The Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Security, Vassilis Spanakis, emphasized 13 important regulations, as he described them, of the insurance bill, during his debate in the Parliament. “It is a bill that provides opportunities, addresses the real needs of the Greek economy and moves the labor market forward”, Mr. Spanakis pointed out, and analyzed the new regulations which provide for:

– The granting of a maternity allowance of 780 euros per month, i.e. an amount equal to today’s minimum wage, and for a period of 9 months to self-employed and farming new mothers. The maternity allowance is also extended to salaried insured women, who until now did not receive pregnancy and childbirth allowances from the former IKA and EDOEAP.

– The granting of a lump sum of up to 200 euros for the approximately 730,000 pensioners with a personal difference, who receive a pension of up to 1,600 euros. These pensioners will receive it with the pensions of January 2024, i.e. before the Christmas holidays.

– A long-standing request of the clergy is satisfied by giving them the possibility to receive their lump sum once they have reached the age of 70 and to continue working at the same time while being exempted from withholding and paying the insurance contributions, which pertain to the lump sum sector .

– The legal employment of pensioners is encouraged and their monthly income increases significantly. It is foreseen that from January 1, 2024, pensioners who wish to work will now receive the full amount of their pension and no deductions will be made. They will only pay a non-remunerative fund in favor of e-EFKA, equal to 10% of the insurance earnings for employees.

– The limit of the debts of the insurance contributions that the self-employed and farmers have is increased and the possibility is given to almost 13,000 additional beneficiaries to receive their pension. In particular, self-employed people with insurance contribution debts

up to 30,000 euros and farmers with insurance contribution debts of up to 10,000 euros, will now be able to retire, as long as they are in a real inability to service their specific debts.

– Uniform conditions are established for establishing the right to a supplementary pension for all insured persons of the e-EFKA.

– The possibility is established that the unemployed can work sporadically and continue to receive the unemployment benefit. In particular, an unemployed person who receives a benefit will now be able to work up to 3 times a week and a total of up to 2 times a month and at the same time will receive unemployment benefit, which will however be reduced according to the days worked.

– For the first time, insurance coverage is provided to students during their degree training.

– Until September 2025, the suspension of interest rate increases applicable to debt settlements to insurance funds is maintained. The settlement rate remains at 5.5% for 24 installment debt settlements and will apply to active debt settlements as well as new ones submitted until September 2025.

– The levels and work groups of the e-EFKA, which work to clear pending pension applications, are rewarded, as long as the quality goals are achieved, receiving an annual compensation of up to 7,200 euros.

– Maintained until the end of 2023 at low levels, the contributions for farmers who simultaneously operate tourist accommodations of up to 10 rooms, while from January 1, 2024 they will pay the contributions applicable to freelancers, unless they are registered in the register of farmers, in which case they will continue to pay OGA contributions and maintain accommodation of up to 10 rooms.

– Those who have served a prison sentence are excluded from the declared income, which is calculated for inclusion in the minimum guaranteed income, the special aid granted to them.

– The institutional framework of the Occupational Insurance Funds is being modernized while the insured are given the possibility to secure from their occupational insurance, which is optional, a supplementary benefit during their retirement and thus increase more income during their retirement.