On Wednesday 1 October, as the European Commission prepares its new work programme for 2026, the European Parliament once again expressed its concern at the potential withdrawal of the file on the coordination of social security schemes and the recasting of Regulation 883/2004.
The European Parliament’s rapporteur, Gabrielle Bischoff (S&D, German), raised the issue in a letter sent the same day to the President of the Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Vice-President, Roxana Mînzatu.
The German MEP refers to reports that the Commission is preparing to withdraw or re-examine legislative files that have been under negotiation for more than two years. This ‘883’ file has been on the table since 2016, and is therefore directly concerned.
She points out that, although the Danish Presidency of the Council of the EU clearly did not want to work on this file, “there is already close contact with the upcoming Presidency to prepare the ground for its finalisation”. The MEP reiterated her conviction that with the progress made under the last presidencies, this “file can be concluded”. The clear calls from the overwhelming majority of Member States, the European Parliament and all the social partners to bring this file to a conclusion show that the momentum is firmly in place, she added. To abandon the issue now would be to undermine the rights and expectations of millions of mobile workers.
This is the argument of the vice-president as well, who expressed confidence in the future of this file in an interview with Agence Europe on 18 September. The Cypriot Presidency is also said to be inclined to give this file the final push it needs. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)