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Commissioner Andor commented: "The Council's endorsement of the proposed pension portability Directive is an important step towards ensuring that people can move to work in another Member State without losing their occupational pension benefits. People who exercise their right to free movement should not be penalised. This is important not only for the mobility of individuals, but also for the functioning of a genuine EU labour market. I now urge the European Parliament to adopt the Directive as soon as possible."
The Directive, as it has been agreed upon in Council, requires Member States to implement minimum requirements for the acquisition and preservation of pension rights for people who go to work in another Member State. Member States remain responsible for the conditions under which people change jobs within the same country but the Commission expects that Member States will decide to apply the standards laid down by this Directive also to internal mobility.
Eliminating barriers to the free movement of workers is part of the solution to tackling unemployment, as confirmed in the Commission's April 2012 Employment Package. The Council's agreement on the general approach paves the way for adoption of the Directive in the current mandate of the European Parliament.