Electronic exchange of social security information
Social security for migrants in the European Union is governed by Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems and Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems (hereinafter - coordination regulations). The coordination regulations cover all the main areas of social security (pensions, sickness, maternity, unemployment benefits, child benefits, etc.).
The coordination regulations provide for the exchange of the necessary data by electronic means between the implementing bodies. An Electronic System for the Exchange of Social Security Information (hereinafter referred to as the EESSI system) has been set up for this purpose. The EESSI system is intended for specialists of the competent institutions of the European Union countries. Connection to the EESSI system improves cross-border communication between competent institutions of European Union, European Economic Area Member States as well as Switzerland and the United Kingdom by introducing an electronic communication platform for secure and efficient exchange of information.
The EESSI system consists of European and national parts. The EESSI system is open to all countries of the European Union, the European Economic Area, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. National social security institutions develop their national information systems and connect to the EESSI system through access points.
Health insurance funds also uses the EESSI system since May 2020. In the European Union Social Security Data Exchange Information System (EDMIS) created documents are transmitted via EESSI to institutions implementing health insurance in other countries. In most cases, health insurance funds exchange information in order to find out whether a person is covered by social (compulsory) health insurance and is entitled to free necessary medical care and whether he or she is entitled to free health care in the state of residence.
The institutions of various countries that have joined the EESSI system can be found on the European Commission's website.
In January 2017, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour together with the project partners - the State Social Insurance Fund Board, the Employment Service, the National Health Insurance Fund under the Ministry of Health (NHIF) - launched the implementation of the Project financed together with the European funds for infrastructure network measures in the area of telecommunications - the EESSI National Part project No. 2016-LT-IA-0022.
Project implementation period - from 15 January 2017 until 14 January 2019 (initial). The project implementation deadline has been extended until 31 July 2019.
Project coordinator - Ministry of Social Security and Labour.
The institution administering the project - Central Project Management Agency.
The aim of the project - to create a national part of the EESSI system.
Joining the EESSI system aims to benefit society by speeding up the processing of citizens' applications, shortening the time taken to validate periods of social security acquired in other Member States, and the procedures for calculating benefits or compensation. Positive developments will also affect the competent social security institutions, as the EESSI system allows information to be provided in a standardized way, as structured electronic documents facilitate communication in different languages, and data can be checked and collected more rapidly and efficiently.
The Project has set up two national access points, which provide access to the European part of the EESSI system and send structured electronic documents to the competent authorities of other countries:
- The ApLT01 Access center connects the national competent institutions and the liaison bodies responsible for sickness benefits in kind, i.e. - personal healthcare;
- The ApLT02 Access center brings together the national competent institutions and liaison bodies responsible for social security benefits and pensions, family benefits, death grants and the determination of the applicable legislation.
Within the framework of the project, three national IT systems have been developed for filling in, sending, receiving and storing electronic structured documents.
The Ministry of Social Security and Labour has set up a national IT system for the exchange of structured electronic documents related to family benefits, death grants and long-term care benefits.
The Employment service is responsible for the national IT system for exchanging information related to registration with the labour exchange, maintaining the right to unemployment benefits, job search and other issues related to the coordination of unemployment benefits within the competence of the Employment Service.
The national IT system being developed by the NHIF is designed to exchange information related to health insurance and the provision of healthcare services.
Information about the Project and its implementation by the NHIF is provided by Augustas Venslavičius, Chief Specialist of the Information System Operation Division, tel. 85 2364161, E-mail [email protected]
Last updated: 28-05-2024