News

Supporting the rights of inhabitants of cross-border areas through France Services

"France Services" – the label assigned by the National Agency for Territorial Cohesion (ANCT) to advice points aimed at supporting citizens with administrative processes in the context of the digitisation of public services – operate on behalf of nine national public administrations (including Pôle Emploi, Assurance Maladie, Assurance Retraite, Allocations Familiales, Finances Publiques) and other local public services depending on the project developer (for example, the Nord Department France Services serve as "autonomy support points" for people with disabilities and the elderly).

Drawing on service users’ questions (for example: "Can my child be added to my social security account given that I have recently got divorced from my husband who lives in Belgium?"; and "I went to Belgium and my old driving licence was deemed to be invalid, whereas it is valid in France. I was fined – what should I do?"), the MOT’s work consisted in assessing a possible cross-border response for each public administration.

Issues relating to cross-border workers’ social security coverage and taxation emerged as a priority in the responses to be provided locally. They are also a source of collaborative dynamics on a larger scale. First, at the European level by virtue of the coordination of social security systems (Regulation No. 883/2004), which plays a central role in the professional and personal mobility of European residents. Second, at the cross-border level, with the possibility for the Nord Department to work directly with the neighbouring Belgian provinces on the coordination of information and setting-up of joint advice points.

Following completion of the study, a presentation was made to the ANCT on the issues linked to the opening of France Services advice points in cross-border settings. The MOT advocates sharing the experiences of existing cross-border advice points (Grand Est Cross-Border Workers, the Euroregional portal EMPLEO, the European Cross-Border Grouping, etc.) in order to help cross-border service users to better access their rights, and to respond to their requests within border region France Services centres.

Photo : Département du Nord