OGA IS THE LIAISON ASSOCIATION ON THE SECTOR OF PENSIONS, REGARDING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATIONS EE No 1408/71 AND 574/72

Annex 4 of Regulation (EEC) No 574/1972 has been amended by Commission Regulation No 120/2009 of 9 February 2009, in Brussels “on amending Council Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons, to self-employed persons and to members of their families moving within the Community” and OGA has been nominated Liaison Association on the sector of pensions regarding the persons insured under OGA insurance.

The aforementioned amendment comes into force, according to Art.2 of the said Regulation, on the 20^th day after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union that is on 01.03.2009.

The immediate result of the new amendment will primarily be to expedite the forwarding of pension applications submitted to OGA and ascertaining the insurance periods in the framework of the combined application of the legislation deriving from OGA and Regulation (EEC) No 1408/1971 and 574/1972 in connection with persons, residing either in Greece or abroad, who have insurance periods in other EU or EEA member states or in Switzerland.

Already since 1981, the Agricultural Insurance Organization, after applying for many years Regulations (EEC) No 1408/1971 and 574/1972 on social security of migrant workers, is now capable of utilizing its multi-annual experience and the Knowledge obtained, in order to meet the requirements of its new role.

The aim of the Organization, as far as this sensitive group of insured person is concerned, has always been the safeguarding of social security rights, through prompt, reliable and effective administrative procedures.

The nomination of OGA as Liaison Association on the sector of pensions is going to contribute substantially to its ongoing modernization, which will benefit both the persons insured and those receiving pension from it.