Social security for migrant workers in the European Union

• Author: L. Manea/A.C. Manea
• Position: Transilvania University of Brasov/Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 161-166

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 10 (59) No. 2 - 2017

SOCIAL SECURITY FOR MIGRANT

WORKERS IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

L. MANEA1 A.C. MANEA2

Abstract: Using the comparative analysis method of the national social

security systems in the Member States, we propose to identify the minimum

social elements common to the social systems so that, regardless of the worker's

residence, the social protection of the worker is ensured as a right guaranteed

for employees for the work done.

Key words: worker's residence, migrant workers, social protection, national

social security systems

1. Introduction

The European Union currently provides a workforce of 234.2 million people at work

out of a total of over 500 million inhabitants (2016 figures indicated 512 million people

together with the UK), the employment rate being at the highest level and rising since

2008.The growth trend in the number of people at work is also due to the social measures

taken by the Member States regarding the social protection reform started in 2010 by

harmonizing national legislation and replacing the 1970s regulations, a trend that

continued despite the acute changes of the economic and political context of the past two

years (increased numbers of immigrants across the EU, certain economic crises in sectors

of activity, the political actions of the British separatists).

It has been proven that the EU's single market has led to significant reductions in the

prices of many services and products, consumers having a generous supply of products

and services, and creating new jobs (an estimated 2.8 million new jobs at the EU-level

has been generated by the single market) accessible to the citizens of the Member States

under people's freedom of movement.

Another characteristic of the current labour market in the EU is the pressure felt by the

young generation (20-40 years) who complains about a low social protection due to the

difficulties in finding a job, the need to ensure a steady income from work and the

exposure of the employee to all forms of atypical employment (part-time work, home

work, hiring agents / temporary work agents). Also, when it comes to women, there is a

higher exposure to atypical forms of employment, while another tendency with effects

from the perspective of social protection is the change of the young generation's mentality

1 Transilvania University of Braşov, manea@unitbv.ro

2 Transilvania Universit y of Brasov, a.c.manea@unitbv.ro