Scenarios for Brexit and social security

Abstract

This article examines the questions raised by the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU) about the consequences for the social security rights of persons who find themselves in a cross-border situation between the UK and the EU27. First, this article will briefly look at the current social security coordination applying in the relations between the EU Member States, including the UK. Subsequently, it will examine the issue of the rights of those people who already find themselves in a cross-border situation between the UK and the EU27 or used to be in that situation. Next, it will deal with the issue of the rights of those who will find themselves in this kind of cross-border situation in the future. Each time this article will give a short example of the situations for which agreements should be concluded and describe which legal form these agreements could take. Finally, it will examine the issue of what kind of legal framework could exist in a possible transitional period and finish with a short conclusion.