Fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination : reference year : 2016

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 in the reference year 2016, 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 prevent and combat 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. Fourthly, the report notes good practices, lessons learned and remaining issues or concerns when dealing with crossborder 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. Fifthly, the report summarises the examples of or proposals or suggestions for measures to improve the overall tackling of fraud and error in the field of social security coordination which National Contact Points (NCPs) can operationalise without the need for changes to national or EU law. Also some additional remarks, made by a few Member States, are inserted at the end of this report. Finally, the report contains an Annex I (National legislation relevant to preventing and combating 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) and an Annex II (Inventory of bilateral agreements and bilateral cooperation arrangements with other EU or EEA Member States entered into for the purposes of combating fraud and error within the framework of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and (EC) No 987/2009 on the coordination of social security systems).