07/07/26 (Agence Europe) – On Tuesday 7 July, the European Parliament approved the revision of the EU rules on the coordination of social security schemes. MEPs approved the historic agreement reached on 22 April with the Council of the EU (see EUROPE 13859/11) by 511 votes to 87, with 61 abstentions. This update of the 2004 Regulation: - introduces more specific criteria for determining the social security legislation applicable to workers residing or working in another Member State; - encourages Member States to share the information needed to identify errors or fraud as a matter of urgency; and - entitles unemployed cross-border workers to receive benefits in their country of residence for a maximum period of six months, provided that the cross-border worker has been employed, self-employed and/or insured for an uninterrupted period of 22 weeks in the Member State where they were working. It will apply two years after the Regulation enters into force. (SP)