Common sense time: High Court says receiving pension from two countries legal

European legislation allows for someone to receive German disability benefits and Greek Agricultural OGA disability benefits, regardless of the amount

The Council of State has ruled that it is legal for an individual to receive two pensions following a labor accident. The court annulled a decision to deny a man his Agricultural Insurance (OGA) disability allowance because he was also receiving money from a German insurance fund.

The plaintiff had worked in Germany from 1966 to 1972 and had German social insurance. In November 1966 he suffered a labor accident and had been receiving a disability pension since then, due to the fact that he was deemed as 30% disabled, thus diminishing his ability to work. Nonetheless, the same person worked as a farmer from 1961 to 1966 and from 1973 to 2000.

When the man submitted a request to receive a disability pension in 2000, the relevant authority refused on the grounds that he was receiving a pension from the German organization. OGA claimed the pension the man receives from Germany is of the same type as the one requested from OGA.

According to European and Greek legislation, the court ruled in his favor, stating that the European regulations supersede national law.