Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits : report on U1 portable documents for mobile workers : reference year 2019.
Date: 2021-04-29
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Subjects: EU Member State, labour mobility, social security, social-security benefit, social-security harmonisation, unemployment, unemployment insurance, worker information, working conditions

Aggregation of periods for 
unemployment benefits 

Report on U1 Portable Documents  
for mobile workers 

Reference year 2019 

Frederic De Wispelaere, Lynn De Smedt & Jozef Pacolet - HIVA–KU Leuven 
November 2020 

Social  
Europe 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion 

Directorate D — Labour Mobility 

Unit D/2 – Social security coordination 

Contact: EMPL-D2-UNIT@ec.europa.eu 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Aggregation of periods for 
unemployment benefits 

Report on U1 Portable Documents  
for mobile workers 

Reference year 2019 

European Commission 
Directorate-General for Employment Social Affairs and Inclusion 
Directorate D Labour Mobility 
2020 

 
Network Statistics FMSSFE 

This report has been prepared in the framework of Contract No VC/2017/0463 ‘Network of Experts on intra-
EU mobility – social security coordination and free movement of workers / Lot 2: Statistics and compilation of 
national data’. This contract was awarded to Network Statistics FMSSFE, an independent research network 
composed of expert teams from HIVA (KU Leuven), Milieu Ltd, IRIS (UGent), ICON-INSTITUT Public Sector 
GmbH, Szeged University and Eftheia bvba. Network Statistics FMSSFE is coordinated by HIVA. 

Authors: 

Frederic De Wispelaere, Research expert, HIVA Research Institute for Work and Society, University of Leuven 
(KU Leuven).  

Lynn  De  Smedt,  Research  associate,  HIVA  Research  Institute  for  Work  and  Society,  University  of  Leuven 
(KU Leuven). 

Prof Dr Jozef Pacolet, Emeritus with formal duties, HIVA Research Institute for Work and Society, University 
of Leuven (KU Leuven). 

Peer reviewers: 

Prof Dr József Hajdú, Head of the Department of Labour Law and Social Security, Szeged University, 

Dr Gabriella Berki, Assistant Professor at the Department of Labour Law and Social Security, Szeged University 

LEGAL NOTICE 

Manuscript completed in November 2020. 

This document has been prepared for the European Commission however it reflects the views only of the 
authors, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information 
contained therein.

The European Commission is not liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse of this publication.

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2021 
© European Union, 2021 

The  reuse  policy  of  European  Commission  documents  is  implemented  based  on  Commission  Decision 
2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). 
Except otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 
International (CC-BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is 
allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. 

PDF 

ISBN 978-92-76-30708-2  doi: 10.2767/168669 

 KE-09-21-006-EN-N

Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table of Contents 

List of Tables ................................................................................................... 6 

List of Figures .................................................................................................. 7 

Glossary ......................................................................................................... 8 

Summary of main findings ................................................................................. 9 

Introduction .................................................................................................. 11 

1. 

2. 

General overview .................................................................................. 14 

Evolution of the number of PDs U1 received .............................................. 21 

Comparison to the total number of unemployed persons and recent EU-movers of 

3. 
working age .................................................................................................. 22 

Annex I Additional tables ................................................................................. 25 

Annex II PD U1 Questionnaire .......................................................................... 27 

Annex III Portable Document U1 ...................................................................... 28 

5 

 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

LIST OF TABLES 

Table 1 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, 2019 

16 

Table 2 

Table 3 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, by length of 
insurance, employment or self-employment in Member State of last 
activity, by competent Member State, 2019 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, by length of 
insurance, employment or self-employment in Member State of last 
activity, by former Member State of insurance, employment or self-
employment, 2019 

Table 4 

Evolution of the number of PDs U1 received, 2013-2019 

17 

20 

21 

Table 5 

Evolution of the percentage of PDs U1 received for a length of insurance, 
employment or self-employment of more than three months, 2013-2019 22 

Table 6 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, as a 
percentage of the total number of unemployed persons and the total 
annual EU/EFTA migration inflow of working age, 2019 

24 

6 

 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

LIST OF FIGURES 

Figure 1  Scope of the number of PDs U1 received vs scope of the data collection  12 

Figure 2  Aggregation of periods for unemployment by length of insurance, 

employment or self-employment in Member State of last activity, by 
competent Member State, 2019 

Figure 3  Citizenship of EU/EFTA movers of working age (15-64), by receiving 

Member State, 2018 

18 

23 

7 

 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

GLOSSARY  

Basic Regulation: Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of the European Parliament and of the 
Council of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems. 

Implementing Regulation: Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament 
and of the Council of 16 September 2009 laying down the procedure for implementing 
Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems. 

Competent Member State: The Member State in which the institution with which the 
person concerned is insured or from which the person is entitled to benefits is situated. 

Portable Document (PD) U1: This document is a statement of insurance periods to 
be taken into account when calculating an unemployment benefit. 

EU-28: Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany 
(DE),  Estonia  (EE),  Ireland  (IE),  Greece  (EL),  Spain  (ES),  France  (FR),  Croatia  (HR), 
Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), 
Malta  (MT),  the  Netherlands  (NL),  Austria  (AT),  Poland  (PL),  Portugal  (PT),  Romania 
(RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom 
(UK).  

EU-27: Belgium (BE), Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Denmark (DK), Germany 
(DE),  Estonia  (EE),  Ireland  (IE),  Greece  (EL),  Spain  (ES),  France  (FR),  Croatia  (HR), 
Italy (IT), Cyprus (CY), Latvia (LV), Lithuania (LT), Luxembourg (LU), Hungary (HU), 
Malta  (MT),  the  Netherlands  (NL),  Austria  (AT),  Poland  (PL),  Portugal  (PT),  Romania 
(RO), Slovenia (SI), Slovakia (SK), Finland (FI) and Sweden (SE).  

EU-15: Belgium (BE), Denmark (DK), Germany (DE), Ireland (IE), Greece (EL), Spain 
(ES),  France  (FR),  Italy  (IT),  Luxembourg  (LU),  the  Netherlands  (NL),  Austria  (AT), 
Portugal (PT), Finland (FI), Sweden (SE) and the United Kingdom (UK).  

EU-13: Bulgaria (BG), the Czech Republic (CZ), Estonia (EE), Croatia (HR), Cyprus (CY), 
Latvia  (LV),  Lithuania  (LT),  Hungary  (HU),  Malta  (MT),  Poland  (PL),  Romania  (RO), 
Slovenia (SI) and Slovakia (SK). 

EFTA countries: Iceland (IS), Liechtenstein (LI), Norway (NO) and Switzerland (CH). 

EU/EFTA  movers:  EU-28  or  EFTA  citizens  who  reside  in  an  EU-28  or  EFTA  country 
other than their country of citizenship. 

Frontier workers: persons who pursue their occupation in the territory of a Member 
State which is different than their Member State of residence to which they return as a 
rule daily or at least once a week.

8 

Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

SUMMARY OF MAIN FINDINGS 

The EU rules on the coordination of social security systems,1 are based on some key 
principles protecting the social security rights of persons moving within Europe: a) the 
determination  of  a  single  applicable  legislation;  b)  the  prohibition  of  discrimination, 
reinforced  by  the  equal  treatment  of  cross-border  facts  and  events  (i.e.  principle  of 
assimilation);  c)  the  exportability  of  benefits;  and  d)  the  aggregation  of  insurance 
periods.2 The latter, the principle  of aggregation,3 intends to eliminate disadvantages 
for  persons  who  have  been  affiliated  under  different  social  security  systems  and  are 
confronted with the fact that national social security systems often require a minimum 
period of affiliation in order to access social benefits.  

Indeed, in most Member States entitlement to an unemployment benefit is dependent 
on the condition that the unemployed person has worked / been insured during a certain 
period preceding the application for an unemployment benefit (i.e. qualifying period). 
However, in some cases, the period of insurance, employment or self-employment of 
an EU/EFTA mover might be insufficient to be entitled to an unemployment benefit of 
the  Member  State  of  last  activity  (i.e.  competent  Member  State).  In  such  cases, 
additional periods completed by the person in another Member State and proven by a 
Portable Document U1 (PD U1) are required. These periods should be taken into account 
by  the  Member  State  of  last  activity  when  determining  access  to  an  unemployment 
benefit. In that respect, the number of PDs U1 received depends on several variables: 
1) the inflow of EU/EFTA movers of working age, 2) their risk of becoming unemployed, 
3) their period of insurance, employment or self-employment completed in the Member 
State of last activity and finally, 4) the qualifying period.  

This  report  summarises  the  data  collected  by  a  thematic  questionnaire  on  the 
aggregation of periods for unemployment. The aim of this questionnaire was to collect 
data on the application of Article 61 of the Basic Regulation. Hence, the scope of the 
questionnaire was limited to the collection of data on the number of PDs U1 received 
from EU-EFTA movers who became unemployed in their Member State of last activity 
and needed additional periods completed in a Member State other than the competent 
Member State to be entitled to an unemployment benefit. However, a PD U1 might also 
be asked for other situations.4 Some Member States provided data on the total group 
of persons for which a PD U1 was received without making a selection for those issued 
under  Article  61  of  the  Basic  Regulation.  Consequently,  there  are  a  number  of 
reservations  concerning  the  validity  of  the  data,  which  affect  the  analysis  and 
conclusions. 

For  reference  year  2019,  some  50,600  cases  of  aggregation  of  periods  for 
unemployment  were  reported  by  30  Member  States  (excl.  Ireland  and  Greece) 
(Table 1). In these cases, the period of insurance, employment or self-employment in 
the Member State of last activity was not long enough to become immediately entitled 

1  Regulation  (EC)  No  883/2004  of  29  April  2004  on  the  coordination  of  social  security  systems  (hereafter 
referred to as ‘Basic Regulation’) and Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of 16 September 2009 laying down the 
procedure  for  implementing  Regulation  (EC)  No  883/2004  on  the  coordination  of  social  security  systems 
(hereafter referred to as ‘Implementing Regulation’). 
2 ‘Sincere transnational cooperation’ between the competent public authorities is generally considered as the 
fifth principle. 
3 Article 6 of the Basic Regulation.  
4 For instance, for outgoing frontier workers and other cross-border workers who became unemployed in their 
Member State of last activity. Frontier workers will receive their unemployment benefit from the competent 
institution in their Member State of residence. Other cross-border workers have the right to choose: either 
they  remain  in  the  Member  State  of  last  activity  and  are  entitled  to  an  unemployment  benefit  from  that 
Member State; or they return to the Member State of residence and are entitled to an unemployment benefit 
from that Member State. 

9 

 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

to an unemployment benefit from that Member State. EU-15 and EU-13 Member States 
reported a comparable number of cases of aggregation, although the number for the 
EU-13 is higher. In most of the cases, the Member State of last activity was Bulgaria 
(18,113), France (4,814), and Italy (4,100). Furthermore, Austria, Spain and Hungary 
reported more than 3,000 cases of aggregation. 

Figure 

Number of cases of aggregation of periods for unemployment, by Member State of 
last activity, 2019 

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 18.000
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 14.000
 12.000
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 2.000
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Number of cases of aggregation

As a share of the total number of unemployed persons

* Data for CY concern reference year 2019. Data for IS concern reference year 2016. 
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 2020; Eurostat 
[une_rt_a] (2018 figures) 

In  order to  capture  the  importance of  the  principle  of  aggregation,  the  above figures 
could  be  compared  to  number  of  unemployed  persons.  For  some  0.3%  of  the 
unemployed persons in the EU/EFTA additional periods completed in a Member 
State other than the competent State were required (Table 6). Only in Bulgaria, 
Slovenia,  Hungary,  Austria,  Lithuania,  and  Switzerland,  more  than  1%  of  the 
unemployed persons made use of the principle of aggregation.  

Furthermore,  an  average  3.4%  of  the  new  EU/EFTA  movers  of  working  age 
became  unemployed  and  completed  an  insufficient  period  of  insurance, 
employment or self-employment in order to be entitled to an unemployment 
benefit (Table 6). However,  a  much  higher  percentage of  new  intra-EU/EFTA  mobile 
workers to the EU-13 (14.1%) made use of the principle of aggregation compared to 
new intra-EU/EFTA mobile workers to the EU-15 (1.7%) or the EFTA (2.4%). 

Data show that in particular an additional period completed in an EU-15 Member State 
was  added  to  the  short  period  already  achieved  in  the  Member  State  of  last  activity 
(Annex I – Table A1.1). In some seven out of ten cases of aggregation, a period 
completed  in  the  EU-15  was  added.  In  most  cases,  the  period  of  insurance, 
employment or self-employment of the Member State of last activity was aggregated 
with  an  additional  period  completed  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  to  a  lesser  extent  in 
Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. 

In  seven  out  of  ten  cases  of  aggregation,  the  unemployed  mobile  worker 
already completed a period of insurance, employment or self-employment of 
more than three months in the Member State of last activity (Table 2). This is an 
indication  that  only  in  a  minority  of  cases  new  intra-EU  movers  of  working  age  who 
became unemployed worked for a very short period in the Member State of last activity. 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

INTRODUCTION 

As a principle, unemployed persons claim benefits in the Member State of last activity.5 
In some cases, the period of insurance, employment or self-employment of an EU/EFTA 
mover is insufficient to be entitled to an unemployment benefit. In that case, additional 
periods completed by the person in a Member State other than the competent Member 
State  (i.e.  the  Member  State  of  last  activity)  are  required.6,7  For  the  aggregation  of 
periods,  the  competent  institution,  where  the  person  applied  for  unemployment 
benefits,  must  contact  the  institutions  of  the  Member  States  whose  legislation  the 
person has also been subject to in order to determine all periods completed under their 
legislation.  Portable  Document  (PD)  U18  or  the  corresponding  Structured  Electronic 
Document (SED) U002 certifies periods of insurance, employment or self-employment 
completed by a worker in another Member State that are to be taken into account for 
the award of unemployment benefits. The PD U1 is issued to the worker, on his or her 
request, by the institution of the Member State where the person completed the periods 
of insurance, employment or self-employment.9 The SED U002 is issued at the request 
of the competent institution.  

It should be noted that a mobile worker becomes subject to the legislation of a Member 
State  as  soon  as  he  or  she  starts  to  work  there10  (leaving  aside  the  special  case  of 
posting11). Hence, the aggregation rules become fully applicable from that moment on. 
However, all Member States do not uniformly apply this principle. Some Member States 
(for example, Belgium12, Finland and Denmark) have specifically defined periods for the 
application of the aggregation principle in their national law.13 

Not  only  the  number  of  EU/EFTA  movers  of  working  age,  their  risk  of  becoming 
unemployed and the period of insurance, employment or self-employment completed 
by these mobile persons in the Member State of last activity will determine the number 
of PDs U1 or SEDs U002 requested by the competent Member States and issued by the 
former  Member  States  of  insurance,  employment  or  self-employment  (i.e.  issuing 
Member States) but also the qualifying period, which varies significantly across Member 
States.14 This period varies from at least 4 months in France to 24 months in Slovakia. 
Nevertheless, many Member States apply a qualifying period of some 12 months. 

A thematic questionnaire on the aggregation of periods for unemployment was sent to 
the  Administrative  Commission  in  order  to  obtain  an  idea  of  the  size  of  the 
phenomenon.15  The  questionnaire  applies  to  reference  year  2019  and  covers  mobile 

5 Leaving aside some exceptions for frontier workers, other-cross border workers and posted workers.  
6 Article 61 of the Basic Regulation.  
7 Suppose that a Slovenian IT worker previously worked for 10 years in Slovenia. After 4 months of work in 
Croatia he is dismissed due to restructuring. In Croatia, an unemployed worker is entitled to an unemployment 
benefit  if  he  has  been  in  paid  employment  (or  paid  contributions)  for  at  least  9  months  in  the  previous  2 
years. If the Slovenian worker can demonstrate, by a PD U1, that before his Croatian job he worked for 10 
years in Slovenia, the Slovenian insurance period must be taken into account and aggregated with the Croatian 
insurance period. 
8 See Annex III.  
9 Article 54 of the Implementing Regulation. 
10 Article 11 (3) of the Basic Regulation. 
11 Article 12 of the Basic Regulation. 
12 Since October 2016, a waiting period of three months has been introduced before aggregating periods. 
13  Fuchs,  M.  (ed.),  Garcia  de  Cortazar,  C.,  Kahil,  B.  and  Pötl,  M.,  2015,  Assessment  of  the  impact  of 
amendments  to  the  EU  social  security  coordination  rules  on  aggregation  of  periods  or  salaries  for 
unemployment benefits, FreSsco, European Commission. 
14 See the MISSOC tables for more detailed information. 
15 See Annex II. The questionnaire also asks whether Member States are aware of cases of fraud or error with 
regard to the provisions on the coordination of pensions. An analysis of the replies can be found in the thematic 
report on fraud and error (Jorens et al. (2020), Fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination, 
Network Statistics FMSSFE, European Commission – DG EMPL). 

11 

 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

workers  who  became  unemployed  in  their  Member  State  of  last  activity  and  needed 
additional periods completed in a Member State other than the competent Member State 
to be entitled to an unemployment benefit. The questionnaire only covers unemployed 
recent mobile workers, including 1) EU/EFTA movers of working age living in the same 
country as where they work and 2) incoming cross-border workers other than frontier 
workers (see Figure 1). However, a PD U1 might also be received for outgoing frontier 
workers16 and other cross-border workers17 who became unemployed. In the past, some 
Member States provided data on the total number of PDs U1 received without excluding 
the  number  of  PDs  U1  issued  on  the  basis  of  the  application  of  Article  65(5)(a)  of 
Regulation (EC) No 883/2004. It cannot be ruled out that this is still the case in the data 
collection  for  reference  year  2019.  That  is  why  the  analyses  and  conclusions  in  this 
report must be considered as tentative.  

Figure 1 

Scope of the number of PDs U1 received vs scope of the data collection 

Incoming intra-EU/EFTA labour mobility 

Outgoing intra-EU/EFTA labour mobility 

EU/EFTA movers 
of working age 

Frontier workers 

Other cross-
border workers 

EU/EFTA movers 
of working age 

Frontier workers 

Will claim UB in 
the MS of last 
activity 

Will claim UB in 
the MS of 
residence 

Country of 
choice: MS of 
last activity or 
MS of residence 

Will claim UB in 
the MS of last 
activity 

Will claim UB in 
the MS of 
residence 

Other cross-
border workers 

Country of 
choice: MS of 
last activity or 
MS of residence 

Does the reporting country receive a PD U1? 

YES 

NO, MS of 
residence is 
competent 

YES, if the 
worker stays in 
the MS of last 
activity 

NO, if the worker 
returns to the MS 
of residence 

NO 

YES, MS of 
residence is 
competent 

NO, if the worker 
stays in the MS 
of last activity 

YES, if the 
worker returns to 
the MS of 
residence 

Covered by the data collection? 

YES 

NO 

YES 

NO 

NO 

NO 

A  total  of  28  Member  States18  provided  quantitative  data  for  2019,  of  which  three 
Member  States19  were  not  able  to  provide  a  breakdown  by  former  Member  State  of 
insurance, employment or self-employment (i.e. the Member State which issued the PD 
U1) and three other Member States20 were not able to provide a breakdown by length 
of insurance, employment or self-employment in the Member State of last activity. Over 
the years, more and more Member States were able to respond to this questionnaire. 
This enables us to draw conclusions that are more adequate. Nevertheless, we continue 
to have doubts about some of the reported figures.21 For some of the Member States 

16 Article 1(f) of the Basic Regulation defines frontier workers as persons who pursue their occupation in the 
territory of a Member State which is different than their Member State of residence to which they return as a 
rule daily or at least once a week. Frontier workers receive their unemployment benefit from the competent 
institution in their Member State of residence. 
17 Other cross-border workers have the right to choose: either they remain in the Member State of last activity 
and are entitled to an unemployment benefit from that Member State; or they return to the Member State of 
residence and are entitled to an unemployment benefit from that Member State. 
18 No data were reported by EL, CY and IS. IE did respond to the questionnaire but mentioned that these data 
are not available as the IT systems of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection do not 
record  details  of  these  cases.  This  information  is  retained  manually  at  local  level  with  the  individual  claim 
papers and therefore cannot be readily accessed. 
19 CZ, IT and CH. CH provided a breakdown by citizenship instead of the former Member State of insurance, 
employment, or self-employment.  
20 IT, LT and UK. 
21 In this respect, it would be better if the questionnaire for next reference year makes a distinction between 
the categories of unemployed persons with a PD U1. 

12 

 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

where no data were available for reference year 2019, the latest available data reported 
is  included  in  the  analysis22.  Whenever  older  data  are  used,  this  is  mentioned  in  a 
footnote.  

As of 1 February 2020, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union. 
This has a significant impact on the dissemination of statistics. In all thematic reports 
for reference year 2019, the EU-28 aggregate is produced and disseminated because 
the  reference  period  is  from  when  the  United  Kingdom  was  still  a  Member  State. 
Accordingly, the text of the present report describing the quantitative findings focusses 
on  the  EU-28  aggregate,  given  that  the  United  Kingdom  was  still  a  Member  State  in 
reference  year  2019.  In  addition,  in  the  tables  in  which  the  quantitative  findings  are 
included, a new EU-27 aggregate is provided for the same period for which the EU-28 
aggregate is available.  

22 It concerns data for reference year 2018 for CY, and data for reference year 2016 for IS.  

13 

 
 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

1.  GENERAL OVERVIEW 

As is shown in Table 1, some 50,688 cases of aggregation of periods for unemployment 
were reported by 30 Member States. In most of these cases, the Member State of last 
activity  was  Bulgaria  (18,113)  and  France  (4,814).23  More  than  3,000  cases  of 
aggregation were also reported by Italy, Austria, Spain, and Hungary. Member States 
such as Malta (<5 cases), the United Kingdom (<5 cases), Romania (21 cases), Latvia 
(26 cases), and Cyprus (27 cases) received only a minor number of PDs U1. These data 
are  quite  surprising,  as  one would  expect them to have  a  strong correlation  with  the 
annual inflow of EU/EFTA movers of working age. However, this is not the case.24,25 For 
instance, the 2018 inflow of EU/EFTA movers of working age to Germany amounted to 
some  440,000  persons  (see  also  Table  6).  This  makes  Germany  by  far  the  most 
important  ‘recipient  country’.  However,  Germany  is  certainly  not  the  most  important 
Member State in terms of PDs U1, as it only received 2,318 PDs U1.  

Table 1 as well as Annex I give an overview of the flow of aggregated cases between 
competent Member States and the former Member States of insurance, employment or 
self-employment. Some 10,400 cases of aggregation were reported by Bulgaria where 
additional periods completed in the United Kingdom were required in order to receive 
an unemployment benefit from Bulgaria.26 This single flow represents 21% of the total 
number of PDs U1 received by the reporting Member States and 58% of the number of 
PDs U1 received by Bulgaria. Spain also granted 1,384 unemployment benefits based 
on additional periods completed in the United Kingdom. In addition, a high number of 
unemployed  mobile  persons  residing  in  Bulgaria  needed  to  prove  additional  periods 
completed in Germany (1,888), a high number of unemployed mobile persons residing 
in France needed to prove additional periods completed in Switzerland (1,548), and a 
high  number  of  unemployed  mobile  persons  residing  in  Slovenia  needed  to  prove 
additional periods completed in Austria (1,579 cases). The column percentage in Table 
A1.1  in  Annex  I  indicate  that  91%  of  all  cases  of  aggregation  in  Slovenia  needed  to 
prove additional periods completed in Austria, and 97% of cases in Liechtenstein needed 
to prove additional periods completed in Switzerland.  

A similar number of cases of aggregation were reported by EU-15 and EU-13 Member 
States, albeit higher for the EU-13 (see Table 2). However, aggregated results for the 
EU-13 Member States are strongly affected by the number of cases reported by Bulgaria, 
whereas  figures  for  France  and  Italy  had  an  impact  on  the  total  number  of  cases 
reported for the EU-15 Member States. It is clear that EU-13 Member States receive a 
significant number of PDs U1 as well. Nevertheless, the profile of this group (frontier 
workers and other cross-border workers who return to their Member State of residence) 
is likely to differ from that of the mobile persons who became unemployed in the EU-15. 

Data show that in particular an additional period completed in an EU-15 Member State 
was  added  to  the  short  period  already  achieved  in  the  Member  State  of  last  activity 

23 As already mentioned, these figures may include cases of unemployed persons residing in a Member State 
other than the competent Member State. 
24 A ‘correlation coefficient’ can take a range of values from +1 to -1. A value of 0 indicates that there is no 
association between the two variables. In our case there is a positive but very weak correlation of only +0.14 
between the number of PDs U1 issued in 2019 and the 2018 inflow of EU/EFTA movers of working age.  
25  One  of  the  explanations  could  be  that  several  countries  provided  data  on  the  total  number  of  PDs  U1 
received instead of limiting the data to the application of Article 61 of the Basic Regulation. 
26 This is due to the fact of the high number of Bulgarian seasonal workers employed in the UK. In that case 
Bulgaria  applies  Article  65(2)  of  the  Basic  Regulation  (information  received  from  the  Bulgarian  competent 
administration). 

14 

 
 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

(Annex  I  –  Table A1.1).27  In  some  seven  out  of  ten  cases  of  aggregation,  a  period 
completed in the EU-15 was added. In the most cases, the United Kingdom is the former 
Member  State  of  insurance,  employment  or  self-employment  for  unemployed  mobile 
workers  who  had  to  aggregate  periods  to  be  entitled  to  an  unemployment  benefit  in 
Bulgaria, Spain, Cyprus, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, and Romania. EU-13 Member States 
such as Poland, Slovakia and Romania never appear as one of the main former Member 
States of insurance, employment or self-employment of the unemployed mobile workers 
in  the  EU-15  who  had  to  prove  additional  periods  of  insurance,  employment  or  self-
employment.  Finally,  approximately  one  out  of  four  forms  were  exchanged  across 
neighbouring Member States. More specifically in Belgium, Germany, Estonia, France, 
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, Sweden, and Liechtenstein more than 
half of all additional periods needed to be proven in a neighbouring Member State.  

27 This is the case for BE, BG, DK, EE, ES, FR, HR, CY, LV, LT, LU, HU, MT, NL, AT, PL, PT, RO, SI, SK, UK and 
NO. For unemployed mobile workers living in SE, IS, and LI in many cases an additional period completed in 
an EFTA Member State was added to the period already completed in these Member States. 

15 

 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table 1 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, 2019 

)
1
U
D
P
e
h
t
d
e
u
s
s
i

h
c
i
h
w
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

l

.
e
.
i
(
e
c
n
a
r
u
s
n
i
/
t
n
e
m
y
o
p
m
e
s
u
o
i
v
e
r
p
f
o
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

EU-27 
EU-28 
EU-15 
EU-13 
EFTA 
Neighbour 
Total 
BE 
BG 
CZ 
DK 
DE 
EE 
IE 
EL 
ES 
FR 
HR 
IT 
CY 
LV 
LT 
LU 
HU 
MT 
NL 
AT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SI 
SK 
FI 
SE 
UK 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
Unknown 

IE 

EL 

ES 

FR 

HU  MT  NL 

CZ 

DK 
EE 
DE 
BG 
BE 
159  1,849  144 
7,205 
1,209 
201  1,975  157 
1,252  17,673 
185  1,117  151 
1,124  16,420 
6 
858 
16 
1,253 
128 
63 
25 
343 
440 
35 
844 
95  1,208  105 
183 
1,287  18,113  1,048  264  2,318  182 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
5 

16 
73 
30 
19 

7 
<5 
<5 

525 

LT 
598 
981 
877 
104 
223 
43 

Competent Member State 
LU 
64  2,474  <5 
67  3,176  <5 
62  2,932  <5 
<5 
244 
5 
<5 
0 
76 
38  1,388 

LV 
20 
24 
20 
<5 
<5 
<5 
26  1,204  70  3,252  <5 
0 
12 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
10 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
16 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

9 
<5 
8 
<5 
773 
0 
52 
<5 
16 
28 
5 
21 
<5 
0 
0 
5 

23 
<5 
5 
64 
141 
8 
107 
<5 
22 
<5 
<5 
<5 
33 
26 

1,642  2,692 
3,026  3,234 
2,780  3,040 
194 
246 
1,580 
230 
549 
3,639 
3,256  4,814 
635 
19 
22 
13 
387 
<5 
125 
40 
352 

54 
57 
30 
29 
325 
<5 
172 
8 

IT 

CY 
11 
27 
25 
<5 
0 

HR 
196 
199 
165 
34 
<5 
24 
200  4,100  27 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
<5 

0 
0 
<5 
0 
96 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 

PL 
AT 
89  2,584  402 
92  2,680  619 
84  1,728  565 
54 
952 
8 
<5 
37 
619 
60  2,322  217 
96  3,299  656 
7 
18 
36 
0 
86 
<5 
48 
45 
<5 
0 
<5 
10 
24  1,207  166 
<5 
0 
22 
<5 
16 
0 
85 
6 
29 
<5 
37 
0 
140 
<5 
7 
0 
5 
0 
<5 
0 
6 
<5 
253 
0 
9 
0 
39 

0 
40 
0 
0 
11 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
93 
16 

PT 
51 
64 
64 
0 
25 
17 
89 
0 
0 
0 
0 
5 
0 
0 
0 
17 
18 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
5 
<5 
0 

RO 
15 
21 
19 
<5 
0 
0 
21 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 

SK 
976 

SE 
FI 
SI 
67 
86 
1,731 
77 
1,737  1,302  89 
64 
77 
1,706 
13 
12 
31 
65 
35 
0 
1,662 
80 
78 
1,737  1,384  186  142 

794 
508 
82 
673 

0 
0 
<5 
16 
10 
0 
7 
0 
10 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 

<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
30 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
15 
66 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
5 
1,579 
<5 
0 
0 

5 
0 
443 
0 
115 
0 
50 
0 
<5 
11 
0 
45 
8 
<5 
0 
<5 
43 
<5 
52 
182 
5 
0 
<5 
<5 

<5 
0 
<5 
7 
7 
5 
0 
0 
9 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 

UK 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

IS 
13 
14 
14 
0 
17 

31 
0 
0 
0 
7 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 

8 
<5 
<5 
49 
0 
6 
17 
106 
228 
5 
61 
0 
<5 
<5 
125 
5 
<5 
442 
6 
31 
29 
53 
0 
13 
<5 
7 
43 
0 
0 
<5 
33 
0 

588 
24 
1,888 
29 
438 
167 
756 
708 
<5 
160 
448 
10 
<5 
20 
<5 
45 
604 
296 
24 
152 
16 
37 
50 
42 
172 
10,468 
11 
<5 
134 
292 
0 

38 
0 
10 
0 
9 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
8 
<5 
5 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
57 
42 
<5 
0 
49 
10 
0 

8 
37 
46 
109 
40 
193 
117 
<5 
13 
12 
31 
124 
13 
113 
419 
223 
24 
144 
6 
18 
5 
15 
126 
<5 
<5 
22 
317 
0 

0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
101 
21 
13 
0 
0 
22 
<5 
0 
* CY: data concern reference year 2018. IS: data concern reference year 2016.  
** LU reported a total of 71, but this does not match the sum of 70.  
*** NO only reported data for a period of Less than one month (30 days).  
**** CH: breakdown by Member State which has issued the PD U1 is not included as the Member State provided a breakdown by citizenship. CZ and IT: breakdown by Member State of previous employment or insurance 
not possible.  
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 2020 

440 
0 
73 
<5 
<5 
6 
17 
<5 
13 
113 
24 
25 
109 
104 
<5 
<5 
7 
25 
1,384 
10 
<5 
40 
178 
0 

19 
266 
<5 
5 
5 
451 
14 
28 
77 
31 
38 
86 
27 
<5 
10 
12 
23 
542 
12 
<5 
19 
1,548 
0 

12 
131 
1,175 
7 
0 
30 
5 
173 
<5 
13 
702 
<5 
0 
7 
66 
0 

0 
<5 
8 
90 
<5 
17 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
8 
31 
383 
44 
0 
176 
<5 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
59 
0 
0 
0 
22 
8 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
16 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

<5 
<5 
0 
0 
5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 

63 
29 
197 
118 
127 
11 
20 
96 
6 
172 
9 
432 
0 

0 
<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
9 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 

<5 
<5 
0 
<5 
<5 
9 
217 
6 
<5 
23 
7 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

<5 
5 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
<5 
<5 
0 

<5 
<5 
326 
<5 
<5 
27 
52 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
13 
0 
0 
<5 
23 
0 

<5 
<5 
<5 
<5 
5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
6 

10 
0 
<5 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

44 
<5 
0 
0 
29 
6 
0 

10 
<5 
0 
58 
<5 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
6 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
17 
0 
0 

0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

0 
92 
0 

LI 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
92 
94 
95 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
<5 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 
0 

CH 

Total 
NO 
24,377 
90 
38,797 
99 
34,114 
93 
4,683 
6 
4,008 
11 
35 
13,359 
110  2,673  50,688 
1,356 
<5 
250 
0 
1,231 
0 
215 
18 
5,303 
13 
57 
0 
1,081 
<5 
312 
0 
1,514 
7 
1,549 
<5 
281 
<5 
962 
0 
514 
0 
72 
0 
40 
<5 
668 
0 
455 
<5 
141 
<5 
1,788 
<5 
3,811 
<5 
455 
0 
447 
0 
578 
0 
194 
0 
415 
0 
211 
5 
477 
30 
14,420 
9 
111 
7 
183 
0 
638 
3,076 
62 

<5 
0 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Member  States  were  asked  to  provide  a  more  detailed  breakdown  by  the  period  of 
insurance,  employment  or  self-employment  completed  by  the  unemployed  mobile 
persons  in  the  Member  State  of  last  activity  for  the  reported  cases  of  aggregation. 
Approximately  10%  of  the  reported  cases  were  applicable  to  a  period  of  insurance, 
employment or self-employment of less than 30 days in the Member State of last activity 
(Table  2  and  Figure  2).  Additionally,  15%  of  the  cases  were  applicable  to  a  period 
between one and three months, and 75% of the cases to a period of three months or 
longer.  Therefore,  in  3  out  of  4  cases  of  aggregation  the  unemployed  mobile  worker 
already completed a period of insurance, employment or self-employment of more than 
three months. These figures prove that only in a minority of cases new mobile workers 
who became unemployed worked for a very short period in the Member State of last 
activity. 

Table 2 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, by length of insurance, 
employment or self-employment in Member State of last activity, by competent 
Member State, 2019 

Less than 30 days 

Number 
3,960 
3,960 
2,701 
1,259 
700 
4,660 
144 
406 
119 
123 
163 
30 

1,164 
628 
23 

<5 
7 

<5 
479 
0 
14 
374 
31 
25 
6 
0 
156 
16 
49 

Row % 
9.3% 
9.3% 
17.1% 
4.7% 
24.0% 
10.3% 
11.2% 
2.2% 
11.4% 
46.6% 
7.0% 
16.5% 

35.7% 
13.0% 
11.5% 

7.4% 
26.9% 

1.4% 
14.7% 
0.0% 
14.6% 
11.3% 
4.7% 
28.1% 
28.6% 
0.0% 
11.3% 
11.5% 
34.5% 

More than 1 month but 
less than 3 months 
Row % 
15.1% 
15.1% 
13.6% 
16.0% 
11.2% 
14.8% 
19.3% 
14.0% 
23.8% 
11.0% 
14.3% 
19.2% 

Number 
6,397 
6,397 
2,139 
4,258 
327 
6,724 
248 
2,530 
249 
29 
332 
35 

607 
577 
14 

7 
6 

<5 
575 
0 
40 
217 
81 
24 
6 
535 
220 
24 
37 

18.6% 
12.0% 
7.0% 

25.9% 
23.1% 

5.6% 
17.7% 
0.0% 
41.7% 
6.6% 
12.3% 
27.0% 
28.6% 
30.8% 
15.9% 
17.3% 
26.1% 

3 months and more 

Number 
32,068 
32,068 
10,935 
21,133 
1,892 
33,960 
895 
15,177 
680 
112 
1,823 
117 

1,485 
3,609 
163 

18 
13 

66 
2,198 
<5 
42 
2,708 
544 
40 
9 
1,202 
1,008 
99 
56 

Row % 
75.6% 
75.6% 
69.3% 
79.3% 
64.8% 
74.9% 
69.5% 
83.8% 
64.9% 
42.4% 
78.6% 
64.3% 

45.6% 
75.0% 
81.5% 

66.7% 
50.0% 

93.0% 
67.6% 
100.0% 
43.8% 
82.1% 
82.9% 
44.9% 
42.9% 
69.2% 
72.8% 
71.2% 
39.4% 

 EU-27  
 EU-28  
 EU-15  
 EU-13  
 EFTA  
Total 
BE 
BG 
CZ 
DK 
DE 
EE 
IE 
EL 
ES 
FR 
HR 
IT 
CY* 
LV 
LT 
LU 
HU 
MT 
NL 
AT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SI 
SK 
FI 
SE 
UK 
IS* 
LI 
NO 
CH 

6 
6 
117 
571 

19.4% 
6.3% 
100.0% 
21.3% 

24 
33 
0 
1,835 
* Data for CY concern reference year 2018. Data for IS concern reference year 2016.  
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 2020 

77.4% 
34.7% 
0.0% 
68.6% 

3.2% 
58.9% 
0.0% 
10.1% 

31 
95 
117 
2,676 

<5 
56 
0 
270 

Total for 
subperiods 
Number 
42,425 
42,425 
15,775 
26,650 
2,919 
45,344 
1,287 
18,113 
1,048 
264 
2,318 
182 

Total 

Number 
47,775 
47,779 
19,925 
27,854 
2,909 
50,688 
1,287 
18,113 
1,048 
264 
2,318 
182 

Column % 
94.3% 
94.3% 
39.3% 
55.0% 
5.7% 
100.0% 
2.5% 
35.7% 
2.1% 
0.5% 
4.6% 
0.4% 

3,256 
4,814 
200 

27 
26 

71 
3,252 
<5 
96 
3,299 
656 
89 
21 
1,737 
1,384 
139 
142 

3,256 
4,814 
200 
4,100 
27 
26 
1,204 
70 
3,252 
<5 
96 
3,299 
656 
89 
21 
1,737 
1,384 
186 
142 
<5 
31 
95 
110 
2,673 

6.4% 
9.5% 
0.4% 
8.1% 
0.1% 
0.1% 
2.4% 
0.1% 
6.4% 
0.0% 
0.2% 
6.5% 
1.3% 
0.2% 
0.0% 
3.4% 
2.7% 
0.4% 
0.3% 
0.0% 
0.1% 
0.2% 
0.2% 
5.3% 

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Furthermore,  one would  expect that for Member States  that  have  specifically defined 
periods for the application of the aggregation principle in their national law (Belgium28, 
Finland and Denmark), the number of cases of aggregation in case of an employment 
of less than 1 month (or even 3 months) amounts to zero. However, this is not the case. 

The  distribution  of  the  length  of  insurance,  employment  or  self-employment  varies 
markedly between the EU-13 and the EU-15 (Figure 2). Some 43% of the cases reported 
by the EU-15 concerned a period of insurance, employment or self-employment of less 
than three months compared to only 21% of the cases reported by the EU-13.  

The period already completed by the unemployed mobile workers also differs across the 
Member  States  of  last  activity.  In  most  cases,  the  length  of  the  period  of  insurance, 
employment or self-employment completed in the Member State of last activity is longer 
than three months. Only in Denmark, Norway, and Liechtenstein  most of the PDs U1 
were required based on a period of insurance of less than three months.  

Figure 2 

Aggregation of periods for unemployment by length of insurance, employment or 
self-employment in Member State of last activity, by competent Member State, 2019 

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

E
S

K
D

L
N

T
P

S
E

I

E F
B

R
F

E
D

T
A

U
L

O
R

V
L

E
E

Z
C

Y
C

I

U S
H

K
S

R
H

L
P

G
B

T
M

I

O L
N

S
H I
C

3
1
-
U
E

5
1
-
U
E

A
T
F
E

l

a
t
o
T

EU-15

EU-13

EFTA

Total

Less than 30 days

3 months and more

Total - Less than 3 months

More than 1 month but less than 3 months

Total - Less than 30 days

* Data for CY concern reference year 2018. Data for IS concern reference year 2016.  
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 2020 

It  is  also  useful  to  determine  the  former  Member  State  of  insurance,  employment  or 
self-employment (i.e. issuing Member State) whose legislation the unemployed mobile 
worker has been subject to (Table 3 – based on Table 1). However, the missing data for 
five competent Member States29 lead to a distorted view of reality when reporting figures 
on the former Member States of insurance. Therefore, some caution is required when 
drawing conclusions. 

28 The number of cases reported by Belgium below 3 months corresponds to former cross border workers who 
have been granted unemployment benefits according to Article 65(5)(a) of the Basic Regulation. The Belgian 
delegation  is  well  aware  that  these  data  should  be  excluded  from  the  report,  but  the  Belgian  competent 
institution  cannot  statistically  make  a  distinction  between  cases  of  former  cross  border  workers  and  cases 
where foreign periods were aggregated according to Article 61 of the Basic Regulation.  
29 IE, EL, CZ, IT and CH.  

18 

 
 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

In most cases, the period of insurance, employment or self-employment of the Member 
State of last activity was aggregated with an additional period completed in the United 
Kingdom (34% of column total), Germany (12% of column total), Austria (9% of column 
total), or Switzerland (7% column total) (see Table 3 – last column). Remarkably, these 
former Member States of insurance, employment or self-employment are ‘immigration’ 
Member States.30  

For all former Member States of insurance, employment or self-employment most often 
a period of longer than three months was already completed in the Member State of last 
activity (Table 3). This is also the case for new EU Member States such as Croatia (86%), 
Bulgaria (77%) and Romania (70%). Moreover, the number of cases whereby a period 
of more than three months was already completed in the Member State of last activity 
accounts  for  83%  of  the  cases  for  former  EU-13  Member  States  of  insurance, 
employment or self-employment and for 75% of the cases for former EU-15 Member 
States of insurance, employment or self-employment.  

30 In that respect, not only the former Member State of insurance, employment or self-employment but also 
the nationality of the unemployed mobile worker should be asked by the thematic questionnaire.   

19 

 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table 3 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, by length of insurance, 
employment or self-employment in Member State of last activity, by former Member 
State of insurance, employment or self-employment, 2019 

EU-27  
EU-28  
EU-15 
EU-13 
EFTA 
Total 
BE 
BG 
CZ 
DK 
DE 
EE 
IE 
EL 
ES 
FR 
HR 
IT 
CY 
LV 
LT 
LU 
HU 
MT 
NL 
AT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SI 
SK 
FI 
SE 
UK 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 

Total 

Less than 30 days 

3 months and more 

Number 
2,676 
3,496 
3,114 
382 
451 
3,947 
318 
28 
59 
51 
497 
<5 
100 
27 
150 
226 
17 
97 
17 
<5 
5 
206 
43 
20 
153 
286 
37 
61 
91 
17 
44 
29 
93 
820 
13 
13 
71 
354 

More than 1 month but 
less than 3 months 
Row % 
Number 
15.7% 
3,734 
14.8% 
5,598 
15.6% 
5,194 
8.8% 
404 
15.8% 
594 
14.9% 
6,192 
27.3% 
364 
11.3% 
28 
6.7% 
82 
11.1% 
16 
10.8% 
555 
6.1% 
<5 
11.8% 
115 
7.6% 
23 
22.7% 
338 
26.5% 
410 
8.2% 
23 
11.1% 
107 
3.5% 
17 
26.1% 
12 
12.5% 
5 
15.4% 
103 
8.6% 
39 
9.8% 
13 
14.6% 
247 
22.6% 
859 
9.8% 
43 
10.1% 
45 
14.4% 
83 
7.2% 
14 
10.1% 
42 
12.9% 
26 
27.4% 
122 
13.3% 
1864 
14.9% 
10 
5.5% 
10 
15.7% 
70 
16.4% 
504 

Column % 
57.2% 
90.9% 
79.9% 
11.0% 
9.1% 
100.0% 
3.2% 
0.6% 
3.0% 
0.3% 
12.4% 
0.1% 
2.3% 
0.7% 
3.6% 
3.7% 
0.7% 
2.3% 
1.2% 
0.1% 
0.1% 
1.6% 
1.1% 
0.3% 
4.1% 
9.2% 
1.1% 
1.1% 
1.4% 
0.5% 
1.0% 
0.5% 
1.1% 
33.8% 
0.2% 
0.4% 
1.1% 
7.4% 
*  This is an incomplete picture due to missing data for IE and EL as reporting Member States and given that 
some Member States did not provide a (complete) breakdown by former Member State of insurance, 
employment or self-employment (CZ, IT, and CH). 

Total for 
subperiods 
Number 
23,751 
37,771 
33,196 
4,575 
3,768 
41,539 
1,333 
248 
1,226 
144 
5,158 
49 
973 
302 
1,492 
1,548 
279 
960 
479 
46 
40 
668 
452 
132 
1,696 
3,809 
438 
447 
578 
194 
414 
201 
445 
14,020 
67 
183 
445 
3,073 

Number 
23,751 
37,771 
33,196 
4,575 
3,768 
41,539 
1,333 
248 
1,226 
144 
5,158 
49 
973 
302 
1,492 
1,548 
279 
960 
479 
46 
40 
668 
452 
132 
1,696 
3,809 
438 
447 
578 
194 
414 
201 
445 
14,020 
67 
183 
445 
3,073 

Number 
17,341 
28,677 
24,888 
3,789 
2,723 
31,400 
651 
192 
1,085 
77 
4,106 
44 
758 
252 
1,004 
912 
239 
756 
445 
32 
30 
359 
370 
99 
1,296 
2,664 
358 
341 
404 
163 
328 
146 
230 
11,336 
44 
160 
304 
2,215 

Row % 
11.3% 
9.3% 
9.4% 
8.3% 
12.0% 
9.5% 
23.9% 
11.3% 
4.8% 
35.4% 
9.6% 
4.1% 
10.3% 
8.9% 
10.1% 
14.6% 
6.1% 
10.1% 
3.5% 
4.3% 
12.5% 
30.8% 
9.5% 
15.2% 
9.0% 
7.5% 
8.4% 
13.6% 
15.7% 
8.8% 
10.6% 
14.4% 
20.9% 
5.8% 
19.4% 
7.1% 
16.0% 
11.5% 

Row % 
73.0% 
75.9% 
75.0% 
82.8% 
72.3% 
75.6% 
48.8% 
77.4% 
88.5% 
53.5% 
79.6% 
89.8% 
77.9% 
83.4% 
67.3% 
58.9% 
85.7% 
78.8% 
92.9% 
69.6% 
75.0% 
53.7% 
81.9% 
75.0% 
76.4% 
69.9% 
81.7% 
76.3% 
69.9% 
84.0% 
79.2% 
72.6% 
51.7% 
80.9% 
65.7% 
87.4% 
68.3% 
72.1% 

**  Total numbers differ compared to Table 2 as some Member States did not provide a breakdown by former 

Member State of insurance, employment or self-employment. 

Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 2020 

20 

 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

2.  EVOLUTION OF THE NUMBER OF PDS U1 RECEIVED 

The figures reported for reference year 2019 can be compared with those provided for 
previous  years  (Table  4).  Compared  to  2018,  Estonia,  Spain,  France,  Malta,  Austria, 
Portugal, Romania, the United Kingdom, Liechtenstein, and Norway had less cases of 
aggregation.  This  in  contrast  to  Belgium,  Bulgaria,  the  Czech  Republic,  Denmark, 
Germany,  Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg,  Hungary,  the  Netherlands,  Poland, 
Slovenia, Slovakia, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland which received more forms. The 
strongest decrease can be noticed in the United Kingdom, France (-49%), and Norway 
(-47%). In Italy (+48%), Latvia (+53%), and the Czech Republic (+79%) on the other 
hand, a substantial increase can be noticed. Bulgaria, which already receives the highest 
number of PDs U1 forms, shows a further increase of 25% in 2019 compared to 2018. 
Furthermore, the number of PDs U1 received by Bulgaria has been on the rise ever since 
2013, and the evolution from 2013 to 2019 even amounts to 340%.  

Table 4 

Evolution of the number of PDs U1 received, 2013-2019 

BE 
BG 
CZ 
DK 
DE 
EE 
IE 
EL 
ES 
FR 
HR 
IT 
CY 
LV 
LT 
LU 
HU 
MT 
NL 
AT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SI 
SK 
FI 
SE 
UK 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 

2019 
1,287 
18,113 
1,048 
264 
2,318 
182 

3,256 
4,814 
200 
4,100 

26 
1,204 
71 
3,252 
<5 
96 
3,299 
656 
89 
21 
1,737 
1,384 
186 
142 
<5 

95 
117 
2,673 

2018 
1,137 
14,465 
586 
242 
2,165 
222 

3,916 
9,509 
200 
2,780 
27 
17 
952 
66 
2,706 
5 
84 
3,332 
583 
120 
31 
1,660 
1,300 
172 
128 
102 

120 
221 
2,655 

Number of forms received 
2016 
1,433 
7,057 
522 
122 

2015 
1,335 
5,861 

85 

2017 
1,101 
11,973 
329 
231 
1,252 
187 

234 

229 

3,538 
7,311 
146 
4,486 
<5 
39 
1,779 
39 
1,960 
9 
61 
3,670 

126 
26 

1,040 
123 
242 
182 
31 

206 
2,661 

2,871 

69 

10 
23 
1,854 
27 
4,351 
<5 
32 
3,814 

105 
11 
1,590 
1,057 
205 
303 
156 

115 
1,076 

3,407 
7,347 
97 
3,345 
29 
25 
1,479 
62 
2,536 
<5 
63 
3,433 
546 
114 
33 
1,526 
1,067 
160 
134 
102 

224 
2,599 

2014 

7,575 

19 
1,448 

1,156 

394 
133 

1,163 

2013 
2,196 
4,118 

54 

174 

2,471 
8,338 
16 

<5 
19 
370 
48 
1,149 
8 
160 

12 

1,160 
135 
457 
30 

726 
500 
1,305 

Change compared to 2018 

Number 
150 
3,648 
462 
22 
153 
-40 

-660 
-4,695 
0 
1,320 

9 
252 
5 
546 

12 
-33 
73 
-31 
-10 
77 
84 
14 
14 

-25 
-104 
18 

% 
13.2% 
25.2% 
78.8% 
9.1% 
7.1% 
-18.0% 

-16.9% 
-49.4% 
0.0% 
47.5% 

52.9% 
26.5% 
7.6% 
20.2% 

14.3% 
-1.0% 
12.5% 
-25.8% 
-32.3% 
4.6% 
6.5% 
8.1% 
10.9% 

-20.8% 
-47.1% 
0.7% 

Source Questionnaires on aggregation of periods in case of unemployment benefits 

In  2019,  compared  to  2018,  the  Czech  Republic,  Denmark,  Germany,  Spain,  France, 
Latvia,  Malta,  Austria,  Slovenia,  and  Finland  received  (i.e.  accepted)  a  higher 
percentage  of  PDs  U1  required  for  a  period  of  insurance,  employment  or  self-
employment  of  more  than  three months  (Table  5).  In  contrast,  Belgium,  Bulgaria, 
Estonia,  Croatia,  Luxembourg,  Hungary,  the  Netherlands,  Poland,  Portugal,  Romania, 
Slovakia, Sweden, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland received - compared to their 
total  number  of  cases  -  less  requests  for  aggregation  on  the  basis  of  a  period  of 
insurance, employment or self-employment of more than 3 months.  

21 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table 5 

Evolution of the percentage of PDs U1 received for a length of insurance, 
employment or self-employment of more than three months, 2013-2019 

2019 

2018 

2017 

2016 

2015 

2014 

2013 

BE 
BG 
CZ 
DK 
DE 
EE 
IE 
EL 
ES 
FR 
HR 
IT 
CY 
LV 
LT 
LU 
HU 
MT 
NL 
AT 
PL 
PT 
RO 
SI 
SK 
FI 
SE 
UK 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 

70% 
84% 
65% 
42% 
79% 
64% 

46% 
75% 
82% 

50% 

93% 
68% 
100% 
44% 
82% 
83% 
45% 
43% 
69% 
73% 
71% 
39% 

35% 
0% 
69% 

77% 
86% 
49% 
38% 
77% 
65% 

42% 
47% 
83% 

67% 
35% 

94% 
75% 
80% 
50% 
80% 
85% 
53% 
45% 
66% 
75% 
63% 
45% 

89% 
36% 
70% 

73% 
89% 
48% 
17% 
75% 
51% 

40% 
46% 
85% 

83% 
68% 

92% 
68% 
100% 
41% 
80% 
88% 
54% 
70% 
65% 
71% 
69% 
37% 

42% 
75% 

48% 
90% 
49% 
34% 

59% 

33% 
48% 
77% 

41% 

87% 
85% 
22% 
44% 
81% 

62% 
58% 

69% 
21% 
40% 

77% 

44% 
74% 

48% 
91% 

21% 

55% 

29% 

84% 

50% 
57% 

85% 
92% 
100% 
34% 
81% 

51% 
55% 
67% 
61% 

36% 

24% 
72% 

47% 
96% 

37% 

45% 

30% 
37% 
94% 

100% 
58% 

83% 
97% 
75% 
67% 

67% 

63% 
46% 
39% 
40% 

76% 

97% 

58% 

56% 

44% 

75% 

% change in p.p.* 
compared to 
2018 
-8 p.p. 
-3 p.p. 
16 p.p. 
4 p.p. 
2 p.p. 
-1 p.p. 

4 p.p. 
28 p.p. 
-1 p.p. 

15 p.p. 

-1 p.p. 
-8 p.p. 
20 p.p. 
-6 p.p. 
2 p.p. 
-2 p.p. 
-8 p.p. 
-2 p.p. 
3 p.p. 
-2 p.p. 
8 p.p. 
-6 p.p. 

-54 p.p. 
-36 p.p. 
-2 p.p. 

* p.p.: percentage points.  
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods in case of unemployment benefits 

3.  COMPARISON TO THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED 

PERSONS AND RECENT EU-MOVERS OF WORKING AGE 

The reported number of cases of aggregation on the basis of a PD U1 could be compared 
to  the  total  number  of  unemployed  persons.31  For  some  0.3%  of  the  unemployed 
persons in the EU/EFTA additional periods completed in a Member State other than the 
competent State were required (Table 6).32 Only in Bulgaria (10.5%), Slovenia (3.1%), 
Hungary (1.9%), Austria (1.5%), Lithuania (1.3%), and Switzerland (1.2%) more than 
1% of the unemployed persons made use of the principle of aggregation of periods. A 
lower share of unemployed persons in the EU-15 (0.2% of total unemployed persons in 
the EU-15) had to rely on this principle compared to unemployed persons in the EU-13 

31  Note  that  no  data  are  available  on  the  total  number  of  unemployed  persons  who  were  or  became 
unemployed during the year. This implies a (small) overestimation of the share of the cases of aggregated 
periods in the total unemployment figure. 
32 However, the estimated impact might be an underestimation as the number of unemployed persons and 
not the number of persons actually receiving an unemployment benefit has been used as denominator for the 
calculation of this indicator. The Social Benefit Recipients Database (SOCR) of the OECD publishes figures on 
the  number  of  unemployment  benefits  (https://www.oecd.org/social/recipients.htm).  However,  the  main 
limitations of SOCR are that the most recent figures concern 2016 and that figures are not available for every 
EU/EFTA country. 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

(1.3%  of  total  unemployed  persons  in  the  EU-13)  or  the  EFTA  (0.8%  of  total 
unemployed persons in the EFTA). 

Box I - Return migration in the EU 

The composition of inflows to EU-28/EFTA Member States for 2018 shows that in several 
EU-13  Member  State  (LT,  BG,  LV,  HR,  PL,  HU,  EE),  but  also  in  Portugal  and  France, 
nationals made up the largest group of incoming movers (only selecting nationals and 
other EU/EFTA citizens – excluding third country nationals). This means that inflows to 
many EU-13 Member States are largely return mobility. 

Figure 3 

Citizenship of EU/EFTA movers of working age (15-64), by receiving Member State, 
2018 

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

PT FR FI

IT DK ES SE NL DE BE LU

LT BG LV HR PL HU EE CY SK CZ

LI CH NO IS

EU-15

EU-13

EFTA

Nationals

EU-28/EFTA

Source Own elaboration based on data from Eurostat [migr_imm1ctz] (2018 figures) 

These cases of aggregated periods could also be compared to the annual inflow of intra-
EU mobile workers of working age. On average 3.4% of the mobile workers of working 
age became unemployed and completed an insufficient period of insurance, employment 
or self-employment to be entitled to an unemployment benefit (Table 6).  

A much higher percentage of new intra-EU/EFTA mobile workers to the EU-13 (14.1% 
of the total flow of intra-EU/EFTA mobile workers of working age to the EU-13 in 2018) 
made  use  of  the  principle  of  aggregation  of  periods  compared  to  new  intra-EU/EFTA 
mobile workers to the EU-15 (1.7% of the total flow of intra-EU/EFTA mobile workers 
of  working  age  to  the  EU-15  in  2018)  or  the  EFTA  (2.4%  of  the  total  flow  of  intra-
EU/EFTA mobile workers of working age to the EFTA in 2018). This could be an indication 
of return mobility for the EU-13 Member States. Especially because figures show that 
inflows to many EU-13 countries are nationals who return from an EU-15 Member State 
(see Box I).33   

33 There is a moderate strong  positive correlation of  +0.36 between the number of PDs U1 issued and the 
share of nationals in the total inflow of EU/EFTA movers of working age in the host Member State.  

23 

 
 
 
 
 
                                          
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table 6 

The number of aggregations of periods for unemployment, as a percentage of the 
total number of unemployed persons and the total annual EU/EFTA migration inflow 
of working age, 2019 

Cases of aggregation 

Number of annual average unemployed persons 
(2018) 

Total annual inflow of EU-28/EFTA movers of 
working age (2018) 

 EU-27  
 EU-28  
 EU-15  
 EU-13  
 EFTA  
 Total  
 BE  
 BG  
 CZ  
 DK  
 DE  
 EE  
 IE  
 EL  
 ES  
 FR  
 HR  
 IT  
 CY  
 LV  
 LT  
 LU  
 HU  
 MT  
 NL  
 AT  
 PL  
 PT  
 RO  
 SI  
 SK  
 FI  
 SE  
 UK  
 IS  
 LI  
 NO  
 CH  

Number 
47,775 
47,779 
19,925 
27,854 
2,909 
50,688 
1,287 
18,113 
1,048 
264 
2,318 
182 

Number 
1,356,237 
1,356,237 
1,158,522 
197,715 
122,141 
1,478,378 
66,949 
12,070 
19,230 
39,677 
440,340 
10,591 

% cases of aggregation 
3.5% 
3.5% 
1.7% 
14.1% 
2.4% 
3.4% 
1.9% 
150.1% 
5.4% 
0.7% 
0.5% 
1.7% 

Number (in ,000) 
15,528 
16,875 
14,738 
2,137 
343 
17,218 
301 
173 
121 
153 
1,468 
38 
137 
915 
3,479 
2,682 
152 
2,755 
37 
73 
90 
17 
172 
9 
350 
220 
659 
366 
380 
53 
180 
202 
346 
1,347 
6 

% cases of aggregation 
0.3% 
0.3% 
0.1% 
1.3% 
0.8% 
0.3% 
0.4% 
10.5% 
0.9% 
0.2% 
0.2% 
0.5% 
0.0% 
0.0% 
0.1% 
0.2% 
0.1% 
0.1% 
0.1% 
0.0% 
1.3% 
0.4% 
1.9% 
0.0% 
0.0% 
1.5% 
0.1% 
0.0% 
0.0% 
3.3% 
0.8% 
0.1% 
0.0% 
0.0% 
0.5% 

1.9% 
3.0% 
2.4% 
5.0% 
0.2% 
0.7% 
7.9% 
0.5% 
8.0% 

175,138 
159,296 
8,414 
81,553 
12,035 
3,775 
15,327 
14,855 
40,840 

3,256 
4,814 
200 
4,100 
27* 
26 
1,204 
70 
3,252 
<5 
96 
3,299 
656 
89 
21 
1,737 
1,384 
186 
142 
<5 
0.3% 
31* 
21.7% 
95 
0.5% 
0.1% 
110 
3.0% 
1.2% 
2,673 
* Data for CY concern reference year 2018. Data for IS concern reference year 2016.  
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods in case of unemployment benefits 2020; 
Eurostat [une_rt_a] and [migr_imm1ctz] (2018 figures). 

9,311 
438 
22,324 
90,068 

3,155 
12,041 
38,122 

43.9% 
1.5% 
0.4% 

72,278 
23,545 

0.9% 
0.4% 

106 
231 

107,006 

0.1% 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

ANNEX I ADDITIONAL TABLES 

Table A1.1  The number of aggregations of periods in case of unemployment as % of column total, 2019 

l

.
e
.
i
(

t
n
e
m
y
o
p
m
e
-
f
l
e
s

h
c
i
h
w
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

   EU-27  
)
1
 EU-28  
U
D
 EU-15  
P
 EU-13  
e
h
t
 EFTA  
d
e
 Neighbour  
u
s
 Total  
s
i
 BE  
 BG  
 CZ  
 DK  
 DE  
 EE  
 IE  
 EL  
 ES  
 FR  
 HR  
 IT  
 CY  
 LV  
 LT  
 LU  
 HU  
 MT  
 NL  
 AT  
 PL  
 PT  
 RO  
 SI  
 SK  
 FI  
 SE  
 UK  
 IS  
 LI  
 NO  
 CH  
 Unknown  

r
o
t
n
e
m
y
o
p
m
e
,
e
c
n
a
r
u
s
n

f
o
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

r
e
m
r
o
F

i

l

Competent Member State 
NL 

FI 

SI 

IT 

LT 

SE 

LV 

SK 

PT 

LU 

AT 

UK 

RO 

IE 

EL 

29% 
19% 

37% 
6% 

HU  MT 

10% 
0% 
0% 

15% 
8% 
15% 

25% 
0% 
0% 

9% 
19% 
4% 

2% 
0% 
0% 
5% 

17% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

6% 
9% 
19%  46% 

8% 
7% 
4% 
2% 
54%  43% 

0% 
8% 
4% 
28% 
63%  70%  33%  19% 

50% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
96%  49%  42%  56%  25% 

BG  CZ  DK 
40% 
98% 
91% 
7% 
2% 
1% 

BE 
94% 
97% 
87% 
10% 
3% 
66% 
100%  100% 

EE 
DE 
60%  80%  79% 
76%  85%  86% 
70%  48%  83% 
6% 
3% 
37% 
24%  15%  14% 
36%  52%  58% 
  100%  100%  100% 

NO 
LI 
IS 
PL 
CY 
82% 
3% 
41%  77%  50%  91%  76%  75%  93%  78%  61%  57%  71%  100%  71%  46%  47%  100%  42% 
90% 
3% 
100%  92%  81%  96%  98%  100%  96%  81%  94%  72%  100%  100%  94%  48%  54%  100%  45% 
85% 
3% 
93%  77%  73%  89%  90%  75%  88%  52%  86%  72%  90%  98%  57%  41%  45%  50%  45% 
0% 
8% 
7% 
5% 
0% 
55%  97%  10% 
0% 
6% 
99%  32% 
0% 
0% 
100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100%  100% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
38% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
1% 
32% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
7% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
8% 
2% 
24% 
6% 
25%  37%  25% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
10% 
0% 
6% 
1% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
19% 
0% 
3% 
6% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
20% 
2% 
1% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
3% 
4% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
10% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
8% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
6% 
14% 
1% 
0% 
19%  91%  13% 
4% 
2% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
24% 
0% 
33%  15%  29% 
3% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
26% 
1% 
13% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
25% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
15%  12%  14%  24% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
12% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
2% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
22% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
25% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
7% 
4% 
19% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
36% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
8% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
25% 
3% 
8% 
22%  25% 
59%  15%  32% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
15% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
*  Dark blue: main former Member State of insurance, employment or self-employment. 
** No data available for IE and EL. Data for CY concern reference year 2018. Data for IS concern reference year 2016. 
*** CZ and IT did not provide a breakdown by former Member State of insurance, employment or self-employment. CH: breakdown by Member State which has issued the PD U1 is not 

HR 
FR 
ES 
50%  56%  98% 
93%  67%  100% 
85%  63%  83% 
17% 
4% 
8% 
7% 
1% 
33% 
17%  76%  12% 
100%  100%  100% 
13% 
2% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
8% 
10% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
5% 
1% 
0% 
7% 
0% 
0% 
14% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
2% 
3% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
2% 
3% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
43%  11% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
32% 
5% 
0% 
0% 

0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
11% 
4% 
7% 
4% 
0% 
3% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
7% 
5% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
4% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
24% 
7% 
2% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
16%  41% 
2% 
3% 
0% 
33% 

0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
8% 
18% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
10% 
0% 
0% 
34% 
0% 
2% 
2% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 

3% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
10% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
4% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
2% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
58% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
2% 
0% 

1% 
3% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
2% 
5% 
2% 
8% 
5% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
5% 
1% 
5% 
18% 
10% 
1% 
6% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
14% 
0% 

3% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
14% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
3% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
2% 
2% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
22% 
16% 
2% 
0% 
19% 
4% 
0% 

1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
55% 
12% 
7% 
0% 
0% 
12% 
2% 
0% 

0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
48% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
30% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
11% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 

0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
25% 
0% 
25% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
50% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
97% 
0% 

2% 
0% 
0% 
16% 
12% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
6% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
3% 
1% 
2% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
27% 
8% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 

0% 
0% 
0% 
23% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
3% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
55% 
0% 
0% 

0% 
1% 
3% 
4% 
23% 
1% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
4% 
13% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 

included as the Member State provided a breakdown by citizenship. 

Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods in case of unemployment benefits 2020 

25 

CH 

Total 
48% 
77% 
67% 
9% 
8% 
26% 
100% 
3% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
10% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
3% 
3% 
1% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
4% 
8% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
28% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
6% 
0% 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

Table A1.2  The number of aggregations of periods in case of unemployment as % of row total, 2019 

h
c
i
h
w
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

.
e
.
i
(

l

t
n
e
m
y
o
p
m
e
-
f
l
e
s

l

r
o
t
n
e
m
y
o
p
m
e
,
e
c
n
a
r
u
s
n

i

f
o
e
t
a
t
S
r
e
b
m
e
M

r
e
m
r
o
F

IE 

EL 

IT 
8% 

BE 
CZ 
BG 
3%  36%  2% 
 Total  
0%  39% 
 BE  
3% 
0% 
 BG  
0%  48% 
 CZ  
1%  11% 
 DK  
1%  36% 
 DE  
0%  51% 
 EE  
1%  41% 
 IE  
5%  54% 
 EL  
7%  50% 
 ES  
15%  46% 
 FR  
2% 
1% 
 HR  
6%  17% 
 IT  
0%  87% 
 CY  
4%  14% 
 LV  
10%  8% 
 LT  
19%  3% 
 LU  
1% 
0% 
 HU  
1%  32% 
 MT  
25%  34% 
 NL  
8% 
0% 
 AT  
7% 
5% 
 PL  
6%  34% 
 PT  
3% 
9% 
 RO  
0%  19% 
 SI  
3%  12% 
 SK  
1%  20% 
 FI  
1%  36% 
 SE  
0%  73% 
 UK  
0%  10% 
 IS  
0% 
2% 
 LI  
0%  21% 
 NO  
9% 
 CH  
1% 
Unknown   0% 
0% 

Competent Member State 
NO 
PL 
AT 
LU  HU  MT  NL 
LT 
LV 
0% 
0% 
6% 
1% 
7% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
3% 
1% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  34%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
4% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
8% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  30%  0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0%  15%  0% 
0%  23%  3% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
5%  14%  0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
4% 
2% 
0% 
0%  10%  0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0%  13%  0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0%  15%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  36%  0% 
0% 
7% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0%  10%  3% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0%  56%  0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
9% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
1% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
7% 
0% 
0% 
0%  31%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1%  14%  0% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
0%  34%  0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  61%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0%  31%  0% 
0%  42%  0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
4% 
1% 
6% 
2% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
3% 
6% 
5% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
1%  40%  0% 
0% 
0%  94%  1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0%  28%  0% 
4% 
1% 
0% 
0%  14%  0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
*  This is an incomplete picture due to missing data for IE and EL as reporting Member State and given that some Member States did not provide a breakdown by former 

SE 
FI 
SK 
SI 
RO 
0% 
0% 
3% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  36%  0% 
0% 
7% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
7% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  41%  5% 
1% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
9% 
5% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0%  100%  0% 
0% 
0% 

EE 
DK  DE 
0% 
5% 
1% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0%  29%  0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
1% 
9% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0%  14%  0% 
0% 
3% 
1% 
0%  15%  0% 
0% 
7% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0%  69%  0% 
0%  12%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3%  18%  6% 
3%  30%  3% 
0% 
0% 
5% 
0%  27%  0% 
0% 
9% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
6% 
0%  11%  0% 
1%  49%  0% 
0% 
1% 
5% 
1%  25%  0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
4% 
0% 
0% 
2%  48% 
1% 
4% 
12%  3% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
4% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
8% 
3% 
3% 
0%  10%  0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

HR 
FR 
9% 
0% 
47%  0% 
0% 
8% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
6% 
2% 
7% 
4% 
0% 
12%  0% 
13%  0% 
23%  0% 
0% 
0% 
7% 
0% 
28%  0% 
0% 
1% 
7% 
0% 
13%  0% 
68%  0% 
3% 
0% 
20%  0% 
0% 
4% 
2% 
1% 
8% 
0% 
19%  0% 
0% 
5% 
1%  11% 
2% 
2% 
0% 
6% 
0% 
5% 
4% 
0% 
11%  0% 
0% 
1% 
3% 
0% 
50%  0% 
0% 
0% 

ES 
6% 
4% 
23% 
2% 
13% 
6% 
2% 
16% 
3% 
0% 
28% 
0% 
8% 
0% 
3% 
15% 
3% 
1% 
9% 
6% 
1% 
5% 
24% 
18% 
1% 
0% 
3% 
5% 
10% 
9% 
1% 
6% 
6% 
0% 

LI 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 

UK 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

CY 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
2% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 

PT 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 

IS 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
1% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
0% 
3% 
0% 
0% 

)
1
U
D
P
e
h
t
d
e
u
s
s
i

Member State of insurance, employment or self-employment (CZ, IT and CH). 

** Data for CY concern reference year 2018. Data for IS concern reference year 2016. 
Source Questionnaire on aggregation of periods in case of unemployment benefits 2020 

Total 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 
100% 

CH 
5% 

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

ANNEX II PD U1 QUESTIONNAIRE 

Number of mobile EU workers (excluding former cross-
border workers) who became unemployed in the reference 
year (2015) and received unemployment benefits in your 
country on the basis of periods completed in another 
Member State 

Length of previous insurance, employment or self-
employment completed by those workers in your 
country before their application for unemployment 
benefits 

Total  

Less than one 
month (30 days) 

Three months 
or more (90 
days or more) 

More than one 
month (30 
days), but less 
than three 
months (90 
days) 

)
1
U
D
P

e
h
t

d
e
u
s
s
i

h
c
i
h
w
e
t
a
t
s

r
e
b
m
e
m
e
h
t

.
e
.
i
(

i

n
g
i
r
o

f
o

s
e
t
a
t
S

r
e
b
m
e
M

Belgium 

Bulgaria 

Czech Republic 

Denmark 

Germany 

Estonia 

Ireland 

Greece 

Spain 

France 

Croatia 

Italy 

Cyprus 

Latvia 

Lithuania 

Luxembourg 

Hungary 

Malta 

Netherlands 

Austria 

Poland 

Portugal 

Romania 

Slovenia 

Slovak Republic 

Finland 

Sweden 

United Kingdom 

Iceland 

Liechtenstein 

Norway 

Switzerland 

Total 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

ANNEX III PORTABLE DOCUMENT U1 

28 

 
 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

29 

 
 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

30 

 
Aggregation of periods for unemployment benefits 

31 

 
 
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