The pilot project to introduce a European Social Security Pass (ESSPASS), which was launched in March 2021 in partnership with the Italian National Institute for Social Security (INPS), is slowly getting underway according to a public information document from the Secretariat-General of the EU Council dated 13 October and intended for dissemination at the Employment and Social Policy Council (EPSCO) on 15 October.
Throughout its initial phase, the project is focussing on the digitalisation of social security coordination procedures linked to Portable Document A1 (which indicates the legislation that applies to the worker in question). For the time being, solutions are undergoing an analysis.
The aim is to build on the proposed framework for a European Digital Identity (EU eID) as well as the European Blockchain Services Infrastructure (EBSI) and the Single Digital Gateway (SDG) Regulation.
In addition to Italy, 12 other Member States have expressed their interest in the project, according to the document. However, to date, the authors are sorry to say that there have been no confirmed volunteers wishing to take part in the design and testing phases.
In May, the European Parliament adopted a report calling for the introduction of a digital European social security number in conjunction with a stronger European Labour Authority (see EUROPE 12723/23). In June, however, the European Commission confirmed that such a project would be abandoned (see EUROPE 12742/22).
To read the document: https://bit.ly/3lPu3LU (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)