WRITTEN QUESTION No. 1346/98 by Viviane REDING to the Commission. Deduction of health insurance contributions from supplementary pensions received in another Member State
22. 12. 98 EN Official Journal of the European Communities C 402/115 (98/C 402/150) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1346/98 by Viviane Reding (PPE) to the Commission (29 April 1998) Subject: Deduction of health insurance contributions from supplementary pensions received in another Member State The general health insurance scheme contribution rates applied by the French CRIREP (Caisse RØgionale Interprofessionnelle de Retraite des Personnels › Regional Interprofessional Staff Retirement Fund) to beneficiaries resident outside France are almost four times as high as those applied to beneficiaries resident in France. This practice represents unjustified discrimination against cross-border workers resident in another Member State. The free movement of workers is one of the essential freedoms underlying the operation of the common market. In view of these facts: 1. Is the Commission aware of this discriminatory practice? 2. What measures does the Commission envisage taking in order to ensure that recipients of supplementary pensions living in or outside France are treated equally? Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (4 June 1998) In the matter of social security, Council Regulation (EC) 118/97 of 2 December 1996 amending and updating Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community and Regulation (EEC) 574/72 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 (1) protects the social security rights › pensions in particular › of persons moving within the Community. However, Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 (2) applies only to ástatutoryí pension schemes, i. e. those based on legislation. Supplementary schemes based on collective agreement, such as the one in question, are not covered by Regulation (EEC) 1408/71 and the provisions of that Regulation cannot therefore be invoked in this particular case. It should be noted that in 1998 the Commission is due to launch a simplification and reform of the rules coordinating Member Statesí social security systems, in the course of which the question of extending the scope of coordination will be examined. On 8 October 1997 the Commission, as a first step towards overcoming the obstacles to free movement linked to supplementary pensions, presented a proposal for a Directive on safeguarding the supplementary pension rights of employed and self-employed persons moving within the European Union (3). This proposal is at present before the Council for discussion, the European Parliament and the Economic and Social Committee having already delivered favourable opinions. (1) OJ L 28, 30. 1. 1997. (2) OJ C 149, 5. 7. 1971. (3) OJ C 5, 9. 1. 1998. (98/C 402/151) WRITTEN QUESTION E-1348/98 by Eolo Parodi (PPE) and Guido Viceconte (PPE) to the Commission Subject: Training and certification of flight service technicians (29 April 1998) Despite the fact that for years there has been gradual deregulation in the European aeroplane sector, there are still no Community › or in some cases national › rules on áerga omnesí licences and certification for flight service technicians. By analogy to what is being done for other AV and TA professionals such as air crews and weather forecasters, it now seems essential › also for safety reasons › to introduce European rules governing and harmonizing the sector