Social Security, Supplementary Pensions and New Patterns of Work and Mobility: Researcher's profiles
When looking at a researcher of today it is obvious that he/she is no longer staying at one university or other public or private research centre throughout his/her career, but is moving from one country to another, frequently and for shorter periods of time or is even working (be it sometimes under different statuses) in several countries at the same time. When the researcher of today retires his/her career path has been one of many different employers and can even be one of different statuses (employee, selfemployed,…).
The work patterns have changed tremendously over the years and researcher’s mobility has increased dramatically. In fact the mobility of the researchers constitutes an essential element in the realization of a dynamic and successful European Research Area (ERA) which has been one of the top priorities of the European Commission in the last years.
However this increase in mobility has not been followed by adapted national nor European rules taking into account these changed work patterns and thus leaves the internationally mobile researcher often with a social security protection record which is not up to standard or in some cases even non existent. The international mobility of the researcher is too often hampered by obstacles linked to his/her social protection.