Working in another EU country
Residents of a Member State of the European Union have the right to freely choose their place of work within the EU and to have access to social benefits.
Legal framework
The free movement (of workers) is enshrined in the European treaties and is spelled out in more detail by EU Directives and Regulations
Free movement of workers
Mobile workers from the European Union enjoy comprehensive protection from discrimination on the grounds of their nationality.
Posting of workers
Posting of workers occurs if an employer who is based in another member state sends his employees to Germany for a specific period of time to perform work on his behalf there.
Access to social benefits and exclusion from benefits
Migrant EU workers may have access to tax-financed social benefits in another member state in the same way as its own nationals. However, the Free Movement Directive allows member states to limit this access to certain constellations so as to avoid undue burdens on member states’ social security systems.
Information and advice
Regardless of where you are insured, you have a right to benefits-in-kind in the case of illness such as medical services and medicine in your country of residence.
Social security coordination
You have plans for a stay in another EU country or in Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland? You would like to go there for work or as a tourist? Perhaps you would like to move to one of these countries? Maybe you would like to spend your retirement abroad? In these cases, you have to keep a couple of things in mind to be on the safe side when it comes to your social protection.
Fair mobility
Since 1 August 2011, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has been providing financial support to the counselling and information project "Fair Mobility - Actively promoting the free movement of workers in a social and fair manner".