France to sign social security pact with India

New Delhi, Aug 30 (PTI) India and France have finalised
the modalities of a bilateral social security agreement under
which Indian professionals in the European country will be
treated at par with their French counterparts.

The social security agreement is now expected to be
formally signed by the Prime Ministers of the two countries
during the India-E.U. summit in Paris this September.

The agreement will provide for bilateral social security
arrangement whereby an Indian employee or a professional can
avail the benefits of his social security, pension and others
even after leaving France and will not be subjected to double
deductions in both countries.

This will also ensure that the signatory countries make
deductions from an Indian employee in France accordingly and
that he is redeemed of the benefits either in France or
India.

Old age and survivors pension for employed and
self-employed Indians in France, invalidity insurance and
permanent disability pensions for sailors will also be
redeemable even in India in both Indian and French currency.

It will also entitle Indian employees to be treated as
equals by the French government and French employers as part
of an Equality of Treatment clause in the agreement.

A French delegation headed by Kata Julienne, head of
EU and International Affairs department in France, reviewed
the conditions of the pact during a three-day visit here from
August 27 to 29.

"The pact was reviewed by representatives from the
social security directorate of the French government, other
departments like labour, labour relations and also family and
solidarity department of the French government. They expressed
adequate legal provisions in this regard were possible and
administrative arrangements were arrived at," a Ministry of
Overseas Indian Affairs official said.

India had signed a similar pact with Belgium earlier and
has finalised similar agreements for countries like Germany,
Netherlands and Czechoslovakia. These social security
agreements will help meet financial security provisions of
Indian professionals and employees in these countries employed
for or over a period of 60 months.

In France, a large number of Indian professionals in
medical and I.T. sectors will benefit from the pact. According
to highly placed sources, the ministry is working on these
pacts to ensure a better security net for Indian employees in
all European Union countries in the near future.