Mobility of workers in the EU and pension rights: light and shadows under Pillar I

Pension entitlements are economically defined by our working life. Despite the important role they play, people do not think about their pensions while working because retirement seems so far away. However, citizens need to be aware of their retirement entitlement status because contribution gaps could either delay their entitlement or jeopardise the amount they receive. This scenario becomes even more complicated for mobile workers within the EU. The principle of the free movement of persons allows movement to another Member State to work or to look for employment. EU workers have “the freedom to seek employment, to work, to exercise the right of establishment and to provide services in any Member State”. Therefore, mobile workers may encounter complex legal frameworks given that their rights and obligations are determined by the national legislation of the country in which they reside or are employed. In the Chapter, we would like to focus our attention on statutory pension schemes (i.e., Pillar I) and the potential issues a migrant worker could encounter in moving around the EU.