AGE response to the Commission's Consultation on the Green Paper on Pensions, November 2010

AGE response to the Commission's Consultation on the “Green Paper: towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems”

November 2010

AGE welcomes the holistic approach that the GP takes to the issue of pension reforms and the range of questions it raises on potential EU action to help Member States (MS) develop adequate, sustainable and safe pension systems. Without questioning MS full competence on pensions issues, AGE feels that the latest financial and economic crisis has shown that European economies are all interdependent and no Member State can any longer guarantee on its own the adequacy, safety and sustainability of its pension system.  It is therefore the role of the EU to ensure that all Member States apply sound governance rules to manage their public finances and new EU rules are needed to improve the solvency of occupational pension institutions and to address financial markets erratic behaviours.

AGE members hope that this public consultation will trigger national and EU debates on what is an adequate income in old age, how to ensure the long-term sustainability of our pension systems through more solidarity and fairness between and within generations, how to improve gender equality at all ages and how to address the social impact of the shift from statutory pay-as-you-go to funded schemes and from defined-benefit to defined-contributions pension plans. 

EN

Last Updated on Thursday, 20 January 2011 17:32

AGE Statement on Pensions - October 2009

AGE member organisations – representing both current pensioners and older workers – are worried about the potential consequences of the current financial and economic crisis on the long-term sustainability of their national pension systems.  To voice their concerns and contribute to the debate on the post-Lisbon Strategy and the future Social Agenda, AGE published in October 2009 a new Statement on pensions reform: “Ensuring adequate pensions in the EU - a shared responsibility for society“.

At a time when EU governments are looking for solutions to accommodate the impact of the crisis, AGE members would like them to address not only the issue of the long-term sustainability of the national pension systems but also of their adequacy. Consequently, AGE reiterates with new urgency their call for:

• A balanced and diversified pension architecture with a particular emphasis on adequate and reliable statutory schemes (the so-called first pillar);
• Strengthened security for individual entitlements in funded pension schemes;
• Measures to facilitate the retention of older workers in their jobs and access to quality employment for those seeking work;
• Specific attention to be paid to address the existing gender inequalities in old-age income and avoid creating new sources of inequalities for future cohorts; and
• Support to individuals with shorter or atypical employment careers to help them build sufficient pension rights.

 It is also time to promote solidarity between and within generations to cope with the long-term sustainability and adequacy of pension systems. Ultimately, solidarity brings an added value to society in terms of fairer wealth distribution, reinforced social cohesion and broader transfer of knowledge.

AGE Statement on Pensions - October 2009

Last Updated on Friday, 16 April 2010 16:56

AGE Statement on Pensions 2009 - Executive Summary

Last Updated on Friday, 16 April 2010 16:57

AGE Statement on Pensions 2009 - Short Executive Summary

Last Updated on Wednesday, 10 March 2010 18:16