Liaison body negotiations strengthened cooperation between Finland and Poland on social security issues
Representatives from the liaison bodies of Finland and Poland met in Warsaw from 24 to 26 September 2025. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the coordination of social security and to further develop cooperation between the two countries.
The negotiations took place at the headquarters of ZUS, Poland’s social security institution, and were attended by experts from the Finnish Centre for Pensions and Kela, as well as representatives from Poland’s Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy (MRPiPS), ZUS, and the National Health Fund (NFZ).
The aim of the negotiations was to strengthen cooperation between the liaison institutions of Finland and Poland, as well as to address legal and procedural matters related to the coordination of social security.
The discussions focused on applicable legislation, in particular the insurance matters of posted workers, pensions and family benefits, as well as benefits under the healthcare system. In addition to legal issues, practical matters were also addressed, including an electronic exchange of information, application procedures, and the criteria for issuing A1 certificates.
The previous round of negotiations between Finland and Poland took place in Helsinki in 2017.
Shared challenges, different solutions
Poland is among the leading EU countries in issuing A1 certificates, having granted around 850,000 A1 certificates in 2024. In comparison, the Finnish Centre for Pensions issued A1 certificates to around 23,500 individuals last year. Poland processed about 270,000 foreign pension claims, whereas Finland handled around 5,200 claims.
Although there is a significant difference in scale between the two countries when it comes to handling foreign pension claims, the discussions highlighted a number of shared challenges and different solutions. For example, Finland has made greater progress in automating the processing of A1 certificates, a topic which sparked lively debate and genuine interest among the Polish delegates. Poland, on the other hand, has developed an electronic tool that allows for a convenient verification of the validity of A1 certificates.
“It is valuable to understand the practices of another country and to gain information that supports the processing of A1 certificates or claims for pensions from abroad. Having personal contacts with authorities also helps and speeds up the solving of more challenging cases and client situations,” says Senior Policy Advisor Hanna Hyttinen from International Services at the Finnish Centre for Pensions.
The negotiations were conducted in a positive spirit, and both parties agreed to continue their cooperation in the future.
The Finnish Centre for Pensions offers services relating to insuring work abroad and claiming foreign pensions
- We determine whether an individual is covered by Finnish social security while working abroad (A1 certificate)
- We send pension claims and other information needed to issue a pension decision to countries where the claimant has been insured and from where they claim pension (EU, EEA countries, social security agreement countries, the UK and Switzerland).
This work requires ongoing development and close cooperation with both domestic and international partners.
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