Overall social security debt amounts to 1.3 billion euro

At the end of June 2007, the outstanding social security debt amounted to nearly 1.3 billion euro. The bulk of the debt, 705 million euro, concerned reclamation of improperly received benefit payments. In three out of four cases, the claimants themselves were responsible. Another considerable part of the debt (420 million euro) was transferred to persons who had, for instance, started up their own business or purchased durable consumer goods, like washing machines or refrigerators.
In 60 percent of cases, the amounts involved did not exceed 1 thousand euro; 12 percent were debts beyond 5 thousand euro. More than three quarters of debts, totalling nearly 1 billion euro, were not in the process of being repaid at the end of June 2007.

Social security benefits reclaimed by municipal authorities, end of June 2007*