Protecting The Right To Healthcare For Eu Staff
Important Success With Lawyer Michela Velardo
We are pleased to share the news communicated to us by our legal counsel, Attorney (Avv.) Michela Velardo.
On 16 January 2026, the Regional Administrative Court (TAR) of Tuscany upheld an appeal filed by an employee of a European Union Institution based in Italy.
The Court upheld the right of our colleague (a member of Union Syndicale) to register with the Italian National Health Service (SSN) free of charge, recognizing this as a fundamental principle in the protection of the right to health.
The Court endorsed all the pleas and arguments developed by Attorney (Avv.) Michela Velardo, who has assisted us for many years with competence and dedication.
The Court stated that:
- JSIS is compatible with free registration with the SSN, which is necessary for services provided exclusively by the SSN.
- Italy cannot impose a fee to EU staff for registration with the SSN: social security obligations are determined solely by the European Union.
- Excluding EU staff from free registration for tax reasons is not reasonable: free access is granted to all, including those without income.
This outcome is of fundamental importance and confirms that EU staff’s right to health can also be protected in judicial proceedings.
Further updates and operational guidance on the developments and potential implications of the decision, particularly for EU personnel residing in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna, will be provided during the online meeting, reserved for members only, scheduled for Friday 23 January, 4:00- 5:00 pm. The link to the meeting will follow.
The text of Judgment No. 00105 of 16/01/2026 can be consulted (in Italian) on the website of Administrative Justice
Yours sincerely,
Monica Ermolli
USF Deputy Secretary General
USF-Ispra President
