Social welfare entitlements for people moving around the EU to live or work are regulated by EU regulations on the coordination of social insurance systems. Amongst other things, these regulations allow those who wish to go to another EU country to look for employment to continue to receive their unemployment benefits for up to 3 months. While the regulations provide that Member States may extend this period to six months, Ireland does not operate this further concession.
As part of a series of measures to encourage and facilitate free movement of EU citizens across the Union, the EU Commission has proposed that the export period should be standardised at six months. Legislation to effect this change has not yet been formerly proposed by the EU Commission but it is expected that this will happen later this year.
It is important that unemployed people are assisted in their efforts to secure employment and in this regard the facility to export benefits is an important support for those who wish to look for a job in another EU country. However, I am not convinced that allowing export of benefits for an extra three months will improve the prospects of a person seeking employment abroad. Therefore, I will examine any forthcoming proposal that extends this period on a mandatory basis very carefully.