European Commission, stop your pro domo comments and see the facts. It doesn't work that well ! Ursula please help.

Are we free to work in Europe ?

"We are free too work..." as per the Commission.

Not that true as at which costs ?

(1) When landing in France I had to fight with the local French people from the death RSI to let me benefit from the Directive 883/2004 and agreement between the French and Belgium States as for them French law overrules European law. Simply enough. Not the slightest help from the Commission nor Solvit (useless). I was alone and it would have cost me around 25.000 € lawyers ' fees to get an unlikely result wouldn 't I be able to settle these gimmicks myself.

(2) When leaving Belgium I lost all my benefits with some Belgian insurances because I was no longer a Belgium tax resident. Good to know.

(3) When I lost Hospitalia + I lodged a claim with the Commission who merely mixed up Hospitalia + with a State social security coverage. Stupid enough and definitely not the friendly style although they are overpaid to help.

(4) When leaving Belgium I noted that my Belgian social security cotisations for self-employed were only computed on my still Belgian source earned income. Luckily I had transmitted spontaneously my French source earned income to the Inasti to able them to compute the social security to pay to the Belgiam State. A Securex gentleman wrote me kindly a few days ago "we (and the Inasti as well) learned a lot from you". Well thanks.

(5) and so one.

Without the precious help and support from an high public agent with the Belgian Ministry of social affairs and two very nice and professionnal people from Securex I would have become mad. Let me add a high public agent from the INASTI who understood that indeed the problems I faced where real and helped. I owe them a lot because they told me I was right and this is priceless when you have to deal with ignorant and arrogant people. Not the slightest support from any Belgian minister in charge, just forget them.

So forget sirens' songs and be careful, attentive. Leaving Belgium to work or retire in another country even european might lead you into a nightmare or lose a lot of money . Never forget that apart some exceptions you will be alone added to the fact that some country simply copes with difficulties with strangers. When I arrive in Nice the property manager wrote me "Mr Hürner France cannot welcome all the world's misery" ("La France ne peut pas accueillir toute la misère du monde" - Michel Rocard 1989) . For sure a pain in a neck but not far away from what I see since September 2013 in France.

If I can help some of you to the extent of my tired neurones do not hesitate to contact me.

Notes: (a) This  being said it would be unfair not to mention the warm and professional welcome of the CPAM in Nice and others I have forgotten. (b) The present is to qualify the European commission's assertion following which we are free to work or retire anywhere in Europe and definitely not the value of one European country compared with another one.