ΤΣΜΕΔΕ - Εργασία σε British Overseas Territory (e.g. Gibraltar)

[gtheof]

[Το Thread αυτό σχετίζεται με μια υπάρχουσα συζήτηση με τίτλο "Εργασία στην Αγγλία και ΤΣΜΕΔΕ", στην οποία υπάρχει πολύτιμη πληροφορία. Το παραθέτω για πληροφόρηση οποιουδήποτε ενδιαφερόμενου ως ξεχωριστό thread επειδή δεν αφορά εργασία στην Αγγλία καθαυτή, αλλά σε περιοχή ειδικού "καθεστώτος" - αν και αναφέρει στοιχεία για εργασία σε χώρα μέλος της ΕΕ].

 

Προκειμένου να μάθω τι ισχύει και τι όχι σχετικά με το ασφαλιστικό καθεστώς σε ξένη χώρα (εγώ ρώτησα βέβαια συγκεκριμένα για το Γιβραλτάρ) και κατά πόσο μπορούμε να απαλλαγούμε από το ΤΣΜΕΔΕ, έστειλα ένα email σε σχετική υπηρεσία της ΕΕ (το link φαίνεται στο τέλος του παρόντος thread). Απάντησαν εντός ολίγων ημερών και ήταν κατατοπιστικότατοι. Θα σας πω βέβαια αν όντως βγάλω άκρη και επί της ουσίας! Ελπίζω να φανεί χρήσιμο σε κάποιους.

 

 

To email που τους έστειλα:

 

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Dear Sir/Madam,

 

First of all, I would like to clarify that I am living in Gibraltar and not in the UK; I selected UK in the above options since Gibraltar is a British overseas territory. As such, my problem regards Greece and Gibraltar.

 

I am an Engineer and I have recently been employed (as a permanent employer, not as a contractor/free lancer) in Gibraltar, where I will be paying, among others, social contributions. In Greece, Engineers pay their contributions to ETAA-TSMEDE (i.e. Engineers' social insurance organization for pension, health care, etc.). Engineers in Greece have to pay our contributions even if we do not have a permanent job (we are always considered "free lancers").

 

In Greece, I was told by ETAA-TSMEDE that I would need to submit them a copy of the A1 form, to be issued by the Contributions Department of Gibraltar, in order to be exempted from paying also the social contributions to Greece.

 

I visited the Contributions Department of Gibraltar, where I asked for the A1 form. They claimed that they may not issue this form, since in every country I have the right to work (i.e. Greece as a “free lancer” and Gibraltar as a full time employee), I have to pay the relevant contributions.

 

Since I have absolutely no interest to work currently in Greece (in parallel to my work in Gibraltar), may you please advise how may I be exempted from paying my contributions to Greece (so as not to pay double social contributions, both in Gibraltar and in Greece)?

 

Thank you very much in advance,

 

Kind Regards,

 

G.-

 

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Η απάντηση της ΕΕ:

 

 

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Dear Mr G.-

 

Thank you for your clarification that you live in Gibraltar, which is not a country=Member State (MS) of the European Union (EU). As a Greek citizen, you are also a citizen of the EU. On your question please note therefore that:

 

1. Even if you choose to stop being insured=paying social security contributions in Greece, your pension rights which are based on your social security contributions you paid so far to the ETAA-TSMEDE are protected, because:

 

In all the countries=Member States (MSs) of the EU -that is: a.o. in Greece & in the United Kingdom (UK)- applies since May 2010 the new EU social security legislation by Regulations 883/2004 & 987/2009. These Regulations co-ordinate, but do Not replace the national social security systems of the MSs by a single one. This means that:

 

Following these Regulations, each MS where you have been insured so far or where you also might be insured in the future, keeps your insurance record until you will reach the pensionable age, as set by its own national law. Then, each MS -i.e. Greece- will pay you separately an old age pension, which will correspond to the insurance period that you will have completed in that specific MS.

 

2. You are insured=you pay social security contributions Only in one MS, which -as a rule- is the MS where you work.

 

3. There are agreements on social security matters between the EU and third countries=countries which are not MSs of the EU, only with certain few third countries. Otherwise, the social security matters with third countries are dealt with:

Either by a bilateral agreement between a MS and a third country or by the national legislation of a MS. Further information on where do apply these new EU social security Regulations is at: http://ec.europa.eu/...d=853&langId=en

 

4. You mention the information you have got by Gibraltal, but -as it is not a MS of the EU- we must clarify that:

The information which you mention that you have got by the ETAA-TSMEDE is accurate either If there is a bilateral agreement between Greece & Gibraltar or If Gibraltar applies Regulations 883/2004 & 987/2009 i.e. due to its status as overseas territory of the UK, because:

 

The portable documents -such as the A1 form- have been introduced by these new Regulations, notably: The A1 form is a statement of applicable legislation in order to prove that you pay social contributions in another MS of the EU. Please see detailed useful information on the EU social security coordination a.o. on: "Claims & forms", "Your rights country by country" by clicking on the flag of each MS, i.e. of Greece, "Pensions", etc in the links at:

http://ec.europa.eu/...d=600&langId=en

 

Further relevant useful & practical information is also in the links at:

http://europa.eu/you...ad/index_en.htm

 

These sites are also available in Greek & in all the rest EU languages by clicking up-right on the language menu the language of your choice.

 

5. To find out if there is a bilateral agreement between Greece & Gibraltar & for further specific details on your case, please also contact:

 

The ETAA-Section TSMEDE - Unit Insurance EU & Bilateral Agreements, Tel.: (+30)-210-3740 201, Address: Kolokotroni 4, Athens 10561, Homewebsite: http://www.tsmede.eu/

 

For further relevant information you can also contact the "Geniki Grammateia Koinonikon Asfaliseon (GGKA) - Tmima Efarmogis Kanonismon EE", Tel.: (+30)-210 336-8166, Τel. Cent.: (+30)-210-3368000, Cent. E-mail: [email protected] Address: Stadiou 29, Αthens 10110, Homewebsite of the GGKA: http://ggka.citron.gr/intro.html

 

To find out if Gibraltar applies Regulations 883/2004 & 987/2009 within its own territory, you can contact the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) in the UK. Homewebsite of the DWP a.o. with E-mail contact & further detailed contact coordinates: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/

 

You can also contact the competent authorities on Social Security in Gibraltar. Homewebsite of the Government of Gibraltar: http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/

 

With our best wishes,

 

Your Europe Advice

 

 

To submit another enquiry, please visit Your Europe Advice, but do not reply to this e-mail.

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Your Europe Advice