The PROGRESS Mutual Learning and Understanding Programme was launched on 29 May 2024. The programme is designed to support Member States to digitalise their work in the field of social security coordination and in the implementation of the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) system.
The programme is managed by the European Labour Authority, in collaboration with the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems and the Technical Commission for Data Processing. As the first initiative under this programme, ELA is delivering a series of seven online training sessions of the upcoming EESSI Data Model release. The first training took place on 29 May 2024.
The PROGRESS Data Model Training courses invite officials from the national administrations: national trainers, key users and key business people in charge of implementation of the Data Model Release in the Member States. The aim is to prepare the Member States for the Business changes introduced to EESSI system by the new version of its Data Model in every sector of social security: Legislation Applicable, Sickness, Accidents at Work and Occupational Diseases (AWOD), Pensions, Family Benefits, Unemployment Benefits and Recovery. The first training session was on Legislation Applicable and these trainings will extend throughout June 2024.
The Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI) system is a digital platform that facilitates the electronic exchange of information between national social security institutions, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of data transmission. Established in compliance with the EU Social Security Coordination Regulations, EESSI enables swift and secure communication among EU countries, ensuring a more effective and responsive system for benefits of both authorities and citizens. EESSI is used to exchange data which is necessary for the processing of social security claims and cases filed by EU nationals. It allows national institutions to grant social benefits like pensions, sickness, family and unemployment benefits to the persons in cross-border situations.
The system interconnects some 3.500 institutions in 32 participating countries: the 27 EU Member States, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
The PROGRESS programme is a joint initiative between the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems, the Technical Commission on Data Processing and the European Labour Authority to support the implementation and operation of the EESSI system in participating countries. By facilitating exchanges of successful national strategies and solutions of EESSI integration with domestic IT infrastructure in Member States and enhancing the clerks understanding and command of the system’s features, this programme contributes to safeguarding social rights of EU mobile citizens in cross-border situations.
The programme consists of four workstreams:
The programme also offers the possibility for study visits, and bi- or multi-lateral meetings between the interested countries to facilitate the learning and collaboration on the EESSI system.
Read more about ELA and Social security coordination: https://www.ela.europa.eu/en/topics/social-security-coordination
Read more about EESSI: https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1544&langId=en
List of upcoming activities: