European Convention on Social Security

The member States of the Council of Europe signatory hereto,

Considering that the aim of the Council of Europe is to achieve greater unity between its members, in particular for the purpose of facilitating their social progress;

Considering that multilateral co-ordination of social security legislation is one of the means of achieving that aim;

Considering that the European Code of Social Security, opened for signature on 16 April 1964, provides, in Article 73, that the Contracting Parties to the Code shall endeavour to conclude a special instrument governing questions relating to social security for foreigners and migrants, particularly with regard to equality of treatment with their own nationals and to the maintenance of acquired rights and rights in course of acquisition;

Affirming the principle of equality of treatment for nationals of the Contracting Parties, refugees and stateless persons, under the social security legislation of each Contracting Party, and the principle that the benefits under social security legislation should be maintained despite any change of residence by the protected persons within the territories of the Contracting Parties, principles which underlie not only certain provisions of the European Social Charter but also several conventions of the International Labour Organisation,

Have agreed as follows:

Title I – General provisions

Article 1

For the purposes of this Convention:

the term "Contracting Party" means any State which has deposited an instrument of ratification, of acceptance or of accession, in accordance with the provisions of Article 75, paragraph 1, or of Article 77;
the terms "territory of a Contracting Party" and "national of a Contracting Party" are defined in Annex I; each Contracting Party shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex I;
the term "legislation" means any laws, regulations and other statutory instruments which are in force at the time of signature of this Convention or may enter into force subsequently in the whole or any part of the territory of each Contracting Party and which relate to the social security branches and schemes specified in Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2;
the term "social security convention" means any bilateral or multilateral instrument by which two or more Contracting Parties are, or may subsequently be, bound exclusively, and any multilateral instrument by which at least two Contracting Parties and one or more other States are, or may subsequently be, bound in the field of social security in respect of all or of part of the social security branches and schemes specified in Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2, as well as any agreements concluded pursuant to the said instruments;
the term "competent authority" means the minister, ministers or other corresponding authority responsible for the social security schemes in all or any part of the territory of each Contracting Party;
the term "institution" means the body or authority responsible for applying all or part of the legislation of each Contracting Party;
the term "competent institution" means:

in relation to a social insurance scheme, either the institution with which the person concerned is insured when he claims benefit, or the institution from which he is entitled to receive benefit or would be entitled to receive benefit if he were resident in the territory of the Contracting Party where that institution is situated, or the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned;
in relation to a scheme other than a social insurance scheme, or in relation to a family benefits scheme, the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned;
in relation to a scheme concerning an employer's liability in respect of benefits referred to in Article 2, paragraph 1, either the employer or his insurer or, in default thereof, the body or authority designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned;

the term "competent State" means the Contracting Party in whose territory the competent institution is situated;
the term "residence" means ordinary residence;
the term "temporary residence" means a temporary stay;
the term "institution of the place of residence" means the institution empowered, under the Contracting Party's legislation which it applies, to pay the benefits in question at the place of residence or, where no such institution exists, the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned;
the term "institution of the place of temporary residence" means the institution empowered, under the Contracting Party's legislation which it applies, to pay the benefits in question at the place of temporary residence or, where no such institution exists, the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned;
the term "worker" means an employed person or a self-employed person or a person treated as such under the legislation of the Contracting Party concerned, unless otherwise specified in this Convention;
the term "frontier worker" means an employed person who is employed in the territory of one Contracting Party and resides in the territory of another Contracting Party where he returns in principle every day or at least once a week; provided that

as regards relations between France and the Contracting Parties bordering France, the person concerned must, to be deemed a frontier worker, reside and be employed within a zone which does not, in principle, extend more than twenty kilometres on either side of the common frontier;
a frontier worker employed in the territory of one Contracting Party by an undertaking which is his normal employer, who is sent by that undertaking to work outside the frontier area, either in the territory of the same Contracting Party or in the territory of another Contracting Party, for a period not expected to exceed four months, shall retain the status of frontier worker during such employment for a period not exceeding four months;

the term "refugee" has the meaning assigned to it in Article 1, Section A, of the Convention on the Status of Refugees, signed at Geneva on 28 July 1951, and in Article 1, paragraph 2, of the Protocol on the Status of Refugees of 31 January 1967, without any geographical limitation;
the term "stateless person" has the meaning assigned to it in Article 1 of the Convention on the Status of Stateless Persons, done at New York on 28 September 1954;
the term "members of the family" means the persons defined, or recognised as such, or designated as members of the household, by the institution responsible for paying benefits, or, in the cases referred to in Article 21, paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs a and c and Article 24, paragraph 6, by the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory they reside; where, however, this legislation regards only persons living with the person concerned as members of the family or members of the household, this condition shall be deemed to be satisfied if such persons are mainly maintained by the person concerned;
the term "survivors" means the persons defined or recognised as such by the legislation under which the benefits are granted; where, however, this legislation regards as survivors only persons who were living with the deceased, this condition shall be deemed to be satisfied, if the persons concerned were mainly maintained by the deceased;
the term "periods of insurance" means periods of contributions, employment, occupational activity or residence as defined or recognised as periods of insurance by the legislation under which they were completed, and any other periods, in so far as they are regarded by this legislation as equivalent to periods of insurance;
the terms "periods of employment" and "periods of occupational activity" mean periods defined or recognised as such by the legislation under which they were completed, and any other periods, in so far as they are regarded by this legislation as equivalent to periods of employment or occupational activity;
the term "periods of residence" means periods of residence as defined or recognised as such by the legislation under which they were completed;
the terms "benefits" and "pensions" mean all benefits or pensions including all components thereof provided out of public funds and all increases, revaluation allowances or supplementary allowances, unless otherwise specified in this Convention, and any benefits awarded for the purpose of maintaining or improving earning capacity, such lump sum benefits as are payable in lieu of pensions and, where applicable, any payments made by way of refund of contributions;
the term "family allowances" means periodical cash benefits granted according to the number and age of children; the expression "family benefits" means any benefits in kind or in cash granted to offset family maintenance costs, except the special birth grants explicitly excluded in Annex II; each Contracting Party concerned shall give notice in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex II in respect of any special birth grants provided by its legislation;
the term "death grant" means any lump sum payable in the event of death, other than the lump sum benefits mentioned in sub-paragraph v of this article;
the term "contributory" applies to benefits, the award of which depends either on direct financial participation by the persons protected or by their employer, or on a qualifying period of occupational activity, and to legislation or schemes which provide for such benefits; benefits, the award of which does not depend on direct financial participation by the persons protected or by their employer, or on a qualifying period of occupational activity, and the legislation or schemes under which they are exclusively awarded, are said to be "non-contributory";
the term "benefits granted under transitional arrangements" means benefits granted to persons who are over a given age on the date of entry into force of the legislation applicable, or benefits granted provisionally in consideration of events that have occurred or periods that have been completed outside the current frontiers of the territory of a Contracting Party.

Article 2

This Convention applies to all legislation governing the following branches of social security:

sickness and maternity benefits;
invalidity benefits;
old-age benefits;
survivors' benefits;
benefits in respect of occupational injuries and diseases;
death grants;
unemployment benefits;
family benefits.

This Convention applies to all general social security schemes and special schemes, whether contributory or non-contributory, including employers' liability schemes in respect of the benefits referred to in the preceding paragraph. Bilateral or multilateral agreements between two or more Contracting Parties shall determine, as far as possible, the conditions in which this Convention shall apply to schemes established by means of collective agreements made compulsory by decision of the public authorities.
Where schemes relating to seafarers are concerned, the provisions of Title III of this Convention shall apply without prejudice to the legislation of any Contracting Party governing the liabilities of shipowners, who shall be treated as the employers for the purposes of the application of this Convention.
This Convention does not apply to social or medical assistance schemes, to benefit schemes for victims of war or its consequences, or to special schemes for civil servants or persons treated as such.
This Convention does not apply to legislation designed to give effect to a social security convention concluded between a Contracting Party and one or more other States.

Article 3

Annex II specifies, in respect of each Contracting Party, the legislation and schemes referred to in Article 2, paragraphs 1 and 2.
Each Contracting Party shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex II as a result of the adoption of new legislation. Such notice shall be given within three months from the date of publication of such legislation or, in the case of legislation published before the date of ratification of this Convention, on the date of ratification.

Article 4

The provisions of this Convention shall be applicable:

to persons who are or have been subject to the legislation of one or more of the Contracting Parties and are nationals of a Contracting Party, or are refugees or stateless persons resident in the territory of a Contracting Party, as well as to the members of their families and their survivors;
to the survivors of persons who were subject to the legislation of one or more of the Contracting Parties, irrespective of the nationality of such persons, where these survivors are nationals of a Contracting Party, or refugees or stateless persons resident in the territory of a Contracting Party;
without prejudice to Article 2, paragraph 4, to civil servants and persons treated as such under the legislation of the Contracting Party concerned, in so far as they are subject to any legislation of that Contracting Party to which this Convention applies.

Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-paragraph c of the preceding paragraph, the categories of persons – other than members of the service staff of diplomatic missions or consular posts and persons employed in the private service of officials of such missions or posts – in respect of whom the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations provide for exemption from the social security provisions which are in force in the receiving State, shall not benefit from the provisions of this Convention.

Article 5

Subject to the provisions of Article 6, this Convention replaces, in respect of persons to whom it is applicable, any social security conventions binding:

two or more Contracting Parties exclusively; or
at least two Contracting Parties and one or more other States in respect of cases calling for no action on the part of an institution of one of the latter States.

However, where the application of certain provisions of this Convention is subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements, the provisions of the conventions referred to in sub-paragraphs a and b of the preceding paragraph shall remain applicable until the entry into force of such agreements.

Article 6

The provisions of this Convention shall not affect obligations under any convention adopted by the International Labour Conference.
This Convention shall not affect the provisions on social security in the Treaty of 25 March 1957 establishing the European Economic Community nor the association agreements envisaged under that Treaty nor the measures taken in application of those provisions.
Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5, paragraph 1, two or more Contracting Parties may keep in force, by mutual agreement and in respect of themselves, the provisions of social security conventions by which they are bound by specifying them in Annex III or, in the case of provisions relating to the application of these conventions, by specifying them in an annex to the Supplementary Agreement for the application of this Convention.
However, this Convention shall apply in all cases requiring action on the part of an institution of a Contracting Party other than those which are bound by the provisions referred to in paragraph 2 or in paragraph 3 of this article as well as in the case of persons who are entitled to benefits under this Convention and to whom the said provisions are not exclusively applicable.
Two or more Contracting Parties which are bound by the provisions specified in Annex III may, by mutual agreement and in respect of themselves, make appropriate amendments to this annex by giving notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1.

Article 7

Two or more Contracting Parties may, if need be, conclude with each other social security conventions founded on the principles of this Convention.
Each Contracting Party shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any convention which it concludes by virtue of the preceding paragraph, and of any subsequent amendment or denunciation of such a convention. Such notice shall be given within three months from the date of entry into force of that convention or its amendment, or from the date on which its denunciation takes effect.

Article 8

Unless otherwise specified in this Convention, persons who are resident in the territory of a Contracting Party and to whom the Convention is applicable shall have the same rights and obligations under the legislation of every Contracting Party as the nationals of such Party.
However, entitlement to non-contributory benefits, the amount of which does not depend on the length of the periods of residence completed, may be made conditional on the beneficiary having resided in the territory of the Contracting Party concerned or, in the case of survivors' benefits, on the deceased having resided there for a period which may not be set:

at more than six months immediately preceding the lodging of the claim, for maternity benefits and unemployment benefits;
at more than five consecutive years immediately preceding the lodging of the claim, for invalidity benefits, or immediately preceding death, for survivors' benefits;
at more than ten years between the age of sixteen and the pensionable age, of which it may be required that five years shall immediately precede the lodging of the claim, for old-age benefits.

If a person does not fulfil the conditions laid down in sub-paragraph b or sub-paragraph c of the preceding paragraph, but has been subject – or, in the case of survivors' benefits, if the deceased has been subject – to the legislation of the Contracting Party concerned for at least one year, that person or the survivors of the deceased shall nevertheless, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 27, be entitled to benefits calculated on the basis of the full benefit and up to an amount not exceeding it:

in the case of invalidity or death benefits, in proportion to the ratio of the number of years of residence completed by the person concerned or the deceased under the said legislation between the date on which he reached the age of sixteen and the date of his incapacity for work followed by invalidity or death, to two-thirds of the number of years separating those two dates, disregarding any years subsequent to pensionable age;
in the case of old-age pension, in proportion to the ratio of the number of years of residence completed by the person concerned under the said legislation between the date on which he reached the age of sixteen and the pensionable age, to thirty years.

Annex IV specifies, for each Contracting Party concerned, the benefits provided under its legislation to which the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of this article are applicable.
Each Contracting Party concerned shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex IV. If such an amendment results from the adoption of new legislation, such notice shall be given within three months from the date of publication of that legislation or, in the case of legislation published before the date of ratification of this Convention, on the date of ratification.
The provisions of paragraph 1 of this article shall not affect the legislation of any Contracting Party in so far as it concerns participation in social security administration or membership of social security tribunals.
Special measures may be adopted concerning the participation in voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance of persons not resident in the territory of the Contracting Party concerned, or the entitlement to benefits under the transitional arrangements specified in Annex VII.

Article 9

The benefit of the provisions of social security conventions which remain in force by virtue of Article 6, paragraph 3, and the provisions of social security conventions concluded by virtue of Article 7, paragraph 1, may be extended, by agreement between the Parties bound thereby, to nationals of every Contracting Party.
Annex V specifies the provisions of social security conventions which remain in force by virtue of Article 6, paragraph 3, and whose application is to be extended, in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present article, to nationals of every Contracting Party.
The Contracting Parties concerned shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of the provisions of the social security conventions concluded by them by virtue of Article 7, paragraph 1, whose application is extended, in accordance with paragraph 1 of the present article, to nationals of every Contracting Party. The provisions of the said conventions shall be indicated in Annex V.
Two or more Contracting Parties which are bound by the provisions specified in Annex V may, by mutual agreement and in respect of themselves, make appropriate amendments to this annex by giving notice thereof in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1.

Article 10

If the legislation of a Contracting Party makes admission to voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, the institution applying that legislation shall to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under the non-contributory scheme of any other Contracting Party, as if they had been periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party.

Article 11

Unless otherwise specified in this Convention, neither invalidity cash benefits, old-age or survivors' cash benefits, pensions in respect of occupational injuries or diseases, nor death grants, payable under the legislation of one or more Contracting Parties, shall be liable to reduction, modification, suspension, suppression or forfeiture by reason of the fact that the beneficiary is resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which the institution liable for payment is situated.
However, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 8, paragraphs 1 and 2, the invalidity, old-age or survivors' benefits specified in Annex IV shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph a or sub-paragraph b of paragraph 3 of the said Article 8, as the case may be, if the beneficiary is resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which the institution liable for payment is situated.
The provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of the present article shall not apply to the following benefits, in so far as they are specified in Annex VI:

special non-contributory benefits granted to invalids who are unable to earn a living;
special non-contributory benefits granted to persons not entitled to normal benefits;
benefits granted under transitional arrangements;
special benefits granted as assistance or in case of need.

Each Contracting Party concerned shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex VI. If such an amendment results from the adoption of new legislation, such notice shall be given within three months from the date of publication of that legislation or, in the case of legislation published before the date of ratification of this Convention, on the date of ratification.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the repayment of contributions conditional upon the person concerned having ceased to be subject to compulsory insurance, that condition shall not be regarded as fulfilled so long as that person is subject to compulsory insurance under the legislation of any other Contracting Party.
The Contracting Parties shall determine by means of bilateral or multilateral agreements the conditions of payment of benefits referred to in paragraph 1 of the present article due to persons enjoying rights under this Convention who are resident in the territory of a State which is not a Contracting Party.

Article 12

The rules governing changes in rates of benefits laid down in the legislation of a Contracting Party shall be applicable to benefits payable under such legislation in accordance with the provisions of this Convention.

Article 13

Except for benefits in respect of invalidity, old age, survivors or occupational disease which are paid by the institutions of two or more Contracting Parties in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 or of Article 47, sub-paragraph b, this Convention shall not confer or maintain entitlement to several benefits of the same nature or to several benefits relating to one and the same period of compulsory insurance.
Provisions in the legislation of a Contracting Party for the reduction, suspension or suppression of benefits where there is overlapping with other benefits or other income, or because of an occupational activity, shall apply also to a beneficiary in respect of benefits acquired under the legislation of another Contracting Party or in respect of income obtained, or occupation followed, in the territory of another Contracting Party. This rule shall not, however, apply to benefits of the same nature payable in respect of invalidity, old age, survivors or occupational disease by the institutions of two or more Contracting Parties in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 or of Article 47, sub-paragraph b.

Title II – Provisions which determine the legislation applicable

Article 14

In respect of persons coming within the scope of this Convention, the legislation applicable shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:

employed persons who are employed in the territory of a Contracting Party shall be subject to the legislation of that Party, even if they are resident in the territory of another Contracting Party or if the undertaking which employs them has its principal place of business, or their employer has his place of residence, in the territory of another Contracting Party;
workers who follow their occupation on board a ship flying the flag of a Contracting Party shall be subject to the legislation of that Party;
self-employed persons who follow their occupation in the territory of a Contracting Party shall be subject to the legislation of that Party, even if they reside in the territory of another Contracting Party;
civil servants and persons treated as such shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose administration they are employed.

Article 15

The rule stated in Article 14, sub-paragraph a, shall apply subject to the following exceptions or modifications:

employed persons who are employed in the territory of a Contracting Party by an undertaking which is their regular employer and who are sent by that undertaking to work for it in the territory of another Contracting Party shall remain subject to the legislation of the first Party provided that the expected duration of the work does not exceed twelve months and that they are not sent to replace other employed persons who have completed their period of employment abroad;
if the work to be carried out continues because of unforeseeable circumstances for a period longer than originally intended and exceeding twelve months, the legislation of the first Party shall remain applicable until the work is completed, subject to the consent of the competent authority of the second Party or of the body designated by it;

employed persons who are employed in international transport in the territory of two or more Contracting Parties as travelling personnel in the service of an undertaking which has its principal place of business in the territory of a Contracting Party and which, on behalf of others or on its own account, transports passengers or goods by rail, road, air or inland waterway, shall be subject to the legislation of the latter Party;
however, if they are employed by a branch or permanent agency which the said undertaking has in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the Party in whose territory it has its principal place of business, they shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the branch or permanent agency is situated;
if they are employed wholly or mainly in the territory of the Contracting Party where they are resident, they shall be subject to the legislation of that Party, even if the undertaking which employs them has neither its principal place of business nor a branch or permanent agency in that territory;

employed persons other than those in international transport who normally follow their occupation in the territory of two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory they reside if their occupation is carried on partly in that territory or if they are employed by several undertakings or by several employers having their principal places of business or their places of residence in the territory of different Contracting Parties;
in other cases, they shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the undertaking which employs them has its principal place of business or their employer has his place of residence;
employed persons who are employed in the territory of a Contracting Party by an undertaking which has its principal place of business in the territory of another Contracting Party and lies astride the common frontier of the Contracting Parties concerned shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the undertaking has its principal place of business.

The rule stated in Article 14, sub-paragraph b, shall apply subject to the following exceptions:

employed persons who are employed by an undertaking which is their regular employer, either in the territory of a Contracting Party or on board a ship flying the flag of a Contracting Party, and who are sent by that undertaking to work for it on board a ship flying the flag of another Contracting Party, shall remain subject to the legislation of the first Party, subject to the conditions laid down in paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a, of the present article;
workers who normally follow their occupation in the territorial waters or in a port of a Contracting Party on board a ship flying the flag of another Contracting Party but who are not members of the ship's crew, shall be subject to the legislation of the first Party; and
employed persons who are employed on board a ship flying the flag of a Contracting Party and who are paid in respect of this occupation by an undertaking having its principal place of business, or by a person having his place of residence, in the territory of another Contracting Party, shall be subject to the legislation of the latter Party if they reside in its territory; the undertaking or person paying the remuneration shall be considered as the employer for the purpose of the application of the said legislation.

The rule stated in Article 14, sub-paragraph c, shall apply subject to the following exceptions or modifications:

self-employed persons who reside in the territory of one Contracting Party and follow their occupation in the territory of another Contracting Party shall be subject to the legislation of the first Party:

if the second Party has no legislation applicable to them, or
if, under the legislation of the two Parties concerned, self-employed persons are subject to such legislation solely by reason of the fact that they are resident in the territory of those Parties;

self-employed persons who normally follow their occupation in the territory of two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory they are resident, if they work partly in that territory or if, under that legislation, they are subject to it solely by reason of the fact that they are resident in the territory of that Party;
where the self-employed persons referred to in the preceding sub-paragraph do not follow a part of their occupation in the territory of the Contracting Party where they are resident, or where, under the legislation of that Party, they are not subject to that legislation solely by reason of the fact that they are resident, or where that Party has no legislation applicable to them, they shall be subject to the legislation jointly agreed upon by the Contracting Parties concerned or by their competent authorities.

Where by virtue of the preceding paragraphs of this article, a worker is subject to the legislation of a Contracting Party in whose territory he does not work, that legislation shall be applicable to him as if he worked in the territory of that Party.

Article 16

The provisions of Articles 14 and 15 shall not apply to voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance.
Where the application of the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties would result in affiliation to a compulsory insurance scheme and at the same time permit membership of one or more voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance schemes, the person concerned shall be subject exclusively to the compulsory insurance scheme. However, in respect of invalidity, old age and death pensions, this Convention shall not affect the provisions of legislation of any Contracting Party permitting simultaneous affiliation to a voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance scheme and to a compulsory insurance scheme.
Where the application of the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties would result in the possibility of membership of two or more voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance schemes, the person concerned shall be admitted solely to the voluntary insurance or optional continued insurance scheme of the Contracting Party in whose territory he is resident or, if he is not resident in the territory of one of these Contracting Parties, to the scheme of that Contracting Party for whose legislation he has opted.

Article 17

The provisions of Article 14, sub-paragraph a, shall apply to members of the service staff of diplomatic missions or consular posts, and also to persons employed in the private service of officials of such missions or posts.
However, workers referred to in the preceding paragraph, who are nationals of a Contracting Party which is the sending State, may opt for the application of the legislation of that Party. Such right of option may be exercised only once, within the three months following the entry into force of this Convention or on the date on which the person concerned is engaged by the diplomatic mission or consular post or enters the private service of an official of that mission or that post, as the case may be. The option shall take effect on the date on which it is exercised.

Article 18

The competent authorities of two or more Contracting Parties may, by agreement, provide for exceptions to the provisions of Articles 14 to 17 in the interests of persons affected thereby.
The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraph shall, if need be, be subject to a request by the workers concerned and, where appropriate, by their employers. Moreover, such application shall be the subject of a decision by which the competent authority of the Contracting Party whose legislation is applicable confirms that the said workers are no longer subject to the aforesaid legislation and will henceforth be subject to the legislation of another Contracting Party.

Title III – Special provisions governing the various categories of benefits

Chapter 1 – Sickness and maternity

Article 19

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of the entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, the competent institution of that Party shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes admission to compulsory insurance conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under the non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, be taken into account, to the extent necessary, as if they were periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party.

Article 20

Persons who reside in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State and who satisfy the conditions for entitlement prescribed by the legislation of the latter State, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 19, shall receive in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they are resident:

benefits in kind, provided at the expense of the competent institution by the institution of the place of residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which the latter institution applies, as if these persons were affiliated to it;
cash benefits, paid by the competent institution in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if these persons were resident in the territory of the competent State. However, by agreement between the competent institution and the institution of the place of residence, cash benefits may also be paid through the latter institution, on behalf of the competent institution.

The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in respect of benefits in kind to members of the family who are resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State.
Benefits may also be paid to frontier workers by the competent institution in the territory of the competent State, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State, as if they were resident in its territory. However, members of their family shall be entitled to benefits in kind under the same conditions only if there is an agreement to that effect between the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties concerned, or failing that, except in case of emergency, if there is prior authorisation by the competent institution.
Persons to whom this article applies, other than frontier workers or members of their families, who are temporarily resident in the territory of the competent State, shall be entitled to benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State as if they were resident in its territory even if they were already receiving benefits for the same case of sickness or maternity before taking up their temporary residence.
Persons to whom this article applies who transfer their residence to the territory of the competent State shall be entitled to benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State, even if they were already receiving benefits for the same case of sickness or maternity before transferring their residence.

Article 21

Persons who satisfy the conditions for entitlement to benefits under the legislation of the competent State, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 19, and:

whose condition necessitates the immediate provision of benefits during temporary residence in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, or
who, having become entitled to benefits payable by the competent institution, are authorised by that institution to return to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State where they are resident or to transfer their residence to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, or
who are authorised by the competent institution to go to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State in order to receive the treatment required by their condition,
shall receive:

benefits in kind, provided at the expense of the competent institution by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation applied by the latter institution, as if these persons were affiliated to it, for a period not exceeding any period which may be prescribed by the legislation of the competent State;
cash benefits, paid by the competent institution in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if these persons were in the territory of the competent State. However, by agreement between the competent institution and the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence, cash benefits may be paid through the latter institution, on behalf of the competent institution.

a The authorisation referred to in sub-paragraph b of the preceding paragraph may be refused only if the move might prejudice the health or the course of medical treatment of the person concerned;
b the authorisation referred to in sub-paragraph c of the preceding paragraph shall not be refused when the requisite treatment cannot be given in the territory of the Contracting Party in which the person concerned resides.
The provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis, to members of the family in respect of benefits in kind.

Article 22

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the provision of benefits in kind to members of the family conditional on their being personally insured, the provisions of Articles 20 and 21 shall apply to members of the family of a person subject to that legislation only if they are personally affiliated to the same institution of the said Party as that person, or to another institution of the said Party which provides corresponding benefits.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the calculation of cash benefits shall be based on average earnings, the competent institution of that Party shall determine those average earnings exclusively on the basis of the earnings recorded during the periods completed under the said legislation.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the calculation of cash benefits shall be based on fixed earnings, the competent institution of that Party shall take account exclusively of such fixed earnings or, where appropriate, of the average fixed earnings corresponding to the periods completed under the said legislation.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the amount of cash benefits shall vary with the number of members of the family, the competent institution of that Party shall take account also of members of the family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, as if they were resident in the territory of the first Party.

Article 23

Unemployed persons who satisfy the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind under the legislation of the Contracting Party responsible for providing unemployment benefit, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 19, shall be entitled, together with the members of their families, to benefits in kind if they are resident in the territory of another Contracting Party. Such benefits in kind shall be provided by the institution of the place of residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies, as if the persons concerned were entitled to the benefits by virtue of that legislation, but the cost shall be borne by the competent institution of the first-mentioned Party.

Article 24

Where a person receiving a pension under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties is entitled to benefits in kind under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he is resident, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 19, such benefits shall be provided for him and for the members of his family by the institution of the place of residence at its own cost, as if he were a pensioner under the legislation of the latter Party only.
Where a person receiving a pension under the legislation of a Contracting Party or pensions under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, is not entitled to benefits in kind under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he is resident, he shall nevertheless be entitled to such benefits for himself, and for the members of his family, if he is entitled to them under the legislation of the former Party, or of one of the former Parties, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 19, or if he would be entitled to them if he were resident in the territory of one of those Parties. The benefits in kind shall be provided by the institution of the place of residence, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if the pensioner were entitled to the said benefits under that legislation, but the cost shall be borne by the institution as determined under the rules laid down in the following paragraph.
In the cases referred to in the preceding paragraph, the institution which shall bear the cost of the benefits in kind shall be determined according to the following rules:

where the pensioner is entitled to the said benefits under the legislation of one Contracting Party only, the cost shall be borne by the competent institution of that Party;
where the pensioner is entitled to the said benefits under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, the cost shall be borne by the competent institution of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the pensioner completed the longest period of insurance or residence; if by virtue of this rule two or more institutions would be liable for the cost of the benefits, the cost shall be borne by the institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation the pensioner was last subject.

Where the members of the family of a person receiving a pension under the legislation of a Contracting Party or pensions under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties are resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which the pensioner himself resides, they shall receive benefits in kind as if the pensioner were resident in the same territory, provided that he is entitled to such benefits under the legislation of a Contracting Party. The benefits in kind shall be provided by the institution of the place of residence of the members of the family under the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if they were entitled to such benefits under that legislation, but their cost shall be borne by the institution of the pensioner's place of residence.
Members of the family to whom the preceding paragraph applies who transfer their residence to the territory of the Contracting Party in which the pensioner resides shall be entitled to benefits under the provisions of the legislation of that Party even if they have already received benefits for the same case of sickness or maternity before transferring their residence.
A person receiving a pension under the legislation of a Contracting Party, or pensions under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, who is entitled to benefits in kind under the legislation of one of these Parties, shall, together with the members of his family, be entitled to such benefits:

during temporary residence in the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which they are resident, where their condition requires the immediate provision of benefit; or
where they have been authorised by the institution of the place of residence to go to the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which they are resident in order to receive the treatment required by their condition.

In the cases referred to in the preceding paragraph, the benefits in kind shall be provided by the institution of the place of temporary residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if the persons concerned were entitled to such benefits under that legislation, but the cost shall be borne by the institution of the pensioner's place of residence.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides for contributions to be deducted from the pension payable for the purpose of entitlement to benefits in kind, the institution of the Party which pays the pension shall be authorised to make such deductions if the cost of the benefits in kind is borne by an institution of that Party by virtue of this article.

Article 25

Where the legislation applied by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence provides for two or more sickness and maternity insurance schemes, the rules to be applied in respect of the provision of benefits in kind, in the cases covered by Article 20, paragraphs 1 and 2, Article 21, paragraphs 1 and 3, Article 23, and Article 24, paragraphs 2, 4 and 6, shall be those of the general scheme or, failing that, of the scheme for industrial workers.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the award of benefits dependent on the origin of the sickness, that condition shall not apply to persons covered by this Convention, irrespective of the territory of the Contracting Party in which they reside.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party fixes a maximum period for the award of benefits, the institution which applies that legislation may, where appropriate, take account of any period during which benefits have already been provided by the institution of another Contracting Party for the same case of sickness or maternity.

Article 26

The application of the provisions of Articles 20, 21, 23 and 24 as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion between those Parties of bilateral or multilateral agreements which may also contain appropriate special arrangements.
The agreements referred to in the preceding paragraph shall specify in particular:

the categories of persons to whom the provisions of Articles 20, 21, 23 and 24 shall apply;
the period during which benefits in kind may be provided by the institution of one Contracting Party, the cost being borne by the institution of another Contracting Party;
the special conditions governing the supply of prosthetic appliances, major aids and other major benefits in kind;
rules to prevent the overlapping of benefits of the same kind;
arrangements for the refund of benefits provided by the institution of one Contracting Party, the cost being borne by the institution of another Contracting Party.

Two or more Contracting Parties may agree that there shall be no refunds between the institutions in their jurisdiction.

Chapter 2 – Invalidity, old age and death pensions

Section 1 – Common provisions

Article 27

Where a person has been subject successively or alternatively to the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, the said person or his survivors shall be entitled to benefits in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, even if such persons would be entitled to claim benefits under the legislation of one or more Contracting Parties without these provisions being applied.

Article 28

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of residence, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party, and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of residence completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where, under the legislation of a Contracting Party, a person has been affiliated at the same time to a contributory scheme and to a non-contributory scheme for the same contingency, the institution of any other Contracting Party concerned shall have regard, in applying paragraphs 1 or 2 of this article, to the longest period of insurance or of residence completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the provision of certain benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance in an occupation covered by a special scheme or in a specified occupation or employment, only periods completed under a corresponding scheme, or, failing that, in the same occupation or, where appropriate, in the same employment, under the legislation of other Contracting Parties, shall be taken into account for the award of such benefits. If, notwithstanding periods completed in this way, the person concerned does not satisfy the conditions for entitlement to the said benefits, the periods concerned shall be taken into account for the award of benefits under the general scheme or, failing that, the scheme applicable to wage-earners or to salaried employees, as appropriate.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party, which does not make entitlement to benefits or the amount thereof subject to any specific period of insurance or employment but makes the provision of such benefits conditional on the person concerned or, in the case of survivors' benefits, the deceased, having been subject to that legislation at the time at which the contingency arose, that condition shall be considered fulfilled if the person concerned or the deceased, as the case may be, was subject at that time to the legislation of another Contracting Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the period of payment of a pension may be taken into consideration for the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to benefits, the competent institution of that Party shall to that end take account of any period during which a pension was paid under the legislation of any other Contracting Party.

Article 29

The institution of each Contracting Party to whose legislation the person concerned has been subject shall determine, in accordance with the legislation which it applies, whether such person satisfies the conditions for entitlement to benefits having regard, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 28.
If the person concerned satisfies those conditions, the said institution shall calculate the theoretical amount of the benefit he could claim if all the periods of insurance and of residence completed under the legislation of the Contracting Parties concerned, and taken into account for determining entitlement, in accordance with the provisions of Article 28, had been completed exclusively under the legislation which that institution applies.
However,

in the case of benefits the amount of which does not depend on the length of periods completed, that amount shall be taken to be the theoretical amount referred to in the preceding paragraph;
in the case of benefits specified in Annex IV, the theoretical amount referred to in the preceding paragraph may be calculated on the basis of the full benefit and up to an amount not exceeding it:

in the case of invalidity or death, in proportion to the ratio of the total periods of insurance and residence completed, before the contingency arose, by the person concerned or the deceased under the legislation of all Contracting Parties concerned and taken into account in accordance with the provisions of Article 28, to two-thirds the number of years which elapsed between the date on which the person concerned or the deceased reached the age of sixteen and the date on which occurred the incapacity for work followed by invalidity or the death, as the case may be, disregarding any years subsequent to pensionable age;
in the case of old age, in proportion to the ratio of the total periods of insurance and residence completed by the person concerned under the legislation of all the Contracting Parties concerned, and taken into account in accordance with the provisions of Article 28, to thirty years, disregarding any years subsequent to pensionable age.

The said institution shall then calculate the actual amount of the benefit payable by it to the person concerned on the basis of the theoretical amount calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 or of paragraph 3 of this article, as appropriate, and in proportion to the ratio of the periods of insurance or residence completed before the contingency arose under the legislation which it applies, to the total of the periods of insurance or residence completed before the contingency arose under the legislation of all the Contracting Parties concerned.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the amount of benefits or certain parts thereof shall be in proportion to the periods of insurance or residence completed, the competent institution of that Party may calculate those benefits or parts thereof directly, solely on the basis of the periods completed under the legislation which it applies, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 4 of this article.

Article 30

For the calculation of the theoretical amount referred to in Article 29, paragraph 2:

where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that benefits shall be calculated on the basis of average earnings, an average contribution, an average increase or on the basis of the ratio of the claimant's gross earnings during the periods of insurance to the average gross earnings of all insured persons other than apprentices, such average figures or ratios shall be determined by the competent institution of that Party solely on the basis of the periods completed under the legislation of the said Party or of the gross earnings received by the person concerned during those periods only;
where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that benefits shall be calculated on the basis of the amount of earnings, contributions or increases, the earnings, contributions or increases to be taken into account by the competent institution of that Party in respect of periods completed under the legislation of other Contracting Parties shall be determined on the basis of the average earnings, contributions or increases recorded for the periods completed under the legislation of the first Party;
where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that benefits shall be calculated on the basis of fixed earnings or a fixed amount, the earnings or the amount to be taken into account by the competent institution of that Party in respect of periods completed under the legislation of other Contracting Parties shall be equal to the fixed earnings or the fixed amount or, where appropriate, the average fixed earnings or fixed amount corresponding to the periods completed under the legislation of the first Party;
where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that benefits shall be calculated, in respect of certain periods, on the basis of earnings and, in respect of other periods, on the basis of fixed earnings or a fixed amount, the competent institution of that Party shall take into account, in respect of periods completed under the legislation of other Contracting Parties, the earnings or amounts determined in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph b or sub-paragraph c of this paragraph, as appropriate; where in respect of all the periods completed under the legislation of the first Party, the benefits are calculated on the basis of fixed earnings or a fixed amount, the earnings to be taken into account by the competent institution of that Party, in respect of periods completed under the legislation of other Contracting Parties, shall be equal to the notional earnings corresponding to the said fixed earnings or fixed amount.

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party embodies rules providing for the revaluation of the factors taken into account for the calculation of benefits, these rules shall apply, where appropriate, to the factors taken into account by the competent institution of that Party, in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraph, in respect of periods completed under the legislation of other Contracting Parties.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the amount of benefits shall vary with the number of members of the family, the competent institution of that Party shall take account also of the members of the family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, as if they were resident in the territory of the first Party.

Article 31

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 29, where the total duration of the periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of a Contracting Party is less than one year and where, taking into account only those periods, no entitlement to benefits exists under that legislation, the institution of the Party concerned shall not be bound to award benefits in respect of the said periods.
The periods referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be taken into account by the institution of each of the other Contracting Parties concerned for the purpose of applying Article 29, except paragraph 4 thereof.
However, where the application of the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article would have the effect of relieving all the institutions concerned of the obligation to award benefits, benefits shall be awarded exclusively under the legislation of the last Contracting Party whose conditions are fulfilled by the person concerned, regard being had to the provisions of Article 28, as if all the periods referred to in paragraph 1 of the present article had been completed under the legislation of that Party.

Article 32

Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 29, where the total of all periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of a Contracting Party is at least one year but less than five years, the institution of that Party shall not be bound to award old-age benefits in respect of the said periods.
The periods referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be taken into account, for the purpose of applying Article 29, by the institution of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the person concerned completed the longest period of insurance or residence, as if the periods in question had been completed under the legislation of that Party. Where, under this rule, the said periods would have to be taken into account by more than one institution, they shall be taken into account only by the institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation the person concerned was last subject.
The institution referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall transfer to the institution mentioned in paragraph 2, in final settlement, a lump sum equal to ten times the annual amount of the part-benefit payable by the last-mentioned institution, in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, in respect of periods completed under the legislation applied by the first institution. The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties concerned may agree on different arrangements for settling their liabilities in respect of such periods.
However, where the application of the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article would have the effect of relieving all the institutions concerned of the obligation to award benefits, benefits shall be awarded in accordance with the provisions of Article 29.
Where the combined application of the provisions of Article 31, paragraph 1, and of paragraph 1 of this article would have the effect of relieving all the institutions concerned of the obligation to award benefits, benefits shall be awarded in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 31, paragraphs 1 and 2.
The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties and shall be limited to cases in which the persons concerned have been subject exclusively to the legislation of those Parties.

Article 33

If the person concerned does not, at a given date, satisfy the conditions required by the legislation of all the Contracting Parties concerned, regard being had to the provisions of Article 28, but satisfies the conditions of the legislation of only one or more of them, the following provisions shall apply:

the amount of the benefits payable shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 4 or of paragraph 5 of Article 29, as appropriate, by each of the competent institutions applying legislation the conditions of which are fulfilled;
however,

if the person concerned satisfies the conditions of at least two legislations, without any need to include periods of insurance or residence completed under legislations the conditions of which are not fulfilled, such periods shall not be taken into account for the purpose of applying the provisions of Article 29, paragraphs 2 to 4;
if the person concerned satisfies the conditions of one legislation only, without any need to invoke the provisions of Article 28, the amount of the benefit payable shall be calculated exclusively in accordance with the provisions of the legislation the conditions of which are fulfilled, taking account of periods completed under that legislation only.

Benefits awarded under one or more of the legislations concerned in the case covered by the preceding paragraph shall be recalculated ex officio, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2 to 4 or of paragraph 5 of Article 29, as appropriate, as and when the conditions prescribed by the other legislation or legislations concerned are satisfied, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 28.
Benefits awarded under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties shall be recalculated, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article, at the request of the beneficiary, when the conditions prescribed by one or more of the legislations concerned cease to be fulfilled.

Article 34

Where the amount of the benefits a person would be entitled to claim under the legislation of a Contracting Party, disregarding the provisions of Articles 28 to 33, is greater than the total benefits payable in accordance with those provisions, the competent institution of that Party shall pay a supplement equal to the difference between the two amounts, and shall bear the whole cost thereof.
Where the application of the provisions of the preceding paragraph would have the effect of entitling the person concerned to supplements from the institutions of two or more Contracting Parties, he shall receive only whichever is the largest, and the cost shall be apportioned among the competent institutions of the Contracting Parties concerned according to the ratio between the amount of the supplement which each of them would have to pay if it alone had been concerned and the amount of the combined supplement which all the said institutions would have had to pay.
The supplement referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this article shall be regarded as a component of the benefits provided by the institution liable for payment. Its amount shall be determined once and for all, except where it may be necessary to apply the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of Article 33.

Section 2 – Special provisions concerning invalidity

Article 35

In the event of an aggravation of any invalidity for which a person is receiving benefits under the legislation of one Contracting Party only, the following provisions shall apply:

if the person concerned, since he began to receive benefits, has not been subject to the legislation of any other Contracting Party, the competent institution of the first Party shall be bound to award benefits, taking the aggravation into account, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies;
if the person concerned, since he began to receive benefits, has been subject to the legislation of one or more other Contracting Parties, benefits shall be awarded, taking the aggravation into account, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 28 to 34;
in the case referred to in the preceding sub-paragraph, the date on which the aggravation was established shall be regarded as the date on which the contingency arose;
if in the case referred to in sub-paragraph b of this paragraph the person concerned is not entitled to benefits from the institution of another Contracting Party, the competent institution of the first Party shall be bound to award benefits, taking the aggravation into account, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies.

In the event of an aggravation of any invalidity for which a person is receiving benefits under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, benefits shall be awarded, taking the aggravation into account, in accordance with the provisions of Articles 28 to 34. The provisions of sub-paragraph c of the preceding paragraph shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 36

Where, after the suspension of benefits, payment thereof is to be resumed, this shall be done by the institution or institutions which were liable for payment of the benefits at the time of the suspension, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 37.
Where, after the suppression of benefits, the state of health of the person concerned justifies the award of further benefits, such benefits shall be awarded in accordance with the provisions of Articles 28 to 34.

Article 37

Invalidity benefits shall, where appropriate, be converted into oldage benefits, on the conditions prescribed by the legislation or legislations under which they have been awarded and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 28 to 34.
Where, in the case referred to in Article 33, a recipient of invalidity benefits payable under the legislation of one or more Contracting Parties becomes entitled to old-age benefits, any institution liable for the payment of invalidity benefits shall continue to pay the recipient the benefits to which he is entitled under the legislation which it applies until such time as the provisions of the preceding paragraph become applicable in respect of that institution.

Chapter 3 – Occupational injuries and diseases

Article 38

Workers having sustained an occupational injury or contracted an occupational disease who reside in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State shall be entitled to receive in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they are resident:

benefits in kind, provided at the expense of the competent institution by the institution of the place of residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which the latter institution applies, as if these workers were affiliated to it;
cash benefits, paid by the competent institution in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if these workers were resident in the territory of the competent State. However, by agreement between the competent institution and the institution of the place of residence, cash benefits may also be paid through the latter institution, on behalf of the competent institution.

Benefits may also be paid to frontier workers by the competent institution in the territory of the competent State, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State, as if they were resident in its territory.
Workers to whom this article applies, other than frontier workers, who are temporarily resident in the territory of the competent State, shall be entitled to benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State as if they were resident in its territory even if they were already receiving benefits before taking up their temporary residence.
Workers to whom this article applies who transfer their residence to the territory of the competent State shall be entitled to benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that State even if they were already receiving benefits before transferring their residence.

Article 39

An accident on the way to or from work, which happens in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, shall be regarded as having happened in the territory of the competent State.

Article 40

Workers having sustained an occupational injury or contracted an occupational disease and:

who are temporarily resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, or
who, having become entitled to benefits payable by the competent institution, are authorised by that institution to return to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State where they are resident, or to transfer their residence to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, or
who are authorised by the competent institution to go to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State in order to receive the treatment required by their condition,

shall receive:

benefits in kind, provided at the expense of the competent institution by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence in accordance with the provisions of the legislation applied by the latter institution, as if these workers were affiliated to it, for a period not exceeding any period which may be prescribed by the legislation of the competent State;
cash benefits, paid by the competent institution in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, as if these workers were in the territory of the competent State. However, by agreement between the competent institution and the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence, cash benefits may be paid through the latter institution, on behalf of the competent institution.

The authorisation referred to in sub-paragraph b of the preceding paragraph may be refused only if the move might prejudice the health or the course of medical treatment of the worker;
the authorisation referred to in sub-paragraph c of the preceding paragraph shall not be refused when the requisite treatment cannot be given in the territory of the Contracting Party in which the worker resides.

Article 41

In the cases mentioned in Article 38, paragraph 1, and in Article 40, paragraph 1, the competent authorities of two or more Contracting Parties may agree to make the provision of prosthetic appliances, major aids and other major benefits in kind conditional upon authorisation by the competent institution.

Article 42

Where the legislation of the competent State provides for the payment of the cost of transporting the injured worker to his place of residence or to hospital, the cost of transport to the corresponding place in the territory of another Contracting Party where he is resident shall be borne by the competent institution, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies, provided that it has given prior authorisation for the said transport, due account being taken of the reasons justifying it.
Where the legislation of the competent State provides for the payment of the cost of transporting the body of a deceased worker to the place of burial, the cost of transport to the corresponding place in the territory of another Contracting Party where the deceased was resident shall be borne by the competent institution, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies.
The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties. Such agreements shall specify the categories of persons to whom the said provisions shall apply and the arrangements for apportioning the transport costs between the Contracting Parties concerned.

Article 43

Where no insurance scheme covering occupational injuries or diseases exists in the territory of the Contracting Party where the worker happens to be or where an insurance scheme exists but has no institution responsible for the provision of benefits in kind, such benefits shall be provided by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence responsible for providing benefits in kind in the event of sickness.
Where the legislation of the competent State provides that benefits in kind shall not be completely free unless use is made of the medical service organised by the employer, the benefits in kind provided in the cases referred to in Article 38, paragraph 1, and in Article 40, paragraph 1, shall be deemed to have been provided by such medical service.
Where the legislation of the competent State embodies an employers' liability scheme, the benefits in kind provided in the cases referred to in Article 38, paragraph 1, and in Article 40, paragraph 1, shall be deemed to have been provided at the request of the competent institution.
Where the legislation of one Contracting Party explicitly or implicitly provides that previous occupational injuries or diseases shall be taken into account in the assessment of the degree of incapacity, the competent institution of that Party shall also take into account for this purpose occupational injuries or diseases previously recognised in accordance with the legislation of any other Contracting Party, as if they had occurred under the legislation which that institution applies.

Article 44

Where the legislation applied by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence embodies two or more compensation schemes, the rules to be applied in respect of the provision of benefits in kind, in the cases referred to in Article 38, paragraph 1, and in Article 40, paragraph 1, shall be those of the general scheme or, failing that, of the scheme for industrial workers.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party fixes a maximum period for the provision of benefits, the institution which applies that legislation may, where appropriate, take account of any period during which benefits have already been provided by the institution of another Contracting Party for the same case of occupational injury or disease.

Article 45

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the calculation of cash benefits shall be based on average earnings, the competent institution of that Party shall determine those average earnings exclusively on the basis of the earnings recorded during the period completed under the said legislation.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the calculation of cash benefits shall be based on fixed earnings, the competent institution of that Party shall take account exclusively of such fixed earnings or, where appropriate, of the average fixed earnings corresponding to the periods completed under the said legislation.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the amount of cash benefits shall vary with the number of members of the family, the competent institution of that Party shall take account also of members of the family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, as if they were resident in the territory of the first Party.

Article 46

If a worker having contracted an occupational disease has followed, under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, an occupation liable to cause such a disease, the benefits to which he or his survivors may be entitled shall be awarded exclusively under the legislation of the last of the said Parties the conditions of which they fulfil, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 of this article.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes entitlement to benefits for occupational diseases conditional upon the disease in question being first diagnosed in its territory, that condition shall be deemed to have been fulfilled if this disease was first diagnosed in the territory of another Contracting Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party explicitly or implicitly makes entitlement to benefits for occupational diseases conditional upon the disease in question being diagnosed within a specified period after the termination of the last occupation liable to have caused it, the competent institution of that Party, when ascertaining the time at which the occupation in question was followed, shall take account to the extent necessary of any occupation of the same kind followed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party, as if it had been followed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party explicitly or implicitly makes entitlement to benefits for occupational diseases conditional upon an occupation liable to cause the disease in question having been followed for a specified period, the competent institution of that Party shall take account, to the extent necessary, for the purpose of adding periods together, of periods during which such an occupation was followed in the territory of any other Contracting Party.
The application of the provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of this article as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties. Such agreements shall specify the occupational diseases to which these provisions shall be applicable and the arrangements for apportioning the cost of the benefits between the Contracting Parties concerned.

Article 47

Where a worker having contracted an occupational disease has received or is receiving compensation paid by the institution of a Contracting Party, and, in the event of an aggravation of his condition, claims benefits from the institution of another Contracting Party, the following provisions shall apply:

where the worker has not followed, under the legislation of the second Party, an occupation liable to cause or to aggravate the disease in question, the competent institution of the first Party shall bear the cost of the benefits, taking the aggravation into account, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies;
where the worker followed such an occupation under the legislation of the second Party, the competent institution of the first Party shall bear the cost of the benefits, leaving the aggravation out of account, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which it applies; the competent institution of the second Party shall award to the worker a supplementary benefit the amount of which shall be equal to the difference between the amount of the benefits due after the aggravation and the amount of the benefits that would have been due before the aggravation, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies, if the disease in question had been contracted under the legislation of that Party.

Article 48

The competent institution shall be bound to refund the cost of benefits in kind provided on its behalf by virtue of Article 38, paragraph 1, and Article 40, paragraph 1.
The refund referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be determined and made under arrangements to be agreed between the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties.
Two or more Contracting Parties may agree that there shall be no refunds between the institutions in their jurisdiction.

Chapter 4 – Death grants

Article 49

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to death grants conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to death grants conditional upon the completion of periods of residence, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and, where appropriate, of periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under non-contributory schemes of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of residence completed under the legislation of the first Party.

Article 50

Where a person dies in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, the death shall be deemed to have occurred in the territory of the competent State.
The competent institution shall provide death grants due under the legislation which it applies, even if the beneficiary resides in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State.
The provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply also where death results from an occupational injury or disease.

Chapter 5 – Unemployment

Article 51

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance, employment or occupational activity completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the first Party, provided however that, in the case of periods of employment or occupational activity, these periods would have been considered as periods of insurance if they had been completed under the last mentioned legislation.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of employment, occupational activity or residence, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of insurance, employment or occupational activity completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of employment, occupational activity or residence completed under the legislation of the first Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the provision of certain benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of insurance in an occupation covered by a special scheme, only periods completed under a corresponding scheme, or, failing that, in the same occupation under the legislation of other Contracting Parties, shall be taken into account for the provision of such benefits. If, notwithstanding periods completed in this way, the person concerned does not satisfy the conditions for entitlement to the said benefits, the periods concerned shall be taken into account for the provision of benefits under the general scheme.
The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article is subject to the condition that the person concerned was last subject to the legislation of the Contracting Party under which the benefits are claimed, except in the cases referred to in Article 53, paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs a.ii and b.ii.

Article 52

Unemployed workers who satisfy the conditions for entitlement to benefits prescribed by the legislation of one Contracting Party in respect of the completion of periods of insurance, employment, occupational activity or residence, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 51, and who transfer their residence to the territory of another Contracting Party, shall be deemed to satisfy also the conditions for entitlement to benefits prescribed by the legislation of the second Party in this respect, provided that they lodge a claim with the institution of their new place of residence within thirty days of their transfer of residence. The benefits shall be paid by the institution of the place of residence, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies, the cost being borne by the competent institution of the first Party.

Article 53

Without prejudice to the provisions of Article 52, an unemployed worker who, during his last employment, was resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State shall receive benefits in accordance with the following provisions:

a frontier worker, whose unemployment in the undertaking which employs him is partial or incidental, shall receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the competent State, as if he were resident in the territory of that State, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 51; such benefits shall be paid by the competent institution;
a frontier worker who is wholly unemployed shall receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he is resident, as if he had been subject to that legislation during his last employment, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 51; such benefits shall be paid by the institution of the place of residence;

a worker, other than a frontier worker, who becomes partially, incidentally or wholly unemployed and remains available to his employer or to the employment services in the territory of the competent State, shall receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the competent State, as if he were resident in the territory of that State, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 51; such benefits shall be paid by the competent institution;
a worker, other than a frontier worker, who becomes wholly unemployed and makes himself available to the employment services in the territory of the Contracting Party where he is resident, or returns to that territory, shall receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that Party, as if he had been subject to that legislation during his last employment, regard being had, where appropriate, to the provisions of Article 51; such benefits shall be paid by the institution of the place of residence;
however, if the worker referred to in sub-paragraph b.ii of this paragraph has become entitled to benefits from the competent institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he was last subject, he shall receive benefits in accordance with the provisions of Article 52, as if he had transferred his residence to the territory of the Contracting Party referred to in sub-paragraph b.ii of this paragraph.

As long as an unemployed worker is entitled to benefits by virtue of sub-paragraphs a.i or b.i of the preceding paragraph, he shall not be entitled to benefits under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides.

Article 54

Where, in the cases referred to in Article 52 and in Article 53, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b.iii, the legislation applied by the institution of the place of residence prescribes a maximum period for the award of benefits, the said institution may, where appropriate, take account of any period during which benefits have already been paid by the institution of another Contracting Party since entitlement to benefits was last established.

Article 55

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the calculation of benefits shall be based on the amount of previous earnings, the institution which applies that legislation shall take account exclusively of the earnings of the worker concerned in the last occupation which he followed in the territory of the said Party or, if he was not last employed in that territory for at least four weeks, of the corresponding normal wage at his place of residence, for work equivalent or similar to his last occupation in the territory of another Contracting Party.
Where the legislation of a Contracting Party provides that the amount of benefits shall vary with the number of members of the family, the institution which applies that legislation shall take account also of the members of the family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, as if they were resident in the territory of the first Party.
Where the legislation applied by the institution of the place of residence provides that the time during which benefits are payable shall depend on the length of the periods completed, the time during which benefits are payable shall be determined with due regard, where appropriate, to the provisions of paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of Article 51.

Article 56

The application of the provisions of Articles 52 to 54 as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion between those Parties of bilateral or multilateral agreements which may also contain appropriate special arrangements.
The agreements referred to in the preceding paragraph shall specify in particular:

the categories of persons to whom the provisions of Articles 52 to 54 shall apply;
the period during which benefits may be paid by the institution of one Contracting Party, the cost being borne by the institution of another Contracting Party;
arrangements for the refund of benefits provided by the institution of one Contracting Party where the cost is to be borne by the institution of another Contracting Party.

Two or more Contracting Parties may agree that there shall be no refunds between the institutions in their jurisdiction.

Chapter 6 – Family benefits

Article 57

Where the legislation of a Contracting Party makes the entitlement to benefits conditional upon the completion of periods of employment, occupational activity or residence, the institution which applies that legislation shall, to that end, for the purpose of adding periods together, take account, to the extent necessary, of periods of employment, occupational activity or residence completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party, as if they were periods of employment, occupational activity or residence completed under the legislation of the first Party.

Article 58

The application of the provisions of Section 1 or Section 2 of this chapter as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion between those Parties of bilateral or multilateral agreements which may also contain appropriate special arrangements.
The agreements referred to in the preceding paragraph shall specify in particular:

the categories of persons to whom the provisions of Articles 59 to 62 shall apply;
rules to prevent the overlapping of benefits of the same kind;
where appropriate, the maintenance of rights acquired by virtue of social security conventions.

Section 1 – Family allowances

Article 59

For the purpose of the application of this article and of Article 60, the term "children" shall, within the limits prescribed in the legislation of the Contracting Party concerned, mean:

legitimate children, legitimised children, acknowledged illegitimate children, adopted children and orphaned grandchildren of the beneficiary;
legitimate children, legitimised children, acknowledged illegitimate children, adopted children and orphaned grandchildren of the beneficiary's spouse, on condition that they are living in the beneficiary's household in the territory of a Contracting Party.

Persons subject to the legislation of one Contracting Party, having children who are resident or are being brought up in the territory of another Contracting Party, shall be entitled in respect of such children to the family allowances provided for by the legislation of the first Party, as if these children were permanently resident or were being brought up in the territory of that Party.
However, in the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, the amount of the family allowances may be limited to the amount of family allowances provided for by the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the children are resident or are being brought up.
For the purpose of applying the provisions of the preceding paragraph, the comparison of the amounts of family allowances payable under the two legislations concerned shall be made on the basis of the total number of children of the same beneficiary. Where the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the children are resident or are being brought up provides for different family allowances rates for different categories of beneficiaries, regard shall be had to the amounts that would be payable if the beneficiary were subject to that legislation.
The provisions of paragraphs 3 and 4 of this article shall not be applicable to an employed person covered by Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a, in respect of such children as accompany him to the territory of the Contracting Party where he is sent to work.
Family allowances shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the Contracting Party to which the beneficiary is subject, even if the physical or legal person to whom the allowances are payable resides or is temporarily in the territory of another Contracting Party.

Article 60

Unemployed workers drawing unemployment benefits at the expense of the institution of one Contracting Party, and having children who are resident or are being brought up in the territory of another Contracting Party, shall be entitled, in respect of such children, to the family allowances payable in that contingency under the legislation of the first Party, as if they were resident or were being brought up in the territory of this Party.
In the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, the provisions of Article 59, Paragraphs 1, 3, 4 and 6 shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Section 2 – Family benefits

Article 61

Persons who are subject to the legislation of a Contracting Party shall be entitled, in respect of members of their family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, to the benefits provided under the legislation of the latter Party, as if these persons were subject to that Party's legislation. Such benefits shall be paid to the members of the family by the institution of their place of residence, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies, and the cost shall be borne by the competent institution.
Notwithstanding the provisions of the preceding paragraph, an employed person to whom Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a, refers shall be entitled, in respect of such members of his family as accompany him to the territory of the Contracting Party where he is sent to work, to the benefits provided under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he remains subject. Such benefits shall be paid by the competent institution of the latter Party. However, by agreement between the competent institution and the institution of the place of residence, the benefits may also be paid through the latter institution, on behalf of the competent institution.

Article 62

Unemployed workers drawing unemployment benefits payable by an institution of a Contracting Party shall be entitled, in respect of members of their family resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, to the family benefits payable under the legislation of the latter Party provided that, under the legislation of the first Party, family benefits are payable in the event of unemployment. The family benefits shall be paid to the members of the family by the institution of their place of residence, in accordance with the provisions of the legislation which that institution applies, and the cost shall be borne by the competent institution of the first Party.

Article 63

In those cases where the provisions of this section are applied between two or more Contracting Parties, the bilateral or multilateral agreements referred to in Article 58, paragraph 1, shall specify the arrangements for the refund of benefits provided by the institution of one Contracting Party where the cost is to be borne by the institution of another Contracting Party.
Two or more Contracting Parties may agree that there shall be no refunds between the institutions in their jurisdiction.

Title IV – Miscellaneous provisions

Article 64

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties shall communicate to each other:

all information regarding measures taken by them for the application of this Convention; and
all information regarding changes made in their legislation which may affect the application of this Convention.

For the purpose of applying this Convention, the authorities and institutions of the Contracting Parties shall assist one another as if it were a matter of applying their own legislation. In principle the administrative assistance furnished by the said authorities and institutions to one another shall be free of charge. However, the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties may agree to reimburse certain expenses.
The authorities and institutions of the Contracting Parties may, for the purpose of applying this Convention, communicate directly with one another and with the individuals concerned or their representatives.
The authorities, institutions and jurisdictions of one Contracting Party may not reject claims or other documents submitted to them by reason of the fact that they are written in an official language of another Contracting Party.

Article 65

Any exemption from, or reduction of, taxes, stamp duty, legal dues or registration fees provided for in the legislation of one Contracting Party in connection with certificates or documents required to be produced for the purposes of the legislation of that Party shall be extended to similar certificates and documents required to be produced for the purposes of the legislation of another Contracting Party or of this Convention.
All official instruments, documents or certificates of any kind that are required to be produced for the purposes of this Convention shall be exempt from authentication or any similar formality.

Article 66

Where a claimant is resident in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, he may validly present his claim to the institution of his place of residence, which shall refer it to the competent institution or institutions mentioned in the claim.
Any claim, declaration or appeal that should have been submitted, under the legislation of a Contracting Party, within a specified time to an authority, institution or jurisdiction of that Party shall be admissible if it is submitted within the same period to an authority, institution or jurisdiction of another Contracting Party. In such event, the authority, institution or jurisdiction receiving the claim, declaration or appeal shall forward it without delay to the competent authority, institution or jurisdiction of the first Party, either directly or through the intermediary of the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties concerned. The date on which any claim, declaration or appeal was submitted to an authority, institution or jurisdiction of the second Contracting Party shall be deemed to be the date of its submission to the authority, institution or jurisdiction competent to deal with it.

Article 67

Medical examinations prescribed by the legislation of one Contracting Party may be carried out, at the request of the institution which applies this legislation, in the territory of another Contracting Party, by the institution of the place of temporary residence or residence. In such event, they shall be deemed to have been carried out in the territory of the first Party.
The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraph as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties.

Article 68

Where, under this Convention, the institution of one Contracting Party is liable to pay cash benefits to a beneficiary who is in the territory of another Contracting Party, its liability shall be expressed in the currency of the first Party. That institution may validly discharge its liability in the currency of the second Party.
Where, under this Convention, the institution of one Contracting Party is liable to pay sums in refund of benefits provided by the institution of another Contracting Party, its liability shall be expressed in the currency of the second Party. The first institution may validly discharge its liability in that currency, unless the Contracting Parties concerned have agreed on other arrangements.
Transfers of funds which result from the application of this Convention shall be effected in accordance with the relevant agreements in force between the Contracting Parties concerned at the date of transfer. Failing such agreements, the arrangements for effecting such transfers shall be agreed between the said Parties.

Article 69

For the calculation of the amount of contributions due to the institution of a Contracting Party, account shall be taken, where appropriate, of any income received in the territory of any other Contracting Party.
The recovery of contributions due to the institution of one Contracting Party may be effected in the territory of another Contracting Party in accordance with the administrative procedures and subject to the guarantees and privileges applicable to the recovery of contributions due to a corresponding institution of the latter Party.
The application of the provisions of paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties. Such agreements may also deal with legal procedure for recovery.

Article 70

Where a person is receiving benefits under the legislation of one Contracting Party in respect of an injury caused or sustained in the territory of another Contracting Party, the rights of the institution liable to pay benefits against the third party liable to pay damages shall be regulated in the following manner:

where the said institution, under the legislation applicable to it, is substituted for the beneficiary in any rights which he may have against the third party, such substitution shall be recognised by every other Contracting Party; and
where the said institution has a direct right against the third party, such right shall be recognised by every other Contracting Party.

The application of the provisions of the preceding paragraph as between two or more Contracting Parties shall be subject to the conclusion of bilateral or multilateral agreements between those Parties.
The rules governing the liability of employers or their agents in the case of occupational injuries or accidents on the way to or from work which happen in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State shall be determined by agreement between the Contracting Parties concerned.

Article 71

Any dispute arising between two or more Contracting Parties as to the interpretation or application of this Convention shall first of all be the subject of negotiations between the Parties to the dispute.
If one of the Parties to the dispute considers that there is a question likely to affect all the Contracting Parties, the Parties to the dispute jointly, or failing that, one of them, shall submit it to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which shall give an opinion on the question within six months.
If it has not proved possible to settle the dispute either, as the case may be, within six months from the request for the opening of negotiations as prescribed by paragraph 1 of this article, or within three months from the communication to the Contracting Parties of the opinion given by the Committee of Ministers, the dispute may be the subject of arbitration proceedings before one arbitrator, at the request of any Party to the dispute. The requesting Party shall notify the other Party, through the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, of the subject matter of the request it intends to refer to arbitration and of the grounds on which the request is based.
Unless otherwise agreed by the Parties to the dispute, the arbitrator shall be appointed by the President of the European Court of Human Rights. The arbitrator shall not be a national of one of the Parties to the dispute, nor have his usual place of residence in the territory of these Parties, nor be employed by them, nor have dealt with the case in another capacity.
If, in the case referred to in the preceding paragraph, the President of the European Court of Human Rights is unable to act or is a national of one of the Parties to the dispute, the arbitrator shall be appointed by the Vice-President of the Court or by the most senior member of the Court who is not unable to act and is not a national of one of the Parties to the dispute.
Failing a special agreement between the Parties to the dispute, or failing a sufficiently precise agreement, the arbitrator shall give his decision on the basis of the provisions of this Convention, taking due account of the general principles of international law.
The arbitrator's decision shall be binding and final.

Article 72

Annex VII specifies, for each Contracting Party concerned, the particular measures for the application of its legislation.
Each Contracting Party concerned shall give notice, in accordance with the provisions of Article 81, paragraph 1, of any amendment to be made to Annex VII. If such an amendment results from the adoption of new legislation, notice shall be given within three months from the date of publication of that legislation or, in the case of legislation published before the date of ratification of this Convention, on the date of ratification.

Article 73

The annexes referred to in Article 1, sub-paragraph b, Article 3, paragraph 1, Article 6, paragraph 3, Article 8, paragraph 4, Article 9, paragraph 2, Article 11, paragraph 3, and Article 72, paragraph 1, and any subsequent amendments made to these annexes, shall be an integral part of this Convention.
Any amendment to the annexes referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be considered as adopted if, within the three months following the notification provided for in Article 81, paragraph 2, sub-paragraph d, of this Convention, no Contracting Party or signatory State has opposed it by notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
In the event of such opposition being notified to the Secretary General, the question shall be settled in accordance with a procedure to be established by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe.

Title V – Transitional and final provisions

Article 74

This Convention shall confer no rights for any period before its entry into force in respect of the Contracting Party or Parties concerned.
All periods of insurance and, where appropriate, of employment, occupational activity or residence completed under the legislation of a Contracting Party before the date on which this Convention enters into force shall be taken into account for the purpose of determining rights arising from this Convention.
Subject to the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article, rights may arise under this Convention even in respect of a contingency which arose before its entry into force.
Any benefit which has not been provided or which has been suspended on account of the nationality of the person concerned or of his residence in the territory of the Contracting Party other than that in which the institution liable to pay the benefits is situated shall, at the request of the person concerned, be provided or resumed with effect from the date on which this Convention enters into force, unless the rights previously extinguished have given rise to the payment of a lump sum.
The rights of persons concerned who have been awarded a pension before the entry into force of this Convention shall be revised at their request, regard being had to the provisions of this Convention. These rights may also be revised ex officio. In no circumstances shall such a revision operate to lessen the former rights of the person concerned.
Where the request referred to in paragraph 4 or in paragraph 5 of this article is submitted within two years of the date on which this Convention enters in force, the rights arising in accordance with the provisions of the Convention shall be acquired as from that date, and those provisions of the legislation of any Contracting Party which concern the loss of rights or the extinction of rights by lapse of time shall not be raised against the person concerned.
Where the request referred to in paragraph 4 or in paragraph 5 of this article is submitted more than two years after the date on which this Convention enters into force, such rights as have not lapsed or have not been extinguished by lapse of time shall be acquired only with reference to the date on which the request was submitted, unless there are more favourable provisions in the legislation of the Contracting Party concerned.

Article 75

This Convention shall be open to signature by the member States of the Council of Europe. It shall be subject to ratification or acceptance. Instruments of ratification or acceptance shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
This Convention shall enter into force on the first day of the third month following that in which the third instrument of ratification or acceptance is deposited.
In respect of a signatory State ratifying or accepting subsequently, the Convention shall enter into force three months after the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification or acceptance.

Article 76

From the date of entry into force of this Convention, the provisions of the European Interim Agreement on Social Security other than Schemes for Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors and Protocol thereto, and European Interim Agreement on Social Security Schemes relating to Old Age, Invalidity and Survivors and Protocol thereto shall cease to be applicable in relations between Contracting Parties.

Article 77

After the entry into force of this Convention, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may invite any State not a member of the Council to accede to this Convention, provided that the resolution containing such invitation receives the unanimous agreement of the member States of the Council who have ratified or accepted the Convention.
Accession shall be effected by the deposit with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of an instrument of accession which shall take effect three months after the date of its deposit.

Article 78

This Convention shall remain in force indefinitely.
Any Contracting Party may, in so far as it is concerned, denounce this Convention after it has been in force for five years in respect of that Party, by means of a notification addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date of receipt by the Secretary General of such notification.

Article 79

In the event of denunciation of this Convention, all rights acquired under its provisions shall be maintained.
Rights in process of acquisition in respect of periods before the date on which the denunciation takes effect shall not lapse as a result of the denunciation; their subsequent continued recognition shall be determined by agreement or, failing such agreement, by the legislation which the institution concerned applies.

Article 80

The application of this Convention shall be governed by a Supplementary Agreement which shall be open to signature by the member States of the Council of Europe.
The Contracting Parties or, in so far as the constitutional provisions of these Parties permit, their competent authorities, shall make all other arrangements necessary for the application of this Convention.
Any signatory State of this Convention which ratifies or accepts it must, at the same time, either ratify or accept the Supplementary Agreement or sign it without reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance, not later than the date of deposit of its instrument of ratification or acceptance of the Convention.
Any State which accedes to this Convention must at the same time accede to the Supplementary Agreement.
Any Contracting Party which denounces this Convention must at the same time denounce the Supplementary Agreement.

Article 81

The notifications or declarations referred to in Article 1, sub-paragraphs b and w, Article 3, paragraph 2, Article 6, paragraph 5, Article 7, paragraph 2, Article 8, paragraph 5, Article 9, paragraphs 3 and 4, Article 11, paragraph 4 and Article 72, paragraph 2, shall be addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall, within one month, notify the Contracting Parties, signatory States and the Director General of the International Labour Office of:

any signature and any deposit of an instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession;
any date of entry into force of this Convention in accordance with the provisions of Article 75 and Article 77;
any notification of denunciation received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 78, paragraph 2, and the date on which denunciation takes effect;
any notification or declaration received in pursuance of the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article.

In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Convention.

Done at Paris, this 14th day of December 1972, in English and in French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding States.

Annexes I to VII

Where this annex comprises a list of specific laws, it is deemed to cover also any legislative instrument which codifies, amends, supplements or brings into force such laws.

I. Multilateral Conventions

The provisions in force of the Agreement of 27 July 1950 and of the revised Agreement of 13 February 1961 on social security for Rhine boatmen.
The provisions of the Conventions on social security concluded on 15 September 1955 between Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, as modified by subsequent Agreements and Protocols, as well as the provisions of Supplementary Agreements to that Convention.
The provisions of the European Convention of 9 July 1956 on social security for international transport workers.

II. Bilateral Conventions

General remarks

In so far as the provisions of supplementary agreements or of a special convention on unemployment insurance, mentioned in this annex, refer to the provisions of a general convention, these references shall be replaced by references to the corresponding provisions of this Convention, unless the said provisions of the general convention are themselves mentioned in this Annex.
The interpretation and denunciation clauses of any convention on social security, certain provisions of which are mentioned in this annex, shall remain applicable in respect of the said provisions.

Austria–Belgium

Convention on social security of 4 April 1977.

Austria–France

Convention on social security of 28 May 1971.

Austria–Germany

Convention on social security of 22 December 1966.

Convention on unemployment insurance of 19 May 1951.

Additional Protocol of 23 November 1951 to the Convention on unemployment insurance of 19 May 1951.

Second Convention on unemployment insurance of 31October 1953.

First Supplementary Convention of 10 April 1969 to the Convention on social security of 22 December 1966.

Second Supplementary Convention of 29 March 1974 to the Convention on social security of 22 December 1966.

Austria–Italy

Convention on social security of 21 January 1981.

Austria–Luxembourg

Convention on social security of 31 July 1997.

Austria–Netherlands

Convention on social security of 9 December 1998.

Austria–Spain

Convention on social security and final Protocol of 6 November 1981.

Austria–Sweden

Convention on social security of 11 November 1975.

Austria–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 15 November 1967.

Supplementary Convention of 17 May 1973 to the Convention on social security of 15 November 1967.

Austria–Turkey

Convention on social security of 28 October 1999.

Austria–United Kingdom

Supplementary Convention on social security of 16 September 1975.

Belgium–Austria

See Austria–Belgium.

Belgium–Greece

General Convention on Social Security of 1 April 1958.

Convention of 27 September 1967 amending the General Convention on social security between Belgium and Greece of 1 April 1958.

Belgium–Portugal

General Convention on social security and appended Protocol of 14 September 1970.

Belgium–Switzerland

Convention on social insurance and Final Protocol of 24 September 1975.

Belgium–Turkey

General Convention on social security of 4 July 1966.

Cyprus–United Kingdom

Agreement on social security of 6 October 1969.

Denmark–Switzerland

Convention on social insurance of 21 May 1954.

Supplementary Convention to the Convention on social insurance of 21 May 1954, concluded on 15 November 1962.

France–Austria

See Austria–France.

France–Greece

General Convention on social security of 19 April 1958.

France–Norway

General Convention on social security of 30 September 1954.

France–Portugal

General Convention on social security of 29 July 1971 in the wording of the Codicils of 7 February 1977 and 1 October 1979.

General Protocol of 29 July 1971 and Supplementary Protocol of 1 October 1979.

France–Switzerland

Convention of 9 July 1949 and Protocols thereto on old age and survivors' insurance.

Agreement of 9 June 1933 on reciprocal assistance for unemployed workers in both countries.

Convention on social security of 3 July 1975 and Protocols thereto.

France–Turkey

Convention on social security of 20 January 1972.

Germany–Austria

See Austria–Germany.

Germany–Greece

Convention on social security of 25 April 1961 in the version of the Convention of 21 March 1967 amending and extending the Convention of 25 April 1961 and extending the Supplementary Agreement of 28 March 1962 to the Convention on social security of 25 April 1961.

Final Protocol of 25 April 1961 to the Convention on social security of 25 April 1961.

Convention on unemployment insurance of 31 May 1961 including the Final Protocol of 31 May 1961.

Second Convention of 20 September 1974 amending the Convention of 25 April 1961 on social security and the Supplementary Agreement of 28 March 1962 to the Convention on social security and to its Final Protocol.

Germany–Norway

Agreement of 2/6 September 1965 on the reciprocal payment of social benefits.

Germany–Portugal

Convention on social security of 6 November 1964 in the wording of the amended Convention of 30 September 1974.

Germany–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 25 February 1964.

Supplementary Convention to the Convention on social security of 24 October 1950, concluded on 24 December 1962.

Supplementary Agreement of 9 September 1975 to the Convention on social security of 25 February 1964.

Convention of 4 February 1928 between the German Reich and Switzerland on unemployment insurance for workers in frontier areas.

Germany–Turkey

Convention on social security of 30 April 1964.

Supplementary Convention of 28 May 1969 amending the Convention on social security of 30 April 1964.

Interim Convention of 25 October 1974 amending the Convention of 30 April 1964.

Greece–Belgium

See Belgium–Greece.

Greece–France

See France–Greece.

Greece–Germany

See Germany–Greece.

Greece–Netherlands

Convention on social security of 13 September 1966.

Greece–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 1 June 1973.

Italy–Austria

See Austria–Italy.

Italy–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 14 December 1962.

Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on social security of 14 December 1962, concluded on 18 December 1963.

Supplementary agreement to the Convention on social security of 14 December 1962 concluded on 4 July 1969.

Protocol of 25 February 1974 to the Supplementary Agreement of 4 July 1969.

Luxembourg–Austria

See Austria–Luxembourg.

Luxembourg–Portugal

Convention on social security and special Protocol of 12 February 1965 as modified by the Codicils of 5 June 1972 and 20 May 1977.

Luxembourg–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 3 June 1967, excluding Articles 18 to 21.

Malta–United Kingdom

Agreement on social security of 26 October 1956.

Agreement on social security of 21 March 1958.

Netherlands–Austria

See Austria–Netherlands.

Netherlands–Greece

See Greece–Netherlands.

Netherlands–Portugal

Chapters 1, 4, 5 and 6 of Title III of the Convention on social security of 19 July 1979.

Netherlands–Switzerland

Convention on social security of 27 May 1970.

Netherlands–Turkey

Section III of the Convention on social security of 5 April 1966 as modified by the Convention of 4 September 1980.

Norway–France

See France–Norway.

Norway–Germany

See Germany–Norway.

Norway–Portugal

Convention on social security and Protocol of 5 June 1980.

Norway–United Kingdom

Convention on social security of 25 July 1957.

Portugal–Belgium

See Belgium–Portugal.

Portugal–France

See France–Portugal.

Portugal–Germany

See Germany–Portugal.

Portugal–Luxembourg

See Luxembourg–Portugal.

Portugal–Netherlands

See Netherlands–Portugal.

Portugal–Norway

See Norway–Portugal.

Portugal–Sweden

Convention on social security of 25 October 1978.

Portugal–Switzerland

Convention on social security and appended final Protocol of 11 September 1975.

Portugal–United Kingdom

Convention on social security and Protocol on medical treatment of 15 November 1978.

Spain–Austria

See Austria–Spain.

Sweden–Austria

See Austria–Sweden.

Sweden–Portugal

See Portugal–Sweden.

Sweden–Switzerland

Convention of 17 December 1954 on social insurance.

Sweden–United Kingdom

Convention on social security of 9 June 1956.

Switzerland–Austria

See Austria–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Belgium

See Belgium–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Denmark

See Denmark–Switzerland.

Switzerland–France

See France–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Germany

See Germany–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Greece

See Greece–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Italy

See Italy–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Luxembourg

See Luxembourg–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Netherlands

See Netherlands–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Norway

See Norway–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Portugal

See Portugal–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Sweden

See Sweden–Switzerland.

Switzerland–Turkey

Convention on social security of 1 May 1969.

Switzerland–United Kingdom

Convention on social security of 21 Feburary 1968 [and relevant Protocol].

Turkey–Austria

See Austria–Turkey.

Turkey–Belgium

See Belgium–Turkey.

Turkey–France

See France–Turkey.

Turkey–Germany

See Germany–Turkey.

Turkey–Netherlands

See Netherlands–Turkey.

Turkey–Switzerland

See Switzerland–Turkey.

Turkey–United Kingdom

Convention on social insurance of 9 September 1959.

United Kingdom–Austria

See Austria–United Kingdom.

United Kingdom–Cyprus

See Cyprus–United Kingdom.

United Kingdom–Malta

See Malta–United Kingdom.

   United Kingdom–Norway

See Norway–United Kingdom.

   United Kingdom–Portugal

See Portugal–United Kingdom.

   United Kingdom–Sweden

See Sweden–United Kingdom.

   United Kingdom–Switzerland

See Switzerland–United Kingdom.

   United Kingdom–Turkey

See Turkey–United Kingdom.

Annex 2 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Competent Institutions

(Article 1, sub-paragraph g, of the Convention and Article 4, paragraph 2, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

   Austria    Luxembourg

   Belgium    Malta

   Cyprus    Netherlands

   Denmark    Norway

   France    Portugal

   Germany    Spain

   Greece    Sweden

   Iceland    Switzerland

   Ireland    Turkey

   Italy    United Kindgom

   Austria

Unless otherwise stated in this annex, Austrian laws and regulations determine the competent institution.

1. Sickness and maternity

Hauptverband der österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger (Central Association of the Austrian Social Insurance Institutions), Vienna, it being understood that the refund of expenses in pursuance of Article 24, paragraph 2, of the Convention shall be effected from contributions to sickness insurance of the pensioners, paid by the pension insurance institutions to the said Central Association.

2. Invalidity, old age, death (pensions)

The competence of Austrian pension insurance institutions concerning the decision on claims and provision of pensions is exclusively determined by Austrian laws and regulations. The determination of the Austrian competent institution is the responsibility of the Hauptverband der österreichischen Sozialversicherungsträger (Central Association of the Austrian Social Insurance Institutions), Vienna.

3. Unemployment

Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit (Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Labour), Vienna.

4. Family benefits

Bundesministerium für soziale Sicherheit und Generationen (Federal Ministry for Social Security and Generations), Vienna.

   Belgium

1. Sickness – maternity

a. Application of Articles 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 24 and 25 of this Agreement:

i. as a general rule: the insurance institution to which the worker is affiliated;

ii. with regard to seamen: Caisse de secours et de prévoyance en faveur des marins (Welfare Fund for Seamen), Antwerp;

b. Application of Article 30 of this Agreement:

i. as a general rule: l'Institut national d'assurance maladie-invalidité (the national sickness and invalidity insurance institution), Brussels, together with the insurance body to which the worker is affiliated;

ii. with regard to seamen: Caisse de secours et de prévoyance en faveur des marins (Welfare Fund for Seamen), Antwerp.

2. Invalidity

a. With regard to general invalidity (wage-earners, salaried employees, self-employed persons and miners insofar as the latter are not entitled under the special scheme): Institut national d'assurance maladie-invalidité (National Sickness and Invalidity Insurance Institution), Brussels, together with the insuring bodies;

b. with regard to miners' special invalidity: Fonds national de retraite des ouvriers-mineurs (National Retirement Fund for Mine-Workers), Brussels;

c. with regard to seamen's invalidity: Caisse de secours et de prévoyance en faveur des marins (Welfare Fund for Seamen), Antwerp.

3. Old-age – death (pensions)

a. With regard to wage-earners: l'Office national des Pensions (National Pension Board), Brussels;

b. with regard to self-employed workers: Institut national d'assurances sociales pour travailleurs indépendants (National Social Insurance Institute for Self-Employed Workers), Brussels;

4. Occupational injury

a. With regard to claims for pension supplements: Fonds des accidents du travail (Occupational Injury Fund), Brussels;

b. in any other case:

i. as a general rule: the insurance body;

ii. in respect of seamen: Fonds des accidents du travail (Occupational Injury Fund), Brussels.

5. Occupational diseases

Fonds des maladies professionnelles (Occupational Diseases Fund), Brussels.

6. Death grants

a. Sickness and invalidity insurance

i. as a general rule: Institut national d'assurance maladie-invalidité (National Sickness and Invalidity Insurance Institution) Brussels, together with the insurance institution to which the worker was affiliated;

ii. in respect of seamen: Caisse de secours et de prévoyance en faveur des marins (Welfare Fund for Seamen), Antwerp;

b. Occupational injuries

i. as a general rule: the insurance body;

ii. in respect of seamen: Fonds des accidents du travail (Occupational Injury Fund);

c. Occupational diseases: Fonds des maladies professionnelles (Occupational Diseases Fund), Brussels.

7. Unemployment

i. as a general rule: Office national de l'emploi (National Employment Board), Brussels;

ii. in respect of seamen: Pool des marins de la marine marchande (Merchant Navy Seamen's Pool), Antwerp.

8. Family benefits

a. in respect of wage-earners: the body responsible for the provision of family allowances to wage-earners to which the employer is affiliated;

b. in respect of self-employed workers: Caisse libre d'assurances sociales pour travailleurs indépendants (Free Social Insurance Fund for Self-Employed Workers) or Caisse nationale auxiliaire d'assurances sociales pour travailleurs indépendants (Supplementary National Social Insurance Fund for Self-Employed Workers) to which the insured person is affiliated.

   Cyprus

The Department of Social Insurance of the Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance, Nicosia.

   Denmark

1. Sickness

Den stedlige anerkendte sygekasse (the local public sickness fund).

2. Maternity

a. benefits in kind: Den stedlige anerkendte sygekasse (the local sickness fund);

b. cash benefits: Kommunen (the local district council, or, where the administration of such benefits has been assigned to it by that authority, Den stedlige anerkendte sygekasse (the local public sickness fund).

3. Invalidity, old-age and death pensions

Kommunen (the local district council).

4. Labour market supplementary pension

Arbejdsmarkedets Tillaegspension (Labour Market Supplementary Pension Board), Hillerød.

5. Occupational injuries and diseases

Direktoratet for ulykkesforsikringen (Directorate of Occupational Injuries Insurance), Copenhagen.

6. Death

Den stedlige anerkendte sygekasse (the local public sickness fund).

7. Unemployment

Arbejdsdirektoratet (Directorate of Labour), Copenhagen.

8. Family benefits

Kommunen (the local district council).

   France

I. Metropolitan area

A. Wage-earners

1. General scheme

a. Sickness, maternity, death (grant), invalidity:

Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie (Sickness Insurance Primary Fund. In cases other than invalidity:

–   for the Paris area: Caisse régionale d'assurance maladie (Sickness Insurance Regional Fund), Paris;
–   for the Strasbourg area: Caisse régionale d'assurance maladie (Sickness Insurance Regional Fund), Strasbourg.

b. Old-age and survivors' benefits:

–   Caisse régionale d'assurance maladie (section vieillesse) (Regional Sickness Insurance Fund - Old-Age Section), other than for the Paris area;
–   Caisse nationale d'assurance vieillesse des travailleurs salariés (National Old-Age Insurance Fund for Wage-Earners), Paris, for Paris and the Paris region.
–   Caisse régionale d'assurance vieillesse des travailleurs salariés (Regional Old-Age Insurance Fund for Wage-Earners), Strasbourg, for the Strasbourg area.

c. Occupational injuries and diseases:

i. in respect to temporary incapacity: Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie (Sickness Insurance Primary Fund);

ii. in respect of permanent incapacity:

–   pensions: Caisse primaire d'assurance maladie (Sickness Insurance Primary Fund) in respect of injuries sustained after 1 January 1947; the employer or the subrogated insurance body in respect of injuries sustained before 1 January 1947;

–   pension supplements: Caisse primaire de Sécurité sociale (Social Security Primary Fund) in respect of injuries sustained after 1 January 1947; Caisse des dépôts et consignations (Deposit and Consignment Office) in respect of injuries sustained before 1 January 1947.

d. Unemployment: Direction départementale du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre (Departmental Directorate of Labour and Manpower).

e. Family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales (Family Allowances Fund).

2. Scheme for agricultural workers

a. Sickness, maternity, death (grant), invalidity, family benefits: Caisse départementale de mutualité sociale agricole (Departmental Mutual Fund for Agricultural Workers).

b. Old-age and survivors' benefits: Caisse centrale de secours mutuels agricoles (Central Agricultural Mutual Assistance Fund).

c. Occupational injuries and diseases: the employer or the subrogated insurance body (other than in respect of pension supplements, in which case the competent institution is the Caisse des dépôts et consignations (Deposit and Consignment Office), Arcueil – 94).

d. Unemployment: Direction départementale du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre (Departmental Directorate of Labour and Manpower).

3. Mine-workers' scheme

a. In respect to sickness and maternity, and death (grants): Societé de secours minière (Mine-Workers' Welfare Society).

b. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' benefits: Caisse autonome nationale de Sécurité sociale dans les mines (Independent National Social Security Fund for Mines).

c. Occupational injuries:

i. temporary incapacity: Societé de secours minière (Mine Workers' Welfare Society);

ii. permanent incapacity:

–   Pensions: Union régionale des Societés de secours minières (Regional Union of Mine-Workers' Welfare Societies) in respect of injuries sustained after 1 January 1947; the employer or the subrogated insurer (in respect of occupational injuries sustained before 1 January 1947);

–   Pension increases: Union régionale des Societés de secours minières (Regional Union of Mine-Workers' Welfare Societies) (in respect of injuries sustained after 1 January 1947); Caisse des dépôts et consignations (Deposit and Consignment Office) (in respect of injuries sustained before 1 January 1947).

d. Unemployment: Direction départementale du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre (Departmental Directorate of Labour and Manpower).

e. Family benefits: Union régionale des Societés de secours minières (Regional Union of Mine-Workers' Welfare Societies).

4. Seamen's scheme

a. Sickness and maternity, invalidity, occupational injuries, survivor's pension (invalidity and occupational injuries), and death grants: Caisse générale de prévoyance des marins (Seamen's General Welfare Fund) of the maritime affairs quarter.

b. Old age, death (pensions): Caisse de retraites des marins (Seamen's Retirement Fund) of the maritime affairs quarter.

c. Family benefits: Caisse nationale d'allocations familiales des marins du commerce (National Family Allowances Fund for Merchant Seamen); Caisse nationale d'allocations familiales de la pêche maritime (National Sea-Fisheries Family Allowances Fund).

d. Unemployment: Direction départementale du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre (Departmental Directorate of Labour and Manpower).

B. Workers other than wage-earners, in non-agricultural occupations

a. in respect of sickness, maternity and occupational injuries:

i. affiliation: Caisse mutuelle régionale d'assurance des travailleurs non salariés des professions non agricoles (Regional Mutual Insurance Fund for Non-Wage-Earners in Non-Agricultural Occupations);

ii. payment of contributions and provision of benefits: the accredited body (Friendly Society or Insurance Company authorised by the National Fund and accredited by the Regional Mutual Fund).

b. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' benefits, death (grant):

Caisse interprofessionnelle locale (local inter-professional Fund) or Caisse professionnelle de l'organisation autonome de l'assurance vieillesse des professions artisanales (Occupational Fund of the Independent Organisation for the Old-Age Insurance in trades and crafts);

Caisse nationale des Barreaux français (National Fund of the French Bar).

c. Old age and survivors:

Caisse interprofessionnelle locale (local inter-professional Fund) or Caisse professionnelle de l'organisation autonome de l'assurance vieillesse des professions industrielles et commerciales (Professional Fund for the Independent Organisation of Old-Age Insurance for the industrial and commercial professions);

Section professionnelle de l'organisation autonome de l'assurance vieillesse des professions libérales (Professional Section of the Independent Organisation of the Old-Age Insurance for the liberal professions).

d. Family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales (Family Allowances Fund).

C. Non-wage-earners in agriculture

a. Sickness, maternity, occupational injury in private life:

i. responsible for affiliation: Caisse départementale de mutualité sociale agricole (Departmental Fund of the Agricultural Mutual Assistance Association);

ii. liable for benefits: Caisse départementale de mutualité sociale agricole (Departmental Fund of the Agricultural Mutual Assistance Association), or Caisse d'assurance mutuelle agricole (Agricultural Mutual Insurance Fund), or the private insurance body.

b. Old-age and survivors' pensions, family benefits: Caisse départementale de mutualité sociale agricole (Departmental Fund of Social Welfare for Agricultural Workers).

II. Overseas departments

A. Wage-earners affiliated to the:

–   general scheme
–   scheme for agricultural workers
–   scheme for miners:

a. All benefits: the Caisse générale de sécurité sociale (General Social Security Fund), for cases other than pension supplements for occupational injuries sustained in overseas departments before 1 January 1952, whose competent institution is the Direction départementale de l'enregistrement (Departmental Directorate of Affiliation). Moreover, "unemployment works" are set up by the Direction départementale du travail et de la main-d'oeuvre (Departmental Directorate of Labour and Manpower) as a form of aid to unemployed workers.

b. Family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales du département (Family Allowances Fund of the Department).

–   seamen:

a. all benefits: Caisse de retraites des marins (Retirement Fund for Seamen) or Caisse génerale de prévoyance des marins (General Welfare Fund for Seamen) of the maritime affairs quarter, depending on the benefits concerned.

b. family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales du département (Family Allowances Fund of the Department.)

B. Non-wage-earners in non-agricultural occupations

a. Sickness benefit: the competent institution is now being set up.
b. Invalidity benefits and death (grants): the competent institution is now being set up.
c. Invalidity benefits, death (grants), old-age and survivors' benefit:

Caisse autonome nationale de compensation de l'assurance vieillesse artisanale (CANCAVA) (National Independent Compensation Fund of the Trades and Crafts Old-age Insurance Scheme), Paris;

Caisse nationale des Barreaux français (National Fund of the French Bar), Paris.

d. Old age and death: Caisse interprofessionnelle d'assurance vieillesse des industriels et des commerçants d'Algérie et d'Outre-Mer (CAVIC0RG) (Interprofessional Old-Age Insurance Fund for Industrialists and Businessmen in Algeria and the Overseas Territories), Paris. The relevant professional sections for each profession.

e. Family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales du département (Family Allowances Fund of the Department).

C. Non-wage-earners in agriculture

a. sickness, maternity and old-age benefit: Caisse générale de sécurité sociale (General Social Security Fund) of the wage-earners' scheme.

b. Family benefits: Caisse d'allocations familiales du département (Family Allowances Fund of the Department).

   Germany

A. Unless otherwise specified in this annex, the competence of the German institutions is governed by German national legislation.

1. Sickness

For the purpose of the application of Article 24, paragraph 2, of the Convention: the sickness insurance institution to which the recipient of the pension would be affiliated if he resided in the territory of Germany. If – according to this rule – the competent institution is the Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse (General Local Sickness Fund) or a Landkrankenkasse (Rural Sickness Fund), or if there is no competent institution: Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Bad Godesberg (General Local Sickness Fund Bad Godesberg), Bonn-Bad Godesberg.

Allgemeine Ortskrankenkasse Bad Godesberg (General Local Sickness Fund Bad Godesberg), Bonn-Bad Godesberg.

2. Old age, invalidity and death (pension) for wage-earners, salaried employees, and miners

a. For the adjudication upon claims for benefits filed by persons exclusively insured under German legislation or considered as such (as well as upon request of their survivors) who have their place of residence either in the territory of another Contracting Party or who – being nationals of another Contracting Party – reside in the territory of a non-Contracting Party, as well as for the payment of benefits to these persons:

i. if the last contribution was paid to the pension insurance for manual workers:

aa. where the insured person resides in the Netherlands or, being a Dutch national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Westfalen (Regional Insurance Institution of Westphalia), Münster;

where the insured person resides in Belgium or, being a Belgian national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinprovinz (Regional Insurance Institution of the Province of Rhenania), Dusseldorf;

where the insured person resides in Italy or, being an Italian national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Schwaben (Regional Insurance Institution of Swabia), Augsburg;

where the insured person resides in France or in Luxembourg, or being a French or Luxembourg national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinland-Pfalz (Regional Insurance Institution of Rhenania Palatinate), Speyer;

where the insured person resides in Austria or being an Austrian national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Oberbayern (Regional Insurance Institution of Upper Bavaria), München;

where the insured person resides in Switzerland or, being a Swiss national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Baden (Regional Insurance Institution of Baden), Karlsruhe;

where the insured person resides in Denmark or, being a Danish national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Schleswig-Holstein (Regional Insurance Institution of Schleswig-Holstein), Lübeck;

where the insured person resides in the United Kingdom or, being a United Kingdom national, in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (Regional Insurance Institution of the Free and Hanseatic Town of Hamburg), Hamburg;

where the insured person resides in Turkey or, being a Turkish national, in the territory of a non-Contracting party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Ober- und Mittelfranken (Regional Insurance Institution of Upper Franconia and Central Franconia), Bayreuth;

where the insured person resides in the territory of another Contracting Party or, being a national of another Contracting Party, he resides in the territory of a non-Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinprovinz (Regional Insurance Institution of the Province of Rhenania), Düsseldorf;

bb. if the last contribution was paid to the Seekasse (Seamen's Insurance Fund), Hamburg, or to the Bundesbahnversicherungsanstalt (Federal Railways Insurance Institution), Frankfurt/Main, or if the insured person resides in a member State of the European Communities, to the Landesversicherungsanstalt für das Saarland (Regional Insurance Institution of the Saar), Saarbrücken, the institution to which the last contribution was paid.

ii. if the last contribution was paid to the pension insurance for salaried employees: Bundesversicherungsanstalt für Angestellte (Federal Insurance Institution for Salaried Employees), Berlin, or as far as seamen are concerned: Seekasse (Seamen's Insurance Fund), Hamburg.

iii. If the last contribution was paid to the pension insurance for miners or, if the qualifying period required for the provision of a miner's pension because of a diminution of the capacity for miner's work (Bergmannsrente) was completed, or is considered as having been completed: Bundesknappschaft (Federal Miners' Insurance Institution), Bochum.

b. The following institutions are competent for decisions regarding claims for benefits filed under Articles 27 to 37 of the Convention, as well as for the payments of such benefits:

i. If the last contribution under German legislation was paid to the pension insurance for wage-earners:

aa. If the person concerned resides in the territory of the Federal Republic, with the exception of the Saar region, or if he resides outside the territory of the Federal Republic and the last contribution paid in accordance with the provisions of the German legislation was paid to an institution outside the Saar, or if the last contribution paid under the provisions of another Contracting Party was paid to an institution of the Dutch Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Westfalen (Regional Insurance Institution of Westphalia), Münster;

the Belgian Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinprovinz (Regional Insurance Institution of the Province of Rhenania), Düsseldorf;

the Italian Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Schwaben (Regional Insurance Institution of Swabia), Augsburg;

the French or Luxembourg Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinland-Pfalz (Regional Insurance Institution of Rhenania Palatinate), Speyer;

the Austrian Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Oberbayern (Regional Insurance Institution of Upper Bavaria), München;

the Swiss Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Baden (Regional Insurance Institution of Baden), Karlsruhe;

the Danish Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Schleswig-Holstein (Regional Insurance Institution of Schleswig-Holstein), Lübeck;

the United Kingdom Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (Regional Insurance Institution of the Free and Hanseatic Town of Hamburg), Hamburg;

the Turkish Pension Insurance: Landesversicherungsanstalt Ober- und Mittelfranken (Regional Insurance Institution of Upper Franconia and Central Franconia), Bayreuth;

the Pension Insurance of any other Contracting Party: Landesversicherungsanstalt Rheinprovinz (Regional Insurance Institution of the Province of Rhenania), Düsseldorf.

bb. If the person concerned was insured under the legislation of one of the member States of the European Communities and

aaa. resides in the Saar; or

bbb. resides outside the territory of the Federal Republic and the last contribution under the German legislation was paid to the Landesversicherungsanstalt für das Saarland, Abteilung Rentenversicherung der Arbeiter (Regional Insurance Institution of the Saar, Pension Insurance Department for Wage-Earners): Landesversicherungsanstalt für das Saarland (Regional Insurance Institution of the Saar), Saarbrücken;

cc. If the last contribution under German legislation was paid to the Seekasse (Seamen's Insurance Fund), Hamburg, or to the Bundesbahnversicherungsanstalt (Federal Railways Insurance Institution), Frankfurt/Main: the institution to which the last contribution was paid.

ii. If the last contribution under German legislation was paid to the pension insurance for salaried employees: Bundesversicherungsanstalt für Angestellte (Federal Insurance Institution for Salaried Employees), Berlin, or as far as seamen are concerned: Seekasse (Seamen's Insurance Fund), Hamburg.

iii. If the last contribution under German legislation was paid to the Miners' Pension Insurance, or if on the basis of the sole periods of insurance completed in the Federal Republic or of the taking into account for periods of insurance in other States, in accordance with Article 28 of the Convention, the qualifying period required for the provision of a pension for miners because of a diminution of the capacity for miners' work (Bergmannsrente) was completed or is considered as having been completed: Bundesknappschaft (Federal Miners' Insurance Institution), Bochum.

3. Supplementary pension insurance for workers in the iron and steel industry

Landesversicherungsanstalt für das Saarland (Regional Insurance Institution of the Saar), Saarbrücken.

B. Unemployment benefits and family allowances

Bundesanstalt für Arbeit (Federal Institute for Labour), Nürnberg.

   Greece

1. Sickness, maternity, old-age, survivors' (pensions), death allowances

–   Social Security Institute (IKA, Idryme Kinonikon Asfaliceon), Athens.

For certain categories of salaried workers or self-employed persons: the institution where they are insured in accordance with Greek legislation.

2. Unemployment benefits, family allowances

–   Employment and Labour Service (OAED), Athens.

   Iceland

All branches of insurance:

–   at the national level: Tryggingastofnun Stofnun rikisins (the National Insurance Administration).

–   at the local level: the local authorities, except as regards illness for which the local public sickness funds are competent. As far as unemployment insurance is concerned: the National Insurance Administration Trygginastofnun Stofnium Rikisins on behalf of the Atvinnulleysistryggingasjoddur (Unemployment Fund).

   Ireland

1. Benefits in kind

Eastern Health Board, 1 James' Street, Dublin 8
Midland Health Board, Arden Road, Tullamore, Offaly
Mid-Western Health Board, 1 Pery Street, Limerick
North-Eastern Health Board, Ceanannas Mór, Co. Meath
North-Western Health Board, Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim
South-Eastern Health Board, Arus Slainte, Patrick Street, Kilkenny
Western Health Board, Merlin Park, Galway
Southern Health Board, County Hall, Cork

2. Cash benefits

a. Unemployment benefits: Department of Social Welfare, Dublin 1, including the provincial offices responsible for unemployment benefits;

b. Other cash benefits: Department of Social Welfare, Dublin 1.

   Italy

1. Sickness – maternity – tuberculosis – occupational injuries and diseases

A. Benefits in kind

1. a. sickness
b. maternity
c. tuberculosis
d. occupational injuries and diseases
e. prostheses and major appliances in general :

The local health unit where the person is registered.

2. prostheses and major appliances provided following industrial accidents

National Insurance Institute for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (INAIL): provincial offices

B. Cash benefits

a. sickness, tuberculosis, maternity »National Social Insurance (INPS): peripheral offices

b. occupational injury and disease pensions » National Insurance Institute for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (INAIL): provincial offices

2. Invalidity – old age – death

A. Wage-earners

a. in general (including some categories of self-employed workers) : National Social Insurance (INPS): peripheral offices

b. workers in the entertainment industry : National Welfare and Assistance Institute for workers in the entertainment industry (ENPALS) – Rome

c. industrial management staff for industrial management staff : National Insurance Institute (INPDAI) – Rome

d. journalists : National Welfare Institute for Italian Journalists "G. Amendola" – Rome

B. Self-employed workers »the relevant insurance schemes

3. Death grant

–   National Social Insurance Institute (INPS): peripheral agencies
–   National Insurance Institute for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (INAIL): provincial offices

4. Unemployment

a. in general » National Social Insurance (INPS): peripheral offices

b. journalists »National Welfare Institute for Italian Journalists "G. Amendola" – Rome

5. Family benefits

a. in general » National Social Insurance (INPS): peripheral offices

b. journalists »National Welfare Institute for Italian Journalists "G. Amendola" – Rome

   Luxembourg

1. Sickness – maternity

a. The sickness fund to which the person concerned is or was last affiliated.

b. in relation to Article 24, paragraph 3, of the Convention: Caisse nationale d'assurance maladie des ouvriers (National Wage Earners' Sickness Insurance Fund), Luxembourg.

2. Invalidity – old age – death (pensions)

a. In respect of wage-earners: Etablissement d'assurance vieillesse-invalidité (Old-age and Invalidity Insurance Institution).

b. In respect of salaried employees and self-employed intellectual workers: Caisse de pension des employés privés (Private Employees' Pension Fund), Luxembourg.

c. In respect of self-employed craftsmen and self-employed workers of industry or commerce: Caisse de pensions des artisans, des commercants et des industriels (Craftsmen's, Tradesmen's and Industrialists's Pension Fund), Luxembourg.

d. In respect of self-employed agricultural workers: Caisse de pension agricole (Agricultural Pension Fund), Luxembourg.

3. Occupational injuries and diseases

a. In respect of agricultural workers or self-employed agricultural workers and the members of the latter's family: Association d'assurance contre les accidents, section agricole (Accident Insurance Association, agricultural section), Luxembourg.

b. In respect of all other cases concerning voluntary or compulsory insurance: Association d'assurance contre les accidents, section industrielle (Accident Insurance Association, industrial section).

4. Unemployment

Administration de l'emploi (Employment Administration), Luxembourg.

5. Family benefits

National Family Benefits Fund.

6. Death grants

The institutions referred to in points 1a, 2 and 3, according to the benefits concerned.

   Malta

The Department of Social Services.

   Netherlands

1. Sickness – maternity

a. Benefits in kind:

– for persons who, under Article 2 of the Health Care Insurance Act (Zorgverzekeringswet) are obliged to take oute insurance with a health care insurer: the health care insurer with which the person concerned has concluded health care insurance within the meaning of the Health Care Insurance Act; or

– for persons not included in the category in the previous indent who are resident abroad and who, in application of the Convention are entitled to health care in their country of residence, the costs being borne by the Netherlands:

1. For the registration and levying of the statutory contributions: the College voor zorgverzekeringen (Health Care Insurance Board) in Diemen;

2. For health care : the healthcare insurer appointed by the competent authority.

b. Benefits in cash: the National Social Insurance Institute c/o the implementing body, to which the insured person's employer belongs.

c. Health care allowances: Belastingdienst Toeslagen, Utrecht.

2. Invalidity

a. When the person concerned is also entitled to an allowance under Netherlands legislation, apart from the application of the Convention: the National Social Insurance Institute c/o the implementing body, to which the insured person's employer belongs.

b. In all other cases: National Social Insurance Institute c/o Gak Nederland bv, Amsterdam.

3. Old age – death (pensions)

Sociale Verzekeringsbank (Social Insurance Bank), Amstelveen.

4. Unemployment

a. Benefits from the unemployment insurance scheme: the National Social Insurance Institute c/o the implementing body, to which the insured person's employer belongs.

b. Benefits from the public authorities: the municipal administration of the place of residence.

5. Family benefits

a. When the beneficiary is residing in the Netherlands: the district office of the Social Insurance Bank in the district in which he is residing.

b. If the beneficiary is residing outside the Netherlands, but his employer is residing or established in the Netherlands: the district office of the Social Insurance Bank in the district in which the employer resides or is established.

c. In all other cases: Sociale Verzekeringsbank (Social Insurance Bank), Amstelveen.

   Norway

1. Sickness and maternity

The local insurance offices.

2. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' pension

Rikstrygdeverket (National Insurance Institution).

3. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' pensions for seamen

Pensjonstrygden for sjømenn (the Pension Insurance for Seamen).

4. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' pension for pharmacists

Statens Pensjonskasse (the State Pensions Fund).

5. Invalidity, old-age and survivors' pension for nurses

Kommunal Landspensjonskasse.

6. Family benefits (family allowances)

The local insurance offices.

7. Unemployment

The Directorate of Labour.

   Portugal

1. Sickness, maternity and family benefits

The Regional Social Security Centre to which the beneficiary is affiliated.

2. a. Invalidity, old-age and death benefits

– The National Pensions Board, Lisbon.

b. Invalidity, old-age and death benefits under the special provident scheme for agricultural workers

– The Regional Social Security Centre of the locality where the "House of the People" covering the beneficiary's place of residence is situated.

3. Occupational injuries and diseases

The National Occupational Diseases Insurance Fund, Lisbon.

4. Unemployment benefits

a. Verification of fulfilment of conditions (e.g. entitlement, checking of situation, extension of periods of payment):

The Employment Centre of the Worker's place of residence.

b. Verification of situation regarding insurance contributions,

procedure and payment of unemployment benefits, etc.:

The Regional Social Security Centre of the Workers' place of residence.

   Spain

1. Affiliation and voluntary insurance for all schemes, except the special scheme for seamen: la Tesorería General de la Seguridad Social (Social Security Treasury).

2. Benefits under all schemes, except the special scheme for seamen and non-contributory pensions:

a. For all branches except unemployment: Instituto Nacional de la Seguridad Social (INSS) (National Institute of Social Security).

b. Unemployment: Instituto Nacional de Empleo (INEM) (National Institute of Employment).

3. Special scheme for seamen: Instituto Social de la Marina (ISM) (Social Institute of the Navy).

4. Non-contributory old-age and invalidity pensions: Instituto Nacional de Servicios Sociales (INSERSO) (National Institute of Social Services).

   Sweden

1. Unemployment

a. Unemployment insurance benefits: Erkänd Arbetslöshetskassa (the recognised unemployment funds);

b. Cash labour market support: Länsarbetsnämnd (the Regional Labour Committee).

2. All other social security benefits

Allmän försäkringskassa (the Regional Public Insurance Fund).

   Switzerland

1. Sickness – maternity

The sickness insurance funds appearing in a list to be drawn up when the Convention is ratified.

2. Invalidity – old age – death (pensions)

a. The old-age, survivors' and invalidity compensation fund with which the person concerned is registered when residing in Switzerland.

b. Caisse suisse de compensation (Swiss Compensation Fund), Geneva, if the person concerned is residing outside Switzerland.

3. Occupational injuries and diseases

The district agency of the Swiss national accidents insurance fund to which the employer of the person concerned is affiliated.

4. Unemployment

The unemployment insurance fund to which the person concerned belongs or last belonged.

5. Family benefits

The family allowances fund to which the person concerned belongs or last belonged.

   Turkey

a. For the application of the legislation concerning social insurances for employed workers (sickness, maternity, invalidity, old-age and death, occupational injuries and diseases): Institution for Social Insurances (SSK).

b. for the application of the legislation concerning social insurances for self-employed and professional workers (invalidity, old-age and death): Institution for Social Insurances for self-employed and professional workers (BAG-KUR).

   United Kingdom

The competent authority is given under Annex 1 of this Agreement.

Annex VII to the Convention on Social Security

Particular measures for the application of the legislation of the Contracting Parties

(Article 72, paragraph 1)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

   Austria    Luxembourg

   Belgium    Netherlands

   Denmark    Norway

   France    Spain

   Germany    Sweden

       Switzerland

I. Application of the legislation of Austria

A. Application of Austrian legislation concerning sickness insurance, insurance against occupational injuries and diseases and pensions insurance

1. The provisions of Article 8, paragraph 1, of this Convention do not affect the provisions of the bilateral conventions between Austria and other States which govern insurance liabilities.

2. The provisions of Article 8, paragraph 1, of this Convention shall apply with regard to the provisions of Austrian legislation concerning the taking into account of periods of war service and periods considered as such only to nationals of the other Contracting Parties who where Austrian nationals immediately before 13 March 1938.

3. The benefits provided under Austrian pension insurance shall be calculated in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, paragraph 5, of this Convention directly, solely on the bases of the periods completed under Austrian legislation, taking into account the following provisions :

a. Benefits or parts of benefits, the amount of which does not depend on the duration of the periods of insurance completed, shall be payable in proportion to the ratio of the Austrian periods of insurance to thirty years, but shall not exceed the full amount.

b. Where periods after the contingency arises are to be taken into account for the calculation of invalidity or survivor's benefits, such periods shall be taken into account only in proportion to the ratio of the Austrian periods of insurance to two-thirds of the number of full calendar months between the date on which the person concerned reached the age of sixteen and the date on which the contingency occurred, but shall not exceed the full period.

c. Sub-paragraph (a) of this paragraph shall not apply to :

i. benefits resulting from supplementary insurance;

ii. means-tested benefits or parts of benefits designed to ensure a minimum income.

4. Entitlement to benefits by virtue of Austrian legislation shall not be affected by reason of this Convention where a person has suffered in his social security situation for political or religious reasons or for reasons of his descent.

5. The provisions of Article 51, paragraphs 1 and 2, of this Convention concerning the adding together of periods are not applicable for the acquisition of the right to parental leave benefits.

B. Application of Austrian legislation concerning unemployment insurance

1. The provisions of Article 8, paragraph 1, of this Convention do not affect the provisions of Austrian legislation concerning emergency benefits.

2. The provisions of Article 51, paragraphs 1 and 2, of this Convention concerning the adding together of periods are not applicable for the acquisition of the right to unpaid leave benefits.

II. Application of the legislation of Belgium

1. For the application of Article 29 of the Convention, the periods of old-age insurance completed under Belgian legislation prior to 1 January 1945 shall likewise be considered to be periods of insurance completed under the Belgian legislation relating to the general invalidity scheme and to the scheme for seamen.

2. For the application of Article 29 of the Convention, the periods of old-age insurance completed by non-employed persons prior to the entry into force of the legislation on incapacity for work of self-employed persons shall be considered to be periods completed under the latter legislation.

3. In order to determine whether the preconditions to which the Belgian legislation makes the right to unemployment benefits subject are fulfilled, only days of gainful occupation shall be taken into consideration; nevertheless, assimilated days within the meaning of that legislation shall be taken into consideration where the days preceding them were days of gainful occupation.

III. Application of the legislation of Denmark

With regard to unemployment benefits, the Government of Denmark undertakes to encourage the approved Unemployment Funds to apply the provisions of this Convention in so far as they are in force in respect of Denmark.

IV. Application of the legislation of France

1. The principle of equality of treatment set forth in Article 8 of this Convention does not apply to Act No. 65-555 of 10 July 1965 which provides for Frenchmen who follow or who have followed abroad a salaried or non-salaried occupational activity the possibility of adhering to the voluntary old-age insurance scheme.

2. The right to allowances for elderly employed persons, old-age non-contributory allowances for persons other than employed persons and to the special allowance is granted, in application of this Convention, only for persons who prove that they have resided in France for at least ten years between the age of sixteen and the age of entitlement to the said allowances, including five consecutive years immediately preceding the lodging of the claim.

3. The provisions of this Convention do not affect the provisions of French legislation by virtue of which periods of occupational activity completed in French territory are taken into consideration for entitlement to allowances for elderly employed persons and to old-age non-contributory allowances for persons other than employed persons.

4. The special allowances and the cumulative allowances provided under the social security scheme for miners are only provided for persons who work in French mines.

5. The principle of equality of treatment set forth in Article 8 of this Convention does not apply to the legislation concerning income guarantees for employed persons who lose their employment. Entitlement to benefits provided under this legislation is subject to the condition that the person concerned has resided in France for at least three months immediately preceding the lodging of the claim.

V. Application of the legislation of Germany

1.   a. In so far as compensation is not already provided under German legislation concerning compulsory accident insurance, the German institutions compensate, by virtue of the provisions of this Convention, so long as the worker who has sustained an occupational injury or contracted an occupational disease or his survivors reside in the territory of a Contracting Party, for accidents which happened or for occupational diseases which were contracted in Alsace-Lorraine before 1 January 1919, if this liability has not been assumed by French institutions in accordance with the decision of the Council of the League of Nations dated 21 June 1921 (Reichsgesetzblatt p. 1289).

b. The provisions of Article 11 of this Convention do not affect the provisions of German legislation by virtue of which accidents which happened or occupational diseases which were contracted outside the territory of Germany, as well as periods completed outside this territory, do not give rise or give rise only under certain conditions to payment of benefits when the beneficiaries reside outside the territory of Germany.

2.   a. In order to determine whether the periods treated under German legislation as periods of interruption (Ausfallzeiten) or supplementary periods (Zurechnungszeiten) shall be taken into account as such periods, compulsory contributions paid by virtue of the legislation of another Contracting Party and compulsory insurance under the pensions insurance of another Contracting Party are deemed to be equivalent to compulsory contributions paid by virtue of German legislation and to compulsory insurance under German pensions insurance. In calculating the number of calendar months of compulsory insurance before the contingency arose, the concurrent periods, which are deemed to be equivalent by virtue of the legislation of another Contracting Party, are not taken into consideration, nor those periods during which the person concerned has drawn a pension.

b. The preceding sub-paragraph is not applicable to the fixed period of interruption (pauschale Ausfallzeit).

c. The taking into account of a supplementary period (Zurechnungszeit) by virtue of German legislation concerning pensions insurance for miners is subject to the condition that the last contribution paid by virtue of German legislation has been paid to the pensions insurance for miners.

d. For the taking into account of German compensation periods (Ersatzzeiten), only German legislation is applicable.

3.   a. Where a pension on account of an occupational invalidity (Berufsunfähigkeit) or general invalidity (Erwerbsunfähigkeit) or old age, due by virtue of German legislation, and a pension due by virtue of the legislation of another Contracting party in respect of an occupational injury or disease overlap, there will be taken into consideration as annual remuneration the remuneration which by virtue of German legislation should be taken into consideration at the time of the accident for a worker in a comparable situation having sustained an occupational injury; for this purpose, the provisions in force at the place of residence of the person concerned in the territory of Germany, or if he resides outside this territory, the provisions in force at the place where the competent institution of German pensions insurance is situated, are to be applied. The remuneration of the worker concerned shall be determined or recalculated according to the provisions of German legislation.

b. The total of the accident insurance pension and the theoretical amount within the meaning of Article 29, paragraph 2, of this Convention, but excluding supplementary benefits, children's supplements and increments of complementary insurance (Höherversicherung), is compared with the maximum amount taken into consideration in application of the preceding sub-paragraph. The sum whose total exceeds the maximum amount in question constitutes the notional amount of the reduction. This amount is divided up in proportion to the duration of insurance in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, paragraph 4, of this Convention; the part corresponding to the duration of German insurance shall be deducted from the German portion.

4. With regard to the suppression of compensatory benefits under the miners' scheme, mining undertakings in the territory of another Contracting Party are regarded as equivalent to German mining undertakings.

5. German pensions insurance institutions [do not] apply Article 29, paragraph 5, of this Convention when:

a. legislation in force before 1 January 1957 concerning the calculation of the pension is applicable;

b. a supplementary period (Zurechnungszeit) is to be taken into consideration; or

c. a children's supplement [or the amount by which an orphan's pension is increased] is to be taken into consideration.

6. The provisions of Chapter 2 of Title III of this Convention are not applicable to the pensions insurance in the iron and steel industry (Saar) nor to the pension scheme for elderly farmers.

7. Article 57 does not apply to the provisions of the Federal Children's Allowances Act, which provide under certain conditions an entitlement to children's allowances for children not residing in the territory where the Federal Children's Allowances Act applies, if the entitled person has been legally or ordinarly residing in the territory where the Federal Children's Allowances Act applies, or in special cases in the territory of the German Reich as of 31 December 1937 for a total of at least 15 years or by virtue of the Federal Expellees Act is legally entitled to claims and benefits.

VI. Application of the legislation of Luxembourg

1. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article 74, paragraph 2, of this Convention, periods of insurance and equivalent periods completed before 1 January 1946 under Luxembourg legislation on pensions insurance (invalidity, old age and death) are taken into consideration for the application of that legislation only in so far as the rights in the course of acquisition have been maintained at the time of the entry into force of this Convention or recovered subsequently in conformity solely with that legislation or with bilateral social security conventions in force or to be concluded. In the event of several of such conventions applying, periods of insurance and equivalent periods are taken into consideration as from the earliest date.

2. For the purposes of entitlement to the basic part of Luxembourg pensions, periods of insurance completed under Luxembourg legislation by workers not resident on Luxembourg territory are considered as periods of residence.

3. Supplements provided, where appropriate, to increase minimum pensions, as well as supplements for children are paid in the same proportion as the basic part for which the State and the municipalities are responsible.

VII. Application of the legislation of the Netherlands

A. Application of Netherlands legislation on general old-age insurance

1. For the application of Article 29 of this Convention, periods prior to 1 January 1957 during which the person concerned – who does not fulfil the conditions permitting him to have such periods treated as insurance periods – was resident in the Netherlands territory after the age of fifteen, or during which whilst being resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, he was gainfully employed in the Netherlands by an employer established in that country, are likewise considered as periods of insurance completed under Netherlands legislation on general old-age insurance. If that activity was carried out on board a ship flying the Netherlands flag it is treated as if it had been exercised in the Netherlands.

2. Periods are not to be taken into account by virtue of the preceding paragraph when they coincide with periods taken into consideration for the calculation of old-age pensions due under the legislation of another Contracting Party.

3. Where a married woman's husband is entitled to a pension under Netherlands legislation on general old-age insurance, periods prior to the date where the woman concerned reached the age of sixty-five and during which, being married, she resided in the course of that marriage in the territory of one or more Contracting Parties, are likewise taken into consideration for the purposes of Article 29 of the Convention in so far as these periods coincide with the periods of insurance completed by her husband under that legislation or with the periods to be taken into consideration by virtue of paragraph 1 above.

4. Periods are not to be taken into consideration in the case of a married woman by virtue of the preceding paragraph when they coincide with periods taken into consideration for the calculation of the old-age pension due to her under the legislation of another Contracting Party or with periods during which she received an old-age pension under such legislation.

5. Where a woman has been married and her husband has been subject to Netherlands legislation on old-age insurance or is deemed to have completed periods of insurance within the meaning of paragraph 1 above, the provisions of the two preceding paragraphs are applicable, mutatis mutandis.

6. Periods prior to 1 January 1957 are only taken into consideration for the calculation of the old-age pension if the person concerned has resided throughout six years in the territory of one or more Contracting Parties after the age of fifty-nine and if he resides in the territory of one of those Parties.

B. Application of the Surviving Dependants Act

1. For the application of the provisions of Article 29 of this Convention, periods prior to 1 October 1959 during which the deceased person resided in the territory of the Netherlands after the age of fifteen or during which, whilst being resident in the territory of another Contracting Party, he was gainfully employed in the Netherlands by an employer established in that country, are likewise considered as periods of insurance completed under the Surviving Dependants Act.

2. Periods are not to be taken into consideration by virtue of the preceding paragraph when they coincide with periods of insurance completed under the legislation of another Contracting Party on survivors' benefits.

C. Application of Netherlands legislation on insurance against incapacity for work

1. For the application of the provisions of Article 29 of the Convention, Netherlands institutions will observe the following provisions:

a. if the person concerned was, at the time at which he became incapable of work with ensuing invalidity, a wage-earner or equivalent, the competent institution will fix cash benefits in accordance with the provisions of the Act of 18 February 1966 on insurance against incapacity for work (WAO), taking into account:

– the periods of insurance completed under the Act of 18 February 1966 abovementioned (WAO),

– the periods of insurance completed after the age of 15 years under the Act of 11 December 1975 concerning incapacity for work (AAW) or the Invalidity Insurance (Self-employed Persons) Act of 24 April 1997 (WAZ), in as far as they do not coincide with the periods of insurance completed by the person concerned under the Act of 18 February 1966 above-mentioned (WAO), and

– the periods of employment and equivalent periods completed in the Netherlands before 1 July 1967;

b. if the person concerned was not, at the time he became incapable of work with ensuing invalidity, a wage-earner or equivalent, the competent institution will fix cash benefits in accordance with the provisions of the Invalidity Insurance (Self-employed Persons) Act of 24 April 1997 (WAZ) taking into account:

– the periods of insurance completed after the age of 15 years under the Act of 11 December 1975 above-mentioned (AAW) or the Act of 24 April 1997 above-mentioned (WAZ),

– the periods of insurance completed under the Act of 18 February 1966 on insurance against incapacity for work (WAO), in as far as these do not coincide with the periods of insurance completed under the Act of 11 December 1975 above-mentioned (AAW) or the Act of 24 April 1997 above-mentioned (WAZ), and

– periods of employment and equivalent periods completed in the Netherlands before 1 July 1967.

2. The provisions of Article 35, paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs a and d, of this Convention are not applied by Netherlands institutions in regard to benefits calculated on the basis of an invalidity or less than 45 %, if the aggravation of the pre-existing invalidity is obviously due to a cause other than that which has brought about the invalidity in respect of which the benefits are drawn.

D. Application of Netherlands legislation on optional continued insurance

The principle of equality of treatment set forth in Article 8 of this Convention does not apply to optional old-age and survivors' insurance so far as the payment of contributions at reduced rates is concerned.

E. Application of certain transitional provisions

When assessing the right to benefits under the General Old-Age Pension Act, the Surviving Dependants Act and the General Disablement Benefits Act under the transitional provisions of those Acts, Article 28, paragraph 2 of the Convention does not apply.

F. Health care insurance

a. As regards entitlement to benefits in kind under Netherlands legislation, persons entitled to benefits in kind for the purpose of the implementation of Chapters 1 and 3 of Title III of this Convention shall mean:

(i) persons who, under Article 2 of the Zorgverzekeringswet (Health Care Insurance Act), are obliged to take out insurance with a health care insurer, and

(ii) insofar as they are not already included under point (i), persons who are resident on the territory of another Contracting Party and who, under this Convention, are entitled to health care in their State of residence, the costs being borne by the Netherlands.

b. The persons referred to in point a(i) must, in accordance with the provisions of the Zorgverzekeringswet (Health Care Insurance Act), take out insurance with a health care insurer, and the persons referred to in point a(ii) must register with the College voor zorgverzekeringen (Health Care Insurance Board).

c. For the purpose of determining entitlement to benefits pursuant to Chapters 1 and 3 of Title III of this Convention, "members of the family" means: a spouse, registered partner or child under the age of 18.

d. The provisions of the Zorgverzekeringswet (Health Care Insurance Act) and the Algemene Wet Bijzondere Ziektekosten (Exceptional Medical Expenses Act) concerning liability for the payment of contributions shall apply to the persons referred to under point a. and the members of their families. In respect of family members, the contributions shall be levied on the person from whom the right to health care is derived.

e. The provisions of the Zorgverzekeringswet (Health Care Insurance Act) concerning late insurance shall apply mutatis mutandis in the event of late registration with the College voor zorgverzekeringen (Health Care Insurance Board) in respect of the persons referred to in a(ii).

f. Persons entitled to benefits in kind by virtue of the legislation of a Contracting Party other than the Netherlands who reside in the Netherlands or stay temporarily in the Netherlands shall be entitled to benefits in kind in accordance with the policy offered to insured persons in the Netherlands by the institution of the place of residence or the place of stay, taking into account Article 11 (1), (2) and (3) and Article 19 (1) of the Zorgverzekeringswet (Health Care Insurance Act), as well as to benefits in kind provided by the Algemene Wet Bijzondere Ziektekosten (Exceptional Medical Expenses Act).

g. For the purposes of Article 24 of this Convention, the following pensions shall be treated as pensions payable under the legal provisions mentioned in subparagraphs (b) (invalidity) and (c) (old age) of Article 2, paragraph 1, of this Convention :

– pensions awarded under the Law of 6 January 1966 on pensions for civil servants and their survivors (Algemene burgerlijke pensioenwet) (Netherlands Civil Service Pensions Act);

– pensions awarded under the Law of 6 october 1966 on pensions for military personnel and their survivors (Algemene militaire pensioenwet) (Military Pensions Act);

– disablement benefits awarded under the Law of 7 June 1972 on measures provided on behalf of servicemen and persons regarded as such against the financial consequences of disablement (Wet arbeidsongeschiktheidsvoorziening militairen);

– pensions awarded under the Law of 15 February 1967 on pensions for employees of the Netherlands Railway Company (NV Nederlandse Spoorwegen) and their survivors (Spoorwegpensioenwet), (Railway Pensions Act);

– pensions awarded under the Reglement Dienstvoorwaarden Nederlandse Spoorwegen (Regulation governing conditions of employment of the Netherlands Railway Company);

– benefits awarded to retired persons before reaching the pensionable age of 65 years under a pension scheme designed to provide income for former employed persons in their old age, or benefits provided in the event of premature exit from the labour market under a scheme set up by a State or by an industrial agreement for persons aged 55 or over.

h. Persons residing in the Netherlands, who are entitled to benefits in kind at the expense of another Contracting Party under Chapters 1 and 3 of Title III of this Convention, are not insured under the Exceptional Medical Expenses Act.

i. For the purposes of Chapters 1 and 3 of Title III of this Convention, the no-claim refund provided for in the Netherlands scheme in the event of limited use of health care facilities, shall be deemed to be a sickness benefit in cash.

VIII. Application of the legislation of Norway

The application of the provisions of the second sub-paragraph of paragraph 4 of Article 1 of the National Insurance Act of 17 June 1966 cannot be extended to non-nationals.

The application of Norwegian legislation cannot be extended to non-nationals in Spitzbergen unless they are employed by a Norwegian employer.

Compensation supplement to benefits from the National Insurance granted in accordance with the Act of 19 December 1969 is granted only to persons domiciled in Norway.

IX. Application of the legislation of Spain

1. All employed or self-employed persons no longer insured under Spanish legislation are assumed to be insured, at the time of the event resulting in entitlement to benefit, for the purposes of the application of the provisions of Chapter 2 of Title III of the Convention, if they are insured under the legislation of another Contracting Party at the time of the aforementioned event or, alternatively, if a benefit is payable under the legislation of another Contracting Party as a result of the said event.

2. a. For the purpose of determining the amount of the pensions referred to in Chapter 2 of Title III of the Convention, the theoretical Spanish benefit is calculated on the basis of the insured person's actual contributions in the years preceding the payment of the last contribution to the Spanish social security system.

b. The amount of the pension is increased in accordance with the improvements and adjustments made for each subsequent year until the year preceding the event resulting in entitlement to benefit, for pensions of the same type.

3. The provisions of Royal Decree No. 2805 of 7 December 1979 concerning persons having the status of civil servant or employee of an international or intergovernmental organisation are extended to the nationals of any Contracting Party as well as refugees and stateless persons:

a. when they have their residence in Spanish territory; or

b. when they have their residence in the territory of another Contracting Party provided they have been, at any time, affiliated in a compulsory manner to the Spanish social security system; or

c. when they have their residence in the territory of a State other than a Contracting Party if they have contributed to the Spanish social security system for a minimum period of one thousand and eighty days, and if they are not insured in a compulsory or voluntary manner under the legislation of a Contracting Party.

X. Application of the legislation of Sweden

With regard to unemployment benefits, the Government of Sweden undertakes to encourage the approved Unemployment Funds to apply the provisions of this Convention in so far as they are in force in respect of Sweden.

XI. Application of the legislation of Switzerland

1. The principle of equality of treatment set forth in Article 8 of this Convention does not apply to:

a. optional old-age and survivors' insurance and optional invalidity insurance for Swiss nationals abroad;

b. old-age and survivors' insurance and invalidity insurance of Swiss nationals working abroad for an employer in Switzerland;

c. relief benefits paid to Swiss invalids residing abroad;

d. special pensions under old-age and survivors' insurance paid to Swiss nationals born before 1 July 1883 or to their survivors.

2. Special invalidity insurance pensions or special old-age pensions payable in lieu thereof are awarded to nationals of the Contracting Parties subject to the conditions that they have resided in Switzerland throughout five years immediately preceding the lodging of the claim. A reservation is made on the provisions of Article 39, pargraphs 2 and 3, of the Federal Act on invalidity insurance.

Special old-age and survivors' insurance pensions are awarded to nationals of the Contracting Parties subject to the condition that they have resided in Switzerland throughout ten years immediately preceding the lodging of the claim in the case of old-age pensions, or subject to the condition that the deceased has resided in Switzerland throughout five years immediately preceding the lodging of the claim in the case of survivors' pensions or old-age pensions payable in lieu thereof.

The period of residence in question is deemed to be uninterrupted, when absence from Swiss territory does not exceed three months in the course of any calendar year. Periods of residence in Switzerland during which the person concerned has been exempt from Swiss invalidity, old-age and survivors' insurance are not taken into account for the required duration of residence.

3. Where nationals of the Contracting Parties have acquired a right to benefits under Swiss invalidity, old-age and survivors' insurance, the provisions of Article 29, paragraph 5, of this Convention will be applied for the calculation of the amount of the pensions due under Swiss insurance.

4. With regard to entitlement to ordinary invalidity pensions, nationals of the Contracting Parties are deemed to be insured within the meaning of Swiss legislation if, at the time of the commencement of invalidity, they are covered by pensions insurance of any Contracting Party or if they are entitled to invalidity benefits under the legislation of any Contracting Party.

5. a. Nationals of the Contracting Parties may request rehabilitation under the federal legislation on invalidity insurance as long as they keep their domicile in Switzerland, provided they have paid contributions to Swiss insurance for at least a whole year immediately preceding the time when they shall benefit from such rehabilitation.

b. Wives and widows who do not follow a gainful activity, as well as minors, children of nationals of the Contracting Parties, may request rehabilitation under the federal legislation on invalidity insurance as long as they keep their domicile in Switzerland, provided they have resided there without interruption for at least one year immediately preceding the time when they shall benefit by such rehabilitation. However, periods of temporary residence outside the Swiss territory not exceeding two months during a calendar year do not interrupt residence in Switzerland.

c. Minors, children of nationals of the Contracting Parties, may request rehabilitation under the federal legislation on invalidity insurance if they have their domicile in Switzerland and have been invalids since birth there or if they have resided in Switzerland without interruption since their birth.

Annex II to the Convention on Social Security

Legislation and schemes to which this Convention is applicable

(Article 3, paragraph 1)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

   Austria    Luxembourg

   Belgium    Malta

   Cyprus    Netherlands

   Denmark    Norway

   France    Portugal

   Germany    Spain

   Greece    Sweden

   Iceland    Switzerland

   Ireland    Turkey

   Italy    United Kindgom

Where this annex comprises a list of specific laws, it is deemed to cover also any legislative instrument which codifies, amends, supplements or brings into force such laws.

   Austria

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance (sickness, maternity and death);
b. wage-earners' pension insurance;
c. salaried employees' pension insurance;
d. miners' pension insurance;
e. pension insurance for self-employed persons in commerce;
f. pension insurance for self-employed persons in agriculture and forestry;
g. notaries' insurance;
h. insurance against occupational injuries and diseases;
i. unemployment insurance;
j. family allowances.

   Belgium

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness and invalidity insurance (sickness, maternity, invalidity and death):

i. schemes for employed persons (wage-earners, salaried employees, miners, public sector staff);

ii. schemes for seamen in the merchant marine;

iii. schemes for self-employed persons;

b. retirement pensions and survivors' pensions:

i. schemes for employed persons (wage earners, salaried employees, miners, seamen in the merchant marine);

ii. scheme for self-employed persons;

c. compensation for damage resulting from occupational injuries:

i. scheme for employed persons in general;

ii. scheme for seafarers;

d. compensation for damage resulting from occupational diseases;

e. organisation of aid for involuntarily unemployed persons;

f. family allowances for employed persons and family benefits for self-employed persons, except birth grants provided for under this legislation.

   Cyprus

Legislation concerning:

Social insurance (sickness, unemployment, maternity, invalidity, widowhood, orphanhood, old age and death; cash benefits and free medical treatment for occupational injuries and diseases);

   Denmark

Legislation concerning:

a. the national health security, the hospital service and maternity care (medical care);
b. daily cash benefits in the event of sickness and childbirth;
c. rehabilitation;
d. occupational injuries and diseases insurance;
e. family allowances;
f. unemployment insurance;
g. national old-age pension;
h. invalidity pension;
i. widow's pension;
j. labour market supplementary pension (ATP).

   France

a. Legislation establishing the organisation of social security;

b. Legislation establishing the social insurance scheme applicable to persons employed in non-agricultural occupations and the social insurance legislation applicable to persons employed in agricultural occupations.

c. Legislation concerning the prevention of and compensation for occupational injuries and diseases;

d. Legislation concerning insurance against accidents occurring in private life, occupational injuries and diseases of non-employed persons in agricultural occupations;

e. Legislation concerning family benefits;

f. Legislation concerning special social security schemes:

– occupations entailing affiliation to the scheme for seamen
– mining or similar undertakings
– French national railways
– railways of secondary general importance, of local importance and tramways
– the Autonomous Paris Transport Authority
– undertakings concerned with the production, transport and distribution of electricty and gas
– the General Water Company
– the Bank of France, the Crédit Foncier de France
– the Opéra, the Opéra Comique, the Comédie Française
– notaries' offices and offices treated as such;

g. Legislation concerning sickness and maternity insurance for non-employed workers in non-agriculture occupations and legislation concerning sickness, invalidity and maternity insurance for non-employed persons in agricultural occupations;

h. General legislation concerning old-age allowance and insurance for non-employed workers in non-agricultural occupations (legislation concerning the scheme run by the Caisse Nationale des Barreaux Français) and legislation concerning old-age insurance of non-employed persons in agricultural occupations;

i. Allowances for elderly persons and allowances for mothers; aid throughout life;

j. Old-age non-contributory allowances for persons other than employed persons;

k. The special allowance;

l. Supplementary allowances from the "Fonds National de Solidarité";

m. Unemployment benefit (public assistance, ASSEDIC unemployment insurance, supplementary benefit.

   Germany

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance (sickness, maternity and death);

b. the protection of working mothers, in so far as it relates to benefits in cash and in kind provided by the sickness insurance institutions during pregnancy and after child birth;

c. pensions insurance for wage-earners and artisans;

d. pensions insurance for salaried employees;

e. pensions insurance for miners and, in the Saar, pensions insurance in the iron and steel industry, and the pension scheme for elderly farmers;

f. accident insurance;

g. unemployment insurance and unemployment assistance;

h. family allowances.

   Greece

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness and maternity benefits;
b. invalidity benefits;
c. old-age pensions;
d. survivors' benefits;
e. death grants;
f. unemployment benefits;
g. family allowances;
h. occupational injuries and diseases.

   Iceland

Social Security Act No. 40 of 30 April 1963.
Act No. 86 of 11 June 1938 relating to pensions-insurance for midwives.
Act No. 65 of 2 September 1955 relating to pensions-insurance for nurses.
Act No. 78 of 28 April 1962 relating to pensions-insurance for trawlermen and seamen of the merchant marine.
Unemployment Insurance Act No. 29 of 7 April 1956.

   Ireland

Legislation concerning:

a. disability (sickness and invalidity), maternity benefits and death grants;
b. old age, retirement, widows' and orphans' pensions;
c. unemployment benefit and assistance;
d. occupational injuries and diseases;
e. family allowances;
f. health services.

   Italy

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance (sickness, maternity and death);

b. insurance against tuberculosis;

c. the physical and economic protection of working mothers, in so far as it relates to benefits provided by social insurance institutions;

d. invalidity, old age and survivors' insurance;

e. insurance against occupational injuries and diseases;

f. insurance for involuntarily unemployed persons;

g. family allowances;

h. special social insurance schemes established for specific categories of workers, in so far as they concern the contingencies or benefits covered by the legislation referred to above.

   Luxembourg

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance (sickness, maternity and death):

– scheme for wage-earners, scheme for civil servants and employees, scheme for independent occupations and agricultural scheme;

b. pensions insurance (invalidity, old age and death):

– scheme for wage-earners, scheme for salaried employees (including intellectual self-employed persons), scheme for artisans, self-employed persons in commerce and industry and agricultural scheme;

c. supplementary pensions insurance for wage-earners in mining and metal working, technicians employed in underground mines, and professional drivers;

d. insurance against occupational injuries and diseases;

e. unemployment benefits;

f. family benefits to the exclusion of birth grants.

   Malta

The National Insurance Act, 1956 (sickness, unemployment, invalidity, old age, death, and occupational injuries and diseases).

   Netherlands

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness and maternity benefits;
b. benefits for incapacity for work (invalidity, occupational injuries and diseases);
c. old age benefits;
d. survivors' benefits;
e. unemployment benefits;
f. family allowances;
g. health care allowances.

   Norway

Act of 6 July 1957 on the Co-ordination and Integration of Pensions and Insurance Benefits.
National Insurance Act of 17 June 1966 (sickness and maternity, unemployment, occupational injuries and diseases, invalidity, old age and death).
Unemployment Act of 27 June 1947, Chapter V.
Act of 3 December 1948 relating to Pensions Insurance for Seamen.
Act of 3 December 1951 relating to Pensions Insurance for Forestry Workers.
Act of 26 June 1953 relating to Pensions Insurance for Pharmacists.
Act of 28 June 1957 relating to Pensions Insurance for Fishermen.
Act of 22 June 1962 relating to Pension Scheme for Nurses.
Occupational Injuries and Diseases Insurance Act of 12 December 1958.
Family Allowances Act of 24 October 1946.
Act of 19 June 1969 relating to special supplements to benefits from the National Insurance.
Act of 19 December 1969 relating to compensation supplementary to benefits from the National Insurance.

   Portugal

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance (including the special tuberculosis scheme);

b. maternity insurance;

c. pension insurance (invalidity and old age);

d. life insurance (benefit and survivors' pensions);

e. compensation for damage resulting from occupational injuries and diseases;

f. unemployment insurance;

g. family allowances;

h. special social insurance schemes for specific categories of workers, insofar as these are concerned with contingencies or types of benefits covered by the legislation referred to above (particularly agricultural and self-employed workers).

   Spain

Legislation concerning:

a. the general Social Security scheme governing the following branches:

1. sickness, maternity;
2. old age;
3. invalidity;
4. death and survivors' benefits;
5. occupational injuries and diseases;
6. family allowances;
7. unemployment.

b. the special Social Security schemes for the above-mentioned branches.

c. the non-contributory benefits of the Social Security system.

   Sweden

Legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance including parental insurance;
b. basic pensions;
c. supplementary pensions insurance;
d. occupational injuries and diseases insurance;
e. unemployment insurance and cash labour market support;
f. general children's allowances.

   Switzerland

Federal legislation concerning:

a. sickness insurance, including insurance against tuberculosis, and maternity benefits;
b. invalidity insurance;
c. old age and survivors' insurance;
d. compulsory insurance against occupational and non-occupational accidents, and occupational diseases;
e. unemployment insurance;
f. family allowances for agricultural workers and small farmers.

   Turkey

Legislation concerning:

a. social insurance for employed persons (sickness, maternity, invalidity, old age, death, occupational injuries and diseases);

b. social insurance of self-employed workers and the liberal professions (invalidity, old age and death).

   United Kingdom

Legislation concerning:

a. the national health services;
b. national insurance (cash benefits for unemployment, sickness, maternity, widowhood, orphanhood, retirement and death);
c. industrial injuries insurance (occupational injuries and diseases);
d. family allowances;
e. insular insurance (Jersey);
f. social insurance (Guernsey).

Annex I to the Convention on Social Security

Definition of territories and nationals of the Contracting Parties

(Article 1, sub-paragraph b)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

   Austria    Luxembourg

   Belgium    Malta

   Cyprus    Netherlands

   Denmark    Norway

   France    Portugal

   Germany    Spain

   Greece    Sweden

   Iceland    Switzerland

   Ireland    Turkey

   Italy    United Kindgom

   Austria

Territory: – the territory of Austria.
Nationals: – persons of Austrian nationality.

   Belgium

Territory: – the territory of Belgium.
Nationals: – persons of Belgian nationality.

   Cyprus

Territory: – the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Nationals: – citizens of the Republic of Cyprus.

   Denmark

Territory: – the territory of Denmark, with the exception of the Faroe Islands and Greenland.
Nationals: – persons of Danish nationality.

   France

Territory: – the territory of the European Departments and of the overseas Departments (Guadeloupe, Guiana, Martinique and Réunion) of the French Republic.

Nationals: – persons of French nationality.

   Germany

Territory: – the territory in which the Basic Law for Germany is in force.
Nationals: – Germans within the meaning of the Basic Law for Germany.

   Greece

Territory: – the territory of Greece.
Nationals: – persons of Greek nationality.

   Iceland

Territory: – the territory of Iceland.
Nationals: – persons of Icelandic nationality.

   Ireland

Territory: – the territory subject to the jurisdiction of the Government of Ireland.
Nationals: – persons of Irish nationality.

   Italy

Territory: – the territory of Italy.
Nationals: – persons of Italian nationality.

   Luxembourg

Territory: – the territory of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Nationals: – persons of Luxembourg nationality.

   Malta

Territory: – the territory of Malta and its dependencies.
Nationals: – citizens of Malta.

   Netherlands

Territory: – the territory of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Europe, the Netherlands Antilles and Aruba.

Nationals: – persons of Netherlands nationality.

   Norway

Territory: – the territory of the Kingdom of Norway, including Spitzbergen, Jan Mayen, and the Norwegian Dependencies.

Nationals: – persons of Norwegian nationality.

   Portugal

Territory: – the territory of Portugal.
Nationals: – persons of Portuguese nationality.

   Spain

Territory: – the territory of the Kingdom of Spain.
Nationals: – persons of Spanish nationality.

   Sweden

Territory: – the territory of the Kingdom of Sweden.
Nationals: – persons of Swedish nationality.

   Switzerland

Territory: – the territory of the Swiss Confederation.
Nationals: – persons possessing Swiss nationality.

   Turkey

Territory: – the territory of Turkey.
Nationals: – persons possessing Turkish nationality.

   United Kingdom

Territory: – the territory of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and for the purposes of certain of the Conventions specified in Annex III, the Isle of Man, the Island of Jersey, the Islands of Guernsey, Alderney, Herm and Jethou, but not the other territories for whose international relations the United Kingdom is responsible.

Nationals: – citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies.

Supplementary Agreement for the Application of the European Convention on Social Security

Paris, 14.XII.1972

The member States of the Council of Europe, signatory to the European Convention on Social Security and to this Supplementary Agreement,
Considering that by the terms of Article 80, paragraph 1, of the European Convention on Social Security, the application of that Convention is governed by a Supplementary Agreement,

Have agreed as follows:

Title I – General provisions

Article 1

For the purposes of this Supplementary Agreement:

the term "Convention" means the European Convention on Social Security;

the term "Agreement" means the Supplementary Agreement for the application of the Convention;

the term "Committee" means the Committee of Experts on Social Security of the Council of Europe or such other committee as the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe may designate to carry out the duties mentioned in Article 2 of this Agreement;

the term "seasonal worker" means a worker who moves to the territory of a Contracting Party other than that of his residence for the purpose of carrying out, for an undertaking or employer of that Party, work of a seasonal nature for a period not longer than eight months, and who temporarily resides in the territory of that Party for the duration of such work; work of a seasonal nature means work which is dependent on the cycle of the seasons and is automatically repeated each year; the status of a seasonal worker is proved by the production of a contract of employment endorsed by the employment service of the Contracting Party whose territory the seasonal worker enters to follow his occupation, or of a document endorsed by that service, attesting to his seasonal employment in that territory;

the terms defined in Article 1 of the Convention have the meanings given them in that article.

Article 2

Models of the certificates, statements, declarations, claims and other documents required for the application of the Convention and of this Agreement shall be prepared by the Committee. However, if two or more Contracting Parties agree on the use of different models, they shall inform the Committee accordingly.

The Committee may assemble information on the legislative provisions to which the Convention applies at the request of the competent authorities of any Contracting Party.

The Committee may prepare leaflets for the purpose of informing the persons concerned of their rights and of the administrative formalities with which they must comply in order to secure them.

Article 3

The competent authorities of the Contracting Parties may designate liaison bodies empowered to communicate directly with one another and provided they are authorised to do so by the competent authorities of that Party, with the institutions of any Contracting Party.

Any institution of a Contracting Party, and likewise any person residing or temporarily residing in the territory of a Contracting Party, may approach the institution of another Contracting Party either directly or through the liaison bodies.

Article 4

Annex 1 names the competent authority or authorities of each Contracting Party.

Annex 2 names the competent institutions of each Contracting Party.

Annex 3 names the institutions of the place of residence and the institutions of the place of temporary residence of each Contracting Party.

Annex 4 names the liaison bodies designated by the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties pursuant to Article 3, paragraph 1, of this Agreement.

Annex 5 lists the provisions referred to in Article 6, sub-paragraph b and Article 46, paragraph 2, of this Agreement.

Annex 6 lists the names and addresses of the banks referred to in Article 48, paragraph 1, of this Agreement.

Annex 7 names the institutions designated by the competent authorities of the Contracting Parties pursuant to the provisions of Article 7, paragraph 1, Article 12, paragraph 1, Article 14, paragraphs 2 and 3, Article 34, Article 57, paragraph 1, Article 63, paragraph 1, Article 72, paragraph 2, Article 73, paragraph 2, Article 76, Article 77, Article 78, paragraph 2, Article 83, paragraph 1, Article 84 and Article 87, paragraph 2, of this Agreement.

Article 5

Two or more Contracting Parties may by common agreement, in so far as they are concerned, prescribe different rules for applying the Convention from those provided for in this Agreement.

Article 6

This Agreement replaces:

agreements for the application of such social security conventions as the Convention replaces;

provisions for the application of such provisions in the conventions on social security referred to in Article 6, paragraph 3, of the Convention as are not listed in Annex 5.

Title II – Application of Title I of the Convention (General provisions)

Application of Article 10 of the Convention

Article 7

Where, having regard to Article 10 of the Convention, the person concerned satisfies the conditions for admission to optional continued insurance in respect of invalidity, old age or death (pensions) under more than one scheme, by virtue of the legislation of a Contracting Party, and has not been compulsorily insured under any of those schemes by virtue of his most recent employment, he shall qualify for admission to optional continued insurance only under the scheme which would have applied if he had followed, under the legislation of that Party, the employment subject to compulsory insurance for pension purposes which he last followed under the legislation of another Contracting Party. However, where the said employment was not subject to compulsory insurance under the legislation of the first Party, or where the nature of that employment cannot be determined, then the competent authority of that Party or such institution as it may designate shall decide the scheme under which the optional insurance may be continued.

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 10 of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the institution of the Contracting Party concerned a certificate of the periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and also of any periods of residence, after the age of sixteen, under the non-contributory legislation of any other Contracting Party. This certificate shall be issued at the request of the person concerned, or the said institution, by the institution or institutions within whose purview he has completed the periods in question.

Application of Article 13 of the Convention

Article 8

Where a person in receipt of benefit under the legislation of one Contracting Party is also entitled to benefits under the legislation of one or more of the other Contracting Parties, the following rules shall apply:

where the application of the provisions of Article 13, paragraph 2, of the Convention would entail the reduction, suspension or suppression of such benefits, none of them may be reduced, suspended or suppressed to an extent greater than the amount which would be obtained by dividing the sum affected by the reduction, suspension or suppression in accordance with the legislation under which benefit is due by the number of benefits subject to reduction, suspension or suppression to which the beneficiary is entitled;

nevertheless, where the benefits concerned are invalidity, old age, or death (pensions) benefits paid out in conformity with the provisions of Article 29 of the Convention by the institution of a Contracting Party, that institution shall take account of the benefits, income or remuneration entailing the reduction, suspension or suppression of the benefits due from it solely for the purposes of the reduction, suspension or suppression of the amount referred to in Article 29, paragraphs 4 or 5, but not for the calculation of the theoretical amount referred to in Article 29, paragraphs 2 and 3; however, account shall be taken of such benefits, income or remuneration only to the extent of that fraction of their amount corresponding to the ratio of the periods completed, as prescribed in Article 29, paragraph 4, of the Convention;

for the application of the provisions of Article 13, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the competent institutions concerned shall communicate all relevant information to one another on request;

for the application of the provisions of Article 13, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the official rate of exchange shall be the rate prevailing on the first day of the month in which the final payment is made or, if the pension is recalculated, at the rate then prevailing.

Article 9

Where a person or a member of that person's family has a claim to maternity benefit under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties, benefits shall be provided solely under the legislation of the Party in whose territory the birth took place, or, if the birth did not take place in the territory of either of these Parties, solely under the legislation to which the person concerned was last subject.

Article 10

Where death occurs in the territory of a Contracting Party, only entitlement to a death grant acquired under the legislation of that Party shall be recognised, to the exclusion of any right acquired under the legislation of another Contracting Party.

When death occurs in the territory of a Contracting Party and entitlement to death grant has been acquired solely under the legislation of two or more other Contracting Parties, or where death occurs outside the territory of either of the Contracting Parties, and entitlement to death grant has been acquired under the legislation of any Contracting Party, only the entitlement acquired under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which the person in respect of whom the death grant is payable was last subject shall be recognised, to the exclusion of any entitlement acquired under the legislation of any other Contracting Party.

Article 11

Where, over the same period, two or more persons are entitled to family allowances under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties with respect to the same members of the family, the Contracting Party to whose legislation the family's main breadwinner is subject shall be deemed to be the only competent State. However, where family allowances are payable under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the children reside or are brought up, by virtue of a person's employment or occupational activity, that Party shall be deemed to be the only competent State.

Title III – Application of Title II of the Convention (Provisions which determine the legislation applicable)

Application of Article 15, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the Convention

Article 12

In the cases covered by Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a.i, and paragraph 2, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention, the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party whose legislation is applicable shall issue to the worker on his or his employer's request, if the requisite conditions are fulfilled, a certificate of such temporary employment abroad stating that he is still subject to that legislation.

The consent referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a.ii, of the Convention shall be requested by the employer. The consent of each worker concerned shall be required if so provided in the legislation of the Contracting Party referred to in the preceding paragraph.

Article 13

Where, under Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b or c, of the Convention, the legislation of a Contracting Party is applicable to an employed person whose employer is not in the territory of that Party, that legislation shall apply as if the person were employed at his place of residence in the said territory, particularly for the purpose of determining the competent institution.

Application of Article 17 of the Convention

Article 14

The provisions of Article 17, paragraph 1, of the Convention shall remain applicable until the date of exercise of the option provided for in paragraph 2 of that article.

An employed person who exercises his right of option shall so notify the competent institution of the Contracting Party in whose territory he is employed, as well as the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party for whose legislation he has opted, and shall at the same time notify his employer. The last mentioned institution shall, as required, notify any other institutions of the latter Contracting Party, in accordance with the instructions issued by that Party's competent authority.

The institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party for whose legislation the employed person has opted shall issue him a certificate stating that he is subject to the legislation of that Party whilst he is employed in the diplomatic mission or consular post in question, or in the private service of officials of such mission or post.

Where the employed person has opted for the application of the legislation of the Contracting Party which is the accrediting State or the sending State, the provisions of that legislation shall apply as if the person were employed at the seat of government of the said Party.

Title IV – The adding together of periods of insurance and of residence

Application of Articles 10, 19, 28, 49 and 51 of the Convention

Article 15

In the cases referred to in Article 10, Article 19, Article 28, paragraphs 1 to 4, Article 49, and Article 51, paragraphs 1 to 3, of the Convention, without prejudice to the provisions of Article 28, paragraph 4, or of Article 51, paragraph 3, of the Convention, as the case may be, periods of insurance and periods of residence shall be added together in accordance with the following rules:

to the periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of one Contracting Party shall be added the periods of insurance completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party and also any periods of residence completed after the age of sixteen under the non-contributory scheme of any other Contracting Party, to the extent necessary to make up the total period of insurance or residence required under the legislation of the first Contracting Party for the acquisition, maintenance or recovery of entitlement to benefit, provided always these periods do not overlap. In the case of invalidity, old age, or death (pensions) benefits to be paid by the institutions of two or more Contracting Parties in accordance with the provisions of Article 29 of the Convention, each of the institutions concerned shall separately add together all the periods of insurance or residence completed by the person concerned under the legislation of all the Contracting Parties to which he has been subject;

where a period of compulsory insurance completed in accordance with the legislation of one Contracting Party coincides with a period of voluntary or optional continued insurance completed under the legislation of another Contracting Party, the first only shall be taken into account, without prejudice to the provisions of the second sentence of Article 16, paragraph 2, of the Convention;

where an actual period of insurance completed under the legislation of one Contracting Party coincides with a period assimilated to an actual period of insurance under the legislation of another Contracting Party, the first only shall be taken into account;

any period assimilated to an actual period of insurance under the legislation of two or more Contracting Parties shall be taken into account only by the institution of that Contracting Party to whose legislation the person insured was last compulsorily subject prior to the said period; where the insured person has not been compulsorily subject to the legislation of one of those Parties prior to the said period, that period shall be taken into account by the institution of that Contracting Party to whose legislation he was first compulsorily subject after the period in question;

where the time at which certain periods of insurance were completed under the legislation of a Contracting Party cannot be accurately determined, such periods shall be presumed not to overlap with periods completed under the legislation of another Contracting Party and shall be taken into account as may be necessary;

where, according to the legislation of one Contracting Party, certain periods of insurance are taken into account only if they have been completed within a specified time, the institution which applies this legislation shall take into account only periods completed under the legislation of another Contracting Party as have been completed within the same specified time.

Periods of insurance completed under a scheme of a Contracting Party to which the Convention does not apply, but which are taken into account by a scheme of that Party to which the Convention does apply, shall be considered as insurance periods to be taken into account for the purpose of adding together.

Where the periods of insurance completed under the legislation of one Contracting Party are expressed in units other than those used in the legislation of another Contracting Party, the conversion necessary for the purpose of adding them together shall be governed by the following rules:

where the person concerned has been working a six-day week:

one day shall be equivalent to eight hours, and vice versa;

six days shall be equivalent to one week, and vice versa;

twenty-six days shall be equivalent to one month, and vice versa;

three months, or thirteen weeks, or seventy-eight days shall be equivalent to one quarter and vice versa;

for the conversion of weeks into months, and vice versa, the weeks and months shall be converted into days;

the application of the rules set out above shall not result in a total, for periods completed during one calendar year, of more than three hundred and twelve days, or fifty-two weeks, or twelve months, or four quarters;

where the person concerned has been working a five-day week:

one day shall be equivalent to nine hours, and vice versa;

five days shall be equivalent to one week, and vice versa;

twenty-two days shall be equivalent to one month, and vice versa;

three months, or thirteen weeks, or sixty-six days, shall be equivalent to one quarter, and vice versa;

for the conversion of weeks into months, and vice versa, the weeks and months shall be converted into days;

the application of the preceding rules shall not result in a total, for periods completed during one calendar year, of more than two hundred and sixty-four days, or fifty-two weeks, or twelve months, or four quarters.

Where, in accordance with paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b, of this article, periods of voluntary or optional continued insurance in respect of invalidity, old age or death (pensions) completed under the legislation of a Contracting Party are not taken into account when adding periods together, the contributions relating to such periods shall be considered as conferring entitlement to increased benefits under the said legislation. Where such legislation provides for supplementary insurance, the said contributions shall be taken into account for the calculation of the benefits due under such supplementary insurance.

Title V – Application of title III of the Convention (Special provisions governing the various categories of benefits)

Chapter 1 – Sickness and maternity

Application of Article 19 of the Convention

Article 16

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 19 of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate setting out the periods of insurance completed under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he was previously last subject, and he shall supply any additional information required under the legislation applied by that institution.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, at the request of the person concerned, by the institution, competent in relation to sickness, of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he was previously last subject. If the person concerned does not submit this certificate, the competent institution shall apply for it to that institution.

Where it is necessary to take into account periods of insurance previously completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party in order to satisfy the conditions prescribed by the legislation of the competent State, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall be applied mutatis mutandis.

Application of Article 20 of the Convention

Article 17

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 20 of the Convention, the person concerned shall register himself and the members of his family with the institution of his place of residence, submitting a certificate of his and his family's entitlement. This certificate shall be issued by the competent institution on the basis of information supplied, where appropriate, by the employer. If the person concerned or the members of his family fail to submit such a certificate, the institution of the place of residence shall itself apply for it to the competent institution.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be valid until such time as the institution of the place of residence receives notice of its cancellation.

Where the person concerned is employed as a seasonal worker, the certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall remain valid for the expected duration of the seasonal work, unless in the meantime the competent institution notifies the institution of the place of residence of its cancellation.

The institution of the place of residence shall advise the competent institution of any registration made in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article.

For any claim for benefits in kind, the claimant shall submit the supporting documents normally required for the provision of benefits in kind under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides.

In the event of hospitalisation, the institution of the place of residence shall notify the competent institution, as soon as this information is available, of the date of entry, the probable duration of hospitalisation and the date of discharge.

The person concerned or the members of his family shall advise the institution of the place of residence of any change in their circumstances which might affect their entitlement to benefits in kind and, in particular, of any cessation or change of employment or occupational activity on the part of the person concerned or any change in the latter's residence or temporary residence, or in that of a member of his family. The competent institution shall likewise inform the institution of the place of residence of the person concerned of the termination of his affiliation or of his entitlement to benefit. The institution of the place of residence may at any time request the competent institution to supply any information relating to the said person's affiliation or entitlement to benefit.

Article 18

In the case of frontier workers or members of their families, any medicines, bandages, spectacles, minor appliances, laboratory analyses and examinations shall only be provided or carried out in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they have been prescribed and in accordance with the legislation of that Party.

Article 19

In order to receive the cash benefits provided for in Article 20, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b, of the Convention, the person concerned shall apply to the institution of his place of residence within three days of becoming incapable of work, and submit a certificate to the effect that he has ceased to work or, if the legislation applied by the competent institution or by the institution of the place of residence so requires, a certificate of incapacity for work issued by the doctor attending him. He shall also submit any other documents required by the legislation of the competent State, according to the type of benefit claimed.

If doctors in the country of residence do not issue certificates of incapacity for work, the person concerned shall apply directly to the institution of the place of residence, within the time-limit set by the legislation it applies. That institution shall at once seek medical confirmation of incapacity for work and issue the certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph.

The institution of the place of residence shall immediately transmit to the competent institution the documents referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this article, indicating at the same time the probable duration of incapacity for work.

As soon as possible, the institution of the place of residence shall undertake a medical examination of the person concerned and make the necessary administrative enquiries regarding his case, and shall notify the competent institution without delay of the findings. The competent institution may, if it so desires, have the person concerned examined by a doctor of its choice at its own expense. Where this institution decides to refuse benefit on the grounds that the person concerned has failed to comply with the rules relating to the investigation of his case, it shall notify him of this decision and at the same time send a copy to the institution of the place of residence.

Termination of incapacity for work shall be notified without delay to the person concerned by the institution of the place of residence, which shall at the same time notify the competent institution. When this latter institution itself decides that the person concerned is again capable of work, it shall notify him of its decision and at the same time send a copy of the decision to the institution of the place of residence.

Where, in the same case, two different dates are set by the institution of the place of residence and by the competent institution for the termination of incapacity for work, the date set by the competent institution shall apply.

When the person concerned resumes work, he shall notify the competent institution, if so required by the legislation which that institution applies.

The competent institution shall pay cash benefits by any appropriate means, for example by international money order, and shall advise the institution of the place of residence of such payments. Where benefit is paid by the institution of the place of residence on behalf of the competent institution, the competent institution shall inform the person concerned of his entitlement in the manner prescribed by the legislation which it applies and shall also advise him of the institution charged with paying the benefits. It shall at the same time inform the institution of the place of residence of the amount of benefit payable, the dates of payment, and the maximum period for which it is payable under the legislation of the competent State. The amount of benefit payable by the institution of the place of residence shall be converted at the official rate of exchange prevailing on the first day of the month in which benefit is paid.

Application of Article 21 of the Convention

Article 20

In order to receive benefits in kind for himself or for such members of his family as accompany him in his temporary employment abroad, a worker employed in the circumstances referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i or paragraph 2, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention shall submit to the institution of his place of temporary residence the certificate prescribed in Article 12, paragraph 1, of this Agreement. When he has submitted this certificate, he shall be presumed to have satisfied the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind.

In order to receive benefits in kind for himself or for the members of his family who accompany him, a worker employed in the circumstances referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b, of the Convention, whose work brings him to the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, shall submit as promptly as possible to the institution of his place of temporary residence a statement issued by the employer or his agent within the two preceding calendar months. This statement shall indicate the date on which he began work for that employer, and the name and address of the competent institution. However, if, according to the legislation of the competent State, the employer is not presumed to know the competent institution, the said worker shall indicate the name and address of that institution in writing when submitting his application to the institution of the place of temporary residence. When he has produced the above-mentioned statements he shall be presumed to have satisfied the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind. If he is unable to apply to the institution of the place of temporary residence before commencing medical treatment, he shall nevertheless receive such treatment on presentation of the said statement, as if he were insured with that institution.

The institution of the place of temporary residence shall apply without delay to the competent institution to ascertain whether the worker referred to in paragraph 1 or 2 of this article, as the case may be, or the members of his family concerned, satisfy the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind. The institution of the place of temporary residence shall provide the said benefits until a reply has been received from the competent institution, but for not longer than thirty days.

The competent institution shall reply to the institution of the place of temporary residence within ten days of receiving that institution's enquiry. If the reply is in the affirmative, the competent institution shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which the benefits in kind may be provided under the legislation which it applies, and the institution of the place of temporary residence shall continue to provide the said benefits.

Instead of the certificate or statement referred to respectively in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article, the worker may submit to the institution of the place of temporary residence the certificate referred to in Article 21, paragraph 1, of this Agreement. In that case, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall not apply.

The provisions of Article 17, paragraph 6, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 21

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 21, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i, of the Convention, except in cases where the presumption in Article 20, paragraphs 1 and 2, of this Agreement is operative, the person concerned shall submit to the institution of his place of temporary residence a certificate that he is entitled to such benefits. This certificate, issued by the competent institution at the request of the person concerned before he leaves the territory of the Contracting Party in which he resides, shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which benefits in kind may be provided under the legislation of the competent State. If the person concerned does not submit such a certificate, the institution of the place of temporary residence shall apply for it to the competent institution.

The provisions of Article 17, paragraph 6, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 22

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 21, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b.i, of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the institution of his place of residence a certificate that he is authorised to continue receiving such benefits. This certificate, issued by the competent institution at the request of the person concerned, prior to his departure, shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which such benefits may continue to be provided under the legislation of the competent State. The certificate may be issued after the departure of the person concerned, at his request, when, for reasons outside his control, it could not have been prepared earlier.

The provisions of Article 17, paragraph 6, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

The provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in the case covered by Article 21, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c.i of the Convention.

Article 23

The provisions of Article 21 or of Article 22 of this Agreement as the case may be shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in relation to the provision of benefits in kind to the members of the family referred to in Article 21, paragraph 3, of the Convention.

Article 24

In order to receive the cash benefits provided for in Article 21, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a.ii of the Convention, the person concerned shall apply to the institution of his place of temporary residence within three days of becoming incapable of work, and submit a certificate of incapacity for work issued by the doctor attending him, if so required by the legislation applied by the competent institution or by the institution of the place of temporary residence. He shall also indicate his address in the country of temporary residence as well as the name and address of the competent institution.

If doctors in the country of temporary residence do not issue certificates of incapacity for work, the provisions of Article 19, paragraph 2, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

The institution of the place of temporary residence shall without delay transmit to the competent institution the documents referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this article, indicating in particular the probable duration of incapacity for work.

Persons other than the workers referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i, and paragraph 2, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention, whose state of health is found by medical examination to be such as not to prevent them from returning to the territory of the Contracting Party where they reside, shall immediately be notified to this effect by the institution of the place of temporary residence, which shall also send a copy of the notification to the competent institution.

In addition, the provisions of Article 19, paragraphs 4 to 8, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Article 22, paragraph 4, of the Convention

Article 25

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 22, paragraph 4, of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate regarding the members of his family residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State. This certificate shall be issued by the institution of the place of residence of the said members of the family.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be valid for a period of twelve months from the date of issue and shall be renewable. When renewed, its validity shall begin to run from the date of its renewal. The person concerned shall immediately notify the competent institution of any change to be made in the certificate. Such change shall have effect from the date on which the contingency occurred.

Instead of the certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this article, the competent institution may require the person concerned to submit recent civil status papers for the members of his family who are residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, if such papers are normally issued by the authorities of that Contracting Party.

Application of Article 23 of the Convention

Article 26

The provisions of Article 17 of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in relation to the provision of benefits in kind for unemployed persons and the members of their family residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State.

Application of Article 24 of the Convention

Article 27

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 24, paragraph 2, of the Convention in the territory of the Contracting Party in which he resides, a person receiving a pension, and the members of his family, shall register with the institution of the place of residence, submitting a certificate stating his entitlement to benefits in kind for himself and for the members of his family according to the legislation, or one of the legislations, under which the pension is payable.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, at the request of the person concerned, by the institution, or by one of the institutions, by which the pension is payable or, where appropriate, by the institution competent to decide on entitlement to benefits in kind, provided that the recipient of the pension satisfies the conditions for entitlement to such benefits. If the person concerned fails to submit such a certificate, the institution of the place of residence shall apply for it to the institution or institutions by which the pension is payable or, where appropriate, to any other institution empowered to issue such a certificate. Pending receipt of the certificate the institution of the place of residence may register the person concerned and the members of his family provisionally upon presentation of supporting documents which are acceptable to it. Such registration can only be invoked against the institution responsible for the provision of benefits in kind if this latter institution has issued the said certificate.

The institution of the place of residence shall notify the institution which has issued the certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this article of any registration made in accordance with the provisions of that paragraph.

Any application for benefits in kind shall entitle the institution of the place of residence to require the person concerned to furnish proof of his continued entitlement to a pension in the form of a receipt, or the counterfoil of a money order, relating to the latest pension payment.

The person concerned or the members of his family shall inform the institution of the place of residence of any change in their circumstances which might affect their entitlement to benefits in kind, and in particular of any suspension or suppression of the pension, and of any change of residence. The institutions concerned shall likewise notify the institution of the place of residence of any changes of which they become aware.

Article 28

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 24, paragraph 4, of the Convention in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they reside, the members of the family of a recipient of a pension shall register with the institution of their place of residence, submitting the supporting documents normally required by the legislation which that institution applies for the granting of such benefits to members of the family of a recipient of a pension, together with a certificate similar to that referred to in Article 27, paragraph 1, of this Agreement. The said institution shall notify the institution of the recipient's place of residence of any registration made in accordance with this paragraph.

When applying for benefits in kind, the members of the family shall submit to the institution of their place of residence a certificate that the recipient of the pension is entitled to benefits in kind for himself and for the members of his family; this certificate, issued by the institution of the recipient's place of residence, shall remain valid as long as the institution of the place of residence of the members of the family has not received notice of its cancellation.

The institution of the place of residence of the recipient of a pension shall notify to the institution of the place of residence of the members of the family the suspension or suppression of the pension and any change in the place of residence of such recipient. The institution of the place of residence of the members of the family may at any time request the institution of the place of residence of the recipient of a pension to supply any information relating to the latter's entitlement to benefit.

The members of the family shall inform the institution of their place of residence of any change in their circumstances which might affect their entitlement to benefits in kind, and in particular of any change of residence.

Article 29

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 24, paragraph 6, of the Convention, the recipient of a pension shall submit to the institution of his place of temporary residence a certificate that he is entitled to such benefits. This certificate, issued by the institution of his place of residence before he leaves the territory of the Contracting Party in which he resides, shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which benefits in kind may be provided under the legislation of this Contracting Party. If he does not submit such a certificate, the institution of the place of temporary residence shall apply for it to the institution of the place of residence.

The provisions of Article 17, paragraph 6, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis. In this case, the institution of the recipient's place of residence shall be regarded as the competent institution.

The previous paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in relation to the provision of benefits in kind for the members of the family referred to in Article 24, paragraph 6, of the Convention.

If the formalities referred to in the preceding paragraphs could not be complied with during temporary residence of the person concerned in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, the provisions of Article 30 shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Articles 21 and 24 of the Convention

Article 30

If the formalities referred to in Article 20, paragraphs 1, 2 and 5 and in Articles 21 and 22 of this Agreement have not been complied with during the temporary residence in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, the relevant medical expenses shall be refunded, at the request of the person concerned, by the competent institution, in accordance with the scale of reimbursement applied by the institution of the place of temporary residence. The institution of the place of temporary residence shall provide the competent institution, on request, with any necessary information concerning the scale of reimbursement.

Application of Article 25, paragraph 3, of the Convention

Article 31

For the purpose of applying the provisions of Article 25, paragraph 3, of the Convention, the institution of a Contracting Party from which benefits are due may apply to the institution of another Contracting Party for information concerning the period for which the latter has been providing such benefits for the same case of sickness or maternity.

Chapter 2 – Invalidity, old age and death (pensions)

Application of Articles 27 to 37 of the Convention Submisssion and examination of benefit claims

Article 32

In order to receive the benefits provided for in Articles 28 to 34 of the Convention, the claimant shall submit a claim to the institution of his place of residence in the manner prescribed by the legislation which that institution applies. If the claimant or the deceased person has not been subject to that legislation, the institution of the place of residence shall transmit the claim to the institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation the claimant or the deceased person was last subject, indicating the date on which the claim was submitted. That date shall then be considered as the date of submission of the claim to the last-mentioned institution.

If the claimant resides in the territory of a Contracting Party to whose legislation he or the deceased person has not been subject, he may submit his claim to the institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he or the deceased person was last subject.

Article 33

The submission of the claims referred to in Article 32 of this Agreement shall be subject to the following rules:

the claim shall be accompanied by the requisite supporting documents and shall be submitted on the forms prescribed

either by the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the claimant resides, in the case referred to in Article 32, paragraph 1;

or by the legislation of the Contracting Party to which the claimant or the deceased person was last subject, in the case referred to in Article 32, paragraph 2;

the accuracy of the information furnished by the claimant shall be substantiated by official documents attached to the claim form, or corroborated by the authorities of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides;

the claimant shall indicate, as far as possible, either the invalidity, old age, or death (pensions) insurance institution or institutions of each of the Contracting Parties to whose legislation he or the deceased has or had been subject, or the employer or employers by whom he or the deceased has or had been employed in the territory of any Contracting Party, and submit any certificates of employment that may be in his possession.

Article 34

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 30, paragraph 3, of the Convention, the claimant shall submit a certificate regarding the members of his family who are residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than that where the institution which pays the benefit is situated. This certificate shall be issued either by the institution, competent in relation to sickness, of the place of residence of the members of the family or by any other institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party in whose territory the said members of the family reside. The provisions of Article 25, paragraphs 2 and 3, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 35

In determining the degree of invalidity, the institution of a Contracting Party shall take account of all the medical and administrative information assembled by the institutions of any other Contracting Party. However, each institution shall retain the right to have the claimant examined by a doctor of its choice at its own expense.

Article 36

Claims shall be examined by the institution to which they have been submitted or to which they have been transmitted, as the case may be, as provided for in Article 32 of this Agreement. This institution shall be known as "the examining institution".

The examining institution shall immediately advise all the institutions concerned so that the claims may be examined by them simultaneously and without delay.

Article 37

In examining claims, the examining institution shall use a form setting out details of, and the total of, the periods of insurance or residence completed by the person concerned or by the deceased person under the legislation of all the Contracting Parties concerned.

The transmission of this form to the institution of any other Contracting Party shall take the place of the transmission of supporting documents.

Article 38

The examining institution shall enter, on the form referred to in Article 37, paragraph 1, of this Agreement, the periods of insurance or residence completed under its own legislation, and shall return a copy of the form to the invalidity, old age or death (pensions) insurance institution of each Contracting Party to whose legislation the person concerned or the deceased person has or had been subject, attaching any employment certificates produced by the claimant.

If only one other institution is involved, that institution shall complete the form sent to it in accordance with the provisions of the preceding paragraphs, indicating the periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation it applies. It shall then determine entitlement under that legislation, having regard to the provisions of Article 28 of the Convention, and shall state on the form the theoretical and the actual amounts of the benefit, calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5 of Article 29 of the Convention as well as, where appropriate, the amount of any benefit which could be claimed, without applying the provisions of Articles 28 to 33 of the Convention, solely for the periods completed under the legislation it applies. The form, which should also contain information concerning appeals procedure including time-limits, shall then be returned to the examining institution.

If there are two or more other institutions involved, each institution shall complete the form submitted to it in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 1 of this article, indicating the periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation it applies, and return the form to the examining institution. That institution shall send the completed form to the other institutions involved, each of which shall determine entitlement under the legislation it applies in accordance with the provisions of Article 28 of the Convention and indicate on the form the theoretical and actual amounts of any benefit calculated in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5 of Article 29 of the Convention as well as, where appropriate, the amount of any benefit which could be claimed, without applying the provisions of Articles 28 to 33 of the Convention, solely for the periods completed under the legislation it applies. The form, which should also contain information concerning appeals procedure, including time-limits, shall then be returned to the examining institution.

When the examining institution has received all the information referred to in paragraphs 2 or 3 of this article, it shall determine entitlement under the legislation it applies, having regard to the provisions of Article 28 of the Convention, and shall calculate the theoretical and actual amounts of the benefit, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 2, 3, 4 or 5 of Article 29 of the Convention as well as, where appropriate, the amount of any benefit which could be claimed without applying the provisions of Articles 28 to 33 of the Convention, solely for the periods completed under the legislation it applies.

Should the examining institution, upon receiving the information referred to in paragraphs 2 or 3 of this article, find it is necessary to apply the provisions of Article 31, paragraphs 2 or 3, Article 32, paragraphs 2, 4 or 5, Article 34, paragraph 1, of the Convention, it shall so inform the other institutions concerned.

Article 39

If the examining institution finds that the claimant is entitled to benefit under the legislation it applies, without reference to the periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of the other Contracting Parties to which the person concerned or the deceased person was subject, it shall make an immediate payment of this benefit on a provisional basis.

Each institution which, in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, paragraph 5, of the Convention, may calculate directly the benefit or partial benefit due to the claimant, shall pay him such benefit immediately. If an institution other than the examining institution pays benefit directly to the claimant, it shall immediately inform the examining institution accordingly and retain any arrears due having regard to the application of the provisions of paragraph 7 of this article, in favour of any institution which may have paid in excess of the amount due.

Where the examining institution pays benefit under paragraph 1 of this article, it shall deduct from the amount of such benefit the amount of benefit paid by any other institution in accordance with the preceding paragraph, as soon as it knows the amount in question.

If, while a claim is being examined, an institution other than the examining institution finds that the claimant is entitled to benefit in accordance with the legislation it applies without needing to take account of periods of insurance or residence completed under the legislation of the other Contracting Parties to which the person concerned or the deceased person was subject, it shall at once advise the examining institution, which shall immediately make a provisional payment of such benefit on behalf of the first institution, without prejudice, however, to the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this article.

Where the examining institution is required to pay benefit under paragraphs 1 and 4 of this article, it shall pay only the highest rate of benefit, without prejudice, however, to the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this article.

Where the examining institution does not pay benefit under paragraphs 1, 2 or 4 of this article, and in cases where there might be delay, it shall make the person concerned a recoverable advance determined in accordance with the provisions of Article 29, paragraphs 1 to 4, of the Convention.

When the final settlement of the benefit claim is in process, the examining institution and the other institutions concerned shall adjust their accounts as regards the amount of any provisional benefit paid or the advances made in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of this article. Sums overpaid by the said institutions may be deducted from the amount of benefits they are required to pay to the person concerned.

Article 40

In the case referred to in Article 34, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the examining institution shall calculate the final amount of the supplement which each institution concerned has to pay and advise them accordingly.

For the purpose of applying the provisions of Article 34 of the Convention, amounts expressed in different national currencies shall be converted at the official rate of exchange prevailing on the first day of the month in which the final payment of the benefit due is made.

Article 41

For the purpose of applying the provisions of Article 33, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention, the provisions of Articles 38 and 40 of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 42

Each of the institutions concerned shall advise the claimant of the decision regarding his claim for benefit as soon as that decision can be taken as final after consultation with the examining institution. Each institution shall at the same time advise the examining institution. Every decision shall indicate that it relates only to part of the total benefit that may be due, and shall also contain information concerning appeals procedure, including time-limits, prescribed by the legislation concerned.

After the benefit claim has been finally settled, the examining institution shall send the claimant a copy of all decisions taken by the institutions concerned.

Article 43

In order to expedite the settlement of benefit claims, the following rules shall be observed:

where a person, formerly subject to the legislation of one or more Contracting Parties, is subject to the legislation of another Contracting Party, the competent institution of the latter Party shall apply to the liaison body of the other Contracting Party or Parties for all relevant information, particularly regarding the institutions to which the person concerned was affiliated, and for his registration numbers if any;

at the request of the person concerned or of the institution to which he is affiliated, the institutions concerned shall begin, to the extent possible, to reconstitute his case-history as from one year prior to the date on which he will reach pensionable age.

Administrative and medical supervision

Article 44

If a recipient of:

an invalidity benefit;

an old-age benefit awarded on grounds of incapacity for work;

an old-age benefit awarded to an unemployed person;

an old-age benefit awarded on retirement from gainful employment,

a survivors' benefit awarded on grounds of invalidity or incapacity for work,

a benefit awarded subject to a means test,

temporarily resides, or resides, in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, administrative and medical supervision shall be exercised at the request of the competent institution by the institution of the place of temporary residence or residence, in accordance with the rules laid down by the legislation which the latter institution applies. However, the competent institution may have the recipient examined by a doctor of its choice at its own expense.

If the supervision referred to in the preceding paragraph reveals that a person receiving benefit is employed or has means in excess of the prescribed limit, the institution of the place of temporary residence or residence shall report to the competent institution which requested the supervision. The report shall contain the information requested and shall state in particular the nature of the employment, the amount of the earnings or other income received by the beneficiary during the last full quarter and the normal remuneration paid in the same area to a worker in the occupational category to which the person concerned belonged in the occupation he followed before he became an invalid, over a reference period to be specified by the competent institution. Where applicable, a medical opinion as to the state of health of the person concerned shall also be given.

Article 45

If, after suspension of the benefit he had been receiving, a person requalifies for benefit while residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, the institutions concerned shall exchange all the information necessary to enable payment of benefit to be resumed.

Payment of benefits

Article 46

Where the competent institution of a Contracting Party does not pay benefit directly to a beneficiary residing in the territory of another Contracting Party, such benefit shall be paid at the competent institution's request by the liaison body of the latter Party or by the institution of the place of residence, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Articles 47 to 51 of this Agreement. Where the competent institution pays benefit directly to such beneficiaries it shall so notify the institution of the place of residence.

The provisions of earlier agreements relating to the payment of benefit, which are applicable on the day preceding the entry into force of this Agreement, shall continue to apply provided that they are listed in Annex 5.

Article 47

The institution responsible for paying benefit shall forward to the liaison body of the Contracting Party in whose territory the beneficiary resides, or to the institution of the place of residence – hereinafter called the "paying agency" – a statement in duplicate setting out the benefit due; this statement must reach the said agency at least twenty days before the date on which the benefit is payable.

Article 48

Ten days before the date on which the benefit is payable, the institution responsible for payment shall remit, in the currency of the Contracting Party in whose territory it is situated, the amount of the benefit due as shown on the statement referred to in Article 47 above. Payment shall be made through the national bank or through another bank of that Contracting Party to the account opened in the name of the national bank or in the name of another bank of the Contracting Party in the territory in which the paying agency is situated, to the latter's order. Such payment shall discharge liability. The institution responsible for payment shall at the same time notify the paying agency of the payment.

The bank to which the amount has been transferred shall credit the paying agency with the equivalent amount in the currency of the Contracting Party in whose territory that agency is situated.

The names and addresses of the banks referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall be listed in Annex 6.

Article 49

The benefit due, as shown in the statement referred to in Article 47 of this Agreement, shall be paid to the beneficiary by the paying agency on behalf of the competent institution in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the legislation which the paying agency applies.

The sum payable to the beneficiary shall be converted into the currency of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides, at the rate of exchange at which, in accordance with the provisions of Article 48 of this Agreement, it was credited to the paying agency.

If the paying agency, or any other agency it may designate, becomes aware of any matter justifying the suspension or suppression of benefit, it shall immediately cease payment. This shall also be done when the beneficiary transfers his residence to the territory of a Contracting Party other than that in which the paying agency is situated.

The paying agency shall advise the institution responsible for payment of any reason for non-payment and inform it of the date of any event justifying such action.

Article 50

The payments referred to in Article 49, paragraph 1, of this Agreement shall be examined at the end of each payment period in order to determine the amounts actually paid to the beneficiaries or their legal or appointed representatives and the amounts outstanding.

The total amount of the actual payments, expressed in figures and in words in the currency of the Contracting Party in whose territory the institution responsible for payment is situated, shall be stated as agreeing with the payments effected by the paying agency and this statement shall be counter-signed by the latter's representative.

The paying agency shall vouch for the fact that the payments shown are in order.

Any difference between the amounts paid by the responsible institution, as expressed in the currency of the Contracting Party on whose territory it is situated, and the value, expressed in the same currency, of payments vouched for by the paying agency, shall be entered against subsequent sums due to be paid by the said responsible institution.

Article 51

Costs incurred in paying benefit, such as postal and banking charges, may be recovered from the beneficiary by the paying agency in accordance with the legislation which it applies.

Article 52

When the recipient of benefit payable under the legislation of one or more Contracting Parties transfers his residence from the territory of one Contracting Party to that of another Contracting Party, he shall notify the competent institution or institutions responsible for the payment of such benefit and also, where appropriate, the paying agency.

Chapter 3 – Occupational injuries and diseases (General provisions )

Application of Article 38 of the Convention

Article 53

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 38, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention, the worker shall submit to the institution of his place of residence a certificate that he is entitled to such benefits. This certificate shall be issued by the competent institution on the basis of information supplied, where appropriate, by the employer. In addition, where the legislation of the competent State so provides, the worker shall submit to the institution of his place of residence an acknowledgement of the notification of his occupational injury or disease. If he fails to submit these documents, the institution of the place of residence shall apply for them to the competent institution and, meanwhile, shall provide the benefits in kind available in case of sickness if the worker concerned is entitled to such benefits.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be valid until such time as the institution of the place of residence receives notice of its cancellation.

In the case of seasonal workers, the certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall remain valid for the expected duration of the seasonal work, unless in the meantime the competent institution notifies the institution of the place of residence of its cancellation.

For any claim for benefits in kind, the worker shall submit the supporting documents normally required for the provision of benefits in kind under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides.

In the event of hospitalisation, the institution of the place of residence shall notify the competent institution, as soon as this information is available, of the date of entry, the probable duration of hospitalisation and the date of discharge.

The worker shall advise the institution of his place of residence of any change in his circumstances which might affect his entitlement to benefits in kind, in particular of any cessation or change of employment or occupational activity, or any change in his residence or temporary residence. The competent institution shall likewise inform the institution of the place of residence when a worker's entitlement to benefit ceases. The institution of the place of residence may at any time request the competent institution to supply any information relating to the worker's entitlement to benefit.

In the case of frontier workers, any medicines, bandages, spectacles, minor appliances, laboratory analyses and examinations shall only be provided or carried out in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they have been prescribed, and in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of that Party.

Article 54

In order to receive the cash benefits other than pensions provided for in Article 38, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b, of the Convention, the worker shall apply to the institution of his place of residence within three days of becoming incapable of work, and submit a certificate to the effect that he has ceased to work or, if the legislation applied by the competent institution or by the institution of the place of residence so requires, a certificate of incapacity for work issued by the doctor attending him. He shall also submit any other documents required by the legislation of the competent State, according to the type of benefit claimed.

If doctors in the country of residence do not issue certificates of incapacity for work, the worker shall apply directly to the institution of the place of residence, within the time-limit set by the legislation it applies. That institution shall at once seek medical confirmation of incapacity for work and issue the certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph.

The institution of the place of residence shall immediately transmit to the competent institution the documents referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this article, indicating at the same time the probable duration of incapacity for work.

As soon as possible, the institution of the place of residence shall undertake a medical examination of the worker and make the necessary administrative enquiries regarding his case, as if the said worker were insured by it, and shall notify the competent institution without delay of the findings. The competent institution may, if it so desires, have the worker concerned examined by a doctor of its choice at its own expense. Where this institution decides to refuse benefit on the grounds that the worker has failed to comply with the rules relating to the investigation of his case, it shall notify him of this decision, and at the same time send a copy of the decision to the institution of the place of residence.

Termination of incapacity for work shall be notified without delay to the worker by the institution of the place of residence, which shall at the same time notify the competent institution. When this latter institution itself decides that the worker is again capable of work, it shall notify him of its decision and at the same time send a copy of the decision to the institution of the place of residence.

Where, in the same case, two different dates are set by the institution of the place of residence and by the competent institution for the termination of incapacity for work, the date set by the competent institution shall apply.

When the worker resumes work, he shall notify the competent institution, if so required by the legislation which that institution applies.

The competent institution shall pay cash benefits by any appropriate means, for example by international money order, and shall advise the institution of the place of residence of such payments. Where benefit is paid by the institution of the place of residence on behalf of the competent institution, the competent institution shall inform the worker of his entitlement in the manner prescribed by the legislation which it applies, and shall also advise him of the institution charged with paying the benefits. It shall at the same time inform the institution of the place of residence of the amount of benefit payable, the dates of payment and the maximum period for which it is payable under the legislation of the competent State. The amount of benefit payable by the institution of the place of residence shall be converted at the official rate of exchange prevailing on the first day of the month in which benefit is paid.

Application of Article 40 of the Convention

Article 55

In order to receive benefits in kind, the worker referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i, or paragraph 2, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention shall submit to the institution of his place of temporary residence the certificate prescribed in Article 12, paragraph 1, of this Agreement. When he has submitted this certificate, he shall be presumed to have satisfied the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind.

In order to receive benefits in kind, the worker referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b. i of the Convention, employed in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, shall submit as promptly as possible to the institution of the place of temporary residence a statement issued by the employer or his agent within the two preceding calendar months. This statement shall indicate the date on which he began to work for that employer, and the name and address of the competent institution. When he has produced the above-mentioned statement he shall be presumed to have satisfied the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind. If he is unable to apply to the institution of the place of temporary residence before commencing medical treatment, he shall nevertheless receive such treatment on presentation of the said statement, as if he were insured with that institution.

The institution of the place of temporary residence shall apply without delay to the competent institution to ascertain whether the worker referred to in paragraph 1 or 2 of this article, as the case may be, satisfies the conditions for entitlement to benefits in kind. The institution of the place of temporary residence shall provide the said benefits until a reply has been received from the competent institution, but for not longer than thirty days.

The competent institution shall reply to the institution of the place of temporary residence within ten days of receiving that institution's enquiry. If the reply is in the affirmative, the competent institution shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which the benefits in kind may be provided under the legislation which it applies, and the institution of the place of temporary residence shall continue to provide the said benefits.

Instead of the certificate or statement referred to respectively in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this article, the worker may submit to the institution of the place of temporary residence the certificate referred to in Article 56, paragraph 1, of this Agreement. In that case, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall not apply.

The provisions of Article 53, paragraph 5, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 56

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 40, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i, of the Convention, except in cases where the presumption in Article 55, paragraphs 1 and 2, of this Agreement is operative, the worker shall submit to the institution of his place of temporary residence a certificate that he is entitled to such benefits. This certificate, issued by the competent institution at the worker's request before he leaves the territory of the Contracting Party in which he resides, shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which benefits in kind may be provided under the legislation of the competent State. If the worker does not submit such a certificate, the institution of the place of temporary residence shall apply for it to the competent institution.

The provisions of Article 53, paragraph 5, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Article 57

In order to receive the benefits in kind provided for in Article 40, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b.i, of the Convention, the worker shall submit to the institution of his place of residence a certificate that he is authorised to continue receiving such benefits. This certificate, issued by the competent institution, shall indicate the maximum period, if any, during which such benefits may continue to be provided under the legislation of the competent State. The competent institution shall send a copy of the certificate to the body designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party to whose territory the worker concerned has returned or transferred his residence. The certificate may be issued after the worker's departure, at his request, when, for reasons outside his control, it could not have been prepared earlier.

The provisions of Article 53, paragraph 5, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

The provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis, in the case covered by Article 40, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph c. i of the Convention.

Article 58

In order to receive cash benefits other than pensions provided for in Article 40, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. ii, of the Convention, the worker shall apply to the institution of his place of temporary residence within three days of becoming incapable of work, and submit a certificate of incapacity for work issued by the doctor attending him, if so required by the legislation applied by the competent institution or by the institution of the place of temporary residence. He shall also indicate his address in the country of temporary residence and the name and address of the competent institution.

If doctors in the country of temporary residence do not issue certificates of incapacity for work, the provisions of Article 54, paragraph 2, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

The institution of the place of temporary residence shall without delay transmit to the competent institution the documents referred to in the preceding paragraphs of this article indicating in particular the probable duration of incapacity for work.

Workers other than those referred to in Article 15, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a. i, or paragraph 2, sub-paragraph a, of the Convention, whose state of health is found by medical examination to be such as not to prevent them from returning to the territory of the Contracting Party where they reside shall immediately be notified to this effect by the institution of the place of temporary residence, which shall also send a copy of the notification to the competent institution.

In addition, the provisions of Article 54, paragraphs 4 to 8, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Articles 38 to 40 of the Convention

Article 59

If an occupational injury or disease should occur in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, it should be declared in accordance with the provisions of the legislation of the competent State, without prejudice to any existing legal provisions in the territory of the Contracting Party where the injury or disease occurred, the application of which is mandatory in the case. This declaration shall be sent to the competent institution and, if necessary, a copy to the institution of the place of residence.

The institution of the Contracting Party in whose territory the occupational injury or disease occurred shall send in duplicate to the competent institution the medical certificates issued in that territory and, at the request of the latter institution, all relevant information.

The certificate indicating that the victim of the injury or disease has fully recovered or that his condition has stabilised must where appropriate give a detailed description of his condition and contain information on the final consequences of the occupational injury or disease. Any costs incurred shall be met by the institution of the place of residence or by the institution of the place of temporary residence, as the case may be, at the rate applied by that institution and at the expense of the competent institution.

The competent institution shall notify the institution of the place of residence or the institution of the place of temporary residence, as the case may be, of the date of recovery of the worker or of the stabilisation of his condition and also, if relevant, of any decision regarding an award of a pension.

Article 60

If, in a case covered by Article 38, paragraph 1, or Article 40, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the institution concerned questions whether the legislation relating to occupational injuries or diseases is applicable, it shall immediately inform the institution of the place of residence or the institution of the place of temporary residence which has provided benefits in kind. These benefits shall be regarded as benefits relating to sickness and shall continue to be so provided if the worker concerned is entitled to such benefits.

When a final decision on the question has been reached, the institution concerned shall immediately notify the institution of the place of residence or the institution of the place of temporary residence which has provided the benefit in kind. If an occupational injury or disease is not involved, that institution shall continue to provide the benefits in kind as in the case of sickness, if the worker concerned is entitled to such benefits. On the other hand, if it is an occupational accident or disease, any benefits the worker has received as if for sickness shall be regarded as benefits relating to an occupational injury or disease.

Application of Article 43, paragraph 4, of the Convention

Article 61

To enable the degree of incapacity to be assessed, for the purposes of Article 43, paragraph 4, of the Convention, the worker shall provide the competent institution of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he was subject when the occupational injury or disease occurred with full information concerning any previous occupational injuries or diseases he suffered while subject to the legislation of any other Contracting Party, whatever the degree of incapacity caused by such previous occupational injuries or diseases.

The competent institution may apply to any other institution previously competent for whatever information it considers necessary.

Application of Article 44, paragraph 2, of the Convention

Article 62

For the application of the provisions of Article 44, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the institution of any Contracting Party required to provide benefits may, as necessary, ask the institution of any other Contracting Party for information regarding the length of time for which the latter institution has already provided benefit for the same occupational injury or disease.

Application of Article 45, paragraph 3, of the Convention

Article 63

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 45, paragraph 3, of the Convention, the claimant shall submit to the competent institution a certificate regarding members of his family residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State. This certificate shall be issued either by the institution of the place of residence of these members of the family which is competent in relation to sickness or by any other institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party in whose territory these members of the family reside. In addition, the provisions of Article 25, paragraphs 2 and 3, of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Article 46 of the Convention

Article 64

In the case covered by Article 46, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the declaration notifying an occupational disease shall be sent either to the institution, competent in respect of occupational disease, of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the worker was last engaged in an occupation liable to cause the disease under consideration, or to the institution of the place of residence, which shall transmit the declaration to the first-mentioned institution.

If the institution receiving the declaration considers that an occupation liable to cause the disease in question was last followed under the legislation of another Contracting Party, it shall transmit the declaration and the accompanying documents to the corresponding institution of that Party and inform at the same time the person concerned.

If the institution of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the worker was last engaged in an occupation liable to cause the disease in question finds that he or his survivors fail to satisfy the conditions of that legislation, taking into account the provisions of Article 46, paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, of the Convention, the institution in question:

shall immediately send to the institution of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the worker was previously engaged in an occupation liable to cause the disease in question the declaration and all accompanying documents, including the findings and reports of medical examinations carried out by the former institution, together with a copy of the decision referred to in the following sub-paragraph;

shall, at the same time, inform the person concerned of its decision, stating the grounds on which benefit is refused, the procedure and time-limits for appeal, and the date on which the records of the case were transmitted to the institution referred to in the preceding sub-paragraph.

If necessary the case shall be referred back, following the same procedure, to the corresponding institution of the Contracting Party under whose legislation the worker was first engaged in an occupation liable to cause the disease in question.

Article 65

If an appeal is made against rejection of a claim by the institution of one of the Contracting Parties under whose legislation the worker was engaged in an occupation liable to cause the disease under consideration, that institution shall inform the institution to which the declaration, if any, was transmitted, in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Article 64, paragraph 3, of this Agreement, and subsequently inform it of the final decision taken.

Where entitlement to benefit is established under the legislation applied by the institution to which the declaration was transmitted in accordance with the procedure prescribed in Article 64, paragraph 3, of this Agreement, account being taken of the provisions of Article 46, paragraphs 2, 3 and 4, of the Convention, that institution shall make advance payments to the person concerned, the amounts being determined in consultation with the institution against whose decision the appeal was lodged. If, following the appeal, the latter institution is obliged to provide benefits, it shall refund to the former institution the advance payments made, deducting an equivalent amount from the benefit payable to the person concerned.

Application of Article 47 of the Convention

Article 66

In the case referred to in Article 47 of the Convention, the worker shall provide the institution of the Contracting Party from which he claims benefit with full information on any benefits previously received by him in respect of the occupational disease in question and on any occupations he has followed since the award of these benefits. That institution may request such information as it considers necessary from any other previously competent institution.

Submission and examination of claims for pensions

Article 67

If a pension or allowance to supplement a pension awarded under the legislation of one Contracting Party is claimed by a worker or his survivors residing in the territory of another Contracting Party, the claim shall be submitted either to the competent institution or to the institution of the place of residence which shall then transmit it to the competent institution. The claim must comply with the following rules:

it must be accompanied by the requisite supporting documents and shall be submitted on the forms prescribed by the legislation of the competent State;

the accuracy of the information supplied by the claimant must be substantiated by official documents attached to the claim form or corroborated by the competent authorities of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides.

The competent institution shall convey its decision directly to the claimant or through the liaison body of the competent State; it shall send a copy of the decision to the liaison body of the Contracting Party in whose territory the claimant resides.

Administrative and medical supervision

Article 68

If the recipient of a pension temporarily resides or resides in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State, administrative and medical supervision and also such medical examinations as are necessary for the revision of pensions shall be carried out at the request of the competent institution by the institution of the place of temporary residence or residence in accordance with the rules laid down in the legislation which the latter institution applies. However, the competent institution may have the recipient examined by a doctor of its choice at its own expense.

Payment of pensions

Article 69

Pensions payable by the institution of a Contracting Party to claimants residing in the territory of another Contracting Party shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Articles 46 to 51 of this Agreement.

Chapter 4 – Death (grants)

Application of Articles 49 and 50 of the Convention

Article 70

Where a person residing in the territory of one Contracting Party claims a death grant under the legislation of another Contracting Party, he shall submit his claim either to the competent institution, or to the institution of the place of residence, together with the supporting documents required under the legislation applied by the competent institution. The accuracy of the information supplied by the claimant shall be substantiated by official documents attached to the claim form or corroborated by the competent authorities of the Contracting Party in whose territory he resides.

Article 71

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 49 of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate setting out the periods of insurance or of residence completed by the person in respect of whom the death grant is payable under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he was last subject.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, at the request of the person concerned, by the institution competent in relation to sickness or old age, as the case may be, of the Contracting Party to whose legislation the person in respect of whom the death grant is payable was last subject. If the person concerned does not submit this certificate, the competent institution shall apply to the latter institution for it.

Where it is necessary to take into account periods of insurance or of residence completed previously under the legislation of any other Contracting Party in order to satisfy the conditions prescribed by the legislation of the competent State, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Chapter 5 – Unemployment

Application of Article 51 of the Convention

Article 72

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 51, paragraph 1 or 2, of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate setting out the periods of insurance, employment or other occupational activity, completed under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he was previously last subject, and he shall supply any additional information required under the legislation applied by that institution.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, at the request of the person concerned, either by the institution, competent in relation to unemployment, of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he was previously last subject, or by another institution designated by the competent authority of that Party. If the person concerned does not submit such a certificate, the competent institution shall apply for it to one of these institutions, unless the institution competent in relation to sickness can send a copy of the certificate provided for in Article 16, paragraph 1, of this Agreement.

Where it is necessary to take into account periods of insurance, employment or other occupational activity previously completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party in order to satisfy the conditions prescribed by the legislation of the competent State, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Article 52 of the Convention

Article 73

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 52 of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the institution of his new place of residence a certificate that he satisfies the conditions prescribed by the legislation of the competent State for entitlement to benefits in respect of the completion of periods of insurance, employment, occupational activity or residence, and he shall supply any additional information required by the legislation applied by that institution.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued by the competent institution, at the request of the person concerned, before he changes his place of residence. That institution shall send a copy of it to the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party to whose territory the person concerned is transferring his residence. If the person concerned does not submit this certificate or if the institution of the new place of residence has not received a copy, that institution shall apply for it to the competent institution.

Application of Article 53 of the Convention

Article 74

In the cases covered by Article 53, paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs a. ii and b. ii, of the Convention, the institution of the place of residence shall be regarded as the competent institution for applying the provisions of Article 72 of this Agreement.

In the case covered by Article 53, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph b. iii, of the Convention, the provisions of Article 73 of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

For the application of the provisions of Article 53, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the institution of the place of residence shall apply to the competent institution for all necessary information regarding the rights of the person concerned in relation to that institution.

Application of Article 54 of the Convention

Article 75

For the application of the provisions of Article 54 of the Convention, the competent institution shall, where appropriate, indicate in the certificate mentioned in Article 73, paragraph 1, of this Agreement the length of time for which it has paid benefit since entitlement to such benefit was last established.

Application of Article 55 of the Convention

Article 76

For the purpose of calculating benefits to be paid by an institution referred to in Article 55, paragraph 1, of the Convention in cases where the person concerned was not last employed for at least four weeks in the territory of the Contracting Party in which that institution is situated, he shall submit to it a statement of the nature of his last employment for at least four weeks in the territory of another Contracting Party, and indicate in what branch of the economy he was employed. If the worker does not submit such a statement, the institution in question shall apply for it either to the institution competent in relation to unemployment of that Party, or to any other institution designated by the competent authority of that Party.

Article 77

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 55, paragraph 2, of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate regarding the members of his family residing in the territory of a Contracting Party other than the competent State. That certificate shall be issued either by the institution of the place of residence of such members of the family, which is competent in relation to sickness, or by any other institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party in whose territory those members of the family reside. In addition, the provisions of paragraphs 2 and 3 of Article 25 of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Chapter 6 – Family benefits

Application of Article 57 of the Convention

Article 78

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 57 of the Convention, the person concerned shall submit to the competent institution a certificate setting out the periods of employment, other occupational activity or residence completed under the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he was previously last subject, and he shall supply any additional information required under the legislation applied by that institution.

The certificate referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be issued, at the request of the person concerned, either by the institution competent in relation to family benefits of the Contracting Party to whose legislation he was previously last subject or by any other institution designated by the competent authority of that party. If the person concerned does not submit such a certificate, the competent institution shall apply for it to one of these institutions, unless the institution competent in relation to sickness can send a copy of the certificate provided for in Article 16, paragraph 1, of this Agreement.

Where it is necessary to take into account periods of employment, other occupational activity or residence previously completed under the legislation of any other Contracting Party in order to satisfy the conditions prescribed by the legislation of the competent State, the provisions of the preceding paragraphs of this article shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Application of Articles 59 and 60 of the Convention

Article 79

In order to benefit from the provisions of Article 59 of the Convention, the person concerned shall apply to the competent institution, if necessary through his employer.

When Article 59, paragraph 3, of the Convention is to be applied, the competent institution, in order to make the comparison provided for in paragraph 4 of that article, shall obtain information through the competent authority to which it is responsible regarding the amount of family allowances payable under the legislation of the Contracting Party in which the children reside or are being brought up. That authority shall apply at the end of each quarter to the competent authority of the Contracting Party in question for such information. This information shall be based on the legislation applicable on the 15th day of the last month of the last quarter under consideration, and shall constitute the valid basis for payment of family allowances relating to the following quarter.

In support of his claim, the person concerned shall submit a certificate as to his family status issued by the competent registration authorities in the territory of the Contracting Party in which the children reside or are being brought up, if such certificate is normally issued by the above-mentioned authorities; and if not, by the institution designated by the competent authority of that Contracting Party. This certificate shall be renewed annually.

The person concerned shall also, where appropriate and at the request of the competent institution, supply information identifying the person to whom family allowances are to be paid in the territory of the Contracting Party where the children reside or are being brought up.

The person concerned shall inform the competent institution, if necessary through his employer, of any change in the circumstances of his children which might affect their entitlement to family allowances, and in particular of any change of residence and any alteration in the number of children in respect of whom family allowances are payable.

The provisions of paragraphs 1, 3 and 5 of this article shall apply in the case referred to in Article 59, paragraph 5, of the Convention.

Article 80

If the person concerned has been employed or has engaged in other occupational activity or has been resident during any calendar month or quarter in the territory of two Contracting Parties, the family allowances he may claim under the legislation of each of these Parties shall correspond to the number of daily allowances payable under the respective legislations concerned. If one or other of these legislations provides for the payment of monthly or quarterly allowances, one twenty-sixth part of the total monthly allowance or one seventy-eighth part of the total quarterly allowance shall be paid for each day of employment, other occupational activity or residence completed in the territory of the Contracting Party concerned and for each day assimilated thereto by the legislation of that Party.

If the institution of one Contracting Party has paid family allowances for a month or part of a month, and they should have been paid by the institution of another Contracting Party, the incorrect payments of allowances shall be adjusted between the two institutions.

Application of Article 61 of the Convention

Article 81

In order to receive family benefit in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they reside, the members of the family referred to in Article 61, paragraph 1, of the Convention shall register with the institution of their place of residence, submitting the supporting documents normally required for the award of family benefit under the legislation applied by that institution and also a certificate stating that the person concerned satisfies the conditions for entitlement to benefit. This certificate shall include the following information:

if the legislation of the competent State does not make entitlement to benefit conditional upon any employment or other occupational activity, the certificate shall simply state that the person concerned is subject to the legislation of that State;

if the legislation of the competent State makes entitlement to benefit conditional upon the completion of a specified period of employment or other occupational activity, the certificate shall state that this condition has been satisfied;

if the legislation of the competent State provides that the duration of entitlement to benefit shall correspond to the duration of periods of employment or other occupational activity, the certificate shall state the duration of employment or other occupational activity completed during the period under consideration.

This certificate shall be issued by the competent institution, at the request of the person concerned, as soon as he satisfies the prescribed conditions. If the members of the family do not submit this certificate, the institution of their place of residence shall apply for it to the competent institution.

In the case mentioned in sub-paragraphs a and b of the preceding paragraph, the certificate referred to shall remain valid until the institution of the place of residence is notified of its cancellation. In the case mentioned in sub-paragraph c, however, the certificate shall remain valid for three months from the date of issue only, and shall be renewed ex officio every three months by the competent institution.

If the person concerned is a seasonal worker, the certificate referred to in paragraph 1 of this article shall remain valid during the whole expected duration of the seasonal work, unless the competent institution notifies its cancellation in the meantime to the institution of the place of residence.

If the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the members of the family reside provides for monthly or quarterly payment of benefit, and the legislation of the competent State provides that the duration of entitlement to benefit shall correspond to the duration of periods of employment or other occupational activity completed in that State, benefit shall be provided for a period corresponding to the ratio of that period to the total length of time prescribed by the legislation of the country of residence of the members of the family.

If the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the members of the family reside provides for the payment of benefit for a number of days corresponding to the number of days of employment or other occupational activity completed, and the legislation of the competent State provides that entitlement shall be for a period of a month or a quarter, benefit shall be paid monthly or quarterly.

In the cases covered by paragraphs 4 and 5 of this article, if periods of employment or other occupational activity completed under the legislation of the competent State are expressed in units other than those used in calculating benefit under the legislation of the Contracting Party in whose territory the members of the family reside, they shall be converted as provided in Article 15, paragraph 3, of this Agreement.

The competent institution shall immediately inform the institution of the place of residence of members of the family of the date on which the person concerned ceases to be entitled to benefit or transfers his residence from the territory of one Contracting Party to that of another. The institution of the place of residence of the members of the family may at any time ask the competent institution for all necessary information regarding entitlement to benefit of the person concerned.

The members of the family shall inform the institution of their place of residence of any change in their circumstances which might affect their entitlement to benefit, and in particular of any change of residence.

Article 82

If members of a family transfer their residence from the territory of one Contracting Party to that of another during the course of a calendar month or quarter, the family benefit paid to them under the legislation of each of those Parties shall correspond to the number of daily benefits payable under the legislations concerned. If either of these legislations provides for the payment of benefit, monthly or quarterly, benefit shall be paid proportionately to the duration of residence in the territory of the Party in question during the month or quarter concerned.

Application of Article 62 of the Convention

Article 83

In order to receive family benefit in the territory of the Contracting Party in which they reside, the members of the family referred to in Article 62 of the Convention shall submit to the institution of their place of residence a certificate stating that the person concerned receives unemployment benefit under the legislation of another Contracting Party, and would be entitled to family benefits if he lived with the members of his family in the territory of the competent State. This certificate shall be issued either by the institution competent in relation to unemployment in the latter State or by any other institution designated by the competent authority of that State. If the members of the family do not submit this certificate, the institution of their place of residence shall apply for it to the competent institution.

The provisions of Articles 81 and 82 of this Agreement shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Title VI – Miscellaneous provisions

Article 84

The institution of the place of residence of a person who has received benefits that were not payable to him, or the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party in whose territory that person resides, shall co-operate with the institution of any other Contracting Party which has paid such benefits, should the latter institution seek recovery from the person in question.

Article 85

If, during the assessment or the revision of invalidity, old-age, or death (pensions) benefits under the provisions of Chapter 2 of Title III of the Convention, the institution of a Contracting Party has paid to a beneficiary a sum in excess of his entitlement, it may request the institution of any other Contracting Party responsible for the payment of corresponding benefits to that person to deduct the amount overpaid from any arrears payable to him. The latter institution shall transfer the amount so withheld to the creditor institution. If recovery cannot be made in this way, the provisions of the following paragraph shall apply.

If the institution of a Contracting Party has paid to a beneficiary a sum in excess of his entitlement, that institution may, under the conditions and to the extent permissible under the legislation it applies, request the institution of any other Contracting Party responsible for payment of benefits to that person to deduct the amount overpaid from the payments it is making to him. The latter institution shall withhold that amount to the extent to which such a deduction is permissible under the legislation it applies, as if the overpayment had been made by it, and transfer the amount so withheld to the creditor institution.

If the institution of a Contracting Party has made an advance payment of benefits for a period during which the beneficiary was entitled to corresponding benefits under the legislation of another Contracting Party, it may request the institution of the other Contracting Party to deduct the amount of the advance from the payments due to him for the same period. The latter institution shall withhold the amount and transfer it to the creditor institution.

Article 86

If a person has received social assistance payments in the territory of a Contracting Party during a period when he was entitled to receive benefit under the legislation of another Contracting Party, the authority which provided the social assistance may, if it is entitled to recover such assistance payments from benefits due to the person concerned, request the institution of any other Contracting Party responsible for paying benefits to him, to withhold the amount of the social assistance granted during that period from the benefit payable to him. The latter institution shall withhold that amount and transfer it to the creditor authority.

Article 87

If entitlement to benefits is not recognised by the institution stated to be the competent one, the cost of the benefits in kind provided by the institution of the place of temporary residence under the presumption in Article 20, paragraph 2, or Article 55, paragraph 2, of this Agreement shall be refunded by the first mentioned institution.

If the person concerned is not entitled to benefits in kind, expenditure incurred by the institution of the place of residence or temporary residence in respect of benefits in kind provided under Article 60, paragraph 1, of this Agreement shall be refunded by the institution designated by the competent authority of the Contracting Party concerned.

If an institution has refunded benefits incorrectly paid, in accordance with the provisions of paragraphs 1 or 2 of this article, it shall remain the creditor of the recipient for the amount of the benefit incorrectly paid.

Article 88

In the event of a dispute between the institutions or competent authorities of two or more Contracting Parties concerning either the legislation applicable under Title II of the Convention or the institution which is to provide benefit, the person who would have been able to claim benefit in the absence of such a dispute shall provisionally receive the benefit prescribed by the legislation which the institution of the place of residence applies or, where the person concerned does not reside in the territory of one of the Contracting Parties concerned, by the legislation of the Contracting Party to which he was previously last subject. After settlement of the dispute, the cost of the benefits paid provisionally shall be borne by the institution declared as liable to pay the benefits.

Article 89

If, in order to apply its national legislation, or the Convention, in specific cases, the competent institution of a Contracting Party considers it necessary to conduct an enquiry in the territory of another Contracting Party, it may appoint an investigator for that purpose, subject to the agreement of the competent authorities of the two Parties concerned. The competent authority of the Contracting Party in whose territory the enquiry is to take place shall give every assistance to the investigator and appoint a person to assist him in consulting the records and all other documents relevant to the case.

Article 90

If the legislation of a Contracting Party regards as members of the family or household of the person concerned only such persons as live with him, the institution which applies that legislation may require evidence that the members of the family who do not fulfil that condition are mainly dependent on the person concerned, by means of documents showing that he contributes substantially to their maintenance.

Article 91

Any agreements concluded under Article 26, paragraph 1, Article 32, paragraph 3 or 6, Article 41, Article 42, paragraph 3, Article 46, paragraph 5, Article 56, paragraph 1, Article 58, paragraph 1, Article 67, paragraph 2, Article 69, paragraph 3, or Article 70, paragraphs 2 or 3, of the Convention, or under Article 5 of this Agreement, shall be communicated to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe within three months of the date of their entry into force.

Article 92

The annexes referred to in Article 4 of this Agreement shall be an integral part thereof.

Any amendment of the annexes to this Agreement shall be notified by the Contracting Party or Parties concerned to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

In the case of an amendment of Annex 5 to this Agreement, the procedure prescribed in Article 73, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the Convention shall apply, mutatis mutandis.

Title VII – Transitional and final provisions

Article 93

The submission of a claim for invalidity, old-age or survivors' benefits to the institution of a Contracting Party after the entry into force of the Convention shall automatically entail the revision, in accordance with the provisions of the Convention, of benefits awarded for the same contingency by the institution or institutions of one or more other Contracting Parties before its entry into force.

Article 94

This Agreement shall be open to signature by the member States of the Council of Europe which have signed the Convention and which may become Parties to it either by:

signature without reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance; or

signature with reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance, followed by ratification or acceptance.

Any State which signs this Agreement without reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance or which ratifies or accepts it must, at the same time, ratify or accept the Convention.

Instruments of ratification or acceptance shall be deposited with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Article 95

This Agreement shall enter into force on the same date as the Convention.

As regards any member States which shall subsequently sign the Agreement without reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance, or which shall ratify or accept it, the Agreement shall enter into force three months after the date of such signature or after the date of deposit of the instrument of ratification or acceptance.

Article 96

Any State not a member of the Council of Europe which shall accede to the Convention upon invitation by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in accordance with Article 77 thereof must, at the same time, accede to this Agreement.

Accession shall be effected by depositing with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe an instrument of accession which shall take effect three months after the date of its deposit.

Article 97

This Agreement shall have the same duration as the Convention.

No Contracting Party may denounce this Agreement without denouncing, at the same time, the Convention under the conditions provided for in Article 78 thereof.

Such denunciation shall take effect six months after the date of receipt by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe of its notification.

Article 98

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe shall, within one month, notify the Contracting Parties, signatory States and the Director General of the International Labour Office of:

any signature without reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance;

any signature with reservation in respect of ratification or acceptance;

the deposit of any instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession;

any date of entry into force of this Agreement in accordance with Articles 95 and 96;

any notification of denunciation received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 97 and the date on which denunciation takes effect;

any communication or notification received in pursuance of the provisions of Article 91 and Article 92, paragraph 2, of this Agreement.

In witness whereof, the undersigned, being duly authorised thereto, have signed this Supplementary Agreement.

Done at Paris, this 14th day of December 1972, in English and in French, both texts being equally authoritative, in a single copy, which shall remain deposited in the archives of the Council of Europe. The Secretary General shall transmit certified copies to each of the signatory and acceding States.

Annexes 1 to 7

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URL: http://www.worldlii.org/int/other/COETS/1972/7.html

	Austria		Malta
	Belgium		Netherlands
	Cyprus		Norway
	France		Portugal
	Germany		Sweden
	Italy		Switzerland
	Luxembourg		Turkey
			United Kindgom

	Annex I	– Definition of territories and nationals of the Contracting Parties
	Annex II	– Legislation and schemes to which this Convention is applicable
	Annex III	– Provisions remaining in force notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5
	Annex IV	– Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of Article 8 are applicable
	Annex V	– Provisions whose application is extended to nationals of all the Contracting Parties
	Annex VI	– Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of Article 11 are not applicable
	Annex VII	– Particular measures for the application of the legislation of the Contracting Parties

	Annex 1	– Competent Authorities
	Annex 2	– Competent Institutions
	Annex 3	– Institutions of the place of residence and institutions of the place of temporary residence
	Annex 4	– The Liaison Bodies
	Annex 5	– Provisions of arrangements remaining in force
	Annex 6	– Banking Institutions
	Annex 7	– Institutions designated by the Competent Authorities of the Contracting Parties

	Denmark		Netherlands
	Germany		Norway
	Iceland		Spain
			Sweden

Council of Europe Treaty Series

European Convention on Social Security - [1972] COETS 7 (14 December 1972)

Paris, 14.XII.1972

Annexes I to VII

Annex V to the Convention on Social Security

Provisions whose application is extended to nationals of all the Contracting Parties

(Article 9, paragraphs 2 and 3)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

I – Article 9, paragraph 2

II – Article 9, paragraph 3

Annex 4 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

The Liaison Bodies

(Article 3, paragraph 1, and Article 4, paragraph 4, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Appendices to the European Convention on Social Security

This page is updated following each communication – Last up-dating by the Netherlands, registered on 2 March 2007

Annexes to the European Convention on Social Security

Annex I

– Definition of territories and nationals of the Contracting Parties

Annex II

– Legislation and schemes to which this Convention is applicable

Annex III

– Provisions remaining in force notwithstanding the provisions of Article 5

Annex IV

– Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of Article 8 are applicable

Annex V

– Provisions whose application is extended to nationals of all the Contracting Parties

Annex VI

– Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of Article 11 are not applicable

Annex VII

– Particular measures for the application of the legislation of the Contracting Parties

Annex 6 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Banking Institutions

(Article 4, paragraph 6, and Article 48, paragraph 1, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annex 7 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Institutions designated by the Competent Authorities of the Contracting Parties

(Article 4, paragraph 7, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annex 5 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Provisions of arrangements remaining in force

(Article 4, paragraph 5, Article 6, sub-paragraph b, and Article 46, paragraph 2, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

I. Provisions of multilateral arrangements

II. Provisions of bilateral arrangements

Annex 3 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Institutions of the place of residence and institutions of the place of temporary residence

(Article 1, sub-paragraphs k and l, of the Convention and Article 4, paragraph 3, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annexes to the Supplementary Agreement for the application of the European Convention on Social Security

This page is updated following each communication – Last up-dating by the Netherlands, registered on 2 March 2007

Annexes to the Supplementary Agreement to the European Convention on Social Security

Annex 1

– Competent Authorities

Annex 2

– Competent Institutions

Annex 3

– Institutions of the place of residence and institutions of the place of temporary residence

Annex 4

– The Liaison Bodies

Annex 5

– Provisions of arrangements remaining in force

Annex 6

– Banking Institutions

Annex 7

– Institutions designated by the Competent Authorities of the Contracting Parties

Annex VI to the Convention on Social Security

Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 1 or paragraph 2 of Article 11 are not applicable

(Article 11, paragraph 3)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annex 1 to the Supplementary Agreement to the Convention on Social Security

Competent Authorities

(Article 1, sub-paragraph e, of the Convention and Article 4, paragraph 1, of the Agreement)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annex IV to the Convention on Social Security

Benefits to which the provisions of paragraph 2 or paragraph 3 of Article 8 are applicable

(Article 8, sub-paragraph 4)

Note by the Secretariat : Appendices relating to Parties are typed in bold, the others are in small italic characters.

Annex III to the Convention on Social Security