What does "the continuity of rights under French law" means?

Question

A French student who wants to intern at our company gives us this document to sign, which includes this question:

SOCIAL SECURITY PROVIDED BY THE HOST ORGANIZATION (within the framework of internship abroad)

(1) Healthcare insurance is a part of the continuity, when abroad, of rights under French law

(2) Healthcare insurance is derived exclusively from the continuity, when abroad, of rights under the French student regimen

While I understood every word of it, I have no idea what the whole sentence means and which one I should choose. I assume it means whether we provide insurance to the intern or not?

EDIT: according to the student, this is the internship contract of the Sorbonne University. He gives us a French version initially which we cannot sign because no one understands what it means. Then he provides us an English version, which, as shown above, is not quite easy to understand either.

Answer 1

The "continuity of rights" is a straight translation of the French continuité des droits. That expression means that the social security (i.e. health insurance) rights of a person do not expire after a period of time, i.e. are continuous, uninterrupted in time or here in space. Every person steadily living or working in France has the right for social protection all along their life.

The form you had to sign (Convention de stage / Internship agreement) is a prerequisite for the student to be allowed to be an intern at your company.

Here is how I understand both choices:

#1 The host organization (you) provides an insurance that supplements the medical care refund granted under French law (in case it doesn't already cover the actual costs.)

#2 The host organization insurance doesn't provide extra medical coverage so the intern won't be refunded more than what the French social security covers in such a situation.

You might have a look to this page to get more information about your specific case, as both the status of the intern and the target country matter, depending on the agreements between the local and the remote health insurance providers.

It looks like there are several variations of this form, depending on the university, the time or whatever factor.

Here is another one from the very same Sorbonne:

SOCIAL WELFARE PROTECTION FROM THE HOST ORGANIZATION:
By checking the appropriate box below, the host organization indicates whether it provides health insurance coverage to the intern under local law:
YES: This coverage is in addition to the maintenance abroad of rights granted under French law.
NO: coverage is thus exclusively provided by the maintenance abroad of the rights granted under the French student coverage framework).

The French text reads:

Protection sociale issue de l’organisme d’accueil
En cochant la case appropriée, l’organisme d’accueil indique ci-après s’il fournit une protection Maladie au stagiaire, en vertu du droit local :
• OUI : cette protection s’ajoute au maintien, à l’étranger, des droits issus du droit français
• NON : la protection découle alors exclusivement du maintien, à l’étranger, des droits issus du régime français étudiant).

It confirms my initial interpretation above.

Answer 2

Here is the relevant clause from the Training Agreement, between the intern, the French teaching establishment and the company offering the internship:

French: 2) Protection sociale issue de l’organisme d’accueil
En cochant la case appropriée, l’organisme d’accueil indique ci-après s’il fournit une protection Maladie au stagiaire, en vertu du droit local :
• OUI : cette protection s’ajoute au maintien, à l’étranger, des droits issus du droit français
• NON : la protection découle alors exclusivement du maintien, à l’étranger, des droits issus du régime français étudiant). Si aucune case n’est cochée, le 6.3 – 1 s’applique.

which is this: 6.3 – Protection Maladie du/de la stagiaire à l’étranger

1. Protection issue du régime étudiant français

English:
2) Health Insurance (social protection) provided by the host organization

By ticking the box below that applies, the host organization indicates whether it provides Health Insurance to the intern in accordance with the law in effect in the host country. [in other words, not under French law: la loi française]

• YES: this health insurance (coverage) abroad comes in addition to the intern's keeping their rights arising under French law.
• NO: this health insurance thus stems exclusively from the intern keeping their rights under the student regime of French health coverage.

If neither box is ticked, 6.3-1 applies.

[that is this] Health insurance for interns abroad

1. Protection issue du régime étudiant français

2. Health insurance provided under the student regime in France.

Please note: social protection is broader than merely health insurance, though here they mean in 1) and 2) health insurance.

Qu'est-ce qu'une convention de stage What is an internship or training agreement?