August 2019

Delaying Retirement: Progress and Challenges of Active Ageing in Europe, the United States and Japan

Dirk Hofacker, Moritz Hess, Stefanie Konig To a backdrop of ageing societies, pension crises and labour market reforms, this book investigates how the policy shift from early retirement to active ageing has affected individual retirement behaviour. Focusing on eleven European countries, the United States and Japan, it brings together leading international experts to analyze recent changes in pension systems. Their findings demonstrate that there has been a fundamental transition in pension policies and a steep increase in...

European Commission Requests the EIOPA Advise on PEPP Regulation Delegated Acts

On August 5, the Council of the EU published a cover note, which attaches a call for advice from the European Commission to the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) (dated July 31) on possible delegated acts concerning the Regulation on a Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP Regulation) ((EU) 2019/1238). The Commission requests advice relating to: The criteria and factors to determine when there is a significant PEPP saver protection concern under Article 64(9). The specification of additional...

Towards A Single European Market On Private Pensions – The Pan-European Personal Pension Product

Saving for retirement will soon be facilitated by a personal pension product with truly pan-European characteristics. On 25 July 2019, the Regulation on a pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP Regulation) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union and will enter into force on 14 August 2019. The PEPP Regulation constitutes an opportunity for Luxembourg players to position themselves on the European private pensions market with this new PEPP product that could be distributed in the entire...

July 2019

Europe. Welfare Ministry requests EUR 54 million for welfare priorities in Latvia

Among the ministry’s priorities are different initiatives, including the increase of minimal pensions, improvement of the pension indexation mechanism, state support for the poor who have disabled children, and others. This will require EUR 27.5 million, for which the minister is prepared to fight. According to the minister, there are many different needs, including Latvia’s Castle of Light and the expensive bridge. There is also the need for an acoustic concert hall in Riga. Nevertheless, Petraviča believes a situation...

EIOPA establishes Expert Practitioner Panel on the Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP)

The European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) kicks-off its policy work on Level 2 measures for the PEPP Regulation Challenging and diverse scope of deliverables - and tight timeframes - call for innovative and efficient solutions Today, the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) established its Expert Practitioner Panel on the Pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP). To deliver on the forthcoming PEPP Regulation's policy perspective to design a PEPP that exhibits high quality product features around information...

Most European DB pensions are cashflow negative

Over 70% of UK defined benefit (DB) pension schemes are cashflow negative, with more benefits being paid out than contributions being received, while in Europe as a whole the figure stands at 64%. In the UK, this marks an increase of cashflow-negative DB plans of 7% since 2018. The key driver behind this year-on-year increase is the maturity of these plans, with many now being closed both to new members and new benefit increases. Throughout Europe, including the UK, 72% of...

Europe’s population is aging rapidly. Here’s how to turn that into an opportunity

Ahead of this weekend's G20 summit in Japan, an elderly idol group called Obachaaan released a music video welcoming the new visitors to their city, Osaka.The energetic seniors dance and rap through the port city in the slapstick rap-style video, called "Oba Funk Osaka" -- which charmed at least one world leader."Like Japan, Singapore too has an aging population," Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong wrote in a Facebook post in reference to the demographic issue being on the global agenda at the G20 for...

April 2019

The Dynamism of the New Economy: Non-Standard Employment and Access to Social Security in EU-28

By Sonja Avlijas (LIEPP - Sciences Po) This paper examines the prevalence of non-standard workers in EU-28, rules for accessing social security, and these workers’ risk of not being able to access it. It focuses on temporary and part-time workers, and the self-employed, and offers a particularly detailed analysis of their access to unemployment benefits. It focuses on eligibility, adequacy (net income replacement rates) and identifies those workers which are at the greatest risk of either not receiving benefits or...

March 2019

Report on other information to be provided to prospective and current members: guidance and principles based on current practices

By EIOPA This report analyses certain national practices existing prior to the implementation of the Directive (EU) 2016/2341 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2016 on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement provision (IORP II). It concerns disclosure documents to be given to prospective members and members in the pre-retirement and pay-out phase, as set out in Chapter III “Other information documents to be provided” within Title IV “Information to...

Europeanising pensions and unemployment insurance

A European mechanism for pensions and unemployment insurance would protect vulnerable economies against asymmetric shocks and give life to the European Pillar of Social Rights. The debate about the future of the social dimension in Europe offers an opportunity to ground new policy directions and research. The European Pillar of Social Rights (EPSR) sets out, in its chapter III, the principles of social protection and inclusion, in which unemployment benefits and old-age income and pensions figure. Equality, fairness and...