Press Release: Social security: Commission refers Finland to Court for restricting rights of people that have worked in other Member States

On 20 November 2013 the European Commission decided to refer Finland to the EU’s Court of Justice for requiring workers applying for unemployment benefits to have worked in Finland for at least four weeks (or four months of self-employment) as a condition to take into account periods of unemployment insurance paid in another Member State. This requirement discriminates against workers that have worked in other Member States (both Finns and nationals of other Member States) and is in breach of EU law to ensure free movement of workers.