"We have an EU-wide single currency but no coordination of social security rules for workers" remarked GUE/NGL MEP Dimitrios Papadimoulis (Greece) speaking during the debate on an EP report on proposals to overhaul these regulations in the European Parliament today.

Existing regulations had "major deficits and were not living up to citizens' expectations" said MEP Papadimoulis, and the Commission and Council were largely to blame for leaving proposals pending too long. "It is very important that these regulations enter into force as soon as possible," he said.