These workshops aim at supporting Member States and contributing to the implementation of the principles set out in the Council Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and self-employed.  

Following the latest workshop organised in October 2023 about transparency (i.e., access to information and simplification), the focus was this time on three health-related branches of social security (see thematic discussion paper), all under the scope of the Council Recommendation: 

• healthcare
• sickness benefits
• benefits in relation to accidents at work and occupational diseases

The workshop examined in depth these three branches and how the various objectives of the Recommendation, namely formal coverage, effective coverage and adequacy are fulfilled. 

Background   

Access to social protection and healthcare are fundamental rights in the EU. Principle 12 of the European Pillar of Social Rights states that 'regardless of the type and duration of their employment relationship, workers, and, under comparable conditions, the self-employed have the right to adequate social protection'. To implement this principle, the Council adopted in November 2019 a Recommendation on access to social protection for workers and the self-employed.  

In January 2023, the Commission’s report showed a mixed picture in the implementation efforts of the Recommendation, three years after its adoption by the Council. It concluded that further implementation efforts are needed to close existing gaps in working persons’ access. 

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare, sickness, accidents at work and occupational diseases related benefits drew renewed attention from policy makers. Ad hoc social policy adjustments and extensions were implemented with the intention of preventing the spread of disease and providing income protection for those who had to quarantine or who fell ill.  

As pointed out in the 2021 ESPN Report on social protection and inclusion policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis, the pandemic demonstrated how flexible and adaptable national healthcare systems across the EU have been. The post-pandemic context thus offers a good moment to place access to these benefits high on national policy agendas.  

The workshop, thematic paper and presentations identify relevant practices and actions taken by Member States to overcome some of the challenges faced by non-standard workers and the self-employed. Exchange of such practices is meant to generate reflections on how some of the existing gaps in coverage and adequacy can be closed.