Fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination

This study summarises the information provided by Member States in their annual voluntary reports on their experiences and progress concerning cooperation on fraud and error, as provided for in Decision H5 of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems. The Member States' reports have been analysed with the aim of identifying several elements. First, particular attention goes to the definition of fraud and error in the field of social security coordination in the respective Member States. Secondly, the aim of the country reports was to determine the prevalence of fraud and error as two conceptually distinct phenomena in the Member States concerned. Next, insight was sought into the remaining issues associated to the implementation of the European coordination provisions, as a result of which fraud and error may arise, and the steps taken in this respect to prevent and combat fraud and error. Lastly, an overview was requested of the measures taken both internally and externally by means of bilateral agreements with other Member States, in handling fraud and error, as well as data protection concerns associated thereto. The report at hand provides an overview of these findings, allowing several conclusions to be drawn concerning fraud and error in the Member States in the past year.