EEC - Pension Objectives
The Commission
adopted on 3rd July a Communication on Supporting national
strategies for safe and sustainable pensions through an integrated
approach outlining 10 objectives. Once the objectives have been
agreed indicators will then need to be devised. We look forward to
receiving your comments regarding the objectives and suggestions in
respect of the indicators.
The 10 objectives can be summarised as follows:
1) A decent standard of living
2) Improve access to pensions
3) Achieve a high level of employment
4) Discourage early retirement
5) Ensure sustainable public finances
6) Ensure intergenerational fairness
7) Regulatory frameworks for pensions
8) Eliminate gender discrimination within pension systems
9) Improve transparency within pension systems
10) Ensure pensions are flexible.
The Objectives as stated within the Communication
1. ‘Ensure that all older people enjoy a decent living standard,
share in the economic well-being of their country and are able to
participate actively in public, social and cultural life.’
2. ‘Provide access for all individuals to appropriate pension
arrangements necessary to maintain the living standard of their
choice after retirement due to old age or invalidity and that of
their dependants in the event of death.’
3. ‘In the context of the Employment Strategy achieve a high level
of employment so that the ratios between the active and the retired
remains as favourable as possible.’
4. ‘Ensure that pension systems, and in particular early
retirement and invalidity schemes, and their interactions with
tax-benefit systems, offer effective incentives for the
participations of older workers; that workers are not encouraged to
take up early retirement and are not penalised for staying in the
labour market beyond the standard retirement age; and that pension
systems facilitate the option of gradual retirement.’
5. ‘In the context of sustainability of public finances as well as
of the need to cope with the budgetary impact of ageing populations,
ensure that public spending on pensions is maintained at a level in
terms of percent of GDP that is compatible with the Growth and
Stability Pact. This may include setting up dedicated reserve funds,
if considered appropriate by the authorities.’
6. ‘Strike a fair balance between the active and the retired
through appropriate adjustments to the levels of contributions and
taxes and of pension benefits.’
7. ‘Ensure through appropriate regulatory frameworks at national
and European level and through sound management, that private funded
pension schemes will continue to provide, with increased efficiency
and affordability, the pensions to which scheme members are
entitled.
8. ‘Ensure that pension systems are compatible with the
requirement of flexible and security on the labour market, that
labour market mobility within Member States and cross borders and
non-standard employment forms do not result in undue losses of
pension entitlements and that self- employment is not discouraged by
pension systems.’
9. ‘Review pensions systems with a view to eliminating
discrimination based on sex while addressing the sources of
gender-related inequalities in pension entitlements (e.g. career
breaks for family reasons, actuarial factors.)
10. ‘Make pension systems more transparent, predictable, and
adaptable to changing circumstances. Provide reliable and
easy-to-understand information on the long-term perspectives of
pension systems including assessments of the impact of demographic,
social and economic change and the impact of envisaged policy
measures on the performance of pension systems, notably regard to
the likely evolution of benefit levels and contribution rates.
Improve the methodology basis for efficient monitoring of pension
reforms and policies.
The full text of the Communication can be obtained on the Web at http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-prot/social/index_en.htm
EEC - Pension Objectives 
