Fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination : reference year : 2015

This study summarises the information provided by the Member States in their annual voluntary reports on their experience 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 steps taken throughout the year to combat and prevent fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination. Secondly, the aim of the country reports was to identify specific problems in implementing the EU coordination rules which may lead to, at least risks of, fraud and error. Thirdly, an outline is provided of the steps taken to promote compliance by institutions and healthcare providers with the coordination rules and to provide information to citizens, in the field of benefits in kinds. Finally, the report notes good practices, lessons learned and remaining issues or concerns when dealing with cross-border cooperation and information exchange within the framework of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and (EC) No 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems. Finally, the report contains an annex I (National legislation relevant to preventing and combatting social security fraud and error within the framework of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and (EC) No 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems, including the relevant definitions of fraud and error and penalties and sanctions that apply), annex II (Inventory of bilateral agreements and bilateral cooperation arrangements with other EU or EEA Member States entered into for the purposes of combatting fraud and error within the framework of Regulations (EC) Nos 883/2004 and 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems) and annex III (Quantitative data for reference year 2015 regarding fraud and error in cases determined under the Regulations, namely in cross-border aspects of social security).