The seminar entitled Migration and Social Security: Some Findings was held in Brussels on 9th October 2014. It was organised by the EMN National Contact Point (NCP) in Belgium and was attended by a member of EMN NCP in the Slovak Republic.
Participants were welcomed by the member of EMN NCP in Belgium, Ina Vandeberghe. She was followed by a presentation by Ninke Mussche and Vincent Corluy from the University of Antwerp, authors of the EMN study Migrants’Access to Social Security in Belgium. Social security system in Belgium is based on two main pillars – contributory system of social security and a non-contributory system of social assistance. The Belgian system of social security is inclusive, i.e. every person working and residing legally in Belgium is entitled to social security benefits. Despite its inclusive character, most of the migrants in Belgium face unfavourable socioeconomic situation while 50 % of them are unemployed. Their income from the social security system is lower than the one of Belgian nationals. Synthesis Report with overall findings on social security of third country nationals in other EU Member States and Norway were presented by Veronika Mink from ICFI. Alan Barrett from Economic and Research Social Institute in Ireland pointed out through his research the misconception of the proposition that migrants abuse the system of social security. According to the findings, the proportion of benefits used by migrants is comparable with the proportion of benefits used by the nationals of the respective country. Thomas Liebig consequently focused on fiscal impact of migration in OECD countries which is according to the research insignificant. Last but not least, Line de Witte from the University in Leuven presented a research focused on the rate of poverty among elderly migrants and pension system in Belgium.