Ryanair Wins Court Case against Italian Social Security Office

In a court case dating back to 2012, INPS, the Italian Social Security Office, claimed €9.4 million in social security payments for the period between 2006 and 2010. According to INPS, Ryanair pilots and cabin crew residing in Italy and possibly making use of Italian public health and other such services, should pay social contributions to Italy.

The Italian court in Bergamo ruled that Ryanair crew members residing in Italy with an employment contract with Ryanair do not have to pay social security contributions to Italy. Ryanair air crew have Irish employment contracts and work on Irish aircarft registered in Ireland. Therefore, their workplace is to be considered as Irish territory beneath EU regulations governing transport workers. As a result, Ryanair employees are only bound to pay personal income tax and social security contributions in Ireland.

The Italian court further found out that the Ryanair employees residing in Italy had been regularly paying social security contributions in Ireland and therefore should not pay these again in Italy. Robin Kiely, Ryanair’s Head of Communications, stated that the court’s decision confirmed once more that Ryanair fully respects Irish and European law.”