DILI, 27 february 2023 (TATOLI) – The National Parliament, today, has approved two multilateral conventions, namely the Convention on Social Security for the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) and the Convention on social security between Timor-Leste and Portugal.
The two multilateral conventions were approved at the House of Parliament with 38 votes in favor and zero against and no abstentions.
The Convention on Social Security for the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) is an international agreement that aims to protect workers from each of the signatory countries working in each of the CPLP countries.
Meanwhile, the Convention on social security between Timor-Leste and Portugal covers all workers and nationals of the two countries and includes the contributory and non-contributory social security regimes.
The Vice-Minister of Social Solidarity and Inclusion, Signi Verdial, said that the approval of the two conventions marks a new milestone for the protection of the rights of Timorese working abroad, especially in the CPLP and Portugal.
“These two conventions will provide protection to our citizens and for citizens from Portuguese-speaking countries who work in the country,” Signi said after the approval of the two conventions.
The President of Parliamentary Committee B which deals with Foreign Affairs, Defense, and Security, José Agostinho Sequeira “Somotxo” said: “The approval of the two conventions will protect the right of the workers.”
Previously, Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães said that the conventions allow the time worked to be counted, regardless of the country where the employees have worked during his/her working life.
“It has two fundamental objectives: on the one hand, the totalization of the contributory periods completed in the two countries, allowing for the “summing up” of working time and social security discounts in the two countries, for the purposes of compliance with the guarantee periods for access to social benefits of the contributory regimes. On the other hand, to ensure equal treatment between the citizens of the two countries, allowing citizens of one country residing in the other country to benefit from the same rights and be subject to the same obligations as nationals of that country of residence,” said Magalhães explained.
Journalist: Filomeno Martins
Editor: Nelia Borges
