30.4.2014 Official Journal of the European Union L 128/1 (Legislative acts) DIRECTIVES DIRECTIVE 2014/50/EU OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 16 April 2014 on minimum requirements for enhancing worker mobility between Member States by improving the acquisition and preservation of supplementary pension rights (Text with EEA relevance) THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION, Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 46 thereof, Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission, Having regard to the opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee (), Acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure (%), Whereas: (1) The free movement of persons is one of the fundamental freedoms of the Union. Article 46 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) provides that the European Parliament and the Council, acting in accordance with the ordinary legislative procedure and after consulting the European Economic and Social Committee, are to issue Directives setting out the measures required to bring about freedom of movement for workers as laid down in Article 45 TFEU. Article 45 TFEU provides that the freedom of movement for workers entails, inter alia, the right to accept offers of employment and to move freely within the territory of Member States for this purpose. This Directive aims to promote worker mobility by reducing the obstacles to that mobility created by certain rules concerning supplementary pension schemes linked to an employment relationship. (2)  The social protection of workers with regard to pensions is guaranteed by statutory social security schemes, together with supplementary pension schemes linked to the employment contract which are becoming increas- ingly common in the Member States. (3)  The European Parliament and the Council have wide powers of discretion regarding the choice of measures which are the most appropriate when it comes to achieving the objective of Article 46 TFEU. The system of co- ordination provided for in Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 (°) and in Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council (*) and, in particular, the rules that apply to aggregation, do not relate to supplementary pension schemes, except for schemes defined as legislation in those Regulations, or which have been the subject of a declaration to that effect by a Member State pursuant to those Regulations. (4)  Council Directive 98/49/EC (°) represents an initial specific measure designed to improve the exercise of the right of freedom of movement for workers as regards supplementary pension schemes. () O] C185,8.8.2006, p. 37. (}) Position of the European Parliament of 20 June 2007 (O] C 146 E, 12.6.2008, p. 216) and position of the Council at first reading of 17 February 2014 (O] C 77 E, 15.3.2014, p. 1). Position of the European Parliament of 16 April 2014 (not yet published in the Official ournal). 0) ]Council Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 of 14 June 1971 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self- employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community (O] L 149, 5.7.1971, p. 2). (*) Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council ofy 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems (OJ L 166, 30.4.2004, p. 1). () Council Directive 98/49/EC of 29 June 1998 on safeguarding the supplementary pension rights of employed and self-employed persons moving within the Community (O] L 209, 25.7.1998, p. 46).