On 27 July 2026, the European Commission published a proposal for a Council Decision establishing the EU position to support a Joint Committee decision amending Part I of Annex I of the Withdrawal Agreement with the United Kingdom. The amendment would add four new Decisions of the Administrative Commission for the Coordination of Social Security Systems to the annex and delete two outdated ones, updating the social security coordination rules between the EU and the UK.
The proposal, designated COM(2026)404, responds to the need to keep the Withdrawal Agreement's social security annex aligned with evolving EU rules. The four new decisions to be added are: Decision No H14 (21 June 2023) on COVID-19 guidance and telework; Decision No E8 (14 March 2024) on a change management procedure for the Electronic Exchange of Social Security Information (EESSI), replacing Decision No E2 (3 March 2010); Decision No H15 (27 June 2024) on the Technical Commission for Data Processing, replacing Decision No H10 (21 October 2020); and Decision No S12 (16 October 2024) on healthcare reimbursement for mass casualties. The two replaced decisions (No E2 and No H10) would be deleted from the annex.
The EU position is based on a draft decision attached to the Commission proposal. Minor technical changes can be agreed without a further Council decision. The Council Decision itself enters into force on the date of its adoption, which is 27 July 2026.
This update is a technical but necessary step to ensure that the social security coordination provisions in the Withdrawal Agreement remain current and effective for EU and UK citizens. The Joint Committee, composed of EU and UK representatives, is expected to adopt the decision in due course. The proposal now awaits approval by the Council of the European Union.