to move between the Member States for employment purposes. The examination of this framework is not limited to the analysis of actual legislative measures adopted at ED level, on safeguarding supplementary occupational pension rights for migrant workers and self-employed persons, but further tries to assess how this framework, and consequently cross-border portability of supplementary occupational pension rights, is being formed and could be further developed, and how, consequently, cross-border portability of relevant rights could be enhanced.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo