The purpose of the agreement is to ensure that those covered by the FMOPA are subject to the same condition and that vested interests are protected. Switzerland and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement on citizens` rights that would apply after the UK`s withdrawal from the European Union (EU). It is mid-November and negotiations are still ongoing. Unfortunately, this means that there is still a lot of uncertainty, particularly with regard to the future coordination of social security. For migrants subject to reciprocal agreement, contributions to social security authorities in the United Kingdom and the country of origin under the agreement are counted when determining the right to benefits payable by each country. The agreement contains detailed rules for different types of benefits and information on whether a worker is receiving benefits from the UK or his country of origin. In addition, persons travelling between Switzerland and the United Kingdom for business between Switzerland and the United Kingdom between 1 February 2020 and 31 December 2020 may continue to apply for an A1 claim to ensure that they are properly connected even if they work in at least two countries applying a coordinated EU regulation. Extension application re. A1 up to 24 months from the start date remains possible. It gives security to citizens and their families who wish to move between our two countries after we leave the EU. The agreement between Switzerland and the United Kingdom protects the rights of 41,400 British nationals living in Switzerland, 35,400 Swiss nationals living in Britain and some 4,600 British nationals who are bordering Switzerland. People who acquired social security rights before 31 December 2020 will not be disadvantaged in their access to pensions, benefits and other forms of social security, including health care, and will enjoy life rights.
This means that the coordination rules will continue to apply to Swiss and British citizens, as well as other EU citizens working in Switzerland or the UK. The agreement will therefore close the gap until new final rules between Switzerland and the United Kingdom come into force. Since the UK remains bound until the end of the year to EU agreements with Switzerland, including VPAs, and remains considered an EU member state in terms of social security, nothing will change immediately for Swiss and British citizens who can continue to live, work and move in both countries. 5 For more information, see “BREXIT information in the field of social security” from the Swiss social security authorities. Even if you do not use benefits in the UK or if you are only here for a short period of time, you normally cannot recover NIC if you leave, unless it was paid in error (for example. B you paid UK NIC if the agreement provided that you should have paid in your home country). If you are seconded to the UK from an EEA country or Switzerland, please read what happens if I am a seconded worker from the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland?.