Cross-border old-age, survivors’ and invalidity pensions : report on portable documents P1 : reference year 2022.
Date: 2024-08-07
Institutions: Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion
Subjects: EU Member State, administrative cooperation, administrative formalities, disability insurance, frontier worker, pension scheme, regulation (EU), report, retirement conditions, social security legislation, social-security benefit, social-security contribution, social-security harmonisation, survivor's benefit

Cross-border old-age, survivors’, 
and invalidity pensions 

Report on Portable Documents P1 
Reference year 2022 

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

October – 2023 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion 
Directorate E — Labour Mobility and International Affairs 
Unit E/2 — Social security coordination 
E-mail:  EMPL-E2-UNIT@ec.europa.eu 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Cross-border old-age, survivors’, 
and invalidity pensions 

Report on Portable Documents P1 
Reference year 2022 

2024 

Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion 

 
 
Manuscript completed in October 2023 

Report prepared by the Network Statistics FMSSFE, set up by the European Commission - DG for Employment, 
Social Affairs and Inclusion. This is a network of statistical experts from HIVA (KU Leuven), Milieu Ltd, IRIS 
(UGent), the Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (wiiw), Szeged University and Eftheia on free 
movement of workers, social security coordination, and fraud&error. 

This  document  has  been  prepared  for  the  European  Commission  however  it  reflects  the  views  only  of  the 
authors,  and  the  European  Commission  is  not  liable  for  any  consequence  stemming  from  the  reuse  of  this 
publication. More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://www.europa.eu). 

Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2024 
© European Union, 2024 

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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 
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PDF 

ISBN 978-92-68-11795-8  ISSN 2811-9851  doi:10.2767/345941 

KE-FP-24-001-EN-N 

 
 
 
 
  
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Table of Contents 

List of Tables................................................................................................................. 7 

List of Figures ............................................................................................................... 8 

Glossary ........................................................................................................................ 9 

Summary of main findings ......................................................................................... 10 

1. 

Introduction ........................................................................................................ 14 

2. 

Short description of the procedures ................................................................ 17 

2.1.  Application procedure...................................................................................... 17 

2.2.  Calculation of the pension ............................................................................... 18 

3. 

Number of Portable Documents P1 issued ...................................................... 19 

4. 

Pensions paid by the Member State of residence to pensioners receiving 
a pension from two or more Member States one of which is the Member 
State of residence .............................................................................................. 20 

4.1. 

In absolute figures ........................................................................................... 21 

4.2.  As a share of total number of pensioners and total pension expenditure ......... 23 

5. 

Pensions exported to pensioners who reside in another Member State ....... 25 

5.1.  Pensions exported to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two 

or more Member States ................................................................................... 25 

5.2.  Pensions exported to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from one 

Member State only .......................................................................................... 26 

5.3.  Total number of pensions exported to pensioners who reside in another 

Member State ................................................................................................. 28 

5.3.1.  In absolute figures .................................................................................... 28 
5.3.2.  As a share of the total number of pensioners and total pension 

expenditure ............................................................................................... 35 

6. 

Request for review ............................................................................................. 37 

7. 

Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules ............................. 38 

8. 

Fraud and error .................................................................................................. 38 

Annex I  

Additional cross-country tables ............................................................ 40 

5 

Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Annex II   Additional visualisations ........................................................................ 42 

Annex III   Pension beneficiaries on 31 December 2019 and expenditure (in € 

million) ................................................................................................................ 46 

Annex IV  Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules .................. 47 

Annex V  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity 

pensions ............................................................................................................. 50 

Annex VI  Portable Document P1 ............................................................................ 51 

6 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

List of Tables 

Table 1 - Number of PDs P1 issued in 2022, breakdown by type of pension ................ 20 

Table 2 - Number of pensions and annual amount paid (in €) as Member State of 

residence to pensioners receiving a pension from two or more Member 
States one of which is the Member State of residence, 2022 ...................... 21 

Table 3 - Evolution of the number of pensions and annual amount paid (in €) as 

Member State of residence to pensioners receiving a pension from two 
or more Member States one of which is the Member State of residence, 
from 2021 to 2022 ...................................................................................... 23 

Table 4 - Number of pensions and amount paid as Member State of residence to 

pensioners receiving a pension from two or more Member States one of 
which is the Member State of residence, as a share of the total number 
of beneficiaries and of total expenditure, breakdown by type of pension, 
2022 ........................................................................................................... 24 

Table 5 - Number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners who reside in 
another Member State and who are in receipt of a pension from two or 
more Member States, 2022 ........................................................................ 26 

Table 6 - Number of pensions and amount paid to pensioners who reside in another 

Member State and who are in receipt of a pension from one Member 
State only, 2022 .......................................................................................... 27 

Table 7 - Number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners who reside in 

another Member State, 2022 ...................................................................... 29 

Table 8 - Detailed overview of the number of pensions paid to pensioners who 

reside in another Member State, all types of pensions, 2022 ...................... 31 

Table 9 - Detailed overview of the amount paid to pensioners who reside in another 

Member State, all type of pensions, in million €, 2022 ................................ 32 

Table 10 - Evolution of number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners 

who reside in another Member State, from 2021 to 2022 ............................ 34 

Table 11 - Number of pensions and amount paid as Member State of export, as a 

share of the total number of beneficiaries and of total expenditure, 
breakdown by type of pension, 2022 .......................................................... 36 

Table 12 - Total number of pensions and amount received as importing Member 

State, in absolute numbers and as a share of the total number of 
beneficiaries and of total expenditure, 2022 ................................................ 37 

Table 13 - Number of cases of fraud and error identified in case of old-age, 

survivors’, and invalidity pensions, 2022 ..................................................... 39 

7 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

List of Figures 

Figure 1 - Type of pensioners covered by the reported data collection ......................... 15 

Figure 2 - Average annual old-age pension expenditure per beneficiary, in €, 2020 ..... 17 

Figure 3 - Average annual amount paid to pensioners who receive an old-age 

pension from two or more countries one of which is the Member State of 
residence (2022 figures) compared to the average annual amount paid 
to all pensioners (2020 figures) ................................................................... 22 

Figure 4 - Export of pensions, breakdown between persons receiving a pension from 

two or more Member States and persons receiving a pension from one 
Member State only, 2022 ............................................................................ 33 

Figure 5 - Average annual amount of old-age pension exported abroad (2022 

figures) compared to the average annual amount of old-age pension 
paid to all pensioners (2020 figures) ........................................................... 34 

8 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

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) P1: The summary of pension decisions provides an overview of 
the decisions taken by the various institutions in the EU countries from which an old-age, 
survivors or invalidity pension has been claimed.  

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-14: 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), and Sweden (SE).  

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).

9 

Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Summary of main findings 

To facilitate transnational mobility of persons of all ages, well-designed transnational social 
security rights are a prerequisite. For instance, EU citizens would be reluctant to move from 
one Member State1 to another if they were to lose their pension rights already acquired or 
if the pension was subject to any reduction or amendment. Thanks to the rules set out at 
EU  level  by  Regulations  (EC)  Nos  883/2004  and  987/2009  (i.e.,  the  ‘Coordination 
Regulations’) this is not the case.2,3   

This  year  marks  10  years  of  collecting  statistics  on  the  application  of  the  Coordination 
Regulations.  Indeed,  since  2014  such  data  is  collected  and  reported  by  the  Network 
Statistics FMSSFE, on behalf of the European Commission - DG Employment. Hence, it is 
a  perfect  moment  to  take  a  closer  look  at  the  evolution  and  trends  of  the  collected  and 
reported  statistics  since  then.  This  year’s  report  on  cross-border  old-age,  survivors’  and 
invalidity pensions is therefore not limited to an analysis of the figures collected for reference 
year  2022  but  also  highlights  some  key  evolutions  and  trends.4  In  2016,  a  statistical 
questionnaire  on  cross-border  pensions  was  introduced  for  the  first  time.  The  EU/EFTA 
countries and the UK were asked to report data for reference year 2015. The number of 
countries that could provide data as well as the quality of the data provided subsequently 
improved year by year. An almost complete picture for all EU/EFTA countries and the UK 
has been obtained from reference year 2018 onwards. 

This summary aims to analyse the data on the export of pensions within the EU/EFTA and 
the UK between reference years 2016 and 2022.5 This time frame might be too short as 
one can expect a stable trend in the export of pensions over a short period of time. It is only 
when such data are collected over a longer period that trends concerning the evolution of 
pension exports will become visible.6 Indeed, it can be expected that the evolution of the 
export of pensions is highly dependent on 1) the evolution of intra-EU labour mobility, mainly 
of  employed  EU-movers  (who  return  to  their  country  of  origin)  and  frontier  workers  and 
2) the  evolution  of  pensioners  moving  to  a  EU/EFTA  country  other  than  their  country  of 
origin. Both have increased sharply over the past 20 years and are likely to do so in the 
future.  However,  it  may  still  be  too  early  to  see  the  increase  in  intra-EU  labour  mobility 
reflected in the volume of the export of pensions, especially for the group of EU-movers. 
Countries such  as Luxembourg  and  Switzerland  with a high  number  of  incoming  frontier 
workers, or Germany and the United Kingdom with a high number of incoming EU/EFTA/UK 
movers are expected to export a high number of pensions. Furthermore, it can be expected 
that Mediterranean countries such as for instance Spain, Italy, and Portugal receive a high 
number of pensioners who have decided to move abroad. Finally, a lot of pensions will be 
exported  to  Member  States  with  a  large  group  of  returning  EU-movers  (for  instance, 
Romania, Germany, Italy, Poland etc.).  

In 2022, roughly 6.2 million pensions were paid to persons residing in another EU/EFTA 
Member  State  or  the  UK,  amounting  to  a  total  expenditure  of  some  EUR 26.7 billion.  In 

1   The  term  “Member  State”  is  used  in  this  report to  indicate the  27  countries  belonging to  the European  Union  (EU)  in 

reference year 2022, the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the UK. 

2   For more information, see the recent publication of the European Commission: “Retirement abroad. How the European 

Union protects your pensions and healthcare rights”. 

3   The material scope of the Coordination Regulations in principle only concerns statutory pension schemes. 

4   Moreover, in this year’s Annual report on intra-EU labour mobility there is a chapter on “Intra-EU mobility of retired EU 

citizens and pension transfers”. Data collected on the export of pensions is reported in that chapter. 

5   The statistical questionnaire also collects data on other (sub)indicators. 

6   Such data are not available, but it indicates the importance of longitudinal data. 

10 

 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

terms  of  exported  amounts,  this  concerns  an  increase  of  about  7 %  compared  to  2021. 
About  71 %  of  the  exported  pensions  concern old-age pensions  (±  4 400  000),  and  to a 
lesser  extent  survivors’  pensions  (±  1 100  000)  and  invalidity  pensions  (±  200  000).7  An 
average annual amount of EUR 4 326 was exported, which is much lower than the average 
pension amount in the EU (± EUR 15 000 for old-age pensions). However, the pensioner 
concerned will often receive a pension from several Member States. 

Switzerland, Germany, and France are the Member States that pay by far the most pensions 
to people residing in another EU/EFTA country or the UK. In 2022, Switzerland paid a total 
amount  of  EUR 6.4 billion  to  some  891 000  pensioners  residing  in  another  EU/EFTA 
country or the UK. Germany paid EUR 5.7 billion to approximately 1.3 million pensioners 
residing in another EU/EFTA country or the UK. Consequently, almost 50 % of the exported 
amount  of  pensions  within  the  EU/EFTA  and  the  UK  comes  from  these  two  countries. 
France paid an amount of EUR 3.4 billion to roughly 1.0 million pensioners residing abroad. 
The importance of countries such as Poland and Romania, which both have a large number 
of outgoing EU-movers and a large number of returnees, is not yet reflected in the data. 
The explanation might  be  that  many  of  these  returnees  have  not  yet reached retirement 
age.  Consequently,  it  can  be  expected  that  the  importance  of  these  Member  States  will 
increase in the future. 

The  number  of  exported  pensions  shows  a  stable  evolution  in  Switzerland  (+2.3 %)  and 
Germany  (-0.1 %)  between  2019  and  2022  (Figure 1).  However,  the  amount  exported 
shows  a  sharp  increase  over  the  same  period  (+15.7 %  in  Germany  and  +16.9 %  in 
Switzerland). The COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to have had an impact to the volume 
of exported pensions. Finally, the reported figures for France show an increase from 2020 
onwards, mainly due to corrected reporting.8,9  

Figure 1 Evolution of the number of exported pensions and amount paid (in €) to 
pensioners who reside in another EU/EFTA country and the UK, main exporting 
Member States, 2018-2022 

Number of exported pensions

Amount paid (in €)

 1,400,000

 1,200,000

 1,000,000

 800,000

 600,000

 400,000

 200,000

 -

DE

FR

CH

 7,000,000,000

 6,000,000,000

 5,000,000,000

 4,000,000,000

 3,000,000,000

 2,000,000,000

 1,000,000,000

 -

CH

DE

FR

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

DE

FR

CH

DE

FR

CH

Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pension 2023 and earlier years 

7   No breakdown available for SK and the UK.  

8   The 2020 data are consistent with those for the 2019 financial year and earlier, but with little or no consistency with the 
following  2  years  (2021  and  2022).  Two  factors  may  explain  this  break  in  series:  *data  from  the  Agirc-Arrco  scheme 
(supplementary pension) have only been taken into account since 2021 (so they were not taken into account in 2020 and 
earlier), even though the data from this scheme are relatively important; *the CNAV information system (general scheme), 
whose data is of prime importance, was overhauled in 2021. This overhaul has led to divergent results in the queries 
compared with the old system, particularly with regard to survivors' pensions. 

9  

In that respect it is useful to refer to the annual Statistical Report published by CLEISS, which also reports figures on the 
export of pensions.  

11 

 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

On  average  3.9 %  of  the  total  number  of  EU/EFTA/UK  pensioners  reside  in  another 
EU/EFTA country or the UK. However, total spending for this group of pensioners amounts 
to  only  1.3 %  of  the  total  amount  of  paid  pensions.  Luxembourg  is  certainly  an  outlier 
regarding the export of pensions, which is mainly the result of the high number of incoming 
frontier workers. Some 41.8 % of the pensions paid by Luxembourg are exported abroad, 
accounting  for  25.7 %  of  total  expenditure  on  pensions.  In  addition  to  Luxembourg, 
Switzerland  exports  a  high  share  of  pensions  abroad,  namely  24.9 %.  However,  these 
pensions only represent 8.3 % of the total amount of pensions paid. Furthermore, Austria 
(7.1  %),  Slovenia  (6.7  %),  Poland  (6.7  %),  Belgium  (5.7  %),  Germany  (4.7 %),  Sweden 
(5.1 %),  and  the  Netherlands  (4.8  %),  export  a  relatively  high  share  of  their  pensions  to 
persons who reside abroad. 

Most  EU/EFTA/UK  pensions  are  exported  to  pensioners  residing  in  France,  Spain,  Italy, 
Germany,  and  Portugal.  Around  62 %  of  the  exported  amount  was  paid  to  pensioners 
residing  in  one  of  these  five  Member  States.  For  instance,  some  888 000  pensioners 
residing in Spain received a total amount of  EUR 4.3 billion from another Member State. 
Furthermore,  some  598  000  pensioners  residing  in  France  received  a  total  amount  of 
EUR 4 billion. Most pensions are exported to Germany (± 965 000). However, the imported 
amount (± EUR 2.5 billion) is remarkably lower compared to France, Spain, and Italy. The 
explanatory reason is that these are mainly pensions exported from Poland to persons living 
in  Germany.  Between  2019  and  2022,  both  the  number  of  exported  pensions  to  these 
countries and the amount show a positive trend (Figure 2). What is particularly striking is 
the strong increase in the number of exported pensions to Portugal.10 

Figure 2 Evolution of the number of imported pensions and amount received (in €) 
by pensioners who reside in another EU/EFTA country and the UK, main receiving 
Member States, 2019-2022 

Number of imported pensions

Amount received (in €)

 1,200,000

 1,000,000

 800,000

 600,000

 400,000

 200,000

 -

DE
ES

IT

FR

PT

€ 4,500,000,000 

€ 4,000,000,000 

€ 3,500,000,000 

€ 3,000,000,000 

€ 2,500,000,000 

€ 2,000,000,000 

€ 1,500,000,000 

€ 1,000,000,000 

€ 500,000,000 

€ -

ES
FR
IT

DE
PT

2019

2020

2021

2022

2019

2020

2021

2022

DE

FR

ES

IT

PT

DE

FR

ES

IT

PT

   Source: Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pension 2023 and earlier years 

By comparing the total flow of imported pensions with the total flow of exported pensions, a 
net balance can be calculated. A Member State can then be quantified as ‘net exporting' 
(exported  amount  higher  than  imported  amount)  or  as  'net  importing'  (imported  amount 
higher  than  exported  amount).  The  main  net  exporting  Member  States  are  Switzerland, 
Germany, and the United Kingdom. The main net importing Member States are Spain, Italy, 
and Portugal. 

The export of pensions from Switzerland to Italy and France are the two main flows in terms 
of  amount  exported.  In  2022,  Switzerland  paid  an  amount  of  EUR 1.97 billion  to  almost 

10 However, mainly the result of the corrected figures for France.  

12 

 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

294 000  pensioners  residing  in  Italy  and  an  amount  of  EUR 1.5 billion  to  some  135 000 
pensioners residing in France. The large volume of pensions exported by Switzerland to 
Italy and France can be linked to the large number of frontier workers working in Switzerland 
and residing in one of these two Member States. Moreover, both flows are likely to increase 
in size in the future noting that in 2002 there were about 36 500 frontier workers from Italy 
and 87 500 from France, while in 2023 there are already 91 724 frontier workers from Italy 
and 221 782 from France employed in Switzerland.11 

Another  important  flow  goes  from  France  to  Portugal  (EUR 1.3  billion  to  350 000 
pensioners),  and  from  Germany  to  Italy  (EUR 1.1  billion  to  361 000  pensioners). 
Furthermore,  Switzerland  paid  an  amount  of  EUR 989  million  to  148 602  pensioners 
residing in Spain, and Germany paid an amount of EUR 840 million to 205 000 pensioners 
residing  in  Spain.  Finally,  312 000  pensioners  residing  in  Germany  received  a  pension 
benefit from Poland, and 304 000 pensioners residing in Spain received a pension benefit 
from France. 

11 Figures from ‘Office fédéral de la statistique’ in Switzerland.  

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Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

1.  Introduction 
To facilitate the free movement of persons, it is essential that people preserve their social 
security rights, which includes pensions. Indeed, EU citizens would be reluctant to move 
from one Member State to another if they were to lose their pension rights already acquired 
or  if  the  pension  was  subject  to  any  reduction  or  amendment.  To  protect  the  rights  of 
persons exercising their right to free movement, more than 60 years ago, the EU adopted 
measures with a view to protecting the social security rights of persons moving within the 
EU. The Social Security Coordination Regulations12 lay down some specific rules in the field 
of old-age, survivors', and invalidity pensions. However, the material scope in principle only 
concerns  statutory  pension  schemes  and  does  not  apply  to  supplementary  pension 
schemes.13  Therefore,  it  was  essential  to  adopt  specific  rules  concerning  supplementary 
pension rights. As a first step in removing possible obstacles to free movement relating to 
supplementary pensions, Directive 98/49/EC14 on safeguarding the supplementary pension 
rights  of  employed  and  self-employed  persons  moving  within  the  Community  sets  out 
certain rights for members of supplementary pension schemes. As a second step, Directive 
2014/50/EU15  was  adopted  on  16  April  2014.  This  statistical  report  only  covers  the 
application and impact of the Coordination Regulations. For an evaluation of the application 
of Directive 2014/50/EU we refer to a recent report of the Commission.16  

Chapter  5  of  the  Basic  Regulation  covers  the  coordination  of  old-age  and  survivors' 
pensions (Articles 50 to 60). The relevant provisions regarding the coordination of invalidity 
pensions are set out in Chapter 4 of the Basic Regulation (Articles 44 to 49). The provisions 
of Chapters 4 and 5 are only applicable to persons who have been subject to the legislation 
of two or more Member States. Persons who have been insured for at least one year in a 
given Member State will be entitled to an old-age pension when the national pensionable 
age has been reached, provided that the other conditions set in national law are fulfilled.17 
Persons who were subject to the legislation of more than one Member State will be granted 
a  pension  from  each  of  the  Member  States  concerned.  Hence,  for  the  coordination  of 
old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions, the ‘pro rata pensions method’ is applied (see 
also section 2.2).  

However, the scope of this report is broader than only persons who receive a pension from 
two or more Member States. Data on the total number of exported pensions are reported 
(without making a distinction whether the pensioner also receives a pension from another 
Member  State).  The  export  of  benefits  is  guaranteed  without  restriction  for  old-age, 

12   Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 of 29 April 2004 on the coordination of social security systems (hereinafter 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  (hereinafter  referred to as  ‘Implementing 
Regulation’). 

13   Except  for  schemes  which  are  covered  by  the  term  ‘legislation’  as  social  security  systems  as  defined  by  the  first 
subparagraph of Article l(l) of the Basic Regulation or in respect of which a Member State makes a declaration under that 
Article. 

14   Council Directive 98/49/EC of 29 June 1998 on safeguarding the supplementary pension rights of employed and  self-

employed persons moving within the Community. 

15   Directive  2014/50/EU  of  the  European  Parliament  and  of  the  Council  of  16  April  2014  on  minimum  requirements  for 
enhancing  worker  mobility  between  Member  States  by  improving  the  acquisition  and  preservation  of  supplementary 
pension rights. 

16   See report from the Commission on the application of Directive 2014/50/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of  16  April  2014  on  minimum  requirements  for  enhancing  worker  mobility  between  Member  States  by  improving  the 
acquisition  and  preservation  of  supplementary  pension  rights  (COM(2020)  291  final)  (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52020DC0291&from=EN). 

17   Article  57  of  the  Basic  Regulation  exempts  the  Member  State  to  pay  an  old-age  benefit  if  the  duration  of  insurance, 
employment, self-employment, or residence is less than one year provided that no right to benefit is acquired under that 
legislation for periods of less than one year.  

14 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

survivors’,  and  invalidity  pensions.18  Thus,  pensions  are  not  subject  to  any  reduction, 
amendment,  suspension,  withdrawal,  or  confiscation  because  the  pensioner resides  in a 
Member State other than the one in which the institution responsible for providing pensions 
is situated. 

This report analyses the data from the questionnaire on cross-border pensions addressed 
to the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems (AC) (see 
Annex  V).  After  the  introduction  in  section  1,  and  a  short  description  of  the  procedures 
(section 2), the collected data for reference year 2022 on the number of new claims for an 
old-age, survivors', or invalidity pension are discussed (section 3). Furthermore, Member 
States were asked to provide data on the pensions paid as a Member State of residence to 
pensioners  receiving  pensions  from  two  or  more  Member  States,  one  of  which  is  the 
Member State of residence (section 4)19, and data on the pensions exported to pensioners 
who reside in another Member State (section 5) (Figure 1).20 Member States were asked 
to make a distinction between pensions exported to persons who are in receipt of a pension 
from two or more Member States (section 5.1)21 and pensions exported to persons who 
receive a  benefit  only  from the  exporting Member  State  (section  5.2)22. Finally,  Member 
States were asked for data on the number of reviews of the decisions carried out by the 
institutions concerned (section 6), the current experiences of the practical implementation 
of  the  rules  (section  7),  and  finally,  whether  they  are  aware  of  cases  of  fraud  or  error 
(section 8).23 

Figure 1 - Type of pensioners covered by the reported data collection 

As of 1 February 2020, the United Kingdom is no longer part of the European Union. Since 
last year, the EU-28 aggregate is replaced by an EU-27 aggregate (excluding the UK) in all 
thematic statistical reports. There are two Agreements now governing the relations between 
the EU and UK in terms of social security coordination. First, the Withdrawal Agreement24 

18   Article 7 of the Basic Regulation. 

19   For instance, a person has been insured in Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium. The person currently resides in Belgium. 

The amount paid by Belgium to this person residing in Belgium should be reported.  

20   Consequently, figures on the export of pensions outside the EU/EFTA/UK are not collected. 

21   For instance, a person has been insured in Germany, Luxembourg, and Belgium. The person currently resides in Belgium. 

The amount paid by Luxembourg and Germany to this person should be reported.  

22   For instance, a person has only been insured in Germany and resides in Luxembourg. The amount paid by Germany to 

this person residing in Luxembourg should be reported. 

23   A comprehensive analysis of the prevalence of fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination can be found 
in the thematic report on fraud and error (Jorens et al. (2021), Fraud and error in the field of EU social security coordination, 
Network Statistics FMSSFE, European Commission – DG EMPL). 

24  Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and 
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-

the 
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1580206007232&uri=CELEX%3A12019W/TXT%2802%29  

Community2019/C 

European 

Energy 

Atomic 

I/01. 

See 

384 

15 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

entered into force on 1 February 2020 with a transitional period until 31 December 2020. It 
provides for full coordination to all those persons (including their family members/survivors) 
who have continuously been in a cross-border situation involving the EU and the UK since 
before  the  end  of  the  transition  period.  This  means  that  the  complete  social  security 
coordination acquis25 applies to these persons. Furthermore, partial coordination applies to 
persons who are not covered by Art. 30 (full coordination) but have been subject to both 
UK/EU  social  security  legislation  before  the  end  of  the  transition  period.  This  includes 
among  others  EU  rules  concerning  the  aggregation  of  periods,  rights  and  obligations 
deriving from such periods.  Provisions of the Withdrawal Agreement can be extended to 
protect  the  rights  of  person  who  were  in  triangular  situation  involving  the  UK,  EU,  and 
EEA/Switzerland  at  the  end/before  the  end  of  transition  period.  The  Trade  and 
Cooperation Agreement26 was signed on 30 December 2020, was applied provisionally 
as of 1 January 2021, and entered into force on 1 May 2021. In this Agreement there is a 
Protocol on Social Security Coordination which covers all persons who 1) are or have 
been covered by the social security legislation of an EU Member State or of the UK; 2) are 
residing in an EU Member State or the UK; 3) are or have been in a cross-border situation 
between  an  EU  Member  State  and  the  UK  as  from  1  January  2021.  This  Protocol  fully 
coordinates all branches of social security coordination that are currently coordinated under 
the  Basic  Regulation  except  for  family  benefits,  long-term  care,  special  non-contributory 
cash  benefits,  and  assisted  reproduction  services.  Additionally,  there  is  a  partial 
coordination for invalidity benefits and unemployment benefits. However, this Protocol does 
not apply to situations involving a UK national moving between two or more Member States, 
without a cross-border element with the UK as such. Furthermore, it does not apply to the 
EEA and Switzerland. 

Figures on the total number of pension beneficiaries and the annual pension expenditure 
are not collected by the thematic questionnaire as such data are reported by Eurostat via 
the ESSPROS database.27 Most recent figures for 2020 are included in Annex III. These 
data are used to calculate the financial burden of the coordination rules on total expenditure 
on pensions. It is also possible to calculate the average annual pension expenditure per 
beneficiary. These figures are an important reference when reviewing/analysing the data 
provided  by  Member  States.  Old-age  pension  expenditure  per  beneficiary  varies 
considerably  between  Member  States,  ranging from  an  annual  EUR 2 248  in Bulgaria to 
EUR 30 004 in Iceland (Figure 2). The aggregate expenditure per beneficiary on pensions 
relating to old age was EUR 15 050 per year in 2020. A similar distribution of Member States 
can be expected when analysing the collected figures for this report. However, the average 
amounts will probably be lower as these figures are often applicable to people who have 
worked in several Member States. 

25  Basic Regulation and Implementing Regulation 

26  Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, of the 
one  part,  and  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and  Northern  Ireland,  of  the  other  part.  See  https://eur-
lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2021.149.01.0010.01.ENG&toc=OJ%3AL%3A2021%3A149%3ATOC  

27   The definition of pensions used within the European system of integrated social protection statistics (ESSPROS) 

framework might not correspond to that applied in each Member State, meaning that the figures published at EU level 
might differ from those published by the authorities at national level. 

16 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Figure 2 - Average annual old-age pension expenditure per beneficiary, in €, 2020 

)
€
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 30,000

 25,000

 20,000

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 5,000

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* Data for UK concern reference year 2018.  
Source:  Eurostat, ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

Out  of  the  32  Member  States,  31  provided  a  response  to  the  questionnaire28.  For  the 
Member State that did not provide data, data from the previous reference year was used. 
This is always clearly mentioned in a footnote under the table or graph. For some questions 
there are only a limited number of reporting Member States. Therefore, caution is required 
when drawing conclusions based on the analysis of these questions. This comment applies 
particularly to sections 3 and 4 of the report but also to subsections 5.1 and 5.2.  

Regarding the reported amounts, some Member States reported annual data while others 
only  provided  monthly  data.29  Spending  data  are  standardised  in  the  report  itself  by 
reporting the annual amounts for all reporting Member States. To obtain an annual amount, 
the monthly amount of spending reported by some Member States was multiplied by 12. 
The Member States for which this calculation was performed are mentioned in a footnote 
under  the  table.  Thus,  the  annual  amounts  reported  for  Member  States  that  reported 
monthly data are estimated figures.   

To  read  the  reported  data  correctly,  a  good  understanding  of  the  legal  framework  is 
indispensable. The next section therefore provides a short description of the application 
procedure and the calculation method of the pension in the event of a claimant who has 
been subject to the legislation of more than one Member State. 

2.  Short description of the procedures 

2.1.  Application procedure  

The claimant  of  an  old-age,  survivors',  or  invalidity  pension  should  submit  a  claim  to the 
Member State of residence or the Member State in which s/he was last insured. This is the 

28   No response was received from CY.  

29   Although it was clearly stated in each question, some Member States reported monthly data without reporting this in the 

last question.  

17 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

‘contact Member State’30. However, the Member State of residence cannot be the contact 
Member State if the claimant has never been insured in this Member State. In this situation, 
the contact Member State will send the claim and the accompanying documents to the other 
Member  States  in  question  (i.e.,  Member  States  in  which  the  claimant  was  previously 
insured). Each Member State in question will notify the claimant and the contact Member 
State of the decision. Once the contact Member State has received all decisions, it will send 
the claimant and the other Member States concerned a summary of those decisions via the 
Portable Document P131 (see Annex VI) or the equivalent E211 form. The PD P1 ‘Summary 
note’ provides an overview of the decisions taken by the various Member States from which 
one has claimed an old-age, survivors', or invalidity pension.  

Example 

A person has been insured for 45 years in three different Member States. The person was 
insured for three years in Germany, 22 years in Belgium and 20 years in Luxembourg. 
The person currently resides in Belgium, and Luxembourg was the last Member State of 
employment. The person has the possibility to submit a claim to the competent institution 
in Belgium (i.e., the Member State of residence) or in Luxembourg (i.e., the Member State 
in which s/he was last insured). 

2.2.  Calculation of the pension 

The pension burden is distributed among the Member States concerned in relation to the 
length  of  the  period  of  insurance  in  each  of  the  Member  States.32  Firstly,  all  competent 
Member States make a calculation of the pension the person would receive by virtue of the 
national  legislation  only  for  the  periods  completed  therein  (provided  the  conditions  for 
entitlement to benefits have been satisfied exclusively under national law), without taking 
into  consideration  periods  completed  in  other  Member  States.  This  is  called  the 
independent pension and does not take into account the provisions of the Regulation for 
the purpose of acquiring a right to a pension and for the calculation of its amount.  

Secondly, the competent Member States calculate the pension under the rules provided by 
the Regulation. In a first stage, a theoretical pension amount is calculated by each of the 
Member  States  concerned.  Here,  all  periods  of  insurance  should  be  aggregated.  Thus, 
periods from other Member States involved should also be considered and the pension is 
calculated as if all periods of insurance were completed in the Member State concerned. 
Then, to determine the pro-rata pension, the theoretical amount is divided in relation to the 
share of these insurance periods completed in the given Member State.  

Finally, the pro-rata pension and the independent pension are compared to each other, and 
the highest amount is awarded. The calculations mentioned above must be made by each 
Member State involved. As a result, the total pension consists of several ‘partial’ pensions, 
each based on the period of insurance completed in the Member State concerned.33  

30   The Member State in which a claimant applied for a pension; this can be the Member State of residence (if the person 
has  been  insured  there)  or  the  Member  State  in  which  s/he  was  last  insured.  See  Article  47  (1)  of  the  Implementing 
Regulation. 

31   Provides  an  overview  of  the  decisions  taken  by  the  various  Member  States  from  which  one  has  claimed  an  old-age, 
survivors', or invalidity pension. The PD P1 is issued by the ‘contact institution’ after it has received details of the decisions 
made by the various institutions who have dealt with the claim. See Article 48 (1) of the Implementing Regulation. 

32   Article 51 of the Basic Regulation. 

33   Article  52  of  the  Basic  Regulation.  This  methodology  differs  from  the  one  applied  to  short-term  cash  benefits,  like 

unemployment benefits, according to which one benefit is paid by one Member State only.  

18 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Example 
A person has been insured for 45 years altogether in three different Member States. The 
person  was  insured  for  three  years  in  Germany,  22  years  in  Belgium  and  20  years  in 
Luxembourg. 

Belgium: 
Calculation of the independent pension: taking into consideration the 22 years of insurance, 
based on the national rules.  
Calculation  of  the  pro-rata  pension:  22  (years  in  Belgium)/45  (total  career)  *  theoretical 
amount calculated by Belgium. 
Belgium awards whichever is higher.  

Luxembourg:  
Calculation of the independent pension: taking into consideration the 20 years of insurance, 
based on the national rules.  
Calculation of the pro-rata pension: 20/45 * theoretical amount calculated by Luxembourg. 
Luxembourg awards whichever is higher.  

Germany: 
A minimum period of five years of contributions is required (= qualifying period).  
The  independent  pension  is  zero,  since  the  insured  person  only  worked  in  Germany  for 
three years and based on German law a person is not entitled to a pension for periods of 
less than five years. 
Calculation of the pro-rata pension: 3/45 * theoretical amount calculated by Germany. 
Germany pays the pro-rata benefit.  

3.  Number of Portable Documents P1 issued 

21  Member  States  were  (partially)  able  to  respond  to  the  question  about  the  number  of 
PDs P1  issued  in  2022,  while  for  Cyprus,  data  from  2021  are  used  (Table 1).  Together, 
these 22 reporting Member States and the United Kingdom issued a total of some 1 028 667 
PDs P1. Furthermore, Switzerland could not provide quantitative data, but it reported that 
an extremely marginal use of this modality has been observed in practice. However, data 
from  several  (large)  Member  States  are  still  missing,  which  results  in  an  incomplete 
overview. The Netherlands report that the number of PDs P1 has increased for the old-age 
pension, namely from 2 396 in 2021 to 2 975 in 2022, or a 24 % increase. This is partly 
because  the  competent  institution  is  connected  to  EESSI  now  and  is  able  to  process 
requests faster. The competent institution has confirmed that this means that older request 
from previous years have been processed in 2022, and therefore relatively more PDs P1 
were issued in 2022. 

The majority of the PDs P1 reported, about 926 000 or 90 % of all PDs P1 are issued by 
France. In addition, Spain, Italy, and Slovenia issued more than 15 000 PDs P1 each. The 
weighted average shows that almost eight in ten PDs P1 are issued for old-age pensions, 
followed by 20 % for survivors’ pensions, and 1 % for invalidity pensions. Nevertheless, this 
weighted average is highly determined by the numbers for France. The unweighted average 
reveals that besides PDs P1 issued for an old-age pension (56 %), the share for a survivors’ 
pension is substantial as well (27 %), followed by PDs P1 issued for an invalidity pension 
(18 %). Twelve Member States issued PDs P1 to the claimant to provide a summary of the 
entitlement to an old-age pension from more than one Member State, rather than for the 
entitlement to a survivors’ or invalidity pension34. Only Slovakia and Finland issued mainly 
PDs P1 to the claimant to provide a summary of the entitlement to a survivors’ pension from 
more  than  one  Member  State,  and  Poland  and  Norway  issued  mainly  PDs  P1  to  the 
claimant to provide a summary of the entitlement to invalidity pension from more than one 
Member State.   

34 BE, BG, DK, ES, FR, IT, LU, MT, NL, RO, SI, and SE.  

19 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

The  usefulness  of  these  annual  figures  is  rather  limited,  not  least  because  the  data  can 
fluctuate greatly from one year to the next. It is therefore more interesting to look at the total 
number  of  pensioners  who  experienced  an  impact  on  the  calculation  of  their  pension 
because of the application of the Coordination Regulations. 

Table 1 - Number of PDs P1 issued in 2022, breakdown by type of pension 

Total 
Number 
9 476 
2 754 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Number 

Row % 
0 % 
18 % 

Number 
6 100 
1 680 

Row % 
64 % 
61 % 

Number 
3 376 
581 

Row % 
36 % 
21 % 

8 

8 

67 

10 

3 % 

n.a. 

n.a. 

374 

493 

66 % 

81 % 

68 % 

31 % 

19 % 

1 641 

2 015 

8 % 
0 % 

532 
0 

54 % 
80 % 

39 % 
20 % 

4 781 
0 

1 933 
484 

10 289 
0 

24 478 
925 789 

9 435 
186 402 

13 110 
738 903 

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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total (weighted) 
Total (unweighted) 
*   LV, LT, and AT were not able to provide a breakdown by type of pension.  
**  PL: Social Insurance Institution does not collect statistical data about the number of PDs P1 (or equivalent 
E211 forms) issued. However, data collected by The Agricultural Social Insurance Fund and Pension Benefit 
Institution of Ministry of the Interior and Administration is provided in this table. 

6 288 
24 689 
5 
<5 
4 468 
0 

5 867 
20 081 
0 
0 
2 517 
0 

218 
1 062 
<5 
0 
781 
0 

203 
3 546 
<5 
<5 
1 170 
0 

15 602 
0 
58 
1 719 
99 

3 % 
14 % 
80 % 
100 % 
26 % 

3 % 
4 % 
20 % 
0 % 
17 % 

93 % 
81 % 
0 % 
0 % 
56 % 

15 
5 168 
1 206 
1 046 

<5 
2 192 

10 
2 975 

20 % 
27 % 

1 % 
18 % 

78 % 
56 % 

13 % 
0 % 

20 % 
42 % 

67 % 
58 % 

1 028 667 

804 794 

209 749 

11 141 

<5 
<5 

2 560 

3 783 

1 160 

10 % 

22 % 

17 % 

46 % 

68 % 

37 % 

31 % 

174 

486 

386 

2 % 

22 

63 

***  CY: data concern 2021. 
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pension 2023 

4.  Pensions paid by the Member State of residence to 
pensioners receiving a pension from two or more 
Member States one of which is the Member State of 
residence  

In  this  section,  figures are  reported  on  the  number  and  amount  of  pensions  paid  by  the 
Member State of residence to pensioners who receive an old-age pension, survivors’, or 
invalidity pension from two or more countries one of which is the Member State of residence. 
The reasons for this can be diverse: a mobile worker who has worked in several countries 
including his country of residence, a retired frontier worker who has worked in his country 
of  residence  at  the  beginning  of  his  career  and  then  until  the  end  of  his  career  in  a 
neighbouring country, etc. 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

4.1.  In absolute figures 

The number and amount of pensions paid by the Member State of residence to pensioners 
who receive an old-age pension, survivors’, or invalidity pension from two or more countries 
one of which is the Member State of residence are reported in Table 2. A total number of 
21  Member  States  provided  (partial)  data  on  this  matter.  For  all  these  Member  States 
together,  some  2.6 million  pensions  were  paid,  representing  a  total  of  EUR 17.7 billion, 
which equals an average annual amount per pensioner of some EUR 6 858. Approximately 
84 % of the amount paid by the reporting Member States concern old-age pensions, 14 % 
concern a survivors’ pension, and only 3 % an invalidity pension.  

Most  of  the  persons receiving  a  pension from  both  their Member  State of  residence  and 
another  Member  State  are  living  in  Poland,  France,  and  Italy,  and  to  a  lesser  extent  in 
Portugal,  Belgium,  Austria,  and  the  Netherlands.  France  paid  a  total  annual  amount  of 
EUR 3.7 billion  to  some  449 000  pensioners  or  a  total  average  annual  amount  per 
pensioner of EUR 8 216. Furthermore, Austria, Belgium, and Poland paid an annual amount 
of more than EUR 2 billion, while Finland and the Netherlands paid more than EUR 1 billion.  

Table 2 - Number of pensions and annual amount paid (in €) as Member State of 
residence to pensioners receiving a pension from two or more Member States one 
of which is the Member State of residence, 2022 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

168 383 
14 144 

2 247 233 328 
46 375 944 

50 302 
1 963 

629 459 784 
2 855 046 

2 514 
1 559 

30 925 153 
4 473 810 

179 774 
17 666 

2 876 693 112 
53 704 801 

Average amount 
per pensioner 
(in €) 
16 002 
3 040 

39 303 

247 016 334 

3 816 

68 874 326 

43 119 

315 890 660 

7 326 

375 268 

3 122 786 562 

73 302 

562 679 940 

448 570 

3 685 466 502 

8 216 

280 866 
4 723 
1 422 
18 228 
18 637 
39 300 
2 014 
115 889 
142 221 
557 687 
199 697 
8 597 
21 368 
1 290 
71 265 

577 481 750 
14 994 963 
6 521 271 
77 286 214 
586 337 454 
158 594 513 
17 915 484 
1 054 017 998 
2 376 057 726 
2 060 793 602 
702 657 095 
13 008 948 
142 636 390 
6 385 571 
1 279 149 845 

102 874 
631 
<5 
3 348 
5 698 
2 467 
396 
1 050 
28 122 
88 565 
84 836 
335 
1 628 
268 
10 997 

164 172 306 
1 017 511 
4 779 
3 348 
134 176 451 
3 731 253 
3 068 882 
5 247 961 
282 781 940 
344 012 368 
192 561 687 
266 266 
6 856 017 
504 742 
66 857 292 

2 360 

76 259 853 

<5 

18 987 

10 647 
67 
114 
4 700 
3 483 
4 175 
20 
3 059 
5 791 
42 113 
12 385 
526 
807 
472 
3 030 
6 816 
294 

22 556 587 
135 421 
389 580 
13 327 211 
74 699 041 
9 952 787 
141 651 
57 228 534 
79 556 974 
119 895 943 
41 417 822 
476 834 
1 715 120 
1 382 089 
27 267 874 
71 275 596 
7 370 571 

394 387 
5 421 
1 540 
26 276 
27 818 
46 053 
2 430 
119 998 
176 134 
688 365 
296 918 
9 458 
23 803 
2 028 
74 972 

764 210 643 
16 147 895 
6 915 630 
90 616 772 
795 212 946 
172 488 683 
21 126 017 
1 116 494 493 
2 738 396 640 
2 524 701 913 
936 636 605 
13 752 047 
151 207 527 
8 272 401 
1 373 275 011 

1 938 
2 979 
4 491 
3 449 
28 586 
3 745 
8 694 
9 304 
15 547 
3 668 
3 155 
1 454 
6 352 
4 079 
18 317 

2 655 

83 649 412 

31 506 

2 082 662  14 813 510 844 

6 858 
The monthly amounts reported by BG, LU, HU, PL, PT, and SI were multiplied by 12 to obtain an annual 
figure.  

17 744 859 708 

2 400 276 561 

561 787 326 

2 587 385 

456 787 

99 572 

**  Numbers  for  SE  are  not  included  in  the  Total  column  and  the  Total  row,  as  it  only  concerns  invalidity 

pensions, and this would lead to misleading totals.  

***  CY: data concern 2021.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

21 

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** 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total 
* 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

The  highest  average  annual  amounts  of  pension  paid  per  pensioner  were  paid  by 
Luxembourg  and  Iceland,  namely  more  than  EUR 28 000,  followed  by  Finland,  Belgium, 
and Austria, with more than EUR 15 000. This in contrast to Italy and Romania, which paid 
a much lower average annual amount per pensioner (lower than EUR 2 000). The above 
distribution  of  Member  States  does  not  differ  so  much  from  the  distribution  presented  in 
Figure 3 (all pension beneficiaries).  

A closer look at the average amount of old-age pension specifically could be valuable. For 
most of the reporting Member States, the average annual old-age pension expenditure per 
pensioner (see column 2 and 3 of Table 235) is lower than the average annual amount for 
the total group of pensioners (see Figure 2). These average expenditures are compared to 
each  other  in  Figure  3.  When  the  share  is  lower  than  100 %  it  means  that  the  average 
annual old-age pension exceeds the average annual old-age pension paid to pensioners 
who receive such a pension from two or more countries, one of which is the Member State 
of  residence.  In  Lithuania,  Latvia,  Iceland,  Luxembourg36,  and  Bulgaria,  however,  the 
opposite holds true. In these Member States, the average annual old-age pension paid to 
persons  receiving  an  old-age  pension  from  two  or  more  countries,  one  of  which  is  the 
Member State of residence, is higher than the average annual old-age pension paid to all 
pensioners.  

The  aggregate  amount  is  some  47 %  of  the  total  average  annual  old-age  pension 
expenditure per pensioner (Figure 3).37 This can be explained by the fact that the reported 
amount only represents a partial pension. An additional amount will be paid by one or more 
exporting Member States where the pensioner was insured as well.  

Figure 3 - Average annual amount paid to pensioners who receive an old-age 
pension from two or more countries one of which is the Member State of residence 
(2022 figures) compared to the average annual amount paid to all pensioners (2020 
figures) 

l

a
u
n
n
a
e
g
a
r
e
v
a
f
o
e
g
a
t
r
e
c
r
e
p
s
A

r
e
n
o
i
s
n
e
p
r
e
p
t
n
u
o
m
a

160%

140%

120%

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

47%

BG LU

IS

LV

LT HU SK

SI

FI MT AT

PL

BE Total FR NL RO PT

CY DK

IT

Average annual amount paid as MS of residence

*  Average annual amount paid to pensioners who receive an old-age pension from two or more countries 

one of which is the Member State of residence. 

Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 and Eurostat, 

ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

35   The average annual amount paid to pensioners who receive an old-age pension from two or more countries one of which 
is the Member State of residence is calculated by dividing the total amount paid for old-age pensions (column 3 of Table 2) 
by the total number of persons who receive an old-age pension (column 2 of Table 2).  

36   For Luxembourg the main explanation is that the average old-age pension amount paid to all pensioners is “biased” by 
the high proportion of pensioners (resident and non-residents) receiving an old-age pension from two or more Member 
States.  

37   The average annual amount paid to pensioners who receive an old-age pension from two or more countries one of which 
is the Member State of residence is EUR 7 113 (based on figures from Table 2 = EUR 14 813 510 844 / 2 082 662) and 
from  Annex III  = 
the  average  annual  amount  paid 
EUR 1 706 385 000 000 / 113 384 468). Therefore, EUR 7 113 / EUR 15 050 = 47 %. 

is  EUR 15 050  (based  on 

to  all  pensioners 

figures 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Table  3  shows  the  evolution  of  the  number  of  pensions  and  the  annual  amount  paid  to 
pensioners  receiving  a  pension  from  two  or  more  Member  States  one  of  which  is  the 
Member State of residence, comparing reference year 2021 to reference year 2022. Both 
the numbers and amounts seem to remain rather stable for most Member States between 
these  reference  years.  Only  in  Lithuania  (+21.6 %)  the  number  of  persons  increased 
significantly,  while  in  Bulgaria  (+66.8 %)  and  Lithuania  (+26.1 %)  the  amount  paid  grew 
considerably.  

Table 3 - Evolution of the number of pensions and annual amount paid (in €) as 
Member State of residence to pensioners receiving a pension from two or more 
Member States one of which is the Member State of residence, from 2021 to 2022 

2021 

2022 

% Change 2021 vs 2020 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
14 407 
2 060 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
16 002 
3 040 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number 
of persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

3.2 % 

7 142 

1 938 

8 216 

7 326 

18.7 % 

43 119 

434 596 

394 387 

53 704 801 

764 210 643 

315 890 660 

3 103 823 727 

-0.7 % 
13.0 % 

10.3 % 
66.8 % 

180 967 
15 629 

448 570  3 685 466 502 

2 607 224 092 
32 194 759 

179 774  2 876 693 112 
17 666 

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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Source:  Questionnaires on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pension 2023 and 2022 

765 440 134 
16 147 895 
5 985 006 
71 881 572 
740 978 504 
149 447 618 
19 463 192 
1 054 860 816 
2 641 250 290 
2 172 344 102 
908 883 545 
12 704 799 
141 398 565 
8 334 319 
1 281 126 887 

119 998  1 116 494 493 
176 134  2 738 396 640 
688 365  2 524 701 913 
936 636 605 
296 918 
13 752 047 
9 458 
151 207 527 
23 803 
8 272 401 
2 028 
1 373 275 011 
74 972 

399 588 
5 421 
1 661 
21 600 
26 781 
42 764 
2 399 
116 493 
173 886 
651 376 
292 661 
8 947 
24 020 
2 085 
72 056 

1 916 
2 979 
3 603 
3 328 
27 668 
3 495 
8 113 
9 055 
15 190 
3 335 
3 106 
1 420 
5 887 
3 997 
17 780 

4 491 
3 449 
28 586 
3 745 
8 694 
9 304 
15 547 
3 668 
3 155 
1 454 
6 352 
4 079 
18 317 

15.5 % 
26.1 % 
7.3 % 
15.4 % 
8.5 % 
5.8 % 
3.7 % 
16.2 % 
3.1 % 
8.2 % 
6.9 % 
-0.7 % 
7.2 % 

-7.3 % 
21.6 % 
3.9 % 
7.7 % 
1.3 % 
3.0 % 
1.3 % 
5.7 % 
1.5 % 
5.7 % 
-0.9 % 
-2.7 % 
4.0 % 

6 915 630 
90 616 772 
795 212 946 
172 488 683 
21 126 017 

1 540 
26 276 
27 818 
46 053 
2 430 

69 684 335 

83 649 412 

31 506 

29 780 

20.0 % 

13.5 % 

-0.2 % 

-1.3 % 

2 655 

2 340 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 

11.1 % 
47.6 % 

15.0 % 

1.2 % 

24.6 % 
3.6 % 
3.3 % 
7.2 % 
7.2 % 
2.8 % 
2.4 % 
10.0 % 
1.6 % 
2.4 % 
7.9 % 
2.0 % 
3.0 % 

5.8 % 

4.2.  As a share of total number of pensioners and total 

pension expenditure 

This subsection compares the reported figures in  Table 2 to the total number of pension 
beneficiaries  and  total  spending  on  old-age,  survivors’,  and  invalidity  pensions  (see 
Annex III).38 The weighted average indicates that 3.0 % of all pensioners residing in one of 
the reporting Member States are entitled to two or more pensions one of which is from their 

38   It should be noted that the reported number of pensions paid as Member State of residence in Table 2 apply to reference 
year 2021 while the reported total number of beneficiaries in Annex III apply to reference year 2019. This might distort the 
analysis to a limited extent. Moreover, these figures reported by Eurostat might differ from figures available at national 
level.  

23 

 
  
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Member State of residence. The amount paid to this group of pensioners amounts to 0.8 % 
of total pension expenditure (Table 4). 

In Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, and Slovakia less than 1 % of the pensioners are entitled to 
a pension both from their Member State of residence and another Member State. This is in 
sharp  contrast  to  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Austria,  Poland,  and  Portugal  where  the  share 
exceeds 5 % of pensioners. In Luxembourg in particular, more than one in ten pensioners 
receive a pension from two or more Member States one of which is from Luxembourg as 
their Member State of residence.    

For most Member States, the share of amount paid is lower than the share of number of 
persons. Most notably in Portugal, for instance, the share of number of persons equalled 
8.6 %, while the amount paid by Portugal to this group of pension beneficiaries amounted 
to only 3.2 % of the total amount of pensions paid by Portugal. This shows that this group 
of pensioners was mainly insured in a Member State other than Portugal. Likewise, many 
of the reporting Member States find themselves in a similar situation, namely a higher share 
in terms of number of persons than in the amount paid.  

Table 4 - Number of pensions and amount paid as Member State of residence to 
pensioners receiving a pension from two or more Member States one of which is 
the Member State of residence, as a share of the total number of beneficiaries and 
of total expenditure, breakdown by type of pension, 2022 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

Number of 
persons 
7.8 % 
0.8 % 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

Number of 
persons 
9.6 % 
1.7 % 

Number of 
persons 
0.3 % 
0.6 % 

Number of 
persons 
5.1 % 
0.8 % 

1.0 % 

1.5 % 

1.0 % 

2.2 % 

1.0 % 

1.5 % 

0.8 % 

3.3 % 

1.7 % 

6.2 % 

1.8 % 

2.8 % 

4.6 % 
1.2 % 

8.4 % 
1.7 % 

5.0 % 
1.2 % 

0.3 % 
1.1 % 

0.7 % 
0.4 % 
0.1 % 
2.9 % 
19.2 % 

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* 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total 
(Weighted) 
Total 
(Unweighted) 
*  Numbers for SE are not included in the Total rows, as it only concerns invalidity pensions, and this would 

2.2 % 
2.8 % 
0.3 % 
2.3 % 
12.8 % 
1.7 % 
2.5 % 
2.5 % 
6.2 % 
6.6 % 
8.6 % 
0.2 % 
3.2 % 
0.1 % 
4.1 % 

0.4 % 
0.3 % 
0.0 % 
0.0 % 
13.3 % 
0.3 % 
2.1 % 
0.1 % 
4.4 % 
4.4 % 
5.1 % 
0.0 % 
1.3 % 
0.1 % 
3.7 % 

2.4 % 
1.9 % 
0.0 % 
1.3 % 
11.6 % 
0.3 % 
2.3 % 
0.2 % 
4.8 % 
6.3 % 
9.9 % 
0.1 % 
1.1 % 
0.1 % 
4.7 % 

0.3 % 
0.8 % 
0.3 % 
2.5 % 
15.8 % 
1.8 % 
2.3 % 
1.1 % 
5.0 % 
4.4 % 
3.2 % 
0.1 % 
3.4 % 
0.1 % 
4.3 % 

2.3 % 
3.3 % 
0.3 % 
2.6 % 
12.4 % 
1.9 % 
2.8 % 
3.3 % 
6.9 % 
7.0 % 
8.5 % 
0.2 % 
3.8 % 
0.1 % 
5.1 % 

0.3 % 
1.0 % 
0.3 % 
2.6 % 
16.3 % 
1.9 % 
2.5 % 
1.3 % 
5.3 % 
4.5 % 
3.1 % 
0.1 % 
3.7 % 
0.1 % 
4.8 % 

0.3 % 
0.4 % 
2.2 % 
3.3 % 
1.4 % 
0.1 % 
1.7 % 
0.2 % 
0.9 % 
2.0 %  
1.1 % 

0.3 % 
0.4 % 
2.8 % 
4.2 % 
5.0 % 
0.1 % 
3.4 % 
0.2 % 
1.6 % 
 2.5 % 
1.3 % 

0.2 % 
0.4 % 
0.2 % 
2.9 % 
17.5 % 

3.5 % 

3.0 % 

3.0 % 

4.0 % 

3.0 % 

2.4 % 

2.5 % 

2.2 % 

2.8 % 

3.0 % 

3.4 % 

0.9 % 

1.0 % 

1.0 % 

0.4 % 

0.8 % 

3.3 % 

0.0 % 

4.6 % 

5.0 % 

0.0 % 

3.6 % 

lead to misleading totals. 

Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 and Eurostat, 

ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

24 

 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

5.  Pensions exported to pensioners who reside in 

another Member State 

In  this  section,  figures  are  reported  on  the  number  and  amount  of  pensions  paid  to 
pensioners who reside in another Member State. The reasons for the export of pensions 
are diverse: e.g., the payment of a pension to a retired frontier worker or to a returned mobile 
worker to name a few. It that respect, countries such as Luxembourg and Switzerland with 
a high number of incoming frontier workers and foreign workers moving abroad after their 
professional career, or Germany and the United Kingdom with a high number of incoming 
EU/EFTA/UK  movers  export  a  high  number  of  pensions.  In  addition,  many  pensions  are 
paid to pensioners who have decided to move abroad (mostly to Mediterranean countries). 

Data on pensions exported to pensioners who reside in another Member State and who are 
in  receipt  of  a  pension  from  two  or  more  Member  States  are  presented  in  section 5.1. 
Furthermore, data on the number and amount of exported pensions in case of persons who 
receive  a  benefit  from  one  Member  State  only  are  reported  in  section 5.2.  Finally,  total 
figures on the export of pensions are discussed in section 5.3 (without making a distinction 
whether the pensioner also receives a pension from another Member State or not).  

A  total  number  of  17  Member  States39  provided  figures  for  both  groups  of  pensioners 
(pensions exported to pensioners receiving a pension from two or more Member States and 
to  pensioners  receiving  a  pension  only  from  the  exporting  Member  State).  Two  Member 
States only provided figures for pensions exported to pensioners receiving a pension from 
two or more Member States (Croatia and Malta), and one only provided data on pensions 
exported  to  pensioners  receiving  a  pension  only  from  the  exporting  Member  State 
(Liechtenstein). There are also twelve Member States40 that only provided data on the total 
number of pensions paid to pensioners who reside in another Member State. As a result, 
all 32 countries provided (partial) export data.   

5.1.  Pensions exported to pensioners who are in receipt 
of a pension from two or more Member States 

The reported data on pensions exported to pensioners who reside in another Member State 
and  who  are  in  receipt  of  a  pension  from  two  or  more  Member  States  are  included  in 
Table 5. A total number of 19 Member States provided (partial) data on this matter. For all 
reporting Member States some 1.48 million pensions were paid, representing a total of more 
than  EUR 5.1  billion.  This  means that  an  average annual  amount  of  some  EUR 3 484  is 
paid. Please note that both Germany and Switzerland, two of the main exporting countries, 
did not report data. 

France exported the highest number of pensions to pensioners who are entitled to a pension 
from  two  or  more  Member  States,  namely  520 356  pensions,  or  35.1 %  of  all  pensions 
reported.  Furthermore,  the  Netherlands,  Italy,  Belgium,  and  Austria  exported  more  than 
100 000 pensions each. In terms of amount exported, France stands out once more with 
EUR 1.5 billion or 29.0 % of the total amount reported. In addition, Luxembourg paid out 
more  than  EUR 1  billion,  and  Belgium  and  the  Netherlands  exported  more  than 
EUR 500 million each to pensioners who are entitled to pensions from two or more Member 
States.  

The highest average amounts per pensioner are found in Luxembourg (EUR 13 178) and 
Iceland (EUR 11 877), while the lowest is reported by Croatia (EUR 1 219).  

39   BE, BG, ES, FR, IT, CY (data 2021), LV, LT, LU, HU, NL, AT, PT, RO, SI, SE, and IS. 

40   CZ, DK, DE, EE, IE, EL, PL, SK, FI, NO, CH, and UK (data for the amount paid concern 2017). 

25 

 
 
Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
4 727 
1 751 

4 052 
2 882 
1 219 
1 819 
1 363 
1 408 
2 649 
13 178 
1 552 
3 914 
3 331 
3 089 

1 952 
2 057 
1 285 

11 877 

3 484 

Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Table 5 - Number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners who reside in 
another Member State and who are in receipt of a pension from two or more 
Member States, 2022 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid  
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid  
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid  
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

1 597 
445 

95 266 
3 228 

28 576 
623 

125 439 
4 296 

13 908 962 
1 118 166 

592 978 814 
7 523 353 

137 126 136 
777 850 

441 943 716 
5 627 337 

51 982 
382 228 
26 477 
101 116 
1 897 
3 296 
7 954 
56 786 
26 339 
1 385 
179 353 
96 657 

21 534 
135 988 
5 797 
38 710 
219 
18 
1 227 
19 476 
2 115 
184 
1 347 
20 017 

203 264 717 
1 118 816 780 
30 602 254 
190 103 272 
2 508 816 
4 521 823 
22 927 510 
785 285 260 
44 059 421 
5 083 775 
6 913 598 234 
312 871 678 

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** 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total 
*  The monthly amounts reported by BE (except invalidity pension), BG, LU, HU, PT, and SI are multiplied by 

314 498 436 
1 499 442 588 
40 976 890 
266 015 609 
2 979 003 
5 034 918 
26 017 703 
1 095 185 150 
47 065 975 
6 223 246 
622 148 946 
370 168 330 

87 956 081 
373 629 114 
8 309 369 
62 264 226 
352 828 
15 801 
1 523 860 
207 979 729 
1 268 771 
1 070 283 
71 573 664 
41 049 708 

23 277 639 
6 996 694 
2 065 266 
13 648 111 
117 359 
497 294 
1 566 333 
101 920 160 
1 737 783 
69 189 
40 051 287 
16 246 944 

77 610 
520 356 
33 615 
146 259 
2 185 
3 576 
9 820 
83 109 
30 317 
1 590 
186 764 
119 816 

4 094 
2 140 
1 341 
6 433 
69 
262 
639 
6 847 
1 863 
21 
6 064 
3 142 

132 107 858 
58 697 579 
49 758 099 

95 826 837 
48 658 041 
39 341 517 

27 069 263 
7 655 007 
5 803 705 

9 211 758 
2 384 531 
4 612 876 

12 777 644 
6 225 490 

14 789 
3 173 
7 131 

67 677 
28 531 
38 731 

48 141 
23 625 
27 732 

4 747 
1 733 
3 868 

10 284 660 505 

1 035 425 395 

5 162 667 504 

3 039 
504 

245 655 845 

19 619 517 

25 845 007 

1 135 134 

1 481 867 

300 924 

45 809 

2 176 

1 672 

0 

0 

12 to obtain an annual figure.  

**  Numbers  for  SE  are  not  included  in  the  Total  column  and  the  Total  row,  as  it  only  concerns  invalidity 

pensions, and this would lead to misleading totals. 

***  CY: data concern 2021.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

5.2.  Pensions exported to pensioners who are in receipt 

of a pension from one Member State only 

Data on the number and amount of exported pensions in case of persons who receive a 
benefit  from  one  Member  State  only  (i.e.,  the  exporting  Member  State)  are  reported  in 
Table 6. These are pensioners who have always worked in the same country, which is not 
(or no longer) their country of residence. Only 18 Member States provided (partial) data on 
this matter, with again no data available for Germany and Switzerland.  

These  18 Member  States  paid  some  823 000  pensions  amounting  to  a  total  spending  of 
some EUR 4.7 billion, or an average annual amount per pensioner of EUR 5 716. More than 
60 % of these pensions were exported by France (515 861 pensions), and more than 40 % 
of  the  amount  exported  (EUR 1.9  billion).  Furthermore,  Belgium  exported  an  amount  of 
EUR 863.5 million, Italy an amount of EUR 530.8 million, and the Netherlands and Austria 
more than EUR 400 million each to pensioners residing in another Member State who are 
in receipt of a pension from only one Member State.  

26 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

The  highest  average  amounts  per  pension  are  reported  by  Luxembourg  (EUR 26 032), 
followed by Iceland (EUR 25 947), Italy (EUR 19 336), and Belgium (EUR 11 926).  

If the data from Tables 5 and 6 are compared, it is clear that most Member States mainly 
export pensions to persons receiving two or more pensions. Later in this chapter, the results 
for each Member State are discussed separately (see Figure 4 in section 5.3.1). 

Table 6 - Number of pensions and amount paid to pensioners who reside in another 
Member State and who are in receipt of a pension from one Member State only, 
2022 

Average amount 
per pensioner 
(in €) 
11 926 
1 969 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

6 674 

39 094 952 

5 858 
3 736 

1 238 
1 841 

7 576 
175 

13 300 
212 

51 526 
876 

72 402 
1 263 

2 513 
155 017 

2 923 
399 003 

515 861  1 927 393 797 

8 114 659 
14 361 858 

12 071 684 
373 129 450 

117 903 638 
396 913 

139 147 968 
278 619 

606 401 220 
1 810 699 

863 452 826 
2 486 231 

18 908 609 
1 539 902 489 

7 006 
247 
630 
411 
3 511 
336 

19 444 
402 
8 980 
1 110 
2 971 
2 131 

69 046 800 
1 311 061 
1 506 498 
339 066 
47 158 289 
595 627 

448 740 892 
2 395 624 
25 259 901 
5 159 313 
115 556 805 
8 520 630 

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** 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total 
5 716 
*  The monthly amounts reported by BE (except invalidity pension), BG, LU, HU, PT, and SI are multiplied by 

530 799 061 
3 827 684 
28 918 204 
6 737 616 
198 935 563 
9 547 536 

13 011 369 
120 999 
2 151 805 
1 239 237 
36 220 469 
431 279 

27 451 
673 
10 499 
1 833 
7 642 
2 614 

1 001 
24 
889 
312 
1 160 
147 

23 598 943 
36 620 556 
65 470 884 

13 692 510 
31 231 086 
27 392 994 

7 993 742 
1 962 283 
24 893 993 

1 912 692 
3 427 187 
13 183 897 

21 566 594 
14 787 131 
9 798 757 

409 022 193 
402 503 262 

178 676 158 
308 321 650 

229 602 224 
19 691 672 

26 595 610 
128 965 833 

11 734 328 
103 168 180 

19 336 
5 687 
2 754 
3 676 
26 032 
3 652 

743 811 
74 489 940 

823 004  4 703 970 752 

74 151 
15 965 816 

6 611 
8 986 
10 345 

516 
605 
1 953 

2 667 
600 
1 278 

3 570 
4 075 
6 329 

3 290 
1 743 
4 889 

2 805 
6 638 
3 503 

11 755 
2 427 

45 981 
83 083 

34 071 
59 182 

155 
21 474 

25 947 
6 429 

1 025 
20 061 

406 
16 259 

3 446 873 089 

8 895 
4 845 

19 
2 524 

486 355 786 

770 708 798 

612 230 

177 277 

33 497 

12 to obtain an annual figure. 

**   Numbers  for  SE  are  not  included  in  the  Total  column  and  the  Total  row,  as  it  only  concerns  invalidity 

pensions, and this would lead to misleading totals. 

***  CY: data concern 2021.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

5.3.  Total number of pensions exported to pensioners 

who reside in another Member State 

5.3.1. 

In absolute figures 

In this section, data on the total number of pensions exported to another Member State are 
provided. All 32 countries could provide (partial) data on this matter41. The data for Croatia 
and Malta only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two 
or more Member States, and data for Liechtenstein only concern the export to pensioners 
who are in receipt of a pension from one Member State only.  

The 32 reporting Member States exported some 6.2 million pensions amounting to a total 
expenditure  of  approximately  EUR 26.7  billion  (Table  7).  This  represents  a  total  annual 
amount  per  pensioner  of  around  EUR 4 326  and  implies  that  a  total  average  monthly 
amount  of  EUR 360  was  paid  to  pensioners  residing  abroad.  These  figures  show  that 
pensions are a very important part of the EU coordination of social security systems. In no 
other branch of social security does so much money flow from one Member State to another.  

The main exporting Member States in the EU/EFTA are  Germany (1.3 million pensions), 
France  (1.0  million  pensions),  Switzerland  (891 458  pensions),  and  Poland  (695 310 
pensions).  In  terms  of  amount  paid,  Switzerland  (EUR 6.4 billion),  Germany  (EUR 5.7 
billion), France (EUR 3.4 billion), and the United Kingdom (data 2017; EUR 2.3 billion) stand 
out.  Furthermore,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  and  the  Netherlands  exported  more  than 
EUR 1 billion each. The reasons why these are the main exporting countries are diverse. 
Data from the ‘2022 Annual Report on intra-EU labour mobility’42, show that Luxembourg 
and  Switzerland  employ  a  high  percentage  of  EU-27  frontier  workers  and  that  Germany 
receives the highest number of EU/EFTA movers.  

The  six  main  exporting  EU/EFTA/UK  countries  (CH  24.0 %,  DE  21.3 %,  FR 12.8 %, 
UK 8.4 %, BE 5.5 %, and LU 4.8 %) exported 77 % of the total amount of pensions exported 
abroad by  all reporting Member  States (see  Table  9).  The  highest  average amounts  per 
pensioner are reported by Iceland and Luxembourg, above EUR 14 000 annually (Table 7). 
On the other hand, the average amount remains below EUR 400 in Poland. It can also be 
seen that the average annual amount for EU-14 Member States (EUR 4 419) is significantly 
higher than the average amount for EU-13 Member States (EUR 985), while the average 
amount for the EFTA Member States is even higher (EUR 7 351).  

About 4.4 million (or more than 70 %) of the 6.2 million transferred pensions were old-age 
pensions.  In  addition,  more  than  1  million  survivors'  pensions  and  205 000  invalidity 
pensions were also transferred. The average annual amount exported for old-age pensions 
amounts  to  EUR  4 356,  EUR  3 483  for  survivors’  pensions  and  EUR  7 483  for  invalidity 
pensions.  

41   Data for CY concern 2021. SK could not provide a breakdown by type of pension. Data for UK on the amount paid 

concern 2017.  

42   Hassan, E., Siöland, L., Akbaba, B., Cinova, D., Gasperini, M., and Geraci, M. (2023), 2022 Annual Report on intra-EU 

Labour Mobility, Network Statistics FMSSFE, European Commission. See 
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?langId=en&catId=89&newsId=10545&furtherNews=yes  

28 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Table 7 - Number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners who reside in 
another Member State, 2022 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

EU-27 
EU-14 
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 
IS 
LI** 
NO 
CH 
UK**** 

3 594 069 
2 805 330 
788 739 
799 334 
4 393 403 
146 792 
4 104 
70 378 
39 303 
954 566 
10 151 
34 607 
9 157 
54 905 
781 231 
26 477 
120 560 
2 299 
12 276 
9 064 
59 757 
28 470 
1 385 
213 424 
155 839 
562 637 
50 946 
30 263 
31 235 

44 407 
139 836 
2 078 
16 259 
47 194 
733 803 

13 322 865 914 
12 600 088 583 
722 777 331 
5 816 905 365 
19 139 771 279 
1 048 344 936 
7 438 036 
177 853 770 
247 016 334 
4 444 732 569 
41 248 504 
148 228 872 
21 245 874 
222 173 325 
2 658 719 270 
30 602 254 
638 844 164 
4 904 440 
29 781 724 
28 086 823 
900 842 065 
52 580 051 
5 083 775 
754 809 344 
621 193 328 
198 574 316 
109 519 347 
79 889 127 
66 734 511 

215 945 998 
568 473 156 
31 353 845 
103 168 180 
415 706 823 
5 266 676 518 

933 769 
799 441 
134 328 
131 414 
1 065 183 
41 876 
835 
14 951 
0 
334 955 
306 
n.a. 
1 474 
24 047 
251 005 
5 797 
45 716 
464 
648 
1 638 
22 987 
2 451 
184 
1 502 
41 491 
90 118 
18 079 
4 916 
12 020 

3 952 
12 357 
19 
2 524 
2 277 
126 594 

2 919 768 849 
2 793 930 148 
125 838 701 
790 164 592 
3 709 933 441 
276 274 104 
1 056 469 
34 594 505 
0 
1 093 929 134 
587 640 
n.a. 
4 093 922 
100 027 765 
746 758 564 
8 309 369 
131 311 026 
1 661 213 
1 522 300 
1 862 926 
255 138 018 
1 864 398 
1 070 283 
6 708 283 
115 539 648 
32 994 610 
35 063 004 
9 617 290 
30 697 698 

13 988 227 
15 098 453 
74 151 
15 965 816 
13 103 976 
761 020 649 

164 077 
97 357 
66 720 
40 934 
205 011 
9 173 
620 
9 765 
3 816 
23 435 
52 
n.a. 
548 
5 332 
3 981 
1 341 
7 434 
95 
1 151 
951 
8 007 
2 010 
21 
17 819 
5 569 
42 555 
5 263 
2 338 
5 821 

1 274 
5 706 
1 104 
1 278 
7 491 
31 061 

998 538 539 
925 917 777 
72 620 761 
535 528 440 
1 534 066 979 
131 812 599 
1 515 079 
23 813 914 
68 874 326 
146 418 333 
169 829 
n.a. 
1 503 325 
31 392 298 
21 358 552 
2 065 266 
26 659 480 
241 033 
2 649 099 
2 805 570 
138 140 629 
2 169 062 
69 189 
269 653 511 
35 938 616 
13 514 228 
11 124 450 
5 811 718 
17 796 774 

8 695 628 
34 346 029 
21 012 622 
9 798 757 
127 528 219 
377 188 842 

4 712 263 
3 693 077 
1 019 186 
971 682 
6 175 953 
197 841 
5 559 
95 094 
43 119 
1 312 956 
10 509 
34 607 
11 179 
84 284 
1 036 217 
33 615 
173 710 
2 858 
14 075 
11 653 
90 751 
32 931 
1 590 
232 745 
202 899 
695 310 
74 288 
37 517 
49 076 
29 399 
47 362 
151 119 
3 201 
20 061 
56 962 
891 458 
492 008 

17 323 612 801 
16 319 936 508 
1 003 676 294 
7 142 631 477 
26 716 502 852 
1 456 431 639 
10 009 584 
236 262 189 
315 890 661 
5 685 080 035 
42 005 973 
148 228 872 
26 843 121 
353 593 388 
3 426 836 385 
40 976 890 
796 814 671 
6 806 687 
33 953 122 
32 755 319 
1 294 120 713 
56 613 511 
6 223 246 
1 031 171 138 
772 671 592 
245 083 154 
155 706 801 
95 318 135 
115 228 982 
82 439 500 
238 629 853 
617 917 638 
52 440 618 
128 965 833 
556 339 018 
6 404 886 009 
2 250 258 574 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
3 676 
4 419 
985 
7 351 
4 326 
7 362 
1 801 
2 485 
7 326 
4 330 
3 997 
4 283 
2 401 
4 195 
3 307 
1 219 
4 587 
2 382 
2 412 
2 811 
14 260 
1 719 
3 914 
4 430 
3 808 
352 
2 096 
2 541 
2 348 
2 804 
5 038 
4 089 
16 383 
6 429 
9 767 
7 185 
4 574 

* 
The monthly amounts reported by BE (except invalidity), BG, DE, LU, HU, PT, and SI were multiplied by 12 to obtain an annual figure.  
**  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI 

only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from one Member State only. 

***  CY: data concern 2021. 
****  SK could not provide a breakdown by type of pension. UK could only report the total number of persons for 2022. Data on the amount paid 

concern reference year 2017.  

Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

Cross-country Tables 8 and 9 give a detailed overview of the export of pensions between 
EU/EFTA Member States and the UK (see also Annex I, as well as Figure A1 in Annex II 
which visualises the flows concerning the number of pensions exported). This also brings 
the  most  important  ‘receiving’  Member  States  into  the  picture:  Germany,  Italy,  Spain, 
France,  and  Portugal.43  Around  965 000  pensioners  residing  in  Germany  received  an 
exported  pension  of  EUR 2.5 billion.  Furthermore,  about  884 000  pensioners  in  Italy 
received  a  total  amount  of  pensions  of  EUR 3.8 billion  from  other  Member  States. 
Additionally,  an  amount  of  EUR 4.3  billion  was  exported  to  some  888 000  pensioners 
residing  in  Spain.  There  were  approximately  598 000  pensioners  in  France  to  whom 
EUR 4.0 billion was exported, and around 483 000 pensioners residing in Portugal received 
a total amount of pensions of EUR 2.5 billion. More than 64 % of the exported amount was 
paid  to  pensioners  residing  in  these  five  Member  States  (ES:  16.0 %,  FR:  15.1 %, 
IT: 14.2 %, DE: 9.4 %, and PT: 9.4 %) (see Table A2 in Annex I). A visual representation 
concerning the number of pensions exported is provided in  Figure A3 in Annex II for the 
issuing perspective and Figure A4 in Annex II for the receiving perspective.  

43   The reported figures are an estimate as they are based on the data reported by the exporting Member States. These 

may differ from the figures available to countries as importing Member State.  

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

The main flows of number of pensions exported went from Germany to Italy (361 392), from 
France  to  Portugal  (350 258),  from  Poland  to  Germany  (311 989),  from  France  to  Spain 
(303 757), and from Switzerland to Italy (293 629) (Table 8). The top 10 flows in terms of 
number of exported pensions are also visualised in Figure A2 in Annex II. The main flows 
in  terms  of  amount  exported  are  slightly  different.  They  go  from  Switzerland  to  Italy 
(EUR 2.0 billion)  and  France  (EUR 1.5  billion)  (Table 9),  and  they  concern  293 629  and 
134 667  pensioners  respectively  (Table 8).  Furthermore,  France  paid  an  amount  of 
EUR 1.3 billion to 350 258 pensioners residing in Portugal, and Germany paid an amount 
of EUR 1.1 billion to 361 392 pensioners residing in Italy. A final important flow goes from 
Switzerland to Spain, as EUR 989 million was exported to 148 602 pensioners.  

In some cases, more than half of the exported pensions by a Member State are received 
by  a  single  Member  State.  In  terms  of  the  amount  paid,  this  is  the  case  for  pensions 
exported  from  Czechia  to  Slovakia,  from  Estonia  to  Finland,  from  Ireland  to  the  United 
Kingdom,  from  Cyprus  to  Greece  (data  2021),  from  Malta  to  the  United  Kingdom,  from 
Poland to Germany, from Portugal to France, and from Slovenia to Croatia (see Table A2 
in Annex I). 

Finally,  by  comparing  the  total  flow  of  imported  pensions  with  the  total  flow  of  exported 
pensions, a net balance can be calculated. A Member State can then be quantified as ‘net 
exporting' (exported amount higher than imported amount) or as 'net importing' (imported 
amount  higher  than  exported  amount).  The  main  net  exporting  Member  States  are 
Switzerland  (EUR  -5.6  billion),  Germany  (EUR  -3.2  billion),  and  the  United  Kingdom 
(EUR -1.6 billion). The main net importing Member States are Spain (EUR +3.9 billion), Italy 
(EUR +3.0 billion), and Portugal (EUR +2.4 billion). 

30 

 
 
Table 8 - Detailed overview of the number of pensions paid to pensioners who reside in another Member State, all types of pensions, 2022 

65 

PT 

BE 

152 

<5 
10 

62 
15 

SK******** 

BG 
65 

271 
6 

272 
180 
293 

17 
190 
83 

15 539  49 451 

SI 
96 
13 
56 
15 

EE 
12 
67 
19 
26 

DK 
340 
90 
111 

CZ 
180 
2 303 

0 
22 
5 
52 
587 

HR* 
121 
11 
214 
27 

12 757  2470  21 150  7 496 

1 910  1 035  4 413  14 952 

AT 
599 
922 
4 950 
335 

DE 
25 597 
5 348 
10 537 
7 719 

NL 
68 227 
314 
604 
1 196 

LU 
16 954 
23 
164 
269 

IT 
12 232 
1735 
259 
217 

IE******* 
155 
30 
101 
143 

RO****** 
310 
49 
66 
76 

15 
110 
466 
7 967 
35 326 
3 056 

HU  MT* 
13 
232 
59 
112 
15 
161 
6 
92 

CY** 
11 
804 
28 
8 
94 
<5 
10 
1359 
25 
31 
0 
7 

ES 
EL 
160 
3 835 
3 451  2 161 
296 
320 

LI*  NO**** 
14 
0 
39 
5 

LV 
55 
46 
19 
77 
3146 
1099 
812 
12 
179 
110 
5 
88 
25 

PL** 
14 277  1 353 
445 
5 083 
9 
31 138 
56 
8 044 

FR 
95 607 
603 
682 
1 305 
68 775 
37 
1 046 
3 809 
303 757 

LT 
43 
51 
37 
131 
2 448  20 214  16 389  100  54 058  100 543  311 989  7 495  14 606  10 090 
217 
1 064 
18 
652 
102 
<5 
101 
11 
1 857 

Total 
251 540 
BE 
26 788 
BG 
53 417 
CZ 
46 045 
DK 
965 330 
DE 
6 566 
EE 
147 105 
IE 
141 783 
EL 
887 604 
ES 
598 460 
FR 
153 754 
HR 
884 456 
IT 
20 904 
CY 
5 759 
LV 
11 462 
LT 
29 841 
LU 
55 259 
HU 
7 478 
MT 
154 947 
NL 
275 200 
AT 
100 198 
PL 
483 060 
PT 
24 279 
RO 
33 425 
SI 
88 397 
SK 
85 863 
FI 
163 063 
SE 
3 990 
IS 
6 189 
LI 
51 016 
NO 
196 837 
CH 
UK 
177 359 
Total  188 668  5 557  95 094  43 119  1 312 956  10 509  34 607  11 179  84 284  1 036 217  33 615  173 710  2 858  14 075  11 653  90 751  32 931  1 590  232 745  202 899  695 310  74 288  37 517  49 076  29 399  47 362  151 119  3 201  20 061  56 962  891 458  492 008  6 166 778 
Share  3.1 %  0.1 %  1.5 % 

UK***** 
CH 
5 471 
4 608 
1 920 
390 
1 004 
1 778 
3 911 
1 404 
43 582 
158 750 
209 
27 
128 564 
736 
3 852 
6 513 
148 602  104 761 
69 139 
134 667 
641 
7 457 
32 039 
293 629 
17 081 
226 
609 
38 
1 473 
82 
734 
1 092 
1 305 
2 621 
5 805 
165 
13 859 
7 117 
4 957 
42 273 
8 384 
1 693 
13 303 
55 038 
443 
607 
327 
2 567 
1 027 
863 
1 824 
1 519 
6 411 
3 416 
138 
25 
43 
4 201 
4 964 
1 227 
11 567 

<5 
<5 
91 
<5 
2 264 
412 
303 
839 
823 
130 
303 
5 
415 
149 
43 
42 
19 
6 
26 
10 
31 
14 
255 
85 
9 
0 
581 
45 
375 
3 625 
179  17 852 
36 
16 
10 
82 
30 
117 
<5 
0 
18 
50 
89 

IS 
6 
<5 
7 
783 
109  1 369 
<5 
<5 
5 
292 
30 
<5 
5 
<5 
7 
28 
12 
<5 
<5 
26 
16 
349 
53 
<5 
0 
8 
22 
647 

126 
9 721 
14 477 
14 662  5 038 
62 393  43 714 
1 580 
15 737 
412 
286 
1 844 
990 
7 151 
85 
18 100 
59 698 

235 
2 228 
94 336 
204 964 
102 596 
86 115 
361 392 
556 
429 
811 
3 800 
15 540 
296 
69 532 
125 346 
36 759 
27 384 
4 425 
2 296 
20 606 
3 571 
13 852 
109 
518 
3 568 
59 915 
22 576 

241 
210 
90 
8 012 
2 948 
143 
106 
192 
3 440 
1 070 
125 
399 
89 
79 
382 
36 
229 
36 
1 107 
299 
3 025 
599 
92 
17 
147 
3 253 
25 563 
738 
<5 

SE**** 
618 
179 
436 
10 927 
14 264 
343 
184 
5 235 
7 483 
3 891 
974 
2 479 
242 
110 
195 
111 
851 
195 
1 314 
2 642 
2 718 
2 858 
195 
503 
108 
65 409 

26 
2 691 
13 
4 974 
27 
5 990 
11 
260 
7 
211 
3 
237 
19 
523 
7 
2 731 
25 
23 
0 
21 
0 
1 943 
6 
14 
5 647 
1004  13 662 

<5 
31 
236 
2 947 
779 
<5 
2 186 
19 
0 
<5 
32 
11 844 
<5 
99 
2 782 
38 
72 
54 
<5 
145 
50 
799 
0 
0 
37 
128 
118 

15 
344 
4 289 
28 641 
64 583 
338 
29 286 
119 
21 
25 
4 187 
623 
75 
24 652 
747 
2 146 
4 851 
397 
119 
69 
212 
1 200 
6 
<5 
268 
2 875 
5 076 

2 822 
118 444 
256 
33 
60 
8 486 
1 031 
195 
6 862 
3 539 
6 711 
350 258 
1 160 
866 
284 
717 
3 134 
24 
76 
927 
36 696 
18 015 

38 
1 062 
746 
7 
149 
34 
206 
409 
24 
85 
52 
566 
65 
1 454 
196 
66 
10 
126 
40 
155 
<5 
0 
73 
171 
27 343 

284 
453 
739 
<5 
511 
5 
7 464 
41 
1 798 
276 
50 789 
11 
649 
9 
42 
67 
8 817 
8 805 
4 234 
37 619  2 891 

29 048 
29 
2 150 
7 
13 
176 
302 
147 
11 
2 192 
630 
1 932 
8 929 
4 691 
18 
199 
299 
1 138 
11 
11 
388 
5 065 
5 044 

FI 
108 
96 
84 
475 
3 188 
3 934 
36 
164 
2 175 
752 
57 
367 
41 
48 
73 
55 
243 
17 
355 
285 
850 
259 
35 
15 
88 

69 
10 
86 
34 
<5 
27 
<5 
1 764 
737 
<5 
21 
0 
11 
37 
19 
9 
7 
<5 
<5 
4 956 
352 
<5 
0 
69 
16 
234 

48 
284 
0 
130 
1 228 
<5 
<5 
14 
11 
<5 
92 
132 
286 
5 
234 
<5 
6 
27 
212 
0 
0 
9 
111 
227 

136 
6 
31 
1 580 
216 
226 
2 419 
2 898 
2 785 
3189 
5 231 
4 399 
277 
140 
871 
<5 
71 
95 
28 603 
9 701 

<5 
<5 
5 
59 
51 
32 214 
1 212 
0 
<5 
0 
68 
68 
<5 
149 
4 028 
32 
<5 
13 

1 235 
<5 
0 
<5 
35 
161 
<5 
743 
4 057 
49 
5 
20 
8 858 
99 
30 
725 
0 
0 
110 
777 
126 

24 
198 
351 
3 598 
1 734 
167 
711 
40 
33 
49 
201 
110 
24 
874 
450 
663 
331 
56 
26 
22 
606 

0 
0 
47 
490 
56 
44 
1748 
0 
0 
0 
16 
32 
0 
20 
8649 
16 
135 
5 
47 
31 
<5 
23 
0 

6 
19 
<5 
126 
77 
355 
14 
<5 
<5 
<5 
80 
309 
48 
<5 
426 
45 
3 401 

13 
86 
940 
1 739 
2 178 
15 438 
4 389 
85 
141 
33 
210 
11 141 
36 
1 804 

4895 
13 
14 
6 
88 
121 
84 
12 
<5 
9 
10 
194 
342 
37 
0 
237 
54 
2282 

99 
7 
1 007 
358 
304 
8 928 
54 
30 
74 
57 
191 
61 
<5 
74 
553 
504 

19 
1 245 
2 251 
41 084 
13 019 
2 151 
7 043 
178 
35 
77 
792 
1 328 
211 

8 
429 
4 291 
236 
11 
1 525 
38 
3 117 
108 
2 172 
<5 
<5 
123 
1 344 
809 

6 097 
267 
3 189 
12 396 
14 873 
294 
2 248 
12 
1 147 
370 
14 296 
2 128 

<5 
<5 
0 
20 
0 
11 
19 
142 
<5 
155 
6 
54 
11 
31 
0 
0 
5 
16 
0 

<5 
38 
59 
2 390 
30 019 
99 
8 193 
8 
6 
6 

<5 
227 
0 
<5 
22 
6 963 
5 
<5 
741 
100 
39 

0 
17 
<5 
24 
36 
6 
141 
<5 
<5 
<5 
0 
0 

7 
69 
337 
245 
532 
107 
378 
17 
<5 
<5 
33 

30 582 
28 
<5 
1 153 
778 
1 019 

1 401 
11 
17 793 
2 765 
4 693 

27 
143 
131 
38 264 
32 

86 
10 
530 
<5 
16 
25 
179 
45 

652 
<5 
7 344 
1 014 
3 089 

7 
5 
174 
3 327 
1 046 

0.5 %  0.0 %  3.8 % 

2.8 %  0.0 %  0.2 % 

12 
7 224 
36 

0 
694 
11 
73 

11.3 %  1.2 % 

1 510  12 712 

0.2 %  0.6 % 

0.8 %  0.5 % 

557 
3 721 

0.1 %  0.3 % 

<5 
69 
15 

10 788 

14.5 % 

21.4 % 

16.9 % 

100% 

1.4 % 

3.3 % 

0.8 % 

2.5 % 

0.9 % 

8.0 % 

0.7 % 

0.2 % 

0.5 % 

0.2 % 

1.5 % 

0.6 % 

r
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r
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M

3
1

*  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a 

pension from one Member State only. 

**  CY: data concern 2021.  
***  PL: data concern the number of pensions, not persons.  
****SE and NO: the total reported (SE: 151 119, NO: 56 962) does not match the sum (SE: 151 127, NO: 56 949). SE mentions they practice statistical disclosure control in order to never reveal any 

individuals and their economic situation. This means that counts 3 or less are presented as < 4. As an additional remark, please note that results for Åland Islands have been excluded concerning 
Old-age pension and Survivors’ pension but included in Finland for Invalidity pension.   

*****UK: the information provided is the number of live claims in each country for the UK State Pension as of 29 December 2022, as opposed to a cumulative number of claims across the year. 
******RO reported 54 pensions for which RO itself was the Member State of residence of the pensioner.  
*******IE: it only concerns old-age pensions as the others are not known. 
********SK: no breakdown available by Member State of residence.    
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 9 - Detailed overview of the amount paid to pensioners who reside in another Member State, all type of pensions, in million €, 2022 

r
e
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r
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3
2

BE* 

SK******* 

BG* 
0.1 

CZ 
0.4 
1.8 

DK 
2.7 
3.8 
1.4 

PL 
4.8 
0.9 
5.4 
2.5 

EE 
0.1 
0.1 
0.1 
0.1 
6.6 

AT 
2.5 
3.3 
36.0 
1.3 

IT 
30.5 
13.2 
4.6 
1.2 

EL 
0.5 
5.8 
0.3 
0.0 
9.8 
0.0 
0.0 

HR** 
0.2 
0.0 
0.5 
0.1 

DE* 
109.8 
21.1 
57.0 
44.5 

IE****** 
0.8 
0.2 
0.5 
0.5 
4.1 
0.3 

ES 
18.3 
7.8 
2.0 
1.5 
57.5 
0.1 
1.1 
0.5 

LT 
0.1 
0.2 
0.1 
0.4 
7.9 
0.4 
3.3 
0.1 
2.2 
0.3 
0.0 
0.4 
0.0 
1.9 

LV 
0.2 
0.1 
0.0 
0.3 
10.3 
1.7 
2.9 
0.0 
0.7 
0.5 
0.0 
0.3 
0.1 

CY*** 
FR 
0.0 
347.2 
1.0 
3.1 
0.1 
4.1 
0.0 
4.1 
158.7  15.4  106.5  0.2 
0.0 
0.2 
0.3 
0.0 
0.0 
4.3 
1.6 
0.1 
0.0 
4.4 
14.0 
4.6 
0.1  106.2  0.1 
872.4 
0.1 
98.0 
0.7 
0.0 
16.7 
0.0 

HU*  MT**  NL 
LU* 
0.0 
0.5 
335.6 
0.3 
0.1 
0.3 
0.1 
0.3 
1.1 
0.0 
4.1 
0.2 
0.4 
280.0  27.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.1 
0.2 
0.7 
0.0 
0.7 
0.6 
0.1 
0.8 
19.5 
0.1 
1.0 
462.6 
0.0 
0.1 
1.2 
0.6 
0.8 
57.3 
0.0 
0.0 
0.2 
0.0 
0.0 
0.2 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 

BE 
BG 
0.4 
CZ 
0.3 
0.0 
DK 
45.5  43.7 
3.8 
DE 
1.5 
0.4 
0.0 
0.0 
EE 
0.3 
14.1 
1.3 
0.4 
0.0 
IE 
0.3 
0.0 
493.6 
4.2 
4.9 
0.7 
EL 
0.2 
10.6 
0.5 
839.6 
42.7 
1.1 
2.2 
ES 
1.0  118.2 
5.2 
0.2 
569.5 
16.7 
2.1 
0.3 
FR 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
2.0 
0.5 
0.0 
446.1 
0.0 
HR 
9.9 
0.5 
0.9 
6.1  1 118.6  0.1 
1.0 
0.4 
IT 
0.0 
4.1 
0.3 
0.0 
4.3 
0.4 
0.1 
0.1 
CY 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
1.3 
2.6 
2.1 
0.5 
0.0 
0.0 
LV 
0.0 
0.6 
0.0 
1.8 
1.0 
4.2 
0.5 
0.0 
0.0 
LT 
4.2 
0.0 
2.0 
0.1 
0.1 
0.0 
18.5 
2.3 
0.1 
0.0 
LU 
0.1 
0.0 
0.9 
0.1 
0.5 
0.0 
96.3 
1.1 
0.4 
0.1 
HU 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.5 
0.0 
2.6 
0.4 
0.0 
0.0 
MT 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
7.4 
0.3 
2.0 
0.0 
287.1 
3.9 
1.3 
0.1 
NL 
0.8 
0.3 
0.1 
3.0 
0.5 
0.4 
0.1 
651.1 
2.9 
8.8 
0.7 
AT 
9.3 
0.5 
0.2 
9.7 
0.7 
4.8 
0.0 
126.9 
5.3 
25.0 
0.2 
PL 
0.4 
0.2 
46.2  1 348.0  0.0  144.7  0.0 
0.0 
1.6 
0.0 
174.1 
3.9 
0.1 
0.1 
PT 
0.0 
0.0 
0.3 
18.2 
0.6 
0.3 
0.0 
24.3 
0.9 
0.2 
0.0 
RO 
1.9 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
10.3 
0.0 
0.3 
0.2 
SI 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.9 
0.0 
0.5 
0.0 
107.7 
0.1  127.1  0.2 
SK 
2.9 
0.0 
0.1 
1.2 
0.1 
0.2 
26.8 
16.8 
0.1 
0.0 
2.8 
FI 
0.3 
0.7 
0.1 
4.4 
0.7 
0.6 
1.6 
66.8 
2.9  100.9 
0.2 
SE 
3.4 
1.2 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.7 
1.8 
0.0 
0.0 
IS 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
2.4 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
LI 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
1.5 
0.0 
0.3 
0.3 
19.6 
38.5 
0.4 
0.0 
NO 
0.2 
0.8 
0.0 
17.6 
0.1 
254.8 
1.3 
7.8 
0.1 
0.4 
0.6 
CH 
2.2 
0.2 
UK 
0.0 
22.4 
1.2  108.9  1.0 
99.0 
23.0 
3.7 
0.2 
8.2 
2.9 
34.0  32.8  1 294.1  56.6 
Total  1 456.4  10.0  236.3  315.9  5 685.1  42.0  148.2  26.8  353.6  3 426.8  41.0  796.8  6.8 
Share  5.5 %  0.0 %  0.9 %  1.2 %  21.3 %  0.2 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.3 %  12.8 %  0.2 %  3.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  4.8 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  3.9 %  2.9 %  0.9 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.3 %  0.9 %  2.3 %  0.2 %  0.5 %  2.1 %  24.0 % 

0.1 
0.1 
0.1 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
89.3 
0.1 
0.3 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
6.6 
0.0 
7.9 
0.1 
3.7 
7.2 
6.2  1 031.2  772.7  245.1  155.7  95.3  115.2  82.4  238.6  617.9  52.4  129.0  556.3  6 404.9  2 250.3  26 716.5 

Total 
UK*** 
NO 
1 213.0 
17.9 
2.6 
87.9 
9.0 
1.8 
152.3 
3.6 
1.3 
11.3 
220.3 
74.4 
105.2  2 520.2 
23.1 
40.7 
0.5 
1.6 
530.8 
478.4 
1.3 
35.7 
689.8 
3.2 
690.9  4 279.2 
71.1 
13.3  1 516.3  413.9  4 029.0 
1.5 
739.5 
1.9 
1 965.1  109.9  3 793.9 
4.6 
154.1 
122.1 
1.9 
13.0 
1.1 
0.5 
20.0 
1.2 
2.5 
140.6 
2.6 
0.5 
287.5 
4.8 
2.2 
36.9 
0.6 
57.3 
580.7 
38.0 
7.9 
1 078.1 
13.5 
2.4 
354.1 
12.3 
20.9 
2 516.7 
68.8 
8.6 
114.1 
1.2 
1.2 
132.3 
1.0 
0.1 
304.2 
1.1 
0.8 
310.4 
4.9 
18.3 
616.8 
17.3 
239.6 
15.1 
0.4 
5.0 
0.1 
38.8 
0.0 
182.5 
13.3 
769.7 
31.4 
651.1 

PT*  RO***** 
3.5 
308.2 
0.9 
3.3 
0.1 
4.8 
5.2 
0.2 
210.0  318.5  134.1  16.5 
0.1 
0.0 
0.2 
0.1 
0.2 
0.6 
6.2 
4.0 
0.2 
12.8 
4.4 
3.6 
15.5 
171.2  13.0 
6.4 
15.2  81.9 
9.5 
78.8 
0.0 
0.3 
68.1 
8.8 
0.7 
5.4 
17.5 
26.0 
0.0 
0.1 
1.1 
1.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.3 
0.2 
0.0 
0.6 
0.1 
0.5 
13.5 
0.3 
0.7 
3.7 
0.0 
1.3 
71.2 
13.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.4 
1.5 
1.9 
6.3 
6.3 
0.4 
15.3 
0.1 

SE**** 
FI 
2.8 
0.8 
0.9 
0.6 
3.8 
0.7 
3.2 
40.7 
13.9  31.6 
2.3 
30.4 
0.9 
0.4 
1.5 
33.4 
39.5  60.2 
13.1  27.9 
5.6 
0.3 
10.9 
3.1 
1.9 
0.6 
0.7 
0.6 
0.4 
0.4 
0.7 
0.8 
6.8 
2.0 
2.3 
0.4 
4.1 
2.0 
7.9 
2.2 
11.9 
3.1 
36.0 
6.9 
1.2 
0.2 
2.7 
0.2 
0.6 
0.3 
218.7 

4.0 
1.6 
1.5 
50.1 
0.2 
2.3 
29.1 
302.0 
579.5 
2.8 
162.3 
1.1 
0.1 
0.3 
37.0 
9.3 
0.9 
140.4 
5.1 
14.5 
52.7 
4.2 
1.0 
0.6 
1.1 
5.9 
0.0 
0.0 
1.3 
16.8 
28.9 

0.9 
0.0 
0.1 
0.2 
36.6 
0.0 
0.3 
1.4 
9.2 
1.9 
0.0 
5.4 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
29.0 
0.0 
0.3 
6.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.4 
0.1 
2.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.3 
0.7 

LI** 
0.1 
0.0 
0.2 
0.0 
4.4 
0.0 
0.0 
0.5 
4.1 
0.4 
0.4 
6.7 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
62.7 
0.1 
1.3 
0.0 
0.3 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 

34.0 
0.2 
2.8 
0.1 
7.4 
0.1 
54.8 
1.2 
44.8 
0.5 
1.3 
13.1 
6.7 
0.2 
0.0 
0.0 
4.9 
2.8 
1.1 
48.8 
2.3 
10.9  18.0 

IS 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
14.9 
1.7 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
8.1 
0.7 
0.0 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.3 
0.1 
0.0 
0.1 
0.3 
0.2 
2.4 
1.2 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.3 
10.1 

SI* 
0.2 
0.0 
0.4 
0.0 
14.7 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.3 
0.2 
85.4 
2.9 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.2 
0.0 
0.4 
8.2 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 

0.0 
34.6 
10.6  23.5 
3.3 
0.3 
1.1 
0.1 
3.5 
1.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.2 
0.0 
0.7 
0.3 
97.5 
1.1 
32.9 
0.3 

3.1 
0.3 
0.5 
4.5 
35.6 
2.3 
30.8 
226.2 
12.1 
485.0 
6.5 
23.1 
7.6 
9.3 
17.5 
0.1 
30.5 
6.2 

0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.4 
0.2 
0.8 
0.1 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.2 
1.0 
0.2 
0.0 
1.3 
0.1 
11.1 

1.2 
0.1 
9.5 
3.6 
2.5 
94.1 
0.7 
0.4 
0.5 
0.5 
2.4 
1.1 
0.1 
0.8 
5.8 
7.4 

9.6 
274.0 
1.8 
0.1 
0.2 
46.5 
5.0 
1.7 
19.5 
11.1 
19.6 

11.2 
28.5 
40.0 
2.3 
0.9 
1.5 
1.9 
12.6 
0.1 
0.1 
8.8 
19.8 
47.7 

CH 
21.3 
4.2 
21.6 
7.2 
782.3 
0.3 
5.6 
35.4 
989.0 

6.8 
2.5 
1.3 
2.8 
10.4 
0.1 
0.3 
3.0 
180.4 
74.1 

9.5 
0.1 
0.5 
6.1 
5.6 
6.2 
7.3 
18.9 
17.3 

0.7 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.8 
0.1 
0.0 
0.2 
9.6 
8.5 

2.2 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.1 
0.4 
0.0 
1.8 
5.5 
0.1 

0.2 
0.0 
0.9 
0.0 
0.0 
0.0 
0.6 
0.2 

4.6 
0.0 
64.1 
10.6 
21.4 

0.0 
10.1 
0.2 
1.0 

0.0 
47.1 
0.2 

8.4 % 

100 % 

4.1 
39.0 

87.7 

67.4 

*  The monthly amounts reported by BE (except invalidity), BG, DE, LU, HU, PT, and SI were multiplied by 12 to obtain an annual figure.  
**  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a 

pension from one Member State only. 

*** CY: data concern 2021. UK: data concern 2017. 
****SE: total reported (EUR 617 917 638) does not match the sum (EUR 617 885 003). 
*****RO reported EUR 12 471 for which RO itself was the Member State of residence of the pensioner.  
******IE: it only concerns old-age pensions as the others are not known.  
*******SK: no breakdown available by Member State of residence. 
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Almost all Member States which provided more detailed figures mainly exported a pension 
to pensioners who are entitled to a pension from two or more Member States (Figure 4). 
Latvia is the only exception, as it exported a higher share of pensions to persons receiving 
a pension from only one Member State, namely 75 % of the exported pensions. In France, 
it is divided almost equally with 50.2 % for persons receiving a pension from two or more 
Member States, and 49.8 % for persons receiving a pension from one Member State only.  
In  Sweden  as  well,  only  concerning  invalidity  pensions,  it  is  divided  almost  equally  with 
53.3 % for persons receiving a pension from two or more Member States, and 46.7 % for 
persons receiving a pension from one Member State only.  

Figure 4 - Export of pensions, breakdown between persons receiving a pension 
from two or more Member States and persons receiving a pension from one 
Member State only, 2022 

100%

90%

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

ES

HU

LU

PT

LT

IT

NL

SI

BG

CY*

RO

IS

BE

AT

SE**

FR

LV

LI

To persons receiving a pension from one Member State only

To persons receiving a pension from two or more Member States

*  CY: data concern 2021.  
**  SE: data only concern invalidity pensions.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

It is expected that the average amount per pensioner paid by the Member States is higher 
for  pensioners  who  are  entitled  to  a  pension  from  only  one  Member  State  than  for 
pensioners who are entitled to two or more pensions (Table 6 compared to Table 5). This 
the case for all 17 Member States44 that provided more detailed figures. 

Nearly  all  reporting  Member  States45  exported  a lower  average  amount  per  person  than 
they paid to persons residing in their country and entitled to a pension from two or more 
Member  States  (see  Table  2  and Table 7).  These  results  suggest  that  most  pensioners 
entitled to a pension from two or more Member States had the longest period of insurance 
in their Member State of residence.  

Specifically, for old-age pensions, the average annual amount exported abroad per pension 
beneficiary (see Table746) is lower than the average annual amount for the total group of 
pensioners (see Figure 3) for all Member States. This is illustrated in Figure 5 by dividing 

44   It concerns for BE, BG, ES, FR, IT, CY (data 2021), LV, LT, LU, HU, NL, AT, PT, RO, SI,  SE (only invalidity pensions), 

and IS.  

45   It concerns BE, BG, FR, CY (data 2021), LV, LT, LU, HU, MT, NL, AT, PL, PT, SI, SK, FI, and IS. This is not the case in 

DK, IT, and RO.  

46   The average old-age pension is calculated by dividing the total amount paid (column 3 of Table 7) by the total number of 

persons (column 2 of Table 7).  

33 

 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

the average amount of old-age pension exported abroad by the average amount of old-age 
pension  paid  to  all  pensioners.  Seeing  that  this  division  is  below  100 %  for  all  reporting 
Member States, the average annual old-age pension that is exported is always lower than 
the  amount  paid  to  all  pensioners.  The  aggregate  amount  is  29 %  of  the  total  average 
annual  pension  expenditure  per  pensioner.  This  can  be  explained  by  the  fact  that  the 
reported amount only represents a partial pension. An additional amount will be paid by one 
or more other Member States where the pensioner was insured.  

Figure 5 - Average annual amount of old-age pension exported abroad (2022 
figures) compared to the average annual amount of old-age pension paid to all 
pensioners (2020 figures) 

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%

e
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a
t
o
T

E
D

S
E

I
F

K
D

T
P

E
S

Y
C

L
E

R
F

E
I

T
A

L
N

L
P

Average annual amount paid as exporting MS

*  Average annual amount of old-age pension exported abroad: data CY concern 2021. 
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 and Eurostat, ESSPROS 

[spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

Table 10 - Evolution of number of pensions and amount paid (in €) to pensioners 
who reside in another Member State, from 2021 to 2022 

2021 

2022 

Evolution 2021 - 2022 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

197 791 
5 060 
88 969 
42 880 
1 314 232 
11 102 

1 271 100 881 
6 101 802 
200 150 604 
318 766 063 
5 357 127 639 
41 029 856 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
6 426 
1 206 
2 250 
7 434 
4 076 
3 696 

79 234 
1 048 405 
32 391 
174 331 
2 858 
9 661 
10 171 
87 645 
32 178 
1 581 
233 581 
197 554 
658 607 
71 612 
33 234 
48 473 

48 598 
149 935 
2 973 
19 657 
54 479 
886 070 

347 499 226 
3 249 721 856 
37 562 984 
835 987 663 
6 806 687 
17 351 390 
23 057 197 
1 181 519 834 
52 064 648 
5 798 359 
988 234 537 
714 767 718 
189 493 773 
149 473 392 
77 019 168 
104 297 838 

238 250 421 
622 703 761 
38 165 254 
123 177 829 
531 747 702 
5 854 303 938 

5 540 404 

22 576 475 333 

4 386 
3 100 
1 160 
4 795 
2 382 
1 796 
2 267 
13 481 
1 618 
3 668 
4 231 
3 618 
288 
2 087 
2 317 
2 152 

4 902 
4 153 
12 837 
6 266 
9 761 
6 607 

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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total* 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

1 456 431 639 
10 009 584 
236 262 189 
315 890 661 
5 685 080 035 
42 005 973 
148 228 872 
26 843 121 
353 593 388 
3 426 836 385 
40 976 890 
796 814 671 
6 806 687 
33 953 122 
32 755 319 
1 294 120 713 
56 613 511 
6 223 246 
1 031 171 138 
772 671 592 
245 083 154 
155 706 801 
95 318 135 
115 228 982 
82 439 500 
238 629 853 
617 917 638 
52 440 618 
128 965 833 
556 339 018 
6 404 886 009 

197 841 
5 559 
95 094 
43 119 
1 312 956 
10 509 
34 607 
11 179 
84 284 
1 036 217 
33 615 
173 710 
2 858 
14 075 
11 653 
90 751 
32 931 
1 590 
232 745 
202 899 
695 310 
74 288 
37 517 
49 076 
29 399 
47 362 
151 119 
3 201 
20 061 
56 962 
891 458 
492 008 
5 605 902 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
7 362 
1 801 
2 485 
7 326 
4 330 
3 997 
4 283 
2 401 
4 195 
3 307 
1 219 
4 587 
2 382 
2 412 
2 811 
14 260 
1 719 
3 914 
4 430 
3 808 
352 
2 096 
2 541 
2 348 
2 804 
5 038 
4 089 
16 383 
6 429 
9 767 
7 185 

Number of 
persons 

Amount paid 
(in €) 

0.0 % 
9.9 % 
6.9 % 
0.6 % 
-0.1 % 
-5.3 % 

6.4 % 
-1.2 % 
3.8 % 
-0.4 % 
0.0 % 
45.7 % 
14.6 % 
3.5 % 
2.3 % 
0.6 % 
-0.4 % 
2.7 % 
5.6 % 
3.7 % 
12.9 % 
1.2 % 

-2.5 % 
0.8 % 
7.7 % 
2.1 % 
4.6 % 
0.6 % 

14.6 % 
64.0 % 
18.0 % 
-0.9 % 
6.1 % 
2.4 % 

1.8 % 
5.5 % 
9.1 % 
-4.7 % 
0.0 % 
95.7 % 
42.1 % 
9.5 % 
8.7 % 
7.3 % 
4.3 % 
8.1 % 
29.3 % 
4.2 % 
23.8 % 
10.5 % 

0.2 % 
-0.8 % 
37.4 % 
4.7 % 
4.6 % 
9.4 % 

Average 
amount per 
pensioner 
(in €) 
14.6 % 
49.3 % 
10.4 % 
-1.5 % 
6.2 % 
8.2 % 

-4.3 % 
6.7 % 
5.1 % 
-4.3 % 
0.0 % 
34.3 % 
24.0 % 
5.8 % 
6.3 % 
6.7 % 
4.7 % 
5.3 % 
22.5 % 
0.4 % 
9.6 % 
9.1 % 

2.8 % 
-1.5 % 
27.6 % 
2.6 % 
0.1 % 
8.7 % 

24 201 926 099 

1.2 % 

7.2 % 

34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

* SK: data from reference year 2017 until 2021 are wrong because of misreporting, there has been a consistent 

underestimation.  

**  Total only for Member States that could report data in both years.  
Source:  Questionnaires on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2022 and 2023 

The  evolution  of  the  number  of  persons  and  amount  paid  in  total  export  of  pensions  is 
displayed  in  Table  10.  In  general,  the  variables  remained  rather  stable  for  most  of  the 
Member States. Latvia (+ 45.7 %) saw a large increase in number of persons to whom a 
pension was exported, and the amount exported grew considerably in  Latvia (+ 95.7 %), 
Bulgaria  (+ 64.0 %),  and  Lithuania  (+ 42.1 %).  In  total,  the  evolution  from  2021  to  2022 
remained stable with a small increase in the number of persons (+ 1.2 %) and a growth in 
the amount exported to another EU/EFTA Member State and the UK (+ 7.2 %). 

5.3.2.  As a share of the total number of pensioners and total 

pension expenditure 

5.3.2.1.  From an exporting perspective 

Table 11 compares the reported figures as exporting Member State (Table 7) with the total 
number  of  pension  beneficiaries  and total  spending  on  old-age,  survivors’,  and  invalidity 
pensions (Annex III). On average 3.9 % of the total number of pensioners reside in another 
EU/EFTA  country  and  the  UK.  Total  spending  for  this  group  of  EU/EFTA  pensioners 
amounts to ‘only’ 1.3 % of the total amount of paid pensions. The percentage of exported 
old-age (4.4 %) and survivors’ pensions (4.0 %) to another EU/EFTA country and the UK is 
much higher compared to this for invalidity pensions (1.4 %).  

For all reporting Member States, the share of the amount paid to pensioners residing abroad 
in total spending is (much) lower than the share of the number of pensioners residing abroad 
in  the  total  group  of  pension  beneficiaries.  This  illustrates  that  the  amount  paid  for 
pensioners residing abroad in many cases represents a partial pension. 

Both Luxembourg and Switzerland stand out when analysing the share of total number of 
pensioners  and  total  pension  expenditure.  In  Luxembourg,  41.8 %  of  the  pensions  are 
exported,  accounting  for  some  25.7 %  of  total  expenditure  on  pensions.  These  high 
percentages  are  primarily  the  result  of  the  high  share  of  frontier  workers  employed  in 
Luxembourg. Furthermore, Switzerland exports 24.9 % of pensions, accounting for 8.3 % 
of total pension expenditure. In this Member States as well, many cross-border workers are 
active.  

Other  Member  States  which  export  more  than  5.0%  of  pensions  are  Austria  (7.1 %), 
Slovenia (6.7 %), Poland (6.7 %), Belgium (5.7 %), and Sweden (5.1 %). However, for none 
of these Member States, the share in expenditure exceeds 2.6 %.  

35 

 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Table 11 - Number of pensions and amount paid as Member State of export, as a 
share of the total number of beneficiaries and of total expenditure, breakdown by 
type of pension, 2022 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Invalidity pension 

Total 

5.6 % 
4.6 % 

1.8 % 
4.1 % 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

Amount paid 

1.3 % 
1.3 % 
0.9 % 
9.6 % 
1.6 % 
3.7 % 
0.6 % 
2.8 % 

0.9 % 
0.9 % 
0.8 % 
2.8 % 
1.2 % 
1.4 % 
0.4 % 
1.3 % 
6.2 % 
5.6 % 
0.0 % 

Number of 
persons 
3.6 % 
3.7 % 
3.0 % 
15.3 % 
4.0 % 
8.0 % 
0.7 % 
2.2 % 

Number of 
persons 
1.1 % 
0.8 % 
2.3 % 
6.1 % 
1.4 % 
1.1 % 
0.2 % 
2.6 % 
1.5 % 
1.1 % 
0.0 % 

Number of 
persons 
3.7 % 
3.8 % 
3.4 % 
21.8 % 
4.4 % 
6.8 % 
0.2 % 
2.8 % 
3.3 % 
4.8 % 
3.2 % 
5.2 % 
0.5 % 
0.8 % 
4.6 % 
3.0 % 
1.0 % 
1.6 % 
2.6 % 
1.3 % 
39.8 % 
1.4 % 
1.9 % 
6.1 % 
7.6 % 
7.0 % 
2.2 % 
0.7 % 
5.6 % 

1.0 % 
1.0 % 
0.6 % 
6.5 % 
1.3 % 
2.3 % 
0.2 % 
1.1 % 
0.8 % 
1.4 % 
2.9 % 
1.0 % 
0.1 % 
0.2 % 
0.9 % 
1.0 % 
0.3 % 
0.3 % 
1.4 % 
0.9 % 
25.0 % 
0.6 % 
0.7 % 
1.0 % 
1.4 % 
0.4 % 
0.5 % 
0.5 % 
1.7 % 

EU-27 
EU-14 
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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK** 
*   Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more 

1.0 % 
1.0 % 
0.7 % 
6.1 % 
1.3 % 
2.3 % 
0.2 % 
1.2 % 
1.0 % 
1.5 % 
2.3 % 
0.8 % 
0.1 % 
0.2 % 
0.9 % 
0.9 % 
0.3 % 
0.4 % 
1.4 % 
0.9 % 
25.7 % 
0.6 % 
0.7 % 
1.0 % 
1.4 % 
0.4 % 
0.5 % 
0.5 % 
2.6 % 
1.0 % 
0.8 % 
1.2 % 
2.3 % 

0.1 % 
0.3 % 
2.0 % 
0.9 % 
0.3 % 
0.5 % 
4.0 % 
1.4 % 
25.3 % 
0.2 % 
0.7 % 
0.1 % 
1.8 % 
0.4 % 
0.9 % 
0.8 % 
6.0 % 

0.3 % 
0.8 % 
5.8 % 
2.5 % 
1.1 % 
1.4 % 
4.1 % 
0.6 % 
46.8 % 
0.3 % 
1.1 % 
0.3 % 
7.1 % 
6.4 % 
2.1 % 
0.9 % 
7.9 % 

Number of 
persons 
3.4 % 
3.4 % 
3.4 % 
18.7 % 
3.9 % 
5.7 % 
0.3 % 
2.7 % 
2.8 % 
4.7 % 
2.5 % 
3.2 % 
0.4 % 
0.8 % 
4.1 % 
2.7 % 
0.9 % 
1.5 % 
2.4 % 
1.0 % 
41.8 % 
1.2 % 
1.6 % 
4.8 % 
7.1 % 
6.7 % 
2.2 % 
0.7 % 
6.7 % 
1.6 % 
2.6 % 
5.1 % 
4.0 % 

0.2 % 
0.2 % 
0.1 % 
0.3 % 
0.2 % 
0.7 % 
1.1 % 
0.6 % 
32.4 % 

0.5 % 
0.5 % 
0.1 % 
1.1 % 
0.5 % 
0.6 % 
1.1 % 
0.6 % 
44.2 % 

0.2 % 
1.9 % 
1.0 % 
0.4 % 
0.4 % 
1.2 % 
17.3 % 

0.3 % 
2.3 % 
2.7 % 
4.2 % 
2.1 % 
0.6 % 
24.6 % 

3.7 % 
24.9 % 
3.1 % 

1.5 % 
8.3 % 
0.9 %  

0.8 % 
1.2 % 
2.0 % 

0.3 % 
0.9 % 
3.2 % 

0.8 % 
1.3 % 
0.1 % 

0.7 % 
2.1 % 
4.8 % 

1.7 % 
4.4 % 
0.3 % 

3.2 % 
5.7 % 
4.1 % 

4.2 % 
29.5 % 

4.3 % 
15.8 % 

1.7 % 
10.4 % 

2.1 % 
10.6 % 

1.6 % 
8.6 % 

1.3 % 
4.5 % 

Member States.  

**   CY: data concern 2021. UK: data for amount paid concern 2017. SK: no breakdown by type of pension.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023, and Eurostat 

ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

5.3.2.2.  From an importing perspective 

Cross-country  Tables  8  and  9  provide  an  overview  of  the  export  of  pensions  among 
EU/EFTA  countries and the  UK.  This  also gives an  idea of  the total  ‘import’  of  pensions 
(Table 12). These totals are compared with the total number of pension beneficiaries and 
total  spending  on  old-age,  survivors’,  and  invalidity  pensions  (Annex III).  This  makes  it 
possible to estimate the number of pensioners in the EU/EFTA and the UK who receive a 
pension from another EU/EFTA country or the UK.  

Especially in Portugal (12.3 %), Ireland (12.1 %), Luxembourg (12.1 %), Croatia (11.0 %), 
and Cyprus (9.8 %) a high share of pensioners receive a pension from another EU/EFTA 
country  or  the  UK  (more  than  9 %  of  the  pensioners  residing  in  these  Member  States). 
Furthermore, the share is on the high side in Austria (8.8 %), Spain (7.6 %), Malta (7.1 %), 
and Belgium (6.7 %) as well. Nevertheless, the share of the imported amount of pensions 
is only considerable in Croatia (15.7 %), Portugal (8.6 %), Cyprus (8.1 %), Malta (6.2 %), 
Slovakia (3.8 %), and Hungary (3.0 %) as in the other reporting Member States it does not 

36 

 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

exceed 3.0 %. The average amount paid to ‘snowbirds’, people who travel to warm climates 
for the winter, can be significantly higher than the average amount paid to ‘local’ pensioners.  

Table 12 - Total number of pensions and amount received as importing Member 
State, in absolute numbers and as a share of the total number of beneficiaries and 
of total expenditure, 2022 

As % of total amount 

Persons 

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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023, and Eurostat 

As % of total number of 
persons 
6.7 % 
1.2 % 
1.5 % 
2.9 % 
3.3 % 
1.5 % 
12.1 % 
5.0 % 
7.6 % 
2.3 % 
11.0 % 
4.6 % 
9.8 % 
1.0 % 
1.0 % 
12.1 % 
2.0 % 
7.1 % 
3.1 % 
8.8 % 
1.0 % 
12.3 % 
0.5 % 
4.4 % 
4.5 % 
4.5 % 
5.2 % 
4.7 % 

Amount received 
(in million €) 
1 213.0 
87.9 
152.3 
220.3 
2 520.2 
40.7 
530.8 
689.8 
4 279.2 
4 029.0 
739.5 
3 793.9 
154.1 
13.0 
20.0 
140.6 
287.5 
57.3 
580.7 
1 078.1 
354.1 
2 516.7 
114.1 
132.3 
304.2 
310.4 
616.8 
15.1 
38.8 
182.5 
769.7 
651.1 

251 540 
26 788 
53 417 
46 045 
965 330 
6 566 
147 105 
141 783 
887 604 
598 460 
153 754 
884 456 
20 904 
5 759 
11 462 
29 841 
55 259 
7 478 
154 947 
275 200 
100 198 
483 060 
24 279 
33 425 
88 397 
85 863 
163 063 
3 990 
6 189 
51 016 
196 837 
177 359 

2.0 % 
1.9 % 
0.8 % 
0.7 % 
0.6 % 
2.2 % 
2.8 % 
2.3 % 
2.8 % 
1.1 % 
15.7 % 
1.5 % 
8.1 % 
0.5 % 
0.6 % 
2.8 % 
3.0 % 
6.2 % 
0.6 % 
2.0 % 
0.6 % 
8.6 % 
0.6 % 
2.9 % 
3.8 % 
1.0 % 
1.2 % 
0.7 % 

0.5 % 
1.0 % 
0.2 % 

3.2 % 
5.2 % 
1.1 % 

ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens] (2020 figures) 

6.  Request for review 

When it seems that rights may have been adversely affected by the interaction of decisions 
taken by two or more institutions, the claimant has the right to a review of the decisions by 
the institutions concerned.47  

Nineteen Member States48 did not have any information available on the number of requests 
for review or left the question blank. Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Ireland (old-age pension), 
Luxembourg, Malta,  Slovakia,  and  Sweden  did not  receive any request for review  under 
Article 48 of Regulation (EC) No 987/2009. Only Czechia (6 requests), Finland (1), Lithuania 
(2),  and  Romania  (314)  received  requests,  but  the  numbers  remained  low  with  only 
Romania  receiving  over  314  requests.  For  Romania,  this  is  a  considerable  increase 
(+ 96.3 %) compared to the number of requests received in 2021, namely 160 requests.  

47   Article  48  (2)  of  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. 

48   AT, BG, HR, DK, EE, FR, EL, IS, IT, LV, LI, NO, PL, PT, SI, ES, NL, CH, and UK.  

37 

 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

7.  Experiences on the practical implementation of the 

rules 

Seventeen  Member  States  were  able  to  provide  more  detailed  information  on  their 
experiences regarding the practical implementation of the rules (see Annex IV). In general, 
many  Member  States  agree  that  practical  implementation  of  the  rules  work  well.  The 
cooperation between Member States mostly works smoothly and fluently, including bilateral 
cooperation and cooperation with foreign social security partners specifically. Furthermore, 
many  Member  States  mentions  that  EESSI49  (Electronic  Exchange  of  Social  Security 
Information)  has  shortened  response  times  for  exchanging  the  necessary  documents 
between institutions, and the common forms are seen as a big advantage.  

However, it is also mentioned that EESSI is still not available between all EU competent 
social security institutions concerning the pension sector. Furthermore, as every Member 
State  has  his  own  legislation,  the  problems  and  difficulties  encountered  depend  on  the 
Member State of contact.  

Two  main  issues  are  mentioned  by  many  reporting  Member  States,  namely  missing 
information, and the processing time. First, information can be missing due to the claimant 
only  submitting  part  of  the  required  documents.  For  instance,  it  is  often  necessary  for 
Member  States  to  obtain  further  information  on  for  instance  insurance  periods,  medical 
reports, certificates, employment, bank details, dependent children, etc.  

Second, the procedure of processing claims and issuing decisions takes a long time. This 
can be partly explained because of missing information which extends the process. This is 
also the case because there is no regulation on the time limit for a Member State to respond 
to requests concerning the pension sector.  

8.  Fraud and error  

Member  States  were  asked  to  describe/quantify  cases  of  fraud  and  error  related  to 
coordination of pensions. Only seven Member States (AT, BG, DK, DE, FR, HU, and RO) 
provided  an  answer  to  the  question  regarding  fraud  and  error  when  applying  the  EU 
provisions  to  old-age,  survivors’,  and  invalidity  pensions  (Table  13),  while  Luxembourg, 
Malta, Spain, and Iceland reported they were not aware of any cases of inappropriate use.  

Austria,  Bulgaria,  Germany,  and  Hungary  were  the  only  Member  States  which  provided 
more  detailed  reasons  for  fraud  or  error.  In  Austria,  the  fraud  found  mostly  concerns 
deception, either about the place of residence, state of health, or gainful employment. The 
error  found  concerns  overpayment.  The  fraud  found  in  Bulgaria  concerned  the  non-
declaration of certain facts, while error concerns technical errors. Germany mentioned that 
significant overpayments result from the German pension insurance because people do not 
fulfil  their  obligations  to  cooperate.  Even  if  the  institution  of  the  place  of  residence  is 
informed  about  changes,  the  passing  on  of  the  information  is  currently  not  guaranteed. 
Finally,  in  Hungary  the  inappropriate  use  found  concerns  error  because  of  corrections 
needed to the information.  

Nevertheless, in absolute figures, the number of cases involving fraud and error is rather 
small. The highest numbers are found in Austria and France with over 250 cases, and in 
Hungary with even over 500 cases. In Bulgaria, Denmark, and Romania it concerns less 
than 50 cases each.   

49   This IT-system was made available by the Commission in July 2017. Member States had two years to finalise their national 

implementation of EESSI following this date. (See https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=869). 

38 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Therefore, in relative numbers as well, the impact of inappropriate use for these six reporting 
Member States is very limited. The share in total number of persons remained under 1 % 
except for Hungary (1.6 %), where it concerns only error cases. The share in total amount 
paid was even below 0.5 % for all reporting Member States.  

Table 13 - Number of cases of fraud and error identified in case of old-age, 
survivors’, and invalidity pensions, 2022 

Type of fraud or error 

Total number 
of cases 
identified 

Total amount 
involved 
(in €) 

Average 
amount per 
case (in €) 

Share in total 
number of 
persons 

Share in total 
amount paid 

Fraud: Deception about the place of residence 
(habitual or legal residence in the country in 
connection with the receipt of a compensatory 
allowance or a care allowance) 
Fraud: Deception about the state of health 
(aggravation, simulation) 
Fraud: Deception about gainful employment (e.g., 
bogus employment relationship) 
Fraud: Other 
Error: Overpayments because of missing 
confirmations 
Total 
Fraud: not declaring facts by the persons with 
relevance to the pension entitlement and pension 
amount: mainly insurance periods in another MS, 
marriage, education completion 
Error: technical errors by the officials and differences 
in certified insurance periods by the competent 
institution of another MS 
Total 
Total 
Fraud: invalidity 
Fraud: ASI-FSI (Supplementary disability allowance - 
Special Fund for Invalidity) 
Error: invalidity 
Error: ASI-FSI (Supplementary disability allowance - 
Special Fund for Invalidity) 
Total 
Error: The decision must be corrected because of the 
information provided by the client or another body. 
In this case the client gets interest. 

AT 

BG 

DK 

FR 

HU 

46 

8 

8 

14 

215 

291 

18 

29 

47 
45 
49 

19 

149 

50 

267 

514 

0.02 % 

0.004 % 

0.004 % 

0.01 % 

0.1 % 

0.1 % 

0.05 % 

368 700 

1 715 

30 976 

1 721 

0.3 % 

0.3 % 

21 484 

741 

0.5 % 

52 460 
682 735 
1 580 186 

262 844 

1 116 
15 172 
32 249 

13 834 

4 889 580 

32 816 

351 116 

7 022 

7 083 726 

26 531 

0.8 % 
0.1 % 
0.01 % 

0.002 % 

0.02 % 

0.01 % 

0.03 % 

1.6 % 

0.2 % 

0.5 % 
0.2 % 
0.1 % 

0.01 % 

0.2 % 

0.01 % 

0.3 % 

49 
RO*  Error 
*   RO reported 49 cases of error for an amount of EUR 17 447. However, in total RO only reported 25 cases 

17 447 

0.02 % 

0.1 % 

356 

for an amount of EUR 12 110.  

Source:  Administrative data Questionnaire on Old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex I  Additional cross-country tables 

Table A1 - Number of pensions to pensioners who reside in another Member State, all types of pensions, column %, 2022 

e
c
n
e
d
i
s
e
r

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

4
0

Exporting Member State 
LT 

LU 

FI 

IS 

SI 

IT 

EL 

SE 

ES 

EE 

FR 

LV 

CZ 

PT 

BE 

NL 

AT 

DE 

LI* 

DK 

NO 

HR* 

PL*** 

IE****** 

SK******* 

RO***** 

HU  MT* 

CY** 
BG 
1.2 %  0.2 %  0.8 %  1.9 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  1.4 %  4.5 %  9.2 %  0.4 %  7.0 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  18.7 %  0.7 %  0.8 %  29.3 %  0.3 %  2.1 %  1.8 %  0.8 %  0.2 % 
2.4 %  0.2 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  30.9 %  2.6 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  1.0 %  28.1 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  3.7 %  0.1 %  0.5 %  0.7 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.1 % 
0.3 %  0.8 %  0.2 %  0.3 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.0 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.2 %  0.5 %  0.9 %  0.3 %  2.4 %  4.5 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  4.9 % 
0.6 %  0.2 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.5 %  1.1 %  0.3 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.5 %  0.2 %  1.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 % 
18.2 %  3.0 %  39.5 %  17.7 %  6.6 %  46.2 %  28.5 %  3.3 %  22.4 %  21.0 %  22.3 %  49.8 %  6.3 %  23.2 %  49.6 %  44.9 %  10.1 %  38.9 %  20.6 % 
6.8 %  44.4 %  22.2 %  17.4 % 
0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  7.8 %  1.9 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  5.8 %  9.1 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  1.1 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  1.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.5 %  0.2 %  0.7 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  47.6 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  1.0 %  0.2 %  1.0 %  0.5 %  2.1 %  0.0 %  0.6 %  0.0 % 
2.3 %  7.4 %  2.4 %  0.8 %  7.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
29.3 %  0.2 %  4.6 %  0.9 %  1.3 %  5.6 %  2.6 %  0.7 %  1.5 %  17.7 %  0.9 %  2.1 %  6.8 %  7.9 %  0.1 % 
15.2 %  15.1 %  0.3 %  8.3 %  15.6 %  0.8 %  3.1 %  0.4 % 
1.7 %  20.3 %  1.1 %  0.8 %  0.9 %  33.1 %  1.6 %  2.3 %  5.6 %  1.1 %  9.0 %  58.8 %  2.1 %  0.1 % 
34.2 %  2.3 %  0.9 %  4.0 %  7.8 %  0.3 %  2.2 %  2.5 %  34.5 % 
1.8 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.9 %  7.6 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  65.6 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  6.6 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 % 
0.2 %  0.6 %  0.9 %  9.0 %  1.1 %  8.9 %  3.0 %  2.2 %  2.3 %  0.3 %  5.8 %  2.5 % 
15.5 %  2.7 %  0.4 %  1.6 %  27.5 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  1.2 %  2.6 %  11.4 %  3.7 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.8 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  11.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
15.9 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  16.8 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  7.0 %  1.2 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  34.8 % 
0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  9.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
2.2 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.5 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.8 %  0.1 %  0.9 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.6 %  5.5 %  1.0 %  0.0 %  31.6 %  0.1 % 
0.3 %  1.5 %  0.3 %  0.3 %  1.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.5 %  0.1 %  0.7 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  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 % 
0.9 %  2.6 %  1.0 %  0.3 %  0.3 % 
13.1 %  0.8 %  0.6 %  2.0 %  5.3 %  0.1 %  1.6 %  0.8 %  2.6 %  0.7 %  2.2 %  1.4 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  1.1 %  1.1 %  1.3 %  1.6 % 
8.6 %  0.1 %  7.4 %  8.2 % 
0.4 %  6.7 %  3.8 %  1.0 %  9.5 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  1.2 %  0.7 %  0.3 %  12.1 %  1.7 %  0.7 %  0.9 %  0.7 %  0.4 %  13.0 %  0.8 %  1.2 % 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
1.1 %  3.2 %  18.8 %  1.5 %  2.8 %  0.2 %  4.2 %  2.6 %  2.3 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.6 %  5.0 %  0.6 %  3.0 %  0.3 %  0.7 %  1.7 %  2.1 %  3.0 % 
2.6 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  0.8 %  2.1 %  0.1 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  10.6 %  33.8 %  0.0 %  1.8 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  9.8 %  0.0 %  0.7 %  2.6 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.3 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  2.1 %  5.6 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  3.0 %  5.4 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  4.6 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  1.6 %  0.1 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  26.4 %  2.5 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  6.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  1.5 %  40.2 %  0.1 %  1.6 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.2 %  1.9 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  9.5 %  1.2 %  0.1 %  7.3 %  1.1 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.2 % 
0.1 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  1.4 %  0.3 %  47.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  1.4 %  0.7 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.6 %  2.1 %  1.6 %  29.5 %  1.1 %  3.3 %  0.4 %  1.9 %  1.4 %  0.3 %  2.2 %  0.5 %  1.1 %  2.4 %  2.7 %  0.2 %  6.6 %  1.6 %  1.2 %  1.1 %  7.3 %  0.4 %  2.1 %  1.1 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  1.5 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  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 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.3 %  0.2 %  17.0 %  0.3 %  0.7 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.5 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  1.7 %  3.7 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.8 %  0.2 %  1.3 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
1.5 %  0.9 %  3.5 %  2.4 %  4.6 %  0.2 %  0.5 %  1.0 %  6.0 %  3.5 %  2.3 %  16.5 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  4.1 %  0.9 %  2.4 %  7.0 %  1.3 %  5.7 %  0.3 %  0.4 % 
2.7 %  1.6 %  1.1 %  7.2 %  1.7 %  2.2 %  79.0 %  2.0 %  6.0 %  1.7 %  0.4 %  5.6 %  0.0 %  16.2 %  29.2 %  0.6 %  2.5 %  63.1 %  5.9 %  1.0 %  5.4 %  3.9 %  0.3 %  0.1 % 

CH  UK****  Total 
BE 
0.2 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.5 %  1.1 %  4.1 % 
BG 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.4 % 
CZ 
0.2 %  0.3 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.9 % 
DK 
1.0 %  7.2 %  24.5 %  0.0 %  14.1 %  0.2 %  0.8 %  0.7 % 
DE 
6.7 %  9.4 %  3.4 %  6.8 %  5.2 %  17.8 %  8.9 %  15.7 % 
EE 
8.3 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
IE 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  26.1 %  2.4 % 
EL 
0.3 %  3.5 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  1.3 %  2.3 % 
ES 
4.6 %  5.0 %  9.1 %  2.4 %  6.0 %  16.7 %  21.3 %  14.4 % 
FR 
1.6 %  2.6 %  0.9 %  0.3 %  1.9 %  15.1 %  14.1 %  9.7 % 
HR 
0.1 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.8 %  0.1 %  2.5 % 
IT 
0.8 %  1.6 %  0.2 %  8.7 %  0.7 %  32.9 %  6.5 %  14.3 % 
CY 
0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  3.5 %  0.3 % 
LV 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
LT 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.9 %  0.0 %  0.7 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.2 % 
LU 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.5 % 
HU 
0.5 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.4 %  0.3 %  0.3 %  0.9 % 
MT 
0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  1.2 %  0.1 % 
NL 
0.7 %  0.9 %  0.8 %  0.1 %  1.9 %  0.8 %  2.8 %  2.5 % 
AT 
0.6 %  1.7 %  0.5 %  43.1 %  0.5 %  4.7 %  1.0 %  4.5 % 
PL 
1.8 %  1.8 %  10.9 %  0.1 %  5.3 %  0.2 %  1.7 %  1.6 % 
PT 
0.5 %  1.9 %  1.7 %  0.7 %  1.1 %  6.2 %  2.7 %  7.8 % 
RO 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.4 % 
SI 
0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.5 % 
SK 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  1.4 % 
FI 
43.3 %  0.7 %  0.0 %  5.7 %  0.2 %  0.4 %  1.4 % 
SE 
20.2 %  0.1 %  44.9 %  0.4 %  1.3 %  2.6 % 
IS 
0.0 %  1.3 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
LI 
0.0 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
NO 
0.1 %  1.0 %  0.8 % 
CH 
2.4 %  3.2 % 
2.9 % 
UK 
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 % 

64.6 % 
0.1 %  0.9 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
2.4 %  11.8 %  21.7 %  0.1 % 
1.6 %  1.8 %  0.3 %  36.0 %  1.0 % 
2.2 %  3.1 %  2.3 %  0.2 %  6.5 %  1.2 % 

*  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a 

pension from one Member State only. 

**  CY: data concern 2021.  
***  PL: data concern the number of pensions, not persons.  
****UK: the information provided is the number of live claims in each country for the UK State Pension as of 29 December 2022, as opposed to a cumulative number of claims across the year. 
*****RO reported 54 pensions for which RO itself was the Member State of residence of the pensioner.  
******IE: it only concerns old-age pensions as the others are not known.  
*******SK: no breakdown by Member State of residence.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table A2 - Amount paid to pensioners who reside in another Member State, all types of pensions, column %, 2022 

e
c
n
e
d
i
s
e
r

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

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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK 
Total 

4
1

Exporting Member State 
HU*  MT** 

FI 

IS 

IT 

EL 

LT 

SE 

PL 

ES 

EE 

FR 

LV 

NL 

AT 

CH 

DK 

NO 

BE* 

HR** 

0.2 % 

7.8 % 

CY*** 

SK****** 

PT*  RO**** 

0.0 % 
0.2 % 
8.7 % 

DE* 
1.9 % 
0.4 % 
1.0 % 
0.8 % 

BG* 
CZ 
1.2 %  0.2 %  0.9 % 
0.8 %  1.2 % 
0.4 % 

0.8 % 
3.6 %  33.4 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 % 
2.0 %  2.8 %  8.0 %  5.4 % 

UK*** 
IE***** 
Total 
LI** 
SI* 
LU* 
4.5 % 
0.4 %  0.5 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.5 %  0.3 %  0.8 % 
0.1 %  0.5 % 
2.0 %  5.2 %  10.1 %  0.5 %  3.8 %  0.6 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  25.9 %  1.0 %  0.7 %  29.9 %  0.3 %  2.0 %  2.2 %  0.9 %  0.2 % 
0.3 % 
0.3 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.4 % 
0.3 %  0.1 %  21.5 %  2.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  1.7 %  14.1 %  0.4 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  4.0 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.3 % 
0.6 % 
0.3 %  0.6 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.3 %  0.2 % 
1.1 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.2 %  0.6 %  1.0 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.6 %  1.3 %  0.5 %  4.7 %  2.2 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.3 % 
0.1 %  0.3 % 
0.1 %  4.2 % 
0.8 % 
1.4 %  6.6 %  28.4 %  0.0 %  13.4 %  0.1 %  0.5 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.9 %  1.3 %  0.3 %  0.4 %  0.5 %  0.5 %  0.2 %  1.0 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.4 % 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
9.4 % 
5.8 %  5.1 %  3.2 %  3.4 %  4.2 %  12.2 %  4.7 % 
15.7 %  2.8 %  36.6 %  16.3 %  4.6 %  37.7 %  13.4 %  3.6 %  30.2 %  24.0 %  21.6 %  47.7 %  7.0 %  20.4 %  41.2 %  54.7 %  10.6 %  38.4 %  12.7 % 
3.4 %  38.1 %  19.3 %  13.8 % 
12.7 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.2 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  5.1 %  1.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.2 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  21.3 %  2.0 % 
0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.3 %  8.7 %  10.2 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  1.3 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.6 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.0 % 
0.8 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.4 % 
0.6 %  5.4 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  0.6 %  1.6 % 
2.6 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.6 %  64.7 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  1.3 %  0.1 %  1.2 %  0.6 %  1.5 %  0.1 %  1.5 %  0.0 % 
2.0 %  7.0 %  2.1 %  1.3 % 
0.1 %  0.2 % 
16.5 %  9.7 %  15.5 %  3.2 %  12.8 %  15.4 %  30.7 %  16.0 % 
25.5 %  0.3 %  13.3 %  1.3 %  2.1 %  6.7 %  1.5 %  1.3 %  2.0 %  16.6 %  1.7 %  2.6 %  9.9 %  9.6 %  0.3 % 
20.7 %  22.2 %  0.5 %  13.5 %  14.8 %  1.1 %  7.1 % 
5.5 %  4.5 %  1.3 %  0.3 %  2.4 %  23.7 %  18.4 %  15.1 % 
1.6 %  12.3 %  1.1 %  1.4 %  1.0 %  35.7 %  1.8 %  2.0 %  7.6 %  1.2 %  6.2 %  52.6 %  2.0 %  0.2 % 
39.8 %  2.6 %  0.9 %  5.3 %  10.0 %  0.4 %  3.5 % 
2.8 % 
0.1 %  0.9 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.3 %  1.4 %  0.1 % 
2.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.5 %  0.9 %  8.8 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  74.1 % 
0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.6 % 
1.3 %  1.8 %  0.3 %  5.2 %  0.8 %  30.7 %  4.9 %  14.2 % 
0.2 %  1.0 %  1.1 %  4.4 %  1.3 %  10.3 %  2.5 %  2.3 %  2.2 %  0.4 %  5.6 %  2.5 % 
11.1 %  4.0 %  0.4 %  1.9 %  19.7 %  0.3 %  0.6 % 
0.6 % 
0.2 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  5.4 % 
0.3 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.2 %  15.3 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  1.2 % 
0.1 %  0.9 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.0 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
5.7 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 % 
6.2 %  0.9 % 
0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.1 % 
0.2 %  0.1 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  12.3 % 
2.3 %  1.2 % 
0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.5 % 
0.3 %  0.1 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
0.2 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  8.7 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.3 %  0.6 %  1.4 %  0.1 %  0.8 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  0.1 % 
2.5 %  0.3 %  0.0 %  0.7 % 
1.1 % 
0.9 %  1.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  0.2 % 
0.0 %  1.3 %  9.2 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  30.4 %  0.2 % 
0.2 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  1.0 %  0.7 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  0.4 % 
0.6 %  1.2 %  0.2 %  0.4 % 
0.2 % 
0.2 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  1.6 % 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.8 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.3 % 
0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
2.2 % 
0.9 %  0.7 %  0.6 %  0.1 %  1.4 %  0.5 %  1.7 % 
0.8 %  2.6 %  1.2 %  0.3 %  0.3 % 
1.0 %  2.1 %  0.6 %  4.3 %  0.9 %  0.3 %  0.9 %  1.2 %  0.7 %  1.4 %  1.5 % 
9.6 %  0.8 %  0.5 %  1.2 % 
0.1 %  1.3 % 
4.0 % 
0.9 %  1.3 %  0.4 %  48.6 %  0.4 %  3.5 %  0.6 % 
6.2 %  0.3 %  6.3 %  7.1 % 
1.9 %  0.9 %  0.3 %  13.5 %  2.4 %  0.9 %  1.5 %  0.6 %  0.3 %  16.5 %  1.0 %  1.1 % 
0.4 %  7.0 %  3.7 %  0.9 %  11.5 %  0.3 %  0.3 % 
1.3 % 
1.3 %  1.9 %  4.6 %  0.1 %  3.8 %  0.2 %  0.5 % 
0.1 %  0.0 %  0.1 % 
2.7 %  2.8 %  0.6 %  0.3 %  2.2 %  2.8 %  0.6 %  2.6 %  0.2 %  0.8 %  1.6 %  2.8 %  4.4 % 
0.1 %  3.2 % 
1.0 %  2.2 %  10.6 %  1.7 % 
2.2 % 
9.4 % 
2.9 %  5.8 %  2.3 %  1.0 %  1.5 %  7.6 %  3.1 % 
0.1 %  13.1 %  39.3 %  0.0 %  18.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  7.3 %  0.1 %  0.9 %  3.9 %  0.4 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  1.1 % 
3.6 %  0.8 %  0.0 %  1.2 % 
3.1 % 
0.4 % 
0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
2.2 %  5.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  4.3 %  4.5 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  3.3 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  1.0 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.2 % 
0.3 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.3 % 
0.4 % 
0.5 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  26.0 %  2.9 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  7.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
0.2 % 
1.1 % 
0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.2 %  0.0 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  0.9 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  5.1 %  2.1 %  0.1 %  5.8 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  0.4 %  0.2 % 
1.9 % 
0.0 %  1.0 %  53.8 %  0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.3 % 
1.2 % 
35.4 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  3.3 %  0.1 %  0.2 % 
0.5 %  0.3 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.8 %  2.0 %  0.7 %  0.0 %  0.5 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.2 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.3 %  63.8 %  0.1 % 
0.1 %  0.5 %  0.0 %  0.9 % 
2.3 % 
19.2 %  0.1 %  43.1 %  0.3 %  0.8 % 
2.5 %  1.2 %  0.3 %  2.5 %  0.4 %  0.8 %  3.7 %  3.1 %  0.2 %  6.0 %  1.1 %  1.2 %  0.9 %  5.3 %  0.5 %  2.1 %  0.7 % 
3.8 %  0.4 % 
0.4 %  2.1 %  1.2 %  31.9 %  1.2 % 
0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.9 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.3 %  0.5 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.1 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.6 % 
0.1 % 
0.0 %  0.5 %  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 %  0.6 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.0 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
0.7 % 
0.1 %  0.6 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.1 %  0.8 %  0.1 %  0.2 %  2.3 %  4.0 %  0.1 %  0.4 %  0.4 %  0.8 %  0.1 %  1.1 %  0.1 %  0.1 %  0.0 % 
0.8 %  0.2 % 
0.1 %  0.4 %  0.2 %  12.2 %  0.3 % 
2.9 % 
1.4 % 
0.2 %  0.4 % 
4.5 % 
1.2 %  0.9 %  3.3 %  0.4 % 
1.6 %  5.0 %  5.3 %  2.6 %  12.2 %  0.4 %  0.6 %  0.4 %  0.5 %  3.9 %  0.9 %  1.9 %  6.3 %  0.9 %  6.2 %  0.4 %  0.5 % 
2.0 %  2.0 %  1.6 %  7.3 % 
2.4 % 
2.8 %  73.5 %  3.8 %  6.3 %  2.2 %  0.7 %  4.1 %  0.0 %  24.1 %  33.8 %  0.6 %  5.2 %  59.0 %  4.6 %  1.4 %  7.3 %  5.5 %  0.7 %  0.2 % 
1.7 % 
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 % 

37.4 % 
0.1 %  0.7 % 
0.0 %  0.0 %  0.0 % 
2.8 %  10.4 %  19.3 %  0.0 % 
3.3 %  1.7 %  0.3 %  36.5 %  0.7 % 
3.0 %  3.5 %  1.9 %  0.1 %  7.0 %  1.1 % 

0.1 % 
0.0 % 
0.1 % 
0.3 % 
1.7 % 
0.0 % 
5.1 % 

*  The monthly amounts reported by BE (except invalidity), BG, DE, LU, HU, PT, and SI were multiplied by 12 to obtain an annual figure.  
**  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a 

pension from one Member State only. 

*** CY: data concern 2021. UK: data concern 2017. 
****RO reported EUR 12 471 for which RO itself was the Member State of residence of the pensioner.  
*****IE: it only concerns old-age pensions as the others are not known.  
******SK: no breakdown by Member State of residence.  
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Annex II  Additional visualisations 

Figure A1 – Total number of exported pensions, 2022 

4
2

CY: data concern 2021.  

* 
**  Data for HR and MT only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from two or more Member States. Data for LI only concern the export to pensioners who are in receipt of a pension from one Member State only. 
***   SE and NO: the total reported (SE: 151 119, NO: 56 962) does not match the sum (SE: 151 127, NO: 56 949).  
****  IE: it only concerns old-age pensions as the others are not known.   
***** SK: no breakdown available.  
Source: 

Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 2023 

 
 
 
 
Figure A2 – Top 10 flows of number of pensions exported, 2022 

4
3

*  The top 10 flows which are visualised are the following: 1) from Germany to Italy (361 392 pensions); 2) from France to Portugal 
(350 258); 3) from Poland to Germany (311 989);  4) from France to Spain (303 757); 5) from Switzerland to Italy (293 629); 
6) from Germany to Spain (204 964); 7) from Switzerland to Germany (158 750); 8) from Switzerland to Spain (148 602); 
9) from  Switzerland  to  France  (134 667);  and  10)  from  the  United  Kingdom  to  Ireland  (128 564).  In  total  these  10  flows 
amount to 2 396 572 exported pensions out of the total of 6 137 575 pensions, or 39.0 % of all exported pensions. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure A3 – Number of pensions exported, relative share in total number of pensions exported, 2022 

4
4

*  CY: data concern 2021. 
**  How to read this figure? Of all the pensions exported to persons who reside in another Member State in 2022, 21.4 % were exported by Germany, 16.9 % by France, 14.5 % by Switzerland, etc. 

 
 
 
 
 
Figure A4 – Number of pensions received, relative share in total number of pensions received, 2022 

4
5

*  How to read this figure? Of all the exported pensions received by the Member States of residence in 2022, 15.7 % were received by Germany, 14.4 % by Spain, 14.3 % by Italy, etc. 

 
 
 
 
Annex III  

Pension beneficiaries on 31 December 2020 and expenditure (in € million) 

Table A3 - Pension beneficiaries on 31 December 2020 and annual expenditure (in € million) 

Old-age pension 

Survivors’ pension 

Disability pension 

Total 

4
6

EU-27 
EU-14 
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 
IS 
LI 
NO 
CH 
UK* 

Persons 
96 780 564 
73 883 798 
22 896 766 
3 669 327 
113 384 468 
2 170 211 
1 755 368 
2 533 439 
1 192 136 
19 827 067 
313 779 
666 207 
1 991 342 
6 838 538 
16 972 108 
890 856 
12 322 435 
143 763 
463 254 
709 456 
150 028 
2 028 758 
73 044 
3 514 700 
2 060 266 
7 985 845 
2 337 694 
4 217 379 
558 224 
1 223 601 
1 398 712 
2 442 354 
51 298 

1 130 321 
2 487 708 
12 934 577 

Million € 
1 382 763 
1 269 090 
113 673 
89 191 
1 706 385 
45 017 
3 946 
16 611 
31 042 
326 614 
1 422 
14 893 
23 919 
108 129 
301 296 
3 095 
195 204 
1 572 
2 114 
3 001 
3 596 
8 446 
729 
79 360 
44 619 
45 397 
22 546 
17 175 
3 896 
6 268 
26 840 
46 014 
1 539 

26 204 
61 449 
234 431 

Persons 
26 017 340 
21 479 065 
4 538 275 
858 046 
26 941 310 
526 531 
113 523 
667 584 
105 634 
5 952 063 
6 631 
186 823 
582 976 
2 848 677 
4 339 000 
233 277 
4 345 509 
32 905 
15 791 
256 712 
49 132 
739 337 
17 392 
587 900 
585 824 
1 416 239 
853 384 
520 296 
151 712 
366 876 
236 387 
279 225 
6 302 

52 804 
798 940 
65 924 

*  Data for UK concern 2018.  
Source: 

 Eurostat, ESSPROS [spr_pns_ben] and [spr_exp_pens]

Million € 
222 519 
208 091 
14 428 
8 214 
232 438 
7 468 
172 
1 224 
731 
60 455 
14 
1 134 
4 531 
29 064 
37 411 
904 
45 342 
309 
38 
136 
1 010 
1 110 
149 
7 764 
6 414 
7 867 
3 794 
1 211 
513 
781 
1 822 
1 149 
117 

780 
7 317 
1 705 

Persons 
14 739 501 
11 882 418 
2 857 083 
673 097 
18 136 701 
798 401 
253 950 
380 284 
260 202 
2 219 445 
106 430 
212 885 
113 064 
1 158 801 
3 773 501 
116 612 
1 623 022 
15 166 
102 196 
160 678 
18 100 

7 778 
787 600 
204 837 
1 004 448 
249 314 
384 447 
23 707 
301 387 
193 629 
269 617 
23 226 

357 563 
292 308 
2 724 103 

Million € 
108 203 
98 978 
9 225 
19 060 
153 808 
9 569 
413 
1 834 
1 118 
2 635 
384 
2 655 
989 
15 701 
27 054 
707 
11 243 
33 
239 
458 
426 

45 
14 529 
3 655 
3 639 
2 867 
472 
103 
897 
2 918 
3 619 
661 

10 055 
8 344 
26 545 

Persons 
137 537 405 
107 245 281 
30 292 124 
5 200 470 
158 462 479 
3 495 143 
2 122 841 
3 581 307 
1 557 972 
27 998 575 
426 840 
1 065 915 
2 687 382 
10 846 016 
25 084 609 
1 240 745 
18 290 966 
191 834 
581 241 
1 126 846 
217 260 
2 768 095 
98 214 
4 890 200 
2 850 927 
10 406 532 
3 440 392 
5 122 122 
733 643 
1 891 864 
1 828 728 
2 991 196 
80 826 

1 540 688 
3 578 956 
15 724 604 

Million € 
1 713 485 
1 576 159 
137 326 
116 466 
2 092 632 
62 055 
4 532 
19 670 
32 891 
389 704 
1 821 
18 681 
29 439 
152 893 
365 761 
4 706 
251 789 
1 914 
2 391 
3 595 
5 033 
9 556 
924 
101 653 
54 689 
56 902 
29 207 
18 858 
4 512 
7 946 
31 581 
50 783 
2 317 

37 039 
77 110 
262 681 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Annex IV 
implementation of the rules 

Experiences on the practical 

Table A4 - Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules, 2022 

Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules 

BE  / 
BG  The period for processing a claim depends on the submission of full package of requested documents by the claimant, as well as 
the cooperation between institutions concerning confirmation of the acquired insurance periods and notification of the decision. 
Generally, the difficulties and extending the processing of claim are due to the fact that the claimant submits only a part of the 
required documents. On the other hand, under the coordination rules which relate to the deadlines of processing claims and issuing 
decision, every MS applies its own legislation. Sometimes the procedure of processing claim and issuing decision takes a lot of time, 
even years. However, it should be noted that the electronic exchange significantly shortened the terms for exchanging the necessary 
documents between the institutions.  

CZ  The problems identified depend on country/institution we communicate. In general, usually we meet problems regarding obtaining 

information on insurance periods or medical reports. 

DK  The practical implementation of the rules works well, so does the cooperation between the MS, where the common forms are a 
big advantage. There are some challenges in relation to casework time and response time for some institutions. This makes the 
cooperation with some countries difficult because of late or no reply to inquiries. 

DE  As  in  previous  years,  the  cooperation  between  the  institutions  and  with  the  applicants  is  generally  satisfactory.  There  are  still 
differences in the exchange of information depending on the institution and Member State, and this also applies to processing 
times.  Direct  contact  at  the  case  processing  level  helps  to  eliminate  difficulties  in  individual  cases.  The  information  in  the 
intergovernmental  forms  is  efficient  and  adapted  to  the  regulations,  which  allows  a  quick  examination  and  processing  of  the 
applications. The response to reminders varies from one member state to another. Only in individual cases are there longer or 
longer processing times. This also seems to depend on the type of benefit applied for. The procedures as well as the exchange of 
information  run  qualitatively  better  via  EESSI  business  processes,  and  the  response  time  behaviour/delays  have  shortened.  In 
addition, EESSI simplifies the processing of transactions. Additional country-specific procedural agreements are also implemented 
via EESSI business processes, so this saves further inquiries. Occasionally, the legacy procedure is used as part of an EESSI business 
process, with scanned-in e-forms being transmitted. Significantly longer processing times are now observed for procedures that 
continue to be initiated in paper form. 
Furthermore, after the German pension procedure has been initiated, queries sometimes have to be made to the contact carrier 
because the SEDs/intergovernmental application forms have been incompletely filled in or certain information is missing from the 
SEDs/forms altogether. It should be noted, however, that EESSI has expedited the interstate process. However, it still happened 
that 
institution. 
It  has been observed that  some  institutions using  the  RINA  application for  the  EESSI  procedure  have  problems in creating  and 
processing the EESSI messages (SED). It happens that EESSI business processes are combined with the old procedure and scanned 
e-forms or, for example, an E205 instead of the P5000 are transmitted and also requested. 
In addition, there are difficulties in continuing business processes in which the Member State involved (case owner) has applied the 
RINA  function  "local  close".  Here,  further  processing 
longer  possible. 
According to the experience of the German pension insurance institutions, the successful implementation of recovery procedures 
according to Art. 75 ff. Regulation (EC) No. 987/2009 is still rather the exception. Requests within the framework of Art. 75, 76 and 
77 of Regulation (EC) No. 987/2009 are still often answered slowly or not at all. With regard to the application of the accession with 
regard to the application of the accession provisions, there is still room for improvement in the cooperation with the partner states. 
Bilateral agreements and discussions have not always led to the hoped-for improvements. 
The  isolated  cases  of  overpayments  of  pensions  due  to  death  have  been  further  reduced  by  the  further  optimization  of  the 
automatic comparison of death data. 

in  the  existing  business  process  (BUC) 

intergovernmental  procedure  was 

initiated  only  after  explicit 

inquiry  with 

foreign 

is  no 

the 

the 

EE 
IE 

Invalidity Pension: 
The process is lengthy and complex due to the requirement to conduct medical assessments and the need to translate documents. 
As Ireland does not have medical concordance with other Member States we therefore cannot comment on quality of decisions of 
other Member States 
Survivors Pension: 
• In general, the information received is sufficient to process a claim and there is good cooperation from other institutions. 
• In some cases, we may have to contact the claimant or member state institution for further information such as certificates or 
employment information. 
• The lead time can be slow in regard to responses from some member state institutions, with consequent delays in processing the 
customers claim. 
Old-age pension: 
Co-operation  with  member  State  institutions,  and  information  received,  is  generally  good  with  the  majority  of  claims  being 
processed without further contact being required.  The lead time for responding is slower from some member States and this slows 
the processing of claims. 

EL 
ES  Our experience with the practical implementation of the rules contained in the EC Regulations for the processing and review of files 
is  positive.    Cooperation  between  institutions  is  good  in  general,  and  response  times  have  improved  as  a  result  of  the 
implementation of the Pension BUCs in EESSI. 

FR 
HR    
IT  Based on the  principles of  cooperation and good administration,  referred to  in Article  76  of  Regulation (EC)  no.  883/2004,  the 
institutions  guaranteed,  over  the  years,  an  effective  and  profitable  management  of  pension  cases  in  the  international  regime, 
providing the interested persons with answers, in most cases, within reasonable time. This allowed the interested persons to have 
useful information for the concrete exercise of their social security rights. In some cases, the delays in the processing of the pension 

47 

 
  
  
  
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules 
cases and, therefore, in the payment of the related benefits have been a consequence of the fact that the interested persons failed 
to report to the institutions the necessary data for evaluating the benefit entitlement.  

CY   
LV  SEDs and forms transmitted among competent institutions are sometimes incomplete, for instance, insufficient information about 
insurance periods, services, nationality, or bank details therefore it is necessary to make another request, and this affects deadlines 
of investigation. Experience in cooperation with Member States varies but generally necessary information is obtained and EESSI 
system makes all the processes much faster now.  Claimants cooperate with State Social Insurance Agency (SSIA) but there are 
cases with incomplete or incorrect information, so they are facing longer waiting times. Claimants collaborate with SSIA in different 
ways and investigations mostly meet legal deadlines.  

LT  There is no regulation on the time limit for a Member State to respond to requests concerning pension sector. Using Electronic 
Exchanges of Social Security Information system takes 5 months and more to get statements about social security periods (SED 
P5000)  and  other  required  information.  Electronic  Exchange  of  Social  Security  Information  system  (EESSI)  is  still  not  available 
between all EU competent social security institutions concerning pension sector.      

LU  In  general,  the  experience  of  our  institution  on  the  practical  implementation  of  the  rules  is  positive.  Obviously,  this  can  vary 
according  to  the  different  Member  States  and  institutions  of  contact.  When  information  is  incomplete,  collaboration  between 
institutions takes effect and allows to complete the information. For some institutions delays can be long to obtain information 
regarding the insurance career or any other information. 

HU  From pension settlement point of view: Handling over 20.000 individual 's pension cases in the year 2022. We did not experience 
critical mistakes in the process of the Member States. The only critical question in the cases is the reaction time of the competent 
institution of some MS's. Since the introduction of EESSI we can send the requested data more quickly and the requested data is 
also received faster from the other member states (except a few member states). During the handling of the cases, we have good 
contact with several Member States. 

MT  Malta notes  that  the  adoption  of  EESSI  notably  improved the  process  of  investigations of  claims.   More  specifically,  it  brought 
institutions closer together through the click of a button by creating a dedicated contact point rather than spending time trying to 
identify the competent institution. Still, from Malta's experience many MS do not compile all the field of the SED's which in turn 
generates further exchanges in order to obtain all the required information. In the case of Malta, the employment details are a 
mandatory field since upon this information the Maltese competent institution decides the applicable retirement date. In many 
cases this information is not provided and therefore further exchanges are required until this information is obtained. In turn, this 
leads to a delay in the decisions.  

NL  Some issues that are encountered are difficulties with reintegration due to the lack of reintegration companies and opportunities 
for the disabled and less up-to-date knowledge of local labour market situations; long processing times when awarding pro-rata 
benefits 

AT    
PL  As the biggest problems in the field of cooperation with foreign institutions as part of the implementation of EU regulations, we 

can indicate: 
• delays in the transmission of decisions refusing the right to receive old-age and disability pensions and of E 210 forms by foreign 
competent institutions, which, in consequence, makes it impossible to end international proceedings, 
• some institutions delay the confirmation of insurance periods, which significantly extends the time of handling cases, 
•  documents  sent  to  us  by  foreign  institutions  are  often  short  of  the  applicant's  identification  data.  Frequently  there  is  no 
information about receiving benefits or we face lack of data specific to Poland, without which handling the cases is significantly 
hindered and extended. 
KRUS indicate as the biggest problems in the field of cooperation with foreign institutions as part of the implementation of  EU 
regulations: 
• long waiting time to handle applications for old-age and disability pensions by foreign competent institutions as well as for issuing 
E 205 forms/P5000 form, 
• failure to provide responses by foreign competent institutions to certain KRUS inquiries, 
• delays in the transmission (or lack of transmission) of decisions refusing the right to receive old-age and disability pensions and 
of  E  210  forms  by  foreign  competent  institutions,  related  to  applications  for  foreign  old  age  and  disability  pension  benefits 
forwarded by KRUS, which, in consequence, makes it impossible to end international proceedings. 
According to previous experience of KRUS, the most difficult to cooperate with the following competent institutions: Italian, French, 
Greek.  The  time  of  settling  old-age  and  disability  pensions  with  these  institutions  lasts  up  to  several  years.  KRUS  has  positive 
experiences with handling of old-age and disability pension claim applications by the German competent institutions. 
Over  the  years,  KRUS  has  significantly  improved  the  methods  of  cooperation  with  these  institutions.  The  cyclical  meetings  of 
representatives of Polish and German liaison institutions and competent institutions played a major role (the last meeting took 
place in January 2023). Common arrangements and mutual exchange of information as well as experience allowed to eliminate the 
difficulties and to improve the information flow in the process of handling the old age and disability pension matters. The time of 
handling  applications  for  retirement  and  disability  benefits  has  significantly  decreased.  The  European  System  of  the  Online 
Information of the Deutsche Rentenversicherung (EOA) institution, which was made available to KRUS on a regular basis, allows to 
use information about the German insurance coverage of applicants and the amount of German benefits they receive, which greatly 
facilitates the processing of applications for agricultural old age and disability pension benefits and accelerates issuing decisions in 
these matters. 

PT 
RO    
SI 
SK  The  Foreign  Affairs  Department  has  the  following  experience  in  the  practical  implementation  of  the  coordination  regulations:  
- the competent institutions of the Member States do not indicate in the applications for old-age pensions received by the Social 
Insurance Agency the date from which the applicant requests to be granted an old-age pension from the pension insurance of the 
Slovak Republic, 
-  pension applications  received  from  some  Member  States  lack  information on  the  period of  insurance  of  the  applicant  in  the 
territory of the Slovak Republic and/or do not contain the required information (e.g., number of children and period of upbringing), 
which results in the prolongation of the pension procedure by several months or the absence of information on the method of 
remittance of the pension, 

48 

 
  
  
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Experiences on the practical implementation of the rules 
- applications for invalidity pensions received from some Member States are not accompanied by medical reports; even in these 
cases, the procedure is prolonged by several months, and medical reports are subsequently sent only after a request or urgency, 
- in case of claims for pension benefits in some Member States, the claimant's entitlement to a pension is not assessed for a period 
of more than one year, the competent social security institution does not respond to the Social Insurance Agency's enquiries, some 
institutions decide upon the entitlement to a pension (reject the application for a pension) without asking the Social Insurance 
Agency to provide further relevant information and, contrary to the facts, state that the Social Insurance Agency is not cooperating. 
Department of Medical Assessment 
- with regard to the exchange of medical information, it may be noted that our experience so far shows that, in general, obtaining 
this type of information requires a longer period of time, which in principle affects the length of the procedure. Influencing factors: 
the burden and lack of doctors, the need for external actors to cooperate. These factors cannot be influenced by our scope. Another 
problem is the lack of evidence for the assessment of the medical condition (insufficient completion of the Medical Report), the 
lack  of  actual  findings  requested  by  the  competent  institution.  In  this  case,  communication  within  EESSI  has  significantly 
accelerated. However, we continue to expect the accession of the remaining states (Ireland, Switzerland, Greece). 

FI 

SE 
IS  Good experience and cooperation between the institutions. 
LI 

NO    
CH  Good administration and good offices principles 

The  analysis of  data  relating  to  the  reference  year  has shown in general  that  the  implementation  of  the  coordination  rules  is 
proceeding fluently and smoothly. 
Out of the 14'187 cases examined within the framework of the annual survey carried out according to AC Decision No. 208 of March 
11, 2008 (2008/683/EC)*, only 20 cases required processing times of more than 365 days. 
The reasons for the extended processing times are mainly related to additional investigations necessary for the determination of 
insurance periods or the family situation of the applicants. 
In some cases, claimants have applied for an old-age pension too early in relation to the legal age in Switzerland or they gave up 
their initial choice for an early old-age pension during the procedure. 
In  other  cases,  a  non-reactivity  or  lack  of  cooperation  on  the  part  of  claimants  in  providing  or  in  the  transmission  of  official 
documents attesting their personal situation or family circumstances. 
The year 2022 was marked by the organisation of meetings and videoconferences to strengthen cooperation within the framework 
of the European coordination rules with foreign social security partners: 
- CLEISS / CPAM (France): 02.2022 
- Carsat (France): 03.2022 
- ATP (Denmark) 
- SVB (Netherlands): 07.2022 
- Europa Colloquium in Berlin: 10.2022 
- Carsat (France): 11.2022 
- SFP (Belgium): 12.2022 

UK    
Source:  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pension 2023 

49 

 
  
  
  
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Annex V  Questionnaire on cross-border old-age, 
survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Number of PDs P1 (or equivalent E211 forms) issued in the reference year, 
breakdown by type of pension. 

Number and amount (in €) of pensions paid as Member State of residence to 
pensioners  who  receive  an  old-age  pension/survivors’/invalidity  pension  from 
two  or  more  countries  of  which  one  is  the  reporting  Member  State  and  who 
reside in the reporting Member State. 

Number and amount (in €) of exported pensions by the reporting Member State 
paid to pensioners who receive an old-age pension/survivors’/invalidity pension 
from two or more countries of which one is the reporting Member State and who 
reside outside the reporting Member State.  

Number and amount of the exported pensions in case of persons who receive 
a benefit only from the reporting Member State and reside in another Member 
State.  

Total number and amount (in €) of exported pensions by the reporting Member 
State  paid  to  pensioners  who  receive  an  old-age  pension/survivors’/invalidity 
pension and who reside outside the reporting Member State (sum of questions 
3 and 4). 

How  many  times  has  a  request  for  review  been  received  by  the  institution 
concerned under Article 48 Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 in the reference year? 

  What is your Member State's experience on the practical implementation of the 
rules  (e.g.,  with  regard  to  the  quality  of  the  information  submitted  by  the 
claimant,  the  process  of  the  investigation  of  claims,  the  cooperation  between 
institutions, the lead time, the quality of the decisions, the review of the decisions 
etc.)?  

Are you aware of cases of fraud or error with regard to the provisions on the 
coordination  of  pensions?  If  so,  can  you  describe  and  quantify  such  cases 
detected in the period 1 January to 31 December 2022? In order to interpret this 
information,  it  is  necessary  to  know  how  many  audits  or  investigations  there 
have been in total with regard to the provisions on the coordination of pensions. 
Where full information is not available, a partial response is still valuable. 

50 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

Annex VI 

Portable Document P1 

51 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

52 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

53 

 
 
Cross-border old-age, survivors’, and invalidity pensions 

54 

 
 
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