University students on placement: their «ultimate» inclusion in the Social Security system

Abstract

The social protection corresponding to university students on external academic placements was a particularly notable point among the many aspects regulated by Royal Decree 1707/2011. The edict in question stipulated that the protective mechanisms envisaged in Royal Decree 1493/2011 were not applicable to such students, effectively leaving them without adequate social protection. However, Royal Decree 1707/2011 was subsequently repealed on technical grounds by the Supreme Court's ruling of 21 May 2013, resulting in Royal Decree 1497/1981 coming back into force until such time as new regulations on university students' external academic placements were enacted. It was thus vital that new legislation governing such placements be introduced, and that has happened with the passing of Royal Decree 592/2014 of 11 July.

In addition to regulating the entire legal system corresponding to university students' external academic placements in some depth (generally and almost literally reproducing the provisions of Royal Decree 1707/2011), Real Decree 592/2014 introduces a significant regulatory change with regard to social protection for students on such placements, an issue that was the main bone of contention where its predecessor was concerned. Under the new regulations, given that nothing is specified to the contrary, the protective mechanisms envisaged in Royal Decree 1493/2011 will apply to all university students on external academic placements.