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Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion

Digitalisation in social security coordination

Free movement allows people to live, work and travel across the EU. It is also essential to the functioning of the single market. 

  • Mobile citizens
    Around14.00millionEU citizens live and/or work long-term in another EU country
  • Cross-border workers
    Around2.00millioncitizens work in another EU country than they live in
  • Posted workers
    3.64millioncitizens work in another EU country on a temporary posting
  • Intra-EU Tourism
    250.00millionovernight trips within the EU in 2024

To support this mobility, EU rules on social security coordination protect people’s social security rights when they move within Europe. These rules are being modernised. 

Digitalisation can further improve the coordination of social security systems and support fair labour mobility. 

This is why, on 15 September 2026, the Commission adopted a proposal for a Regulation on digitalising the coordination of social security systems and laying down a framework for the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS) as part of the Fair Labour Mobility package.

More on the package

Why is digitalisation important?

Using more digital tools for social security coordination has many advantages. For example, it

  • reduces the administrative burden and costs for people who move to another country or run a business there
  • improves the quality of public services and makes social security coordination processes faster
  • helps institutions share information and work together better through improved data sharing and automation
  • minimises risk of errors and social security fraud, including the use of forged documents, thus reinforcing the protection of workers and fair labour mobility

The goal of digitalising social security coordination also aligns with the objectives Europe’s 'Digital Decade' policy programme, which aims to transform public services, promote cross-border information exchange and simplify interactions with the public.

What are the measures proposed by the Commission?  

The Commission proposes measures to make social security coordination procedures across the EU simpler, faster and more digital for individuals, businesses and national administrations.  

  • People will be able to request all social security documents online, making it easier to access social security services when living, working or travelling in another EU country.  

  • Social security documents will be available digitally in a standard format, including through the European Digital Identity Wallet. People who do not use a digital wallet will still be able to receive their documents in a physical format with enhanced security features. 

  • People will have direct access to their social security documents, making it easier to check their social security situation and rights and helping to prevent fraud. 

  • People and businesses will receive social security documents within clear deadlines, helping to avoid delays in accessing benefits or carrying out activities across borders. 

  • National authorities will be able to verify social security documents instantly, making checks faster and helping to prevent fraud. 

  • Businesses sending employees to work temporarily in another EU country will face simpler procedures, with common information requirements when requesting a PD A1 and the possibility to reuse data from the EU portals for posting workers and road transport drivers.  

  • People will have greater certainty about when their social security claims will be processed, thanks to binding deadlines for national administrations. This will help reduce long waiting times, particularly when several EU countries are involved. 

Questions and Answers

Here is everything you need to know about digitalisation in social security coordination.

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Questions & answers
Everything you need to know about digitalisation in social security coordination.