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| March 18, 2019

Brexit and its effect on social and health insurance

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We currently do not know yet, how the Brexit situation will develop. A decision about extension until the end of June 2019 has so far been made in the Great Britain, but this postponement still needs to be approved by all EU countries. If the extension is achieved, the current rules will remain in operation. In terms of social security and health insurance, this mainly means the regulation on coordination of the social security systems no. 883/2004 and 987/2009. 

The Parliament has rejected no-deal departure. If this happened, though, after all, Great Britain would be in the position of a third country with certain advantages for persons, who were in a cross-border situation before Brexit date. A minimalist European regulation on arrangements for coordination of social security in case of no-deal departure of Great Britain from the EU is being prepared. In current form, this new regulation contains a rule of equal treatment, the principle of assimilation of facts and aggregation of the periods of insurance. The regulation will probably take effect from the date of Brexit. 

Due to the postponement, the option of accepting a deal with the EU is still there, however, the British Parliament has rejected it twice already. If this happens, all current rules regarding social security and health insurance will remain in force until the end of the year 2020. At the same time, the options of a new referendum or a significantly “softer” Brexit remain open still.