Digitalisation of the coordination of social security systems and establishment of the European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS)

It affects workers, self-employed people, pensioners, unemployed people, and their family members who move or travel in the EU. It also affects employers, posted-worker businesses, healthcare providers, and social security institutions handling cross-border cases.

• Lets people and employers request covered social security documents fully online.
• Makes digital documents default, while keeping accessible physical documents with security features.
• Sets binding deadlines for issuing documents, including a 24-hour maximum for EHIC.
• Creates EESSI-based and fallback electronic exchanges, plus common data rules for A1 requests.

Takes effect

It enters into force on the twentieth day following publication; Chapter I applies to A1 after 12 months and to EHIC and other covered documents after 3 years.

Transitional law

Existing EHICs remain valid until expiry, but those still valid after 3 years must be replaced within 2 more years; some documents may be excluded from Chapter I by delegated act after assessment.

• Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 (32004R0883)
  • art. 72(d): deletes point (d)
  • art. 73: deletes Article 73
• Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 (32009R0987)
  • art. 4(1): deletes paragraph 1
  • art. 4(3): deletes the second sentence
• Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (32018R1724)
  • art. Annex II: inserts a new row for social security procedures