Brussels, 30/09/2011 (Agence Europe) - Instances of discrimination in the social security systems of the United Kingdom and Slovakia have attracted the attention of the European Commission. On Thursday 29 September, the Commission decided to send each of the two states a reasoned opinion, calling on them to cease their discriminatory practices. In order to qualify for certain social security benefits in the UK, EU nationals are subject to the so-called “right to reside” test. The Commission says that this “contravenes EU law” as it constitutes an obstacle to the principle of freedom of movement. Slovakia stands accused of not taking account of earnings made abroad by a migrant Slovakian worker in calculating the level of her pension. After working in Austria for eight years, the person in question was allocated a pension based solely on her earnings in Slovakia, even though wage levels surged by 118% during the period she was working abroad. The Commission once again cites freedom of movement of workers as the reason behind its decision, it being the responsibility of the Slovakian authorities to update and revise the levels of their citizens' pensions to bring them into line with the national average. The two states now have two months to comply with EU law. If they fail to do so, they may be referred to the Court of Justice of the EU. (JK/transl.rt)