Kosovo Reaches Social Security Agreement with Switzerland

This agreement brings the two signatory states closer to the goal of creating a new base for co-ordinating social security. The agreement comes into force following the approval of both states' parliaments.

The new agreement is in line with other social security agreements reached by Switzerland and is based on international standards for co-ordinating social security systems. In particular, it co-ordinates pension insurance, pensions for heirs and disability pensions with contracting states, which in Switzerland are AHV and IV, to avoid possible disadvantages or discrimination of citizens of one or another state. In this respect, the agreement guarantees an equal treatment of those assured, and specifically enables the payment of pensions in the foreign state for Kosovo citizens. In addition, the agreement envisions a clause for mutual support in combating social security abuses.

The Social Security Agreement, which was previously linked to Yugoslavia, has not been implemented in relation to Kosovo since 1 April 2010. Kosovo is the only successor state of Yugoslavia, with which Switzerland has no contractual relations in the area of social security. Therefore, Kosovo citizens cannot get pension insurance, pension for heirs and disability insurance in foreign states. Instead of retirement or pension insurance for heirs, a pension payment rate could be made. After Kosovo has largely developed the legal framework since 2010 and has built relevant infrastructure, in November 2016 the Federal Council has given the Federal Department for Internal Affairs (EDI) a mandate to start negotiations on a new agreement. The negotiations ended in the summer of 2017, and the Federal Council approved the agreement on the meeting of March 21st 2018.

The Federal Department for Internal Affairs (EDI) will now draft a parliamentary announcement. The new social security agreement comes into force only after it is approved by the parliaments of both states -- that is, according to predictions, during 2019. Kosovo citizens at the age of retirement, who have not asked for the return of the sums, can apply for payment of their pension in foreign states once the agreement goes into effect. However, reform requirements for pre-accession time cannot be revealed.