Brussels, 07/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 6 April, the European Commission sent Germany a reasoned opinion requesting that it pay pension beneficiaries the full amount of pensions granted under a bilateral agreement when a citizen moves to another EU member state. The Commission considers that, by reducing the amount of pension paid to pensioners because they move residence to another member state, Germany is creating an obstacle to free movement. Germany has two months to bring its legislation into line with EU law, failing which the Commission may refer the case to the EU Court of Justice.
Context. The Commission contacted the German authorities after receiving a complaint from a former Bulgarian national, now a German national, who has lived in Germany for 50 years. Since 1988, he has been receiving a German old-age pension but the German pension institution has informed him that, if he takes up residence in Bulgaria, the amount of his pension transferred to Bulgaria will be reduced by more than one third, from over €650 to less than €400. The agreement between Germany and Bulgaria (before the latter's accession to the EU in 2007) provides for the payment of a differential supplement. (G.B./transl.jl)