Brexit
The majority of the British citizens voted in favour of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union in a referendum held on 23 June of 2016. On 10 April, the European Council decided to extend the period provided for in Article 50 until the end of October 2019. The leaders, in agreement with the United Kingdom, have agreed that if both parties ratify the so-called withdrawal agreement earlier, the United Kingdom would leave the EU on the first day of the following month.
The withdrawal agreement negotiated by the EU with the UK comprehensively regulates the conditions for the UK's exit from the EU, including the scope of social security coordination. There is still a risk that the British Parliament will not accept the agreement - and thus the scenario of the UK leaving the EU without reaching an agreement remains possible.
The EU currently takes efforts to prepare scenario that would mitigate the effects of a “hard Brexit.” Preparations for Brexit are also carried out on the national level and are coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Individual ministries and central offices are also involved in the process.
In the event of a no-deal withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union
- Some of the issues relating to the coordination of social security systems are regulated by the EU under the Regulation (EU) 2019/500 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 March 2019 establishing contingency measures in the field of social security coordination following the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the Union
- other issues (falling under the competences of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy) shall be regulated at the national level, including for instance: the scope of access to the labour market, social security system, delegated employees, issues related to family policy or social assistance and protection of employee claims in the event of employer's insolvency.
Considering the above, the government has passed the Act of 15 March 2019 regulating certain matters in connection with the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community without concluding an agreement referred to in Article 50(2) of the Treaty on European Union (Dz. U. 2019 item 622).
The Act lays down regulations on the following issues:
- unemployment status and unemployment benefits
- the operation of employment agencies
- family benefits and social assistance
More information about the labour market and the assistance provided by public employment services in Poland are available on the following websites: www.psz.praca.gov.pl and www.zielonalinia.gov.pl
Additional information regarding returning to Poland are available at: powroty.gov.pl