Relationship between the EU coordination regulations and bilateral social security agreements

The coordination regulations within their scope of application supersede any social security agreement applicable between member states. Bilateral agreements continue to apply, however if they are in conflict with the regulations, they will not be applied.

This means in particular that

• if there is a rule to deal with the situation in both the bilateral agreement and the coordination regulations, then the rule in the regulations shall apply,

• if the rule in the agreement is in conflict with the rules in the regulations, then the coordination regulation shall apply,

• if bilateral agreements contain rules that are not covered in the coordination regulation and are not in conflict with it, then bilateral agreements shall apply.

Any exceptions set out in the Annexes to the coordination regulation.

A list of international social security agreements that are in force and are implemented by CSSA.