Brussels, 26/07/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 26 July, the EU Council adopted, without debate, a regulation extending the scope of the Community provisions in force in the field of the coordination of social security schemes to nationals of third countries who, solely on the grounds of their nationality, are not already covered by these provisions. The text was adopted by qualified majority, the German, Austrian and Bulgarian delegations having voted against and the Czech delegation abstaining. The said regulation will ensure that the same rules for coordinating social security schemes are applied to third country nationals as those which apply to European citizens since the coming into force of Regulations (EC) No 883/2004 and (EC) No 987/2009. This is to avoid an extremely confusing duplication of having individuals and national administrations dealing with two different sets of rules and entitlements covering the coordination of social security systems between member states. (B.C./transl.rt)