The thesis deals with the legal position of unemployed persons that are moving within the European Union (EU), in particular from the perspective of their rights and duties regarding unemployment benefits or social assistance. These are regulated in national legislation, as well as in international sources of law and EU law, especially when dealing with cross-border cases. By reviewing these sources of law, their personal and material scope, and the fundamental principles they contain, a comparison is made between them, as well as in relation to the special features of unemployment as a social risk.
The purpose of the thesis is to analyze the legal position of the unemployed persons that are moving within the EU from a legally-theoretical, systemical, historical, comparative and practical point of view, and to submit proposals for future changes or modifications of the relevant rules. In this context, current rules and legal issues are seen in discourse. Moreover, de lege ferenda proposals are formed stemming from legal sources, jurisprudence, theoretical scientific and professional contributions and my own conclusions. The proposals mostly relate to three principles of social security coordination, more precisely to the principles of one applicable legislation (determining the competent State), maintenance of rights in the course of acquisition (aggregation of periods) and maintenance of acquired rights (payment of benefits abroad).
Similar logic is followed with respect to social assistance, even though it is of a subsidiary nature and fundamentally different from (social-insurance based) unemployment benefits. The central question in this regard is that of a host State's responsibility towards foreign (unemployed) citizens entering its territory, which is at present (still) a politically and legally sensitive topic, as it touches upon the heart of the welfare State.
The discussion is inspired by the desire for precise, clear and systemically sound legal framework that suitably safeguards the legal position of mobile unemployed persons in such a way, that they enjoy continuous social protection.
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