Procedure completed
2010/2239(INI) Towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems
Lead committee dossier: EMPL/7/04202
Legal Basis RoP 052
| Role | Committee | Rapporteur | Shadows |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion | ECON | CUTAȘ George Sabin (S&D) | |
| Lead | EMPL | OOMEN-RUIJTEN Ria (PPE) | |
| Opinion | FEMM | MATERA Barbara (PPE) | |
| Opinion | IMCO | DE JONG Dennis (GUE/NGL) | |
| Opinion | ITRE |
Legal Basis RoP 052
Activites
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2011/02/16
Results of vote in Parliament
- Results of vote in Parliament
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T7-0058/2011
summary
The European Parliament adopted by 535 votes to 85 with 57 abstentions a resolution on ‘Towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems’ in response to the Green Paper on the subject (COM(2010)0365). It notes that current data show that the number of people entering the labour market is declining and the number of pensioners is rising (in 2008 there were four EU citizens of working age for every one aged 65 or over: by 2020 this figure will be five to one, and by 2060 two to one). Members welcome the holistic approach adopted by the Green Paper, which intends to impart fresh impetus at national and EU level with the objective of establishing robust, long-term adequate, sustainable and safe pension systems. They point out that traditions, economic and demographic situations and specific labour market features differ from Member State to Member State and that the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, under which Member States retain full responsibility for the organisational set-up of their pension systems, have to be respected. However, they recognise that Member States’ economies are interdependent. Accordingly, they call on the EU and Member States to coordinate properly their different pension policies and by using the Open Method of Coordination to guarantee the adequacy, safety and sustainability of pension systems. Parliament observes that the first-, second- and third-pillar pension schemes in Member States differ significantly from one another, that the EU lacks a set of common criteria, definitions and an in-depth analysis which would thoroughly explain the various pension systems and their capacity to meet the needs of citizens. Members stress that the EU should primarily enhance the comparability of pension schemes and promote the exchange of good practices. The Commission needs to come up with a typology of pension systems in Member States as well as with a common set of definitions in order to make systems comparable.Members add that they considers that long-term investment and savings for the future sustainability of pension systems are of major importance and should be taken into account in the framework of macroeconomic surveillance.They go on to regret that the Green Paper does not devote enough attention to gender issues. The present adequacy gaps in pensions between men and women are the result of persistent inequalities in the labour market, such as periods of unemployment, care duties, the pay gap between men and women, the overrepresentation of women in precarious and part-time jobs and barriers to reconciling work and private life. The Commission and Member States are asked to continue their efforts to eradicate these inequalities and ensure long-term equal treatment for women and men with respect to pensions, for example through the inclusion of maternity leave and care for elderly family members as actual work giving rise to an entitlement to retirement benefits for men and women.Parliament also makes the following observations:Adequacy: the resolution states that it does not consider it possible for the EU to set adequate pension levels, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances in the Member States. It calls however on the Commission to come up with guidance that makes it possible for Member States to establish criteria for a minimum level of pensions. Member States should define adequacy as the condition required for older people to live a decent life. Because of the financial crisis, several Member States are planning to introduce changes to their pension systems. Parliament urges them, however, to ensure that all pension systems remain stable, reliable and sustainable, and that all changes are made after adequate social dialogue and on the basis of the provision of sufficient information.Retirement age: in view of demographic trends, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer. Members observe that life expectancy is growing and that better occupational health is a precondition for longer working lives. Member States which have increased the statutory retirement age should encourage work by older people through fiscal and social security exemptions. The Commission is asked to set up a study analysing the way wealth distribution is influencing life expectancy in Member States.Members note that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed. They recommend that priority should be given to ensuring that employees can work until the statutory retirement age. These disparities are especially salient for employees in the most onerous occupational categories. Member States and social partners are asked to exchange information about good practices.Parliament stresses the need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age by monitoring the correct implementation of Directives 2000/78 and 2006/54 and promoting a European culture of active aging ensuring that older people have a life of vitality and dignity.Mobility and transfers: labour-market mobility in the EU will be crucial in the coming years for job creation and economic growth. Issues such as lack of transferability, long vesting periods, preservation of dormant rights, non-regression and differences in tax treatment and actuarial principles must be addressed with a view to their consequences on pension systems. Members observe that there is a trend towards more defined-contribution schemes and fewer defined-benefit schemes. As a result, pension providers transfer the risk associated with investment to pension savers. Because of the diversity and complexity of the various capital-based occupational pension systems, Members state that conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability begins when new contracts are concluded, an application for transfer being approved only if the actuarial sum transferred is to be placed in a fund whose purpose is payment of old-age pensions. They ask for an in-depth study on tax issues related to the capital-based occupational pension systems and life insurance capital systems. With regard to cross-border issues, the clear focus of EU activity should be on developing minimum standards for the acquisition and preservation of pension rights and on facilitating the establishment of national tracing systems for those rights.Review of EU legislation: Parliament notes that in many Member States the importance of occupational pension systems has been recognised, and that the EU can add value by providing coordination between the various schemes. It calls on the Commission to encourage Member States to investigate how employees’ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated through enhanced social dialogue and to make proposals for promoting such a pillar where it does not yet exist. Furthermore, obstacles remain for (third-pillar) individual pension insurance schemes being offered across borders, such as life insurance policies, obstacles remain. Members request suggestions from the Commission as to how these might be overcome, as well as a framework for regulating these activities.Policy Coordination: Parliament states it would be helpful to establish a European pensions platform involving representatives of EU institutions, social partners and relevant stakeholders to exchange information about best practice and help to prepare policy initiatives, all in compliance with the subsidiarity principle. It also calls on the Commission to consider setting up a special task force on pensions, involving all relevant DGs with competences relating to pensions issues.EU 2020 Strategy: Members regret that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to decent, sustainable and adequate pension systems, although the attainment of some of the objectives presented in the 2020 Strategy depends on them. They suggest, therefore, incorporating the objectives of the Green Paper in the 2020 Strategy.
- 2011/02/15 Debate in Parliament
- 2011/02/04 Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading
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2011/02/01
Vote in committee, 1st reading/single reading
- #3053
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2010/12/06
Council Meeting
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3053
summary
The Council held a policy debate on the future of pensions systems and adopted conclusions on adequate and sustainable pensions (see Council Doc. 16513/10).The Council held an extensive debate on the future of pensions systems, in the light of the joint report of the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee, after which it adopted conclusions about adequate, safe and sustainable pensions for all European citizens. Concluding the discussions, the presidency noted a general consensus on: · the need to respect the principle of subsidiarity, taking into account the diversity of national systems,· the fact that beyond this diversity, Member States share common values and common objectives in this area,· the need for a holistic approach taking into account the principles of adequacy and sustainability of pensions,· the role of the open method of coordination on social protection and inclusion and the importance of appropriate indicators,· the willingness of Member States, despite budgetary constraints related to the financial and economic crisis, to ensure a decent income for pensioners.By adopting the conclusions on adequate and sustainable pensions, ministers invited Member States to inform future pensioners about their future public and private pension entitlements and to ease access to pension entitlements for individuals in atypical employment. The Commission and the Member States were called upon to consider the consequences of the budgetary measures and the ongoing pension reforms, and to take into account their impact in terms of adequacy, safety and sustainability.The Commission and the EU countries should also collaborate on the development of methodologies allowing member states to assess the implications of pension policies on sustainability and adequacy.
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3053
summary
- #3039
- 2010/10/21 Council Meeting
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2010/10/21
Committee referral announced in Parliament, 1st reading/single reading
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2010/07/07
Non-legislative basic document published
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COM(2010)0365
summary
PURPOSE: to open a debate on whether and how the EU level pensions framework should be developed to best support Member States in their difficult task of ensuring they provide their citizens with adequate, sustainable and safe pensions – both now and in the future (Green Paper). BACKGROUND: an adequate and sustainable retirement income for EU citizens now and in the future is a priority for the European Union. Achieving these objectives in an ageing Europe is a major challenge. Most Member States have sought to prepare for this through pension reforms.Reforms have underpinned recent increases in effective retirement ages and opened new avenues to delivering adequate pensions in a sustainable manner. Over the last 50 years, life expectancy has risen by about five years in the EU. The latest demographic projections reveal that a further rise of about seven years could materialise by 2060. Combined with low fertility rates this will lead to a dramatic change in the age composition of the population. As a result, the old-age dependency ratio will double: where at present there are four people of working age for every person over 65, by 2060 there will be just two people of working-age for every person over 65.Demographic ageing has been faster than previously expected and the recent financial and economic crisis had a dramatic impact on budgets, capital markets and companies. There have also been deep structural changes such as new intergenerational balances, shifts from Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) to funded pensions and the shift of more risks to individuals. This Green Paper launches a European debate through extensive and early consultation on the key challenges facing pension systems and how the EU can support Member State efforts to deliver adequate and sustainable pensions.There are also other longstanding trends in labour markets: starting full-time working lives later because of the increased need for education and retiring earlier due to labour market age management and prevailing policies. At EU level, national retirement systems are underpinned by a framework of activities spanning from policy coordination to regulation. Some common themes need to be addressed in a coordinated way such as the functioning of the internal market, the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact, or ensuring that pension reforms are consistent with the Europe 2020 strategy.Following a decade of reforms that have altered pension systems in most Member States, there is now a need to thoroughly review the EU framework.CONTENT: this Green Paper seeks the views of all stakeholders in the EU on whether, and how, the EU level pension framework should be adjusted to best support Member States in ensuring they achieve their agreed goal of adequate and sustainable pensions for EU citizens. It takes an integrated approach across economic, social and financial market policies and recognises the links and synergies between pensions and the overall Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth.Its 75% employment target requires employment rates significantly higher than the present levels in the age group 55 to 65. Addressing gaps in pension adequacy, which can be a significant cause of poverty among the elderly, can also contribute to achieving the Europe 2020 poverty reduction target. Member States are responsible for pension provision: this Green Paper does not question Member States' prerogatives in pensions or the role of social partners and it does not suggest that there is one 'ideal' one-size-fits-all pension system design. It does however lay down a number of priorities to modernise pension policy in the EU:(1) Overarching objectives: adequacy and sustainability of pension systems: ensuring adequate retirement income is the purpose of pension systems and is a matter of fundamental inter- and intra-generational solidarity. Most reforms of pension systems so far have been aimed at improving sustainability. Further modernisation of pension systems will be needed to address adequacy gaps. Additional steps are urgently needed to put systems on a more sustainable footing, thereby contributing to the long term sustainability of public finances, notably in countries where future public pension spending is projected to be high.The Green Paper asks how the EU can support Member States' efforts to strengthen the adequacy of pension systems. Should it seek to define better what an adequate retirement income might entail. It also asks if the existing pension framework at the EU level sufficient to ensure sustainable public finances.(2) Achieving a sustainable balance between time spent in work and in retirement: time spent in retirement has increased considerably over the past century and there are large variations between Member States. Less than 50% of people are still in employment by the age of 60. This goes against Member State commitments at the Barcelona European Council to postpone the age at which people stop working by five years. Ensuring that the time spent in retirement does not continue to increase compared to time spent working would support adequacy and sustainability. This means increasing the age at which one stops working and draws a pension. Many Member States have already decided to raise the eligibility age for a full pension in their public pension schemes. A number of Member States have demonstrated that a promising policy option for strengthening the sustainability of pension systems is an automatic adjustment that increases the pensionable age in line with future gains in life expectancy. As labour market exit ages are still low, the question is whether common EU principles and pathways to adequate and sustainable pensions, applied in a differentiated manner, to cater for differences in pension systems, would be helpful. Key measures enabling older workers, both women and men, to remain longer in the labour market would include access for all, irrespective of age, gender and ethnicity, to labour markets, to training and disability adjustments.The Green Paper asks the question how can higher effective retirement ages best be achieved and how could increases in pensionable ages contribute. Should automatic adjustment mechanisms related to demographic changes be introduced in pension systems in order to balance the time spent in work and in retirement? What role could the EU level play in this regard? Lastly, how can the implementation of the Europe 2020 strategy be used to promote longer employment, its benefits to business and to address age discrimination in the labour market?(3) Removing obstacles to mobility in the EU: greater flexibility in job mobility supports the adjustment capacity of the economy and strengthens the European social model. With a view to strengthening the internal market for pensions, it may be necessary to review the IORP Directive, further supervisory convergence and more transparency about national differences. Moreover, aspects concerning custodianship and pension fund governance need to be addressed, including an adequate understanding and supervision of investment decisions, remuneration, incentive structures for service providers and socially responsible investment (SRI). Appropriate and comparable accounting standards are important to enhancing transparency about pension liabilities.Although the Internal Market for insurance products has been in place for a longer time, cross-border activity for life assurance products has also remained limited, representing well below 10% of total life assurance premiums written in most Member States. The Internal Market could also be helpful in extending access to additional sources of retirement income beyond pensions, such as reverse mortgages.Lastly, the question is asked whether the EU should look again at the issue of transfers or would minimum standards on acquisition and preservation plus a tracking service for all types of pension rights be a better solution.(4) Safer, more transparent pensions with better awareness and information: safety in pensions is important to support adequacy. Moreover, the macroeconomic benefits can be felt quickly as pensioners are a growing source of stable and regular consumption. The disparate developments in Member States' pension systems and the trend towards defined contribution schemes, however, raise new policy questions on the following issues:reviewing current EU legislation to ensure a consistent regulation and supervision of funded (i.e. backed by a fund of assets) pension schemes and products (would European regulation or a code of good practice help Member States achieve a better balance for pension savers and pension providers between risks, security and affordability?);improving the solvency regime for pension funds;addressing the risk of employer insolvencyfacilitating informed decisions by modernising the current minimum information disclosure requirements for pension products (e.g. in terms of comparability, standardisation and clarity).Enhancing governance: the Green Paper stresses that pension policy is a common concern for public authorities, social partners, industry and civil society at national and at EU level. A common platform for monitoring all aspects of pension policy and regulation in an integrated manner and bringing together all stakeholders could contribute to achieving and maintaining adequate, sustainable and safe pensions. The Commission is therefore keen to explore how this can best be achieved in support of the EU's wider economic and social objectives.The consultation period will run for four months (ending 15 November 2010) during which anyone with an interest in the subject can submit their views.
- DG {'url': 'http://ec.europa.eu/social/', 'title': 'Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion'}, ANDOR László
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COM(2010)0365
summary
Documents
- Non-legislative basic document published: COM(2010)0365
- Debate in Council: 3039
- Debate in Council: 3053
- Committee report tabled for plenary, single reading: A7-0025/2011
- Debate in Parliament: Debate in Parliament
- Results of vote in Parliament: Results of vote in Parliament
- Decision by Parliament, 1st reading/single reading: T7-0058/2011
| Amendments | Dossier |
| 804 |
2010/2239(INI)
2010/11/11
FEMM
89 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas pension
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas during their career women are more often interrupting their career to take care of children
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas during their career women are more often interrupting their career than men to take care of children
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Recital B B. whereas during their career women are more often interrupting their career to take care of children, dependent persons, ill or elderly family members and given their family obligations, tend to take up more often the part-time and precarious job then men,
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Recital B a (new) B a. Whereas the women work and tend to put money aside, often do it for the benefits of the children/family upbringing and therefore put less aside for future pension schemes - especially when relying on private schemes;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Recital C Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Recital C C. whereas
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Recital C C. whereas the pauperisation concerns more often retired people than workers and more often women than men, and whereas the elderly women are the most vulnerable group at risk of poverty, whereas in 2007, the at-risk-of-poverty rate was higher for women (17%) than men (15 %) and this gap was especially high for older persons (22% for women compared to 17% for men) and single parents (34 %);
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) Ca. whereas home caregivers remain discriminated against in terms of the failure to count their years of work towards pensions and other entitlements;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Recital C a (new) C a. Whereas older women are in a particularly precarious position when their right to a pension income is derived from their marital status (spousal or survivor benefits) and when they do not have adequate pension rights of their own due to career breaks;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Recital D D. whereas equality in male and female pensions
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas pension system actuarial calculations are based on salary and work period and whereas there is a significant disadvantage in the retirement amount received due to work interruptions and part-time work on one side and the gender pay gap, hindering the necessary rights and savings to enjoy security in old age
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Recital D D. whereas equality in male and female pensions, including as regards the retirement age, has been set as a goal and whereas there is a pension gap between women and men as a continuation and consequence of the persisting gender pay gap, which is still about 17% leading to inequalities in the labour market and risk for poverty at older age,
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Recital D D. whereas equality in male and female pensions, including as regards the retirement age, has been set as a goal and whereas there is a pension gap between women and men as a continuation and consequence of the persisting gender pay gap, which is
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Recital D a (new) D a. Whereas the pension schemes are based on old fashioned models of family composition, making women dependent on the income/pension of their husbands/partners,
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Recital E E. whereas
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Recital F a (new) Fa. Whereas that the most Member States propose to rely increasingly on private funded pension schemes to ensure an adequate replacement rate, it represents that widespread range of disadvantages faced by women to access these schemes must be tackled - the gender career gap, unpaid carer’s breaks or occupational segregation which result in women having less access to good quality occupational pension schemes,
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Recital F b (new) Fb. Whereas the women often work in lower-paid jobs, making it more difficult to save for pension schemes,
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Is of the view that pension systems should be based on adequate and sustainable criteria and take into consideration the periods when women
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Is of the view that pension systems should be based on adequate and sustainable criteria to ensure equal treatment and take into consideration the periods when women do not work or are under part-time contracts, or maternity leave;
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Is of the view that pension systems should be based on adequate
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas pension system actuarial calculations are based on salary and work period and whereas there is a significant disadvantage for women in the retirement amount received due to work interruptions and part-time work on one side and the gender pay gap,
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Is of the view that pension systems should be based on adequate and sustainable criteria and t
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Is of the view that pension systems should be based on adequate and sustainable criteria
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Is of the view that any proposal on adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems shall aim to eliminate inequalities between women and men in the European Union. It shall prohibit direct discrimination in private and public pension schemes, including the practice of basing the level of payments and contributions on life-expectancy, i.e private, public and occupational pension schemes, which are based on defined contributions, should apply unisex actuarial criteria;
Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1 a. Calls on the Member States to reinforce adequacy of pensions by combating gender discrimination in the labour market, especially by reducing the pay gaps with minimum 10% until 2020;
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Calls on the Member States to promote flexibility in the retirement age, taking into account the gender dimension, increasing the security of pension funds and guaranteeing a minimum pension;
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the period spent by women and men on taking care of children or other dependent family members should be recognised in the calculation systems a
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the period spent by women or men on taking care of children or other dependent family members should be taken into account and recognised in the calculation
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the period spent by
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the period spent by women on taking care of children or other dependent family members should be recognised in the calculation systems and taken into account to the period of work
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Recital A A. whereas pension system actuarial calculations are based on salary and work period and whereas there is a significant disadvantage in the retirement amount received due to work interruptions and often involuntary part-time work on one side and the gender pay gap
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Considers that the period spent by women and men on taking care of children or other dependent family and non-family members should be recognised in the calculation systems and taken into account to the period of work as well as all kind of contracts;
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Member States to address the structural factors contributing to inequality in pension schemes, including the organisation of care and combining family and work life, inequalities in the labour market, the gender pay gap and direct discrimination in second and third pillar pensions;
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls on the Member States to include in the pension calculation the time and investment involved in looking after dependents, whatever their age or degree of dependency;
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Adapt pensions schemes to accommodate society's need for the care of children and other dependant persons;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Calls on the Member States to guarantee individual and adequate pension rights for all, including those with justified career breaks – mainly women – to ensure a dignified life for all in old age;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls on the Member States to ensure equality in pensions, for example by accounting for child-care periods or family-care periods in pension schemes, especially taking into account that these tasks are still mostly performed by women, thereby cutting into their pensions;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Points out that women’s own income and paid employment remains key to their economic autonomy and to greater equality between women and men in society as a whole, calls on the EU Member States to individualise social security rights including pension rights;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Calls on the Commission and Member States to pay special attention to migrant women who often have not acquired pension rights in their country of origin and therefore lack economic independence, especially in case they divorce;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 c (new) 2c. Calls on the Member States to guarantee pension entitlements enabling especially elderly women to live an economically independent life after divorce;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States - particularly the new Member States
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the Member States are responsible for pensions and whereas their competence in this field should be respected;
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States - particularly the new Member States - to review their pension systems
Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States - particularly the new Member States - to
Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States - particularly the new Member States - to review their pension systems, taking into account the higher life expectancy of women and the major pay differentials between men and women, which are reflected in the amount of the pensions granted, often pushing them below the poverty line; calls on the Member States to establish a minimum pension so as to avoid penalising workers who have contributed for only a brief period;
Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States
Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States - particularly the new Member States - to review their pension systems, taking into account the
Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Calls on the Member States
Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 – point 1 (new) (1) Calls on the Commission to examine at Member State level current best practice in protecting the pension cover of women who interrupt their work to look after children of pre-school age;
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on Member States to review individual welfare entitlements: (a) dissociating minimum pension integration and the income of couples, which penalises women’s earnings; (b) favouring, under supplementary schemes, a single rate of return for men and women, to be established independently of the actuarial life- expectancy-based calculations, avoiding discrimination in respect of supplementary pensions, on the basis of Directive 2006/54/EC; (c) recognising notional contributions over lengthy periods of non-payment for reasons other than maternity, relating to childcare and care for elderly relations, also with a view to offsetting the progressive increase in retirement age; (d) seeking effective corrective mechanisms to offset the impact of work interruptions and irregular pension contributions on the level of pension entitlements for women; (e) providing for the right to receive the necessary periodical information concerning contributions paid to facilitate pension planning;
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the Commission to verify, in the context of gender equality regarding pensionable age, the existence of formal and de facto conditions facilitating under various conditions the reconciliation of professional and family commitments;
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 – point 1 (new) (1) Due to the fact, that differences between the pensions of women and men are consequences of the gender pay gap, asks the Commission to take decisive steps to close this gap
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas people who devote their time and skills to bringing up children or caring for the elderly should receive social recognition, and whereas this could be done by giving such persons individual rights, particularly regarding pensions,
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Member States to find ways to prevent female employment on the labour market being adversely affected by measures to support, evaluate or enhance the value of work in the home; calls, therefore, for the impact on society and female employment of measures to recognise work done in the home to be assessed, including by means of a costed calculation for pension purposes;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Develop a European employment strategy that encourages more women to participate in the labour market and that combats inequality in employment that has a gendered impact on the level of pension contributions and entitlements;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Member States to clamp down on undeclared employment and formulate migration policies designed to prevent female migrants in particular from being trapped in undeclared employment;
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the Member States to promote policies designed to reconcile family and professional life through provision of the necessary social services such as childcare facilities and the introduction of integrated care systems designed to reduce the burden on those individuals, chiefly women, caring for elderly or disabled people;
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Calls on the Commission to initiate the procedure aiming at eliminating article 5 (2) of Directive 2004/113 which allows for discriminations against women on pension products;
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the European Commission to undertake a full study on the impact of pension reforms on women’s lives in the EU with the following objectives in mind: (1) The individualisation of pension rights (and social security and taxation systems overall) to encourage women and men to engage in paid work, and thus earn individual economic security; (2) The development of mechanisms accommodating the employment patterns linked to society's need for the care of children and other dependant persons so that career-breaks or part-time work are considered as full-time work in the calculation of pension benefits, (3) the degree of women’s access to second and third pillar schemes, (4) the different needs of different groups of women such as migrant women and disabled women. On the basis of the above study, formulate concrete recommendations to strengthen the gender equality dimension of all pension schemes;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Points out that the Member States should support research on the impact of different pension indexation formulas on the poverty risk in older age taking into consideration the gender dimension. Calls on the Member States to take into account in particular the evolution in people’s needs when ageing, e.g. long-term care, in order to ensure that elderly persons, mainly women, will be able to have an adequate pension and a dignity life;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the Commission to make a comprehensive impact assessment on women of all new reforms introduced in various social fields which may have a negative impact on women’s employment and pensions rights, such as cuts in day care and eldercare facilities, pension policies, etc;
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Member States to improve working conditions and incentives to work longer should be given to those who want and can, taking into account the gender dimension;
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 d (new) 3d. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to take in consideration that the extension of the pension age should be made voluntary not obligatory;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Recital -1 (new) -1. Whereas equality between women and men is a value, an objective and a fundamental right in the Union, and EU institutions have the duty to include gender equality in all their actions.
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 e (new) 3e. Calls on the Commission to promote a European framework directive on minimum pensions which could define that every person from a certain age on, independent of the years he or she has worked is entitled to a minimum pension;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 f (new) 3f. Calls on the Commission for reducing the pressure on Member States to privatize their public pension schemes and in each Member States the public pension schemes should strongly be promoted;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 g (new) 3g. Considers that the individualisation of pension rights is necessary from a gender equality perspective, but the security of many elder women currently relying on widow's pensions and other derived rights should be also ensured;
Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Urges the Commission and the Member States to obligate occupational and other supplementary pension providers to use gender-neutral mortality tables when calculating pension benefits so as to prevent women from being punished for their higher life expectancy with lower replacement rates than men;
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the Commission and the EU Member States to carry out comprehensive impact assessments on all social security reforms, especially pension systems which may have a negative impact on women's employment and pensions rights, such as cuts in daycare and eldercare facilities, pension policies etc.;
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 c (new) 3c. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to ensure that occupational and private pension schemes are not discriminatory against women and that they do not reinforce existing patterns that already put women at a disadvantage in terms of benefits and contributions; calls on the Commission to investigate possible discriminatory effects for women of Article 5 of Directive 2004/113/EC;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Welcomes the Commission Green Paper Towards adequate, sustainable and safe
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Welcomes the Commission's Green Paper towards adequate, sustainable, and safe pension systems, under the condition that EU-policies and possible new EU- regulations and directives guarantee that solidarity between the generations, solidarity within a particular generation, and solidarity between men and women is maintained.
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Welcomes the Commission's Green Paper towards adequate, sustainable, and safe pension systems, particularly the Commission's intention to improve the acquirement of pension rights for EU- citizens (temporarily) working in another Member State.
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 c (new) 4c. Calls on the Commission to guarantee that new EU-legislation and EU-policies will not cause pensions and/or other provisions for older persons, in particular older women, to be reduced.
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Recital A b (new) A b. Whereas women face direct and indirect discrimination in different pensions-related aspects the European Union.
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 d (new) 4d. Calls on the Commission to recognize and take into account that older persons, in particular older women and migrants, run the highest risk of becoming poor. Therefore, encourages the Commission to enable Member States to limit such risk themselves.
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 e (new) 4e. Calls on the Commission to recognize and take into account that there are major inequalities between men and women as far the acquirement of pension benefits and pension rights is concerned. Therefore, encourages the Commission to enable Member States to end these inequalities.
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 f (new) 4f. Calls on the Commission to recognize and take into account that as far as pension acquirement is concerned, there are also major inequalities between individuals working in well-paid sectors and jobs and those working in other sectors and more precarious jobs. Therefore, encourages the Commission to enable Member States to end these inequalities.
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 g (new) 4g. Calls on the Commission to take into consideration that the already existing possibilities for acquiring (complementary) pensions, are often too complex and high-risk. Therefore, encourages the Commission to enable Member States to offer more transparency and security when choosing and/or committing to a certain option, in particular for women who would benefit from complementary pension saving.
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 h (new) 4h. Calls on the Commission not to proceed with new EU-demands on defining "adequate pensions" since such a definition will not take into account the fact that as far as the availability and affordability of other services and benefits for older persons (such as housing, care, and public transport) are concerned, there are major differences between Member States.
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 i (new) 4i. Calls on the Commission not to proceed with new EU-demands on defining "adequate pensions" since such demands could cause the EU to conclude that certain pension systems are too generous in comparison to others.
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 j (new) 4j. Calls on the Commission not to enforce new EU-legislation in regard to the solvability of pension funds since such legislation could cause pension premiums to increase significantly.
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 k (new) 4k. Calls on the Commission not to enforce new EU-legislation aiming at boosting competition between (private) pension saving schemes since such legislation will cause solidarity problems.
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Emphasises the application of the subsidiarity principle in the area of decision making on national pension systems and the need to preserve existing socio-cultural values in a given society.
Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Calls at the same time for any new legislation on pension systems to offer Member States the option of maintaining or introducing more favourable provisions and to avoid bringing about any regression in relation to the situation prevailing in each Member State.
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Recital A a (new) A a. Whereas the projected impact of pension reforms is usually based on a male, full time, full career, average earner profile; actuarial gender-based life tables have a negative impact on women pension calculations and provide a lower replacement rate for women;
source: PE-452.645
2010/12/10
ECON
211 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph - 1 a (new) -1a. Welcomes the publication of the Green Book towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems; recognises that a wide debate on the future of pension systems in Europe is of vital importance and should take into account current economic and demographic situation, completion of the Single Market, reform of the economic governance as well as recently established European supervisory architecture;
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Stresses that statutory PAYG schemes have proved their stability and reliability in the test of the financial and economic crisis;
Amendment 100 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 d (new) 11d. Underlines the fact that employer- financed occupational pension schemes are, most importantly, ways in which companies generate loyalty and create a bond with their employees; as demographic change continues, sharply reducing supply on the labour market, occupational pension provision will become even more important than it already is, right across Europe; in Germany alone, more than 65% of all employees have an occupational pension;
Amendment 101 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 e (new) 11e. Stresses that in the case of employer- funded occupational pensions a vesting period of at least five years must apply, since they serve only as a means of staff retention and a reward for staff loyalty;
Amendment 102 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 f (new) 11f. Takes the view that EU rules on transferability of occupational pensions must apply only to fully funded pension schemes; accrual-funded pension schemes and others that are not fully funded must continue to be untransferable;
Amendment 103 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 g (new) 11g. Calls for a Commission study on the extent of cross-border labour mobility;
Amendment 104 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 h (new) 11h. Calls for an examination of whether pension insurance associations such as those that exist in Luxembourg and Germany to protect the second pillar in the event of bankruptcy can be recommended to other Member States as a hedging mechanism and best practice;
Amendment 105 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 i (new) 11i. Calls on the Commission to have an impact assessment carried out with a view to analysing what additional costs the introduction of EU minimum standards and standardisation measures for the second pillar (e.g. changes to the vesting period, new provisions governing dynamisation, inclusion of pension commitments in the scope of the pension fund directive) would generate in the Member States;
Amendment 106 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 j (new) 11j. Notes that pension entitlements under the first pillar are governed by the relevant coordinating regulation, and that for second-pillar pensions solutions to the problem of the EU-wide transferability of employee-financed occupational pensions would be desirable, but proposals concerning the portability of employer- financed occupational pensions should be rejected as unnecessary;
Amendment 107 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 k (new) 11k. Considers that in view of the widely differing nature and the complexity of the second-pillar schemes basic conditions could be laid down to govern the EU-wide transferability of employee-financed occupational pensions;
Amendment 108 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 l (new) 11l. Notes that less than 60% of all EU citizens are insured under second-pillar additional retirement pension schemes, but that the importance of the second pillar in the area of pensions has been recognised, and that the second pillar must be developed further, since it represents a means of organising additional capital-based retirement pension provision in an efficient and cost- effective way;
Amendment 109 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 m (new) 11m. Is opposed to a European agency or regulatory authority for occupational pensions, as the subsidiarity principle must be strictly adhered to, which precludes European supervision and control;
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Emphasises that many Member States face major challenges as to how they ensure that pensions can be safeguarded in accordance with citizens’ expectations; stresses that the Member States should be supported at EU level primarily through the exchange of information on how to overcome these challenges;
Amendment 110 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 n (new) 11n. Calls for occupational pensions provided voluntarily by companies to be exempted from EU minimum standards in order to prevent their reduction or elimination and to protect the interests of employees;
Amendment 111 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Observes that the
Amendment 112 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Observes that the implementation of the IORP Directive by Member States generally has been delayed;
Amendment 113 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 12. Observes that the implementation of the IORP Directive by Member States generally has been delayed; understands that Member States have had difficulty in incorporating these new rules and principles in their national system; therefore calls on the Commission to take the requisite action to accelerate the proper implementation of the Directive;
Amendment 114 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Takes the view that, given the structural differences in pension systems and differences in performance targets between the Member States, there can be no single market for occupational pensions in the European Union;
Amendment 115 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. States that there must be extremely meticulous supervision of supplementary funded pensions in line with the G20’s call for none of the players and none of the territories being able to avoid sound regulation and supervision;
Amendment 116 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 Amendment 117 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 Amendment 118 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 Amendment 119 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 13.
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 d (new) Amendment 120 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 13. Calls on the Commission to clarify when a cross-border activity is triggered, also taking into account the provisions of the Posted workers Directive and the position of expatriates in general, and that national social and labour laws, including compulsory membership, applies only to pension schemes;
Amendment 121 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 13. Calls on the Commission to clarify when a cross-border activity is triggered, also taking into account the provisions of the Posted workers Directive and the position of expatriates in general, and that national social and labour laws, including compulsory membership, applies only to pension schemes;
Amendment 122 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 13. Calls on the Commission to clarify when a cross-border activity is triggered, also taking into account the provisions of the Posted workers Directive and the position of expatriates in general, and that national social and labour laws, including compulsory membership, applies only to pension schemes; in addition calls on the Commission to further harmonise
Amendment 123 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 13. Calls on the Commission to clarify when a cross-border activity is triggered, also taking into account the provisions of the Posted workers Directive and the position of expatriates in general, and that national social and labour laws, including compulsory membership, applies only to pension schemes whatever the legal form of the pension provider might be; in addition calls on the Commission to further harmonise rules concerning technical provisions, in particular the technical rate of interest, in
Amendment 124 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Recalls that the IORP Directive is applicable only to occupational retirement schemes and should not apply to any public pension liabilities;
Amendment 125 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 b (new) 13b. Agrees that a high degree of security for future pensioners, at a reasonable cost for the sponsoring undertakings and in the context of sustainable pension systems, should be the goal;
Amendment 126 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Recalls that Article 15.6 of the IORP Directive states concerning the calculation of technical provisions that “the Commission shall propose any necessary measures to prevent possible distortions caused by different levels of interest rates and to protect the interest of beneficiaries and members of any scheme”;
Amendment 127 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Points out that biometric differences (mortality and disability rates), continuing differences in the legal structure of IORPs and differences in national social, tax and labour law mean that a harmonisation of technical standards at European level will be ineffective;
Amendment 128 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Points to the fact that workers who move across borders in the EU still suffer major disadvantages as regards supplementary pension schemes as they may get fragmented occupational pensions and lose tax and social security benefits related to national occupational schemes;
Amendment 129 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 b (new) 13b. Notes that EU regulation should not only coordinate pension rights of mobile workers but also monitor and supervise the performance of national overall pension systems to protect pension rights of mobile workers and ensure that they have access to reliable data to make an informed decision before moving across borders;
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Notes that harmonisation, additional regulation, monitoring or supervision of pensions systems under the first and second pillars constitute an infringement of the subsidiarity principle and make no sense owing to the totally different arrangements and legal bases in the Member States; in particular with regard to voluntary occupational pension schemes, they would even put the continued existence of such schemes at risk;
Amendment 130 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Recalls the IORP Directive statements that “a genuine internal market for financial services is crucial for economic growth and job creation in the Community” and “this Directive thus represents a first step on the way to an internal market for occupational retirement provision organised on a European scale”;
Amendment 131 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Calls on the Commission to perform an impact assessment before revising the IORP Directive and to take account of the trend towards more defined contribution schemes and fewer defined benefit schemes;
Amendment 132 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Emphasises that a thoroughgoing reform of the Pension Fund (IORP) Directive (2003/41/EC) is currently neither necessary nor appropriate, since the framework governing cross-border activity established by the directive is entirely adequate; no dramatic increase in worker mobility between Member States is likely; most IORPs are active at national level as welfare schemes run by individual firms;
Amendment 133 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 b (new) 13b. Takes the view that the Pension Fund (IORP) Directive (2003/41/EC) should be revised only once the Member States have gained sufficient experience with its application; in addition, any revision should be carefully thought-out, since there is a danger of placing an excessive burden on IORP providers and institutions; at present the only improvement required is a clarification of the definition of ‘cross-border activity’, which is interpreted in different ways by some Member States;
Amendment 134 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 c (new) 13c. Emphatically opposes any move to bring firms’ in-house welfare benefit schemes, for example ‘book reserve schemes’, within the scope of the IORP Directive, on the grounds that they do not constitute financial market products; the application of IORP rules would lead to a huge increase in costs and, as a result, to the abolition of firms’ in-house schemes, a development which cannot be in the interests of employees and is blatantly at odds with the aim of strengthening retirement pension provision;
Amendment 135 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 d (new) 13d. Emphasises that the Pension Fund (IORP) Directive (2003/41/EC) must maintain confidence in pension promises predating the new law, so that there must no ex post tightening up of the rules on own capital and other supervisory provisions, as this would pose a threat to the existence of voluntary occupational retirement pension schemes; pension commitments should not fall within the scope of the pension fund directive, since no payments are made to external pension funds and, in the event of insolvency, national safeguard mechanisms take effect;
Amendment 136 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 b (new) MOBILITY AND TRANSFERS 13b. Stresses that free movement of persons is a fundamental right of European citizens; stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the European Union, as well as the need for such mobility; considers that any adverse impact of labour mobility on individual pension entitlements must be kept to a minimum; observes that Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems regulates mobility for the first pillar; notes that no such framework yet exists for the second pillar; observes that various attempts have already been made to fill this lacuna in European law; encourages the Commission to find a solution to this fundamental problem as quickly as possible;
Amendment 137 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 c (new) 13c. Welcomes the fact that some Member States operate pension tracing services which help people keep track of their pension rights from different sources within that Member State; encourages other Member States to develop similar systems; considers that ultimately it would be useful to link such national pension tracing services to one another at EU level in order to promote the mobility of workers;
Amendment 138 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 13 d (new) REVIEW OF EU LEGISLATION 13d. Observes that, where powers relating to pensions are vested in the European Union, European law is very fragmented; calls on the Commission to investigate whether it would be appropriate to rationalise this regulatory framework as part of better lawmaking;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing; but rejects an automatic adaptation mechanism in the form of a (Europe- wide) linkage between life expectancy and the statutory retirement age, since the statutory retirement age must always be judged against the background of the social and labour-market policy conditions prevailing in the Member State concerned;
Amendment 140 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 Amendment 141 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 142 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that
Amendment 143 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 144 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that
Amendment 145 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 146 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that principles of Solvency II
Amendment 147 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that Solvency II is a valuable starting point for developing a solvency regime for IORPs; underlines that
Amendment 148 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that Solvency II is a valuable starting point for developing a solvency regime for IORPs; underlines that such a regime needs to be adapted to the specificities of pensions, in particular as regards the conditionality of pension rights, the duration of pension portfolios and the dedicated purpose vehicle operating a homogenous product portfolio; that any such solvency regime for IORPs dealing with all occupational pensions possible features should apply to all financial institutions providing pensions independently of their legal form in order to ensure a level playing field;
Amendment 149 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 14. Considers that Solvency II is a valuable starting point for developing a solvency regime for IORPs; underlines that such a regime needs to be adapted to the specificities of pensions, in particular as regards the conditionality of pension rights, the duration of pension portfolios and the dedicated purpose vehicle operating a homogenous product portfolio; deems, in this perspective, that it is crucial, given the specific long-term nature of pensions, to ensure that strict investment rules are implemented in order to preserve long- term solvency;
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 g (new) 1g. Considers that it is impossible and counterproductive to set a harmonised retirement age at European level since this age depends largely on the specific conditions prevailing in each Member State; stresses instead that effective measures must be takento combat the sharp rise in unemployment in many Member States;
Amendment 150 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Ponts out that the shift from defined- benefit to defined-contribution systems fostered by the IAS/IFRS accounting standards, and in particular by IAS 19, runs counter to the aim of sustainable, reliable retirement pension provision; these accounting standards must therefore not be applied when calculating the solvency capital of IORPs and the scope of the Solvency II rules must not be extended to cover IORPs;
Amendment 151 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Stresses, in line with the Commission's statement in the Green Paper, that the IORP Directive is based on a solvency I minimum harmonisation approach whilst in the near future insurance undertakings will apply the risk-based solvency II regime even for their occupational pension activity;
Amendment 152 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Stresses that financial markets can function efficiently only when there is confidence and trust and considers that confidence and trust requires solid prudential rules for financial institutions and IORPs should be no exception to this;
Amendment 153 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Believes that, in order to achieve consistency of prudential regimes among different financial services providers, the “same risks – same rules – same capital” principle must apply, taking into account the characteristics of each pension product or scheme;
Amendment 154 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Underlines the right to information of individuals concerning the countries, sectors and products in which pension funds invest their assets;
Amendment 155 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Is firmly convinced that the Solvency II rules governing life assurance must not be applied to IORPs (e.g. pension funds), since such systems are not financial institutions, life insurance undertakings or traditional investment funds, but rather employer-funded voluntary welfare schemes which are not intended to generate a profit, in respect of which the social partners have far-reaching codetermination powers, and which are already secured against insolvency by special protection and guarantee systems (such as the Pension Guaranty Association in Germany and Luxemburg), as proven by the stress test constituted by the financial crisis; applying the Solvency II rules to IORPs would increase costs by 40 to 60%;
Amendment 156 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 14 b (new) 14b. Opposes the establishment of a European guarantee fund, on the grounds that such a system cannot take proper account of specific national characteristics and differences between countries;
Amendment 157 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 Amendment 158 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 15.
Amendment 159 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 15. Considers the qualitative elements of
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important to the stability of public finances
Amendment 160 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 15. Considers the
Amendment 161 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 15. Considers the qualitative elements of Solvency II
Amendment 162 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 15. Considers the quantitative and qualitative elements of Solvency II to be of great importance for their application to IORPs; notes that this applies in particular to requirements in relation to good risk management;
Amendment 163 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Calls on the Commission to develop the elements of decision making concerning the IORPs solvency regime and notably, as it announced in the Green paper, to launch as soon as possible an impact study concerning the application of a Solvency II like solvency regime;
Amendment 164 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Notes that there is an even greater need for an immediate review of the IORP Directive to protect employees and pensioners against the failure of IORPs as there is no European risk-based solvency regime yet in this sector;
Amendment 165 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 16 Amendment 166 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 16 16.
Amendment 167 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Recalls that any proposals for new legislation or changes to current legislation should be subject to a thorough impact assessment process;
Amendment 168 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls for due consideration to be given to the fact that IORPs are based on labour agreements and fulfil a social task and thus cannot be considered as financial institutions;
Amendment 169 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 17.
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important
Amendment 170 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 17. Is of the opinion that the newly established European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) should play an important role in the
Amendment 171 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 17. Is of the opinion that the newly established European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) should play an important role in the development of a solvency regime for pension funds in general and IORPs more specifically, recalls that the IORP Directive should not apply to any public pension liabilities or work related pension systems in the first pillar;
Amendment 172 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 17. Is of the opinion that the newly established European Supervisory Authority (European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority) should play an important role in the development of a solvency regime for pension funds in general and IORPs more specifically; the European Insurance and Occupational Pension Authority shall develop draft technical standards and shall issue guidelines and recommendations on provisions of prudential nature relevant to the field of occupational pensions (e.g. the calculation of technical provisions);
Amendment 173 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Is of the opinion that, just as solvency II allows companies in all insurance branches to comply with 27 Member States' national legislation in the fields of civil law, tax law or contract law, the design of a solvency regime applicable to IORPs is a clear European Union competence while dealing with all occupational pensions social and labour laws established by Member States on the basis of the subsidiarity principle;
Amendment 174 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Believes that, in order to increase transparency and accountability, pension funds should include social partners and representatives of their beneficiaries on their management board;
Amendment 175 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 Amendment 176 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission to closely follow the implementation of this Directive, take action against Member States where justified
Amendment 177 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission to closely follow the implementation of this Directive, take action against Member States where justified and when possibly reviewing th
Amendment 178 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission to closely follow the implementation of this Directive, take action against Member States where justified and when reviewing the Directive to take account of the specific situation concerning the financing obligations of the employer vis-à-vis the employee or its pension fund;
Amendment 179 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission to closely follow the implementation of this Directive
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important to the stability of public finances, calls on the Commission to
Amendment 180 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 19 19. Calls on the Commission to closely follow the implementation of this Directive, take action against Member States where justified and when reviewing the Directive to take account of the specific situation concerning the financing obligations of the employer vis-à-vis the employee or its pension fund; is of the opinion that the Commission should propose a transitional period during which as a principle employee's pension rights provided by employers should be fully funded and separated from that employer;
Amendment 181 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 20 Amendment 182 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 20 Amendment 183 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 20 20. Stresses that the questions related to
Amendment 184 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Considers that there is a need to strengthen the EU legislation related to employer's insolvency, in order to offer equal protection of savings for each worker, regardless of the nature of their employer’s pension provisioning system;
Amendment 185 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Calls for consideration to be given to the scope for employing the proven German system of the Pension Guaranty Association, to which pension funds are also required to make contributions, in other Member States and, possibly, to taking over some of its criteria as the basis for European rules; the Association is an organisation set up by the employers themselves in order to improve safeguards against the insolvency of occupational retirement pension schemes;
Amendment 186 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 21 21. Realises that
Amendment 187 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 21 21. Realises that pension knowledge of employees and private individuals is very limited; is of the opinion that employees and private individuals need to be better informed of any pension right they build up in the various pillars, the conditions to which it is subject, the security and portability of this right and the possible need for further savings to reach a target level;
Amendment 188 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 21 21. Realises that pension knowledge of employees is very limited; is of the opinion that employees need to be better informed of any pension right they build up, the conditions to which it is subject, the security
Amendment 189 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 21 21. Realises that pension knowledge of employees is very limited; is of the opinion that employees need to be better informed by independent bodies of any pension right they build up, the conditions to which it is subject, the security and portability of this right and the possible need for further savings to reach a target level;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important to the stability of public finances, calls on the Commission
Amendment 190 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Observes that there is a trend towards more defined contribution schemes and fewer defined benefit schemes; notes that, as a result, pension providers transfer the risk associated with investment to pension savers; stresses that pension savers must be informed in good time of the risk they are running;
Amendment 191 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 Amendment 192 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 Amendment 193 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 22. Notes that more choice is not always better; underlines that the subject matter is of low interest to employees and very complex;
Amendment 194 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 22. Notes that
Amendment 195 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 22. Notes that in the case of pension schemes more choice is not always better; underlines that the subject matter is of low interest to employees and very complex; is of the opinion that default options should be available,
Amendment 196 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 22. Notes that more choice is not always better; underlines that the subject matter is of low interest to employees and very complex; is of the opinion that default options should be available, preferably with mandatory membership
Amendment 197 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Calls on the Commission to monitor Member States' regulations in order to track abusive or discriminatory tax rules on cross-border pension capital transfers and make proposals to lift obstacles to mobility if appropriate;
Amendment 198 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 b (new) 22b. Asks for a reflection at the EU level on the fairness of tax incentives for private schemes, particularly as regards tax relief during the accumulation phase, bearing in mind that the poorest people cannot afford private schemes to complement the public pension provision;
Amendment 199 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Takes the view that workers should be provided with information about the costs, fees and risks linked to the conclusion of contracts for additional pension provision;
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important to the stability of public finances, calls on the Commission to promote a system which would
Amendment 200 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 23 Amendment 201 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 23 23. Recalls that President Barroso has put pensions as a priority already during his first term; is of the opinion that
Amendment 202 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 23 23. Recalls that Commission President Barosso has put pensions as a priority already during his first term; is of the opinion that so far a coherent and comprehensive approach was lacking; welcomes the Green Paper as a first step to such an approach; looks forward to concrete legislative proposals in the near future;
Amendment 203 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 Amendment 204 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 Amendment 205 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 24. Calls on the Commission to
Amendment 206 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 24. Calls on the Commission to
Amendment 207 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Notes that the current terminology referring to the multi-pillar system does not correspond to reality in various Member States; considers that a common terminology in line with reality would substantially improve policy cooperation at European level; calls on the Commission and Member States to cooperate on its adoption;
Amendment 208 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 b (new) 24b. Considers that establishing a European pension platform which covers all pension pillars and is open to all stakeholders could be useful; considers that in order to avoid overlapping in this context, account should be taken of the existing advisory committee on supplementary pensions (the ‘Pensions Forum’);
Amendment 209 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 c (new) 24c. Stresses the importance of the open method of coordination for policy coordination; encourages Member States to step up cooperation with each other and the European level;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Having in mind that a sustainable and well functioning pension system is extremely important to the stability of public finances, calls on the Commission to promote a system which would fairly take into account
Amendment 210 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Calls on the Commission to conduct an annual comparative analysis of the different pension schemes in operation in the Union’s Member States; considers that useful information for further discussion would come out of this report, such as the average level of pensions, the extent of inequalities linked to gender or socio-professional standing, the sustainability of pension schemes and the risks inherent in each financing pillar; considers that this report ought to take into account factors, notably economic and demographic ones, specific to the Member States and should be based on statistical data furnished by a variety of institutions such as Eurostat, national statistical institutes, the relevant supervisory authorities and EIOPA;
Amendment 211 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Believes the European Institutions should lead by example in setting adequate and sustainable pensions; notes that the last full review of the European Institution's pension provisions was in 2004 and therefore requests the Commission to undertake a detailed review of current procedures and provisions and to submit a detailed report to Parliament by June 2011;
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension;
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension;
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension; requests that the full scale of unfunded public sector pension liabilities is made transparent
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension; requests that the full scale of unfunded public sector pension liabilities is made transparent by including these in the
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension; requests that the full scale of unfunded public sector pension liabilities is made transparent by fully including these in the government debt-to-
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that both the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Stability and Growth Pact refer to age-related public expenditures; re
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. Emphasises that sustainable public finances require including the total of public and private debt in the assessment; recalls that pension savings are not only savings earmarked as pension; requests that the full scale of unfunded public sector pension liabilities is made transparent by including these in the government debt-to- GDP ratio; urges the Commission to develop a common terminology for pension systems that allows for transparency and comparison between the three pillars of pensions provision across the 27 Member States;
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4.
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Insists that
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Insists that Member States better include
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that both the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Stability and Growth Pact refer to age-related public expenditures; recognises that the correct inclusion
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are necessary in the context of demographic ageing and the financial and economic crisis
Amendment 42 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are
Amendment 43 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are necessary in the context of demographic ageing and the financial and economic crisis, but notes at the same time that the first objective of a reform should be to ensure adequate retirement income for all; notes that, in this context, the range of possible reforms is not restricted to lengthening the contribution period;
Amendment 44 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are necessary in the context of demographic ageing and the financial and economic crisis, but notes at the same time that the first objective of a reform should be to ensure adequate, equitable and affordable retirement income for all;
Amendment 45 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are necessary in the context of demographic ageing and the financial and economic crisis, but notes at the same time that the first objective of a reform should be to ensure adequate retirement income for all; considers in this respect that according to the principle of subsidiarity Member States are the best equipped to decide on an appropriate system and level of retirement;
Amendment 46 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Observes that pension reforms are necessary in the context of demographic ageing and the financial and economic crisis, but notes at the same time that the first objective of a reform should be to ensure adequate retirement income for all and notes the contribution that may be made by working longer;
Amendment 47 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Calls for facilitating the social dialogue in order to set up collective work-related pension systems in Member States;
Amendment 48 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Rejects a definition of the term ‘adequacy’ in the context of pensions or retirement income on the grounds of the subsidiarity principle and the diversity of national pension systems;
Amendment 49 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Notes that, in some Member States, there is a need for increased transparency and disclosure of fees levied on asset management and especially on all layers of investments by private pension providers; further notes the intergenerational effects such fees may have, through the increased financial burden that may be placed on younger generations;
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Notes that both the Broad Economic Policy Guidelines and the Stability and Growth Pact refer to age-related public expenditures; recognises that the correct inclusion of pension liabilities is only one of many conditions for sustainability; requests that the economic governance reform takes this dimension
Amendment 50 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 51 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 52 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 53 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 54 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 55 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 Amendment 56 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that the EU
Amendment 57 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that the EU has a
Amendment 58 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that the EU has a strong role to play in developing a definition of an adequate retirement benefit
Amendment 59 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Believes that the EU has a strong role to play in developing a definition of a
Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 60 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system, but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, voluntary work related and voluntary private as well as funded and unfunded should be found;
Amendment 61 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system, but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, work related and private as well as funded and unfunded should be found;
Amendment 62 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system
Amendment 63 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7.
Amendment 64 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system
Amendment 65 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system that take into account the specificities of all Member States, but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, work related and private as well as funded and unfunded schemes should be found; is of the opinion that each Member State should define a minimum target income level after retirement so as to avoid raising poverty among ageing population;
Amendment 66 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system and that pensions systems and economic circumstances differ across Member States , but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, work related and private as well as funded and unfunded should be found; is of the opinion that each Member State should define a minimum target income level after retirement so as to avoid raising poverty among ageing population;
Amendment 67 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system, but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, work related and private as well as funded and unfunded should be found; is of the opinion that each Member State should define a minimum target income level after retirement of 60% of their respective national median equalised income so as to avoid raising poverty among
Amendment 68 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Recognises that there is no perfect pension system, but is convinced that a balanced multi pillar system of public, work related and private as well as funded and unfunded should be found; is of the opinion that each Member State should define a minimum target income level after retirement
Amendment 69 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Notes that systemic pension reforms entail substantial transformation costs, which must be taken into account for the purpose of calculating government debt and the budget deficit;
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes the Commission’s statement that, “this Green Paper does not question Member States’ prerogatives in pensions or the role of social partners and it does not suggest that there is one ‘ideal’ one- size-fits-all pension system design” (page 2 of the Green Paper, 5th paragraph); considers that it is for Member States to draw their own conclusions, where necessary, as this matter falls under the subsidiarity principle;
Amendment 70 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Notes that the terminology used to define pension systems in various Member States is not the same (e.g. the classic three-pillar approach is not always valid); therefore calls on the Commission to make the necessary efforts to come up with a typology of pension systems in Member States as well as with a common set of definitions in order to make systems comparable;
Amendment 71 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Acknowledges that traditional employer-guaranteed occupational pension schemes have come under pressure from a variety of economic and demographic challenges but strongly believes that such challenges do not justify an absolute shift of responsibility for income security in retirement from employer to employee; urges Member States to ensure a greater commitment from employers to guaranteeing the income security in retirement of employees; notes the development of hybrid DB/DC schemes in this regard;
Amendment 72 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 Amendment 73 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8.
Amendment 74 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Observes that even
Amendment 75 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Observes that even if more pension products exist on the market, not every European citizen has access to these; recognises the need to improve the access of people with lower income level to existing pension products;
Amendment 76 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Observes that encouraging citizens to start saving at a younger age can considerably reduce the individual's pensions gap and welcomes sharing of best practice across Member States with respect, for example, to pensions portals;
Amendment 77 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Notes that the divergent wage and social security levels in the Member States do not permit or justify an EU-wide harmonised minimum pension;
Amendment 78 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Urges the Member States to draw up their regulations on minimum pensions in such a way that their pension systems cannot be exploited by citizens of other EU states in a kind of social security and pension tourism, which could create serious economic problems for the countries concerned;
Amendment 79 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until their notional retirement age; stresses that
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Stresses that in the long term sustainable economic growth is essential for prosperity and pension provision;
Amendment 80 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until their notional statutory retirement age; stresses that
Amendment 81 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until their notional retirement age; stresses that the first priority in reaching sustainability is to ensure that workers
Amendment 82 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until their notional retirement age and that employees in the most onerous occupational categories tend to retire earlier than others; stresses that the first priority in reaching sustainability is to ensure workers
Amendment 83 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until the
Amendment 84 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Realises that workers generally do not work until their notional retirement age; stresses that the first priority in reaching sustainability is to ensure workers' ability to work until that age by implementing adequate employment enhancing policies and creating appropriate incentives;
Amendment 85 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Believes that a high
Amendment 86 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Underlines that, in order for everyone to be able to secure a decent retirement income, periods of child-care, family-care, part-time work and precarious employment have to be better taken into account in most pension schemes;
Amendment 87 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Believes that the EU should promote a higher protection of workers in times of financial crisis through pension benefit guarantee schemes;
Amendment 88 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 Amendment 89 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Notes that the existing European coordination and legislative framework for pay-as-you-go pension systems and for occupational pension schemes is fully sufficient, has operated successfully for over 50 years in some cases and does not need to be extended;
Amendment 90 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Considers that
Amendment 91 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Considers that the increase in retirement age needs to be correlated with
Amendment 92 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Considers that
Amendment 93 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Considers that the increase in retirement age needs to be correlated with life expectancy and working conditions;
Amendment 94 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 11. Considers that the increase in retirement age needs to be correlated with life expectancy, health and working conditions;
Amendment 95 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Believes that the EU should develop a legislative framework for investment practice and for the prudent management of defined contributions schemes;
Amendment 96 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Stresses that if the EU is to reach agreement on a set of rules or a code of conduct, the way to guarantee providers’ security will be through the general exclusion of high-risk products such as leverage products, hedge funds, private equity, naked short sales and credit default swaps not based on real transactions;
Amendment 97 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 a (new) MOBILITY 11a. Emphasises that, while mobility is becoming increasingly important and necessary in national labour markets, it plays a lesser role at European level and cannot, therefore, be used to justify the introduction of EU minimum standards for occupational pensions, particularly given that EU minimum standards would jeopardise the continued existence of voluntary occupational pension systems in some Member States;
Amendment 98 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 b (new) 11b. Firmly rejects any new EU statutory provisions that call into question voluntary occupational pension systems or make it harder for them to continue to operate – such systems being, not financial-market-based entities, but rather employers’ voluntary social welfare systems which are not profit-orientated and are insolvency-proof under the terms of national rules and arrangements (such as the Pension Guaranty Associations in Luxembourg and Germany);
Amendment 99 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 11 c (new) 11c. Emphatically rejects EU minimum standards for the acquisition and receipt of occupational pension entitlements in the case of employer-financed occupational pension schemes; rejects in particular any reduction in, or ban on, time restrictions for pension entitlements when people change employer, as either option would lead to a 30% increase in costs, which would spell the end of employers’ voluntarily funded pension schemes, thereby harming employees’ interests too – voluntary schemes of this type being worth a total of more than EUR 450 billion in Germany alone;
source: PE-454.512
2010/12/17
IMCO
41 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Stresses that pension systems have to be
Amendment 10 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Is convinced that the mobility of contribution-paying workers, which is what the Union and its single market need to a greater extent, requires across-the- board portability of pension entitlements accrued in any national pension insurance schemes, whether contributory and redistributive or funded.
Amendment 11 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Considers that the priority must be to ensure the smooth functioning of first- pillar retirement schemes, on which most European citizens depend, in particular those on the most modest incomes, and which are at the heart of the European social model.
Amendment 12 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Points out that the change in the balance between the retired and working populations has weakened pay-as-you-go pension schemes based on the principle of solidarity.
Amendment 13 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Reiterates the importance of the Stability and Growth Pact in order to ensure financial stability of Member States in order to secure safe pension schemes to protect future generations, especially in light of the financial and economic crisis;
Amendment 14 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Points up the complementarity and interdependence of the various pension scheme pillars.
Amendment 15 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 b (new) 2b. Notes, as does the Commission, that the economic and financial crisis has underscored the role of public pension schemes as automatic stabilisers, as well as the fragility of private pension savings schemes; therefore concludes that the latter do not represent a dependable solution to the pension funding problem.
Amendment 16 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 3. States that many pension systems still lack transparency concerning
Amendment 17 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers that the EU should develop new indicators to monitor the impact of pension reform, especially on vulnerable groups of users;
Amendment 18 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Urges the Member States to take a best practices approach regarding pensions in the EU and asks for more harmonised supervision;
Amendment 19 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Underlines the fact that stricter regulation and supervision as well as better management and governance of pension schemes are needed to ascertain that citizens' rights and interests are safeguarded, especially since the pensioners' sector is one of the most vulnerable in society, considering that a large percentage are highly dependent on their pension schemes for their livelihood.
Amendment 2 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Stresses that pensions have
Amendment 20 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Highlights the importance of the proper dissemination of information to citizens, by keeping them informed of their rights with regards to pension schemes especially those relating to cross- border activities and mobility;
Amendment 21 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 4. Calls upon the Commission to submit concrete proposals for increasing transparency in relation to pension schemes
Amendment 22 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Stresses the importance of sound financial education from an early stage
Amendment 23 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 5 5. Calls upon Member States to strengthen the access of SMEs, in particular micro companies and individual service providers (such as freelancers), to
Amendment 24 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 6. Welcomes the establishment of national tracing systems for pension rights from different sources in all Member States
Amendment 25 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes that, because of the frequent changes to pension systems, it is barely possible, if at all, for younger citizens to plan for their future as pensioners; calls on the Commission to submit proposals to the parliaments of the Member States as to how their pension systems can be made simpler and more predictable in the longer term;
Amendment 26 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes that EU should not only improve all pension rights of mobile workers but also ensure that they have access to reliable data to make an informed decision before moving cross- border; calls for the right to information of individuals concerning in which countries, sectors and products pension funds invest their assets;
Amendment 27 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on Member States who have not already submitted concrete plans with clearly quantifiable and time-defined milestones and targets on how to strengthen their pension system through the introduction of a second and Third Pillar to treat this matter urgently to enable consumer and citizens to have a clear understanding of what their future pensions will consist of;
Amendment 28 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7.
Amendment 29 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Emphasises that to meet citizen's expectations as regards the Union's internal market, ideally all pension rights should be portable within the EU;
Amendment 3 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 1. Stresses that pensions have to be universal, adequate and sustainable
Amendment 30 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Emphasises that to meet citizen's expectations as regards the Union's internal market, ideally all pension rights should be portable within the EU; considers that currently only statutory and occupational pensions are portable in theory. Is of the opinion that contributions paid by workers into other pension funds should be portable in order to comply more quickly with existing national statutory portability deadlines.
Amendment 31 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 7. Emphasises that to meet citizen's expectations as regards the Union's internal market, ideally all pension rights should be portable within the EU; considers that currently only statutory
Amendment 32 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 7 a (new) Amendment 33 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Calls upon the Commission to
Amendment 34 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Calls upon the Commission to further examine the obstacles to portability
Amendment 35 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 8. Calls upon the Commission to further examine the obstacles to portability, such as accounting standards and fiscal barriers, in order to submit proposals to remove these, accompanied with appropriate supervision measures
Amendment 36 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Considers therefore that if the European Union and the Member States have the best interest to increase workers’ mobility, obstacles to internal and cross- border mobility must be removed and issues such as lack of transferability, long vesting periods, preservation of dormant rights, non-regression and differences in tax treatment and actuarial principles must be addressed;
Amendment 37 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Requests the Commission to examine tax discriminations on life insurances paid cross-border;
Amendment 38 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 9 9. Calls upon the Commission to clarify certain definitions in the IORP-directive, in particular the concept of cross-border activity
Amendment 39 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Acknowledges that for individual pension insurances (third pillar) being offered across borders, obstacles remain. Requests suggestions from the Commission for overcoming these, as well as a general framework for regulating these activities.
Amendment 4 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Asserts that, despite the differences between Member States as to the funding of pension insurance systems, contributory and redistributive schemes remain the main pillar for pension insurance, in particular for workers on the lowest incomes, and that particular attention must therefore be paid to the financial sustainability and viability of such schemes and to the implications of their future funding requirements for public finances within the European Union.
Amendment 40 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 10. Acknowledges that for
Amendment 41 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. In this light, asks the Commission to investigate life insurances under this third pillar.
Amendment 5 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 1 a (new) Amendment 6 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 7 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Underlines that due to the different traditions and national set-up of pension systems the principle of subsidiarity has to be respected
Amendment 8 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 2. Underlines that due to the different traditions and national set-up of pension systems the principles of subsidiarity
Amendment 9 #
Draft opinion Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that reforms in pension schemes should be carried out in a transparent manner and should guarantee that pension regimes are robust, sustainable, affordable and which adequately address the demographic and socio-economic challenges of the future.
source: PE-454.710
2011/01/10
EMPL
463 amendments...
Amendment 1 #
Motion for a resolution Citation -1 (new) - having regard to the horizontal social clause in Article 9 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Amendment 10 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas current data show that the number of people entering the labour market is declining (the EU population of a working age will start to shrink from 2012) and the number of pensioners is rising (in 2008 there w
Amendment 100 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Observes that the EU lacks a set of common criteria and an in-depth analysis which will
Amendment 101 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Observes that the EU lacks a set of common criteria and definitions which illuminate the various pension systems and their capacity to meet the needs of citizens, and that there is therefore a lack of transparent supervision applicable to all systems; stresses that the EU should primarily enhance the comparability of pension schemes and promote exchange of good practices.
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Notes that, in the light of the widely differing arrangements and legal bases in the Member States, the standardisation or additional regulation or supervision of retirement pension systems under the first and second pillars is also pointless; points out that in the specific case of voluntary occupational retirement pension systems any such move might jeopardise their continued existence;
Amendment 103 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 a (new) 7a. Stresses the importance of first-pillar pensions and the need to maintain their adequacy and universal access to them; points out that solidarity-based first-pillar pension schemes are of the utmost importance, especially for the most vulnerable members of society, such as those outside the labour market; calls on Member States to ensure that first-pillar pensions are above the poverty line;
Amendment 104 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 (new) Calls on the Institutions to encourage Member States to stimulate consistent and targeted social policies for families in order to help them perform their procreative function and enhance intergenerational solidarity;
Amendment 107 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 Amendment 108 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, in particular
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B B. whereas the number of people entering the labour market is declining (the EU population of a working age will start to shrink from 2012) and the number of pensioners is rising (according to reliable estimates in 2008 there will be four EU citizens of working age for every one aged 65 or over, by 2020 this figure will be five to one, and by 2060 two to one),
Amendment 110 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote
Amendment 112 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that,
Amendment 113 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that, because of persistent disparities in salaries and careers, women have smaller pensions on average;
Amendment 114 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that, because of disparities in careers, wage differentials, breaks in employment and periods spent as carers, women have smaller pensions on average;
Amendment 115 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that, because of disparities in careers and low wages, women have smaller pensions on average and are more likely to be affected by poverty;
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 8. Regrets that the Green Paper does not devote any attention to the gender issue, particularly bearing in mind that, because of disparities in careers, women have smaller pensions on average; wants specific attention to therefore be paid to the situation of women and in particular to considering maternity leave as time actually worked providing entitlement to retirement benefits;
Amendment 117 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8 a. Given that a large proportion of female workers are employed in atypical and very atypical forms of work, whilst there continues to be a 17% wage gap between men and women, because of which female workers receive lower pensions on average, calls on the Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, to intensify their efforts to effectively combat discrimination in relation to work and, consequently, pension benefits;
Amendment 118 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Considers that the European Union, in accordance with its Charter of Fundamental Rights and particularly Article 23 thereof, should adopt framework principles to ensure that women have access to a decent pension;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Considers that the gender gap in pensions is the result of persistent inequalities on the labour market, such as the gender pay gap, the over- representation of women in precarious and part-time jobs and obstacles to combining professional and private life; calls, therefore, on the Commission and the Member States to continue their efforts to eradicate these inequalities and thus ensure long-term equal treatment for men and women with respect to pensions;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution Recital B a (new) Ba. whereas the provision of adequate, sustainable and safe pensions is inextricably linked with higher levels of employment, greater productivity and economic growth,
Amendment 120 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Calls on the Member States and undertakings to make it possible for family members who care for or nurse elderly relatives to have their nursing care benefits counted towards their own pension entitlements and thus receive appropriate monetary compensation; considers that care provided by family members must not be exploited as a means of making savings;
Amendment 121 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Notes that greater attention should be devoted to the adequacy of women’s pensions, as they take career breaks more often than men in order to care for children and members of their family who are ill or aged, and – in view of their family obligations – have a stronger tendency than men to accept part-time or precarious work;
Amendment 122 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Recognises the need to address adequacy gaps which arise because of periods of unemployment, sickness, caring duties, short-term contracts and atypical work;
Amendment 123 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 a (new) 8a. Calls on Member States and the Commission to consider new approaches to social security, based on a life-course approach; stresses the positive experiences of Member States which are shifting towards such an approach with regard to the sustainability of pensions and poverty prevention; points out that a life-course approach also provides answers to the problem of sound and adequate pensions, as it is not solely based on the number of years worked continuously, but considers working biographies as a whole, integrating changes and interruptions;
Amendment 124 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 8 b (new) 8b. Considers that gender impact studies should be carried out to ensure that gender equality is at the core of any proposal on pension systems in Europe;
Amendment 125 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 Amendment 126 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses the importance of individualising pension entitlements within a system that makes for a strong measure of solidarity in such a way as to guarantee
Amendment 127 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 9. Stresses the importance of individualising pension entitlements in such a way as to guarantee the economic independence of men and women and ensure that pension levels guarantee a decent life;
Amendment 128 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Recommends the adoption of criteria for flexibility in women’s retirement from work which make it possible to acknowledge the value of caring work performed;
Amendment 129 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls on the Member States to take account of the fact that disadvantaged groups, such as migrants, ethnic minorities, persons with disabilities and young people with patchy employment histories, are also disadvantaged when it comes to pensions, and calls for their specific circumstances to be taken into consideration in the Green Paper;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution Recital C Amendment 130 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls for positive criteria to be used in calculating women's pensions, so as to ensure that the caring role they play receives due recognition;
Amendment 131 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Considers the issue of invalidity pensions and provision for people with disabilities to be unavoidable with a view to establishing a sustainable pension system, as this issue presents a serious challenge in some Member States;
Amendment 132 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Considers that the demographic challenge and pressure from the increasing ageing of the European population are also largely due to the current low birth rates; therefore believes that it should be a priority to opt for public policies to encourage the birth rate throughout the EU; to this end sees a need to strengthen support for mothers and the commitment to their inclusion in the employment market on equal terms, for reasons of both economic efficiency and social justice, backing up such measures with an integrated effort to create an employment market that will facilitate the work-life balance;
Amendment 133 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9b (new) 9b. Considers that job insecurity, not only in the European Union as a whole but especially in some Member States, with temporary employment levels of over 30 % and some sections of society particularly hard hit, such as young people and mothers, is a serious problem for the sustainability of pension schemes and is damaging inter-generational solidarity; therefore sees a need to opt strongly for the application of a European strategy, in line with the Europe 2020 Strategy, to ensure there are better levels of inclusion in the employment market in conditions of stability and quality;
Amendment 134 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9b (new) 9b. Notes that many European citizens, particularly young people, are joining and even staying in the employment market as a result of the grant system, and regrets that this is still excluded from social security contributions;
Amendment 135 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 c (new) 9c. Considers it to be a common European interest that people currently with disabilities or with altered capacity to work or who are already receiving assistance on grounds of disability should primarily return to the open labour market, which at the same time will also promote a more rapid refund of investments in connection with ageing;
Amendment 136 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 d (new) 9d. Points out that, in view of Europe’s demographic challenge, controlled immigration, geared to the employment market and with policies that will safeguard immigrants’ full integration into European society, should be regarded as a positive factor that will offset the effects of ageing and depopulation;
Amendment 137 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 a (new) 9a. Calls for measures to combat any kind of potential discrimination, and advocates equality between men and women as regards the level of pensions, indicators and/or quotas;
Amendment 138 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 9 – indent 1 (new) - notes that inter-generational justice and the interests of the young generation must be central aspects of a strengthened coordination method for the further development of national pension policies on the basis of cooperation between the Member States;
Amendment 139 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 Amendment 14 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the financial crisis has led to a growth in unemployment and poverty, particularly among older women and young people, rising budget deficits in many Member States and problems in the financing of pensions (whether tax or otherwise funded),
Amendment 140 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10.
Amendment 141 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Does not consider it possible to set an adequate pension at European level, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances
Amendment 142 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10.
Amendment 143 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Does not consider it possible to set an adequate pension at European level, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances in the Member States, but calls for minimum pension levels to be set above the poverty line at European level and for poverty- proof pensions;
Amendment 144 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Does not consider it possible to set an adequate pension at European level, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances in the Member States; calls, however, on the Union to come up with criteria that make it possible for each Member State to establish a set of criteria to guarantee a minimum level of pensions;
Amendment 145 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 10. Does not consider it possible to set an adequate pension at European level, because the amount required is very dependent on specific circumstances in the Member States; stresses, however, that the EU should define what constitutes adequate and universal pensions, so as to establish joint standards and support a life in dignity for pensioners;
Amendment 146 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Considers adequacy to be guaranteed by means of the stability of State social security provision, its equity and solidarity between the genders and generations, by means of the contractual generalisation of the second pillar and by means of tax incentives for the second and third pillars with measures to be taken as the context requires;
Amendment 147 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10 a. Considers that effectively tackling unemployment and creating new, sustainable, high-quality jobs are important factors in ensuring that pension funds are adequate;
Amendment 148 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Considers that assessment of the adequate minimum pension level in each Member State should also take account of the conditions of access to, and the quality and sufficient funding of, social services of general interest, especially social housing, and the cost of healthcare and of caring for dependent persons, so as to safeguard the dignity of older people;
Amendment 149 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Invites the Council to agree on a guarantee for minimum pensions above the Union’s at-risk-of poverty threshold of 60% of national median equalised income, in order to prevent old-age poverty and to save elderly people from falling into means-tested minimum income schemes;
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the financial crisis has led to a growth in unemployment, rising budget deficits in many Member States and problems in the financing of pensions (whether tax or otherwise funded), and has demonstrated the fragility of certain pension fund systems,
Amendment 150 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Calls on the Council to present a recommendation on adequate pensions;
Amendment 151 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 a (new) 10a. Stresses that adequacy has to be guaranteed by the stability of public pension systems, by their fairness and by solidarity between genders and generations, and considers that it may be useful, at the same time, to introduce contractual generalization under the second pillar and tax incentives under the second and third pillar; these measures must be taken at the same time;
Amendment 152 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 b (new) 10b. Deplores the fact that the Green Paper does not take into account the challenges of social exclusion and social inequality;
Amendment 153 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 b (new) 10b. Calls on the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee to develop new indicators to monitor the impact of pension reforms on vulnerable groups, using new profiles which better reflect gender and career differences;
Amendment 154 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 c (new) 10c. Deplores the fact that the Green Paper does not offer specific solutions for vulnerable groups, such as women, the long-term unemployed, young people, people with precarious employment contracts, migrants, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities, or people who take on responsibilities as carers;
Amendment 155 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 10 – point 1 (new) calls on the Member States to take account of specific national circumstances when determining what constitutes an adequate pension, in order to ensure that people do not fall into the poverty trap;
Amendment 156 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States
Amendment 157 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States are themselves responsible for making
Amendment 158 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States are themselves responsible for making adequate pension provision for their citizens as part of their social and economic policies, at least maintaining pensions above the poverty threshold;
Amendment 159 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States are themselves responsible for making adequate pension provision for their citizens that will provide them with a decent standard of living as part of their social and economic policies;
Amendment 16 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D D. whereas the financial crisis has led to a growth in unemployment, poverty and social exclusion, rising budget deficits in many Member States and problems in the financing of pensions (whether tax or otherwise funded),
Amendment 160 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States are themselves responsible for making adequate pension provision for their citizens as part of their social and economic policies, and to choose the system that seems to them the most appropriate of the models currently available in Europe;
Amendment 161 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 11. Considers that Member States are themselves responsible for making adequate pension provision for their citizens as part of their social and economic policies and recommends an exchange of best practices concerning pension systems among EU Member States;
Amendment 162 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Notes that under the Open Method of Coordination Member States have already agreed to common pension policy objectives which are monitored on the basis of a number of agreed indicators, including adequacy; calls on the Commission to focus on improving the existing indicators, rather than moving away from already agreed objectives and indicators;
Amendment 163 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Observes that pensions must include a basic old-age allowance which ensures that people who have worked all their lives enjoy a dignified retirement; as the economic and financial crisis has led to a rise in poverty, particularly among older people, stresses the need to establish rules on insurance under which the minimum pension paid in the Member States would be linked to their respective poverty thresholds;
Amendment 164 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 11 a (new) 11a. Considers it important that the European Union should continue to encourage Member States to formulate measures to ensure the sustainability of the various pension systems, bearing in mind that the provision of adequate pensions, particularly in the long term, is possible only if the economic system as a whole is sustainable;
Amendment 165 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 Amendment 166 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 Amendment 167 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems and economic situations in Member States at different times, the general system
Amendment 168 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems,
Amendment 169 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with work-related systems (second pillar)
Amendment 17 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas a nuanced assessment of the implications of the crisis for the Member States and retirement pension systems is needed, in particular because there are substantial differences between Member States’ retirement pension systems, ruling out any possibility of proposals for improvements and modernisation which would be valid throughout the EU; whereas, further, in recent years some Member States have already prepared the ground for the measures needed to modernise retirement pension provision,
Amendment 170 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the
Amendment 171 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the
Amendment 172 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with
Amendment 173 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with
Amendment 174 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with voluntary or compulsory savings- or work-related systems (second and third pillars) afford the best guarantee of adequate pension provision;
Amendment 175 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with work-related systems (second pillar) and individual pensions savings schemes (third pillar) afford the best guarantee of adequate pension provision;
Amendment 176 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with work-related systems (second pillar) afford the best guarantee of adequate pension provision, even though the imbalance among these systems is growing;
Amendment 177 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 12. Stresses that, within the diversity of pension systems, the general systems (first pillar) combined with work-related systems (in most cases second pillar) afford the best guarantee of adequate pension provision;
Amendment 178 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Stresses that the financial organisation of pension systems and retirement schemes can also be improved if the Member States significantly increase the level of employment, by measures adapted to all social groups (young people, the elderly, women and the unemployed) and at the same time take steps to prevent job insecurity and combat undeclared labour;
Amendment 179 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Stresses that first-pillar pensions must at least reach the poverty threshold, as the most vulnerable often do not have the means to contribute to second- and third-pillar pension schemes;
Amendment 18 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the goal of a 75% employment rate laid down in the EU2020 Strategy should help secure the sustainability of pension systems,
Amendment 180 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 a (new) 12a. Is absolutely convinced that the Member States’ governments have an obligation to use all the means at their disposal to safeguard the long-term funding and sustainability of the main pillar of retirement schemes, namely the first pillar based on the compulsory contribution paid to the State;
Amendment 181 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 b (new) 12b. Calls on the Member States to consider whether the pension systems and retirement schemes in place can be funded solely by the groups of people at present involved and, if need be, to ascertain whether other forms of revenue, for instance from capital or rental income, should not be taken into account to fund social security systems;
Amendment 182 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 b (new) 12b. Is persuaded that in view of the different features of existing retirement schemes in Europe the first pillar managed by the State and the third pillar based on the supplementary and voluntary aspect (and on savings by individuals) complement each other effectively, represent the main common denominator in the range of diversified systems existing in Europe and thus represent the basis for a ‘European model’ pension scheme, which any Member State is free to supplement with other elements and develop as it sees fit, in accordance with the particular features of its own economic and social environment;
Amendment 183 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 12 c (new) 12c. Takes the view, with regard to the experience of recent decades, that work- related retirement schemes – whether compulsory or voluntary in nature – have not and cannot play more than a secondary role in the vast majority of Member States compared to the first pillar; considers, therefore, that solutions for securing the long-term funding of the first pillar must take absolute priority and that it would be inadvisable at present, before such solutions have been identified, to launch a European debate on promoting work-related retirement schemes in Member States which do not yet have that pillar;
Amendment 184 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Stresses that the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems are
Amendment 185 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Stresses that the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems are certainly also affected by the third pillar, namely individual savings
Amendment 186 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Stresses that
Amendment 187 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Stresses that the sustainability and
Amendment 188 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 13. Stresses that the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems
Amendment 189 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. With a view to guaranteeing adequate and sustainable pension systems, Member States should develop family policies geared to improving the demographic situation, since this would enhance the efficiency of both pay-as- you-go and capital-based pension systems;
Amendment 19 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas a pension is a resource that lasts until the end of the insured person’s life, and not simply a method of capital formation,
Amendment 190 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Draws attention to the successful models for occupational pension provision, which are based on the concept of social or company partnerships;
Amendment 191 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Takes the view that the pensions debate should not only address the issue of the costs of public systems, but also that of the generally higher costs of private and occupational retirement pension systems, and should take a critical look at whether those costs are sustainable in the long term;
Amendment 192 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Believes that better sharing of information between Member States on the costs and effectiveness of forms of tax relief on private pensions would be very useful;
Amendment 193 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 a (new) 13a. Welcomes the Commission’s proposals to improve the social protection of consumers and investors in the internal market in capital-based retirement pension products and to increase market transparency by introducing uniform standards and clear product-description rules;
Amendment 194 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 13 b (new) 13b. Agrees with the Commission that, in the context of sustainable development, the term ‘pension’ should be defined as forms of provision which meet stringent social standards, for example in terms of security and rules governing access; emphasises the importance of a distribution system which guarantees people regular payments in retirement and of secure, sustainable arrangements governing capital-based pension provision under the second and third pillars;
Amendment 195 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 Amendment 196 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 Amendment 197 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 Amendment 198 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 Amendment 199 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of expenditure;
Amendment 2 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 9 a (new) - having regard to the Commission proposal for a Council directive on implementing the principle of equal treatment between persons irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation (COM(2008)0426) and Parliament's position thereon,
Amendment 20 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the increasing prevalence of interim or precarious jobs is reducing contributions to pension systems and damaging the stability of those systems and the adequacy of future pensions,
Amendment 200 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of expenditure; calls on Member States to consider introducing compensation so that all taxpayers who cannot achieve the level of ambition in the first and second pillars are entitled to a supplementary offset of pension contributions in the second pillar or of contributions to private pension schemes in the third pillar;
Amendment 201 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of expenditure; calls on Member States to consider introducing compensation so that
Amendment 202 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of expenditure; calls on Member States to
Amendment 203 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under severe pressure and that many Member States are reviewing the efficiency of
Amendment 204 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14.
Amendment 205 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 14. Notes that national budgets are under
Amendment 206 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 14 a (new) 14a. Points out that because of the financial crisis, several Member States are planning to introduce changes to their pension systems; urges them, however, to ensure that pension systems remain stable, reliable and sustainable, and that all changes are made after adequate social dialogue and on the basis of the provision of sufficient information; advocates that, if choices can be made by employees, enough time should be provided for them to make informed and well thought-out decisions;
Amendment 207 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 Amendment 208 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Stresses that inflation and speculation damage
Amendment 209 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Stresses that high inflation damages, but good economic growth and a high employment rate increase, the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems;
Amendment 21 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas risk mitigation and shock absorption need to be taken into account in the design of pension funds,
Amendment 210 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 15. Stresses that inflation and the instability of financial markets damage
Amendment 211 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Observes that budgetary consolidation in the Member States must not result in cuts in social security systems and pensions;
Amendment 212 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15 α. Calls on the Commission to set up a pensions observatory to study and assess the economic and social impact of the structural changes introduced in the Member States, as well as the effectiveness of each pension system in the light of the objective of ensuring that pension benefits are adequate and pension funds are financially sustainable;
Amendment 213 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Reminds the Member States to take account of the balance between active and passive periods in working life when in future they come to calculate their pension models;
Amendment 214 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Believes that more progressive tax systems can generate increased revenues for Member States, thus ensuring the sustainability and adequacy of pensions;
Amendment 215 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Recommends the deletion of Article 5 (2) of Directive 2004/113/EC in order to rule out gender-related discrimination in access to pension schemes, and to promote gender-neutral payments;
Amendment 216 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Points out that postponing the statutory retirement age would to a large extent only displace the pressure on national budgets, from the pensions heading to that for unemployment benefits or the minimum wage;
Amendment 217 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Observes that budgetary consolidation in the Member States must not result in cuts in social security systems and pensions;
Amendment 218 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) Amendment 219 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Considers that tax evasion has become a worrying phenomenon and must be combated as effectively as possible, because it undermines the future adequacy and stability of pension systems;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D a (new) Da. whereas the sustainability of pension systems in individual Member States is a matter of concern for the EU as a whole, since both old-age poverty and future public finance constraints affect the entire EU; whereas pension funds under the second and third pillars (occupational and private schemes) are invested across borders, and whereas pension funds are acquiring a greater influence over financial markets,
Amendment 220 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Recommends the abandonment of lengthy contribution periods and minimum retirement ages in order to allow for the creation of decent pension entitlements for employees working part time, and for young employees from the first day of their working lives;
Amendment 221 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Points out that the spread of interim or precarious jobs may have a harmful impact on the adequacy and stability of pensions, particularly for young people, who often have breaks in their careers and contribution paths;
Amendment 222 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 b (new) 15b. Stresses that a socially active pensionable age is also a social necessity: besides the steep increase in health expenditure, there is an ever increasing tendency to defer further studies and starting a family, and families often find that there is little family solidarity, in addition to which it is necessary to take into account families’ likely future ability to save;
Amendment 223 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more
Amendment 224 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market
Amendment 225 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that
Amendment 226 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that
Amendment 227 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to have the opportunity to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer;
Amendment 228 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary
Amendment 229 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing
Amendment 23 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas it is estimated that the annual pensions gap in the EU27 is €1.9 trillion, or 19% of 2010 EU GDP (the pensions gap is the difference between the pension provision currently in place and the pension provision that people retiring between 2011 and 2051 will need to maintain a comparable standard of living in retirement),
Amendment 230 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer;
Amendment 231 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes
Amendment 232 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the
Amendment 233 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life
Amendment 234 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; encourages Member States to consider the strong socioeconomic arguments in favour of discontinuing policies which deter older workers from remaining active on the labour market for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing and calls on Member States to consider linking the statutory retirement age to life expectancy;
Amendment 235 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic
Amendment 236 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing and calls on Member States to consider linking the statutory retirement age to life expectancy, together with quality of life and health, in an effort to achieve a balance between the length of working life and the length of retirement;
Amendment 237 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 16. Considers that, in view of demographic trends and the need to ensure that pensions can be paid for, it is necessary for more people to participate in the labour market and to do so for longer; observes that life expectancy is growing and calls on Member States to consider linking the statutory retirement age to life expectancy; considers it important to make it possible to extend working lives, with incentives in the field of tax and contributions;
Amendment 238 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Considers that excessive use is being made of the early retirement option, to an extent that is especially worrying in sectors that do not have arduous working conditions, such as finance or telecommunications; therefore calls on the Member States to more closely regulate this option and reduce its excessive use, since not only have expectations of engaging new people in the employment market not been fulfilled, let alone fulfilled in the same conditions of security and quality as workers taking early retirement, but the latter have also created a significant extra load on the fiscal balance of the EU’s pension schemes;
Amendment 239 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16 α. Considers it would be useful, given that more and more young people are entering the labour market later because of the longer duration of higher education, for there to be a formula linking practice, study and work experience programmes with the social security systems;
Amendment 24 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D c (new) Dc. whereas this pensions gap can be bridged by means of a number of different measures, which need to be clearly identified and developed at Member State level,
Amendment 240 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 15 a (new) 15a. Opposes any automatic adjustment of the age of entitlement to retirement pensions following the future trend in life expectancy and harmonisation of the statutory retirement age;
Amendment 241 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Welcomes the general debate on a minimum retirement age applicable in all EU Member States and draws attention to the need to significantly raise the actual retirement age; observes that, to this end, older people must be motivated to remain on the labour market and to meet its requirements by means of lifelong learning; notes that the accumulated expertise is a valuable building block in industry, research and society;
Amendment 242 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Calls on the Commission to set up a study analysing the way wealth distribution is influencing life expectancy in Member States;
Amendment 243 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Rejects the automatic linkage of the statutory retirement age to life expectancy;
Amendment 244 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Considers it impossible and counterproductive to set a uniform retirement age at European level, as such an age is very dependent on specific circumstances in the individual Member States; stresses instead that unemployment, which has risen substantially in many Member States, must be combated effectively;
Amendment 245 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Considers that in view of the demographic challenge Member States should together consider, as part of the open method of coordination, the desirability of each of them establishing new sources of funding for public pension schemes beyond the work-related resources;
Amendment 246 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Considers that it is not demographic trends – i.e. the ratio between older people and people of working age – that should determine the future affordability of pension systems but the development of an economic dependency ratio – i.e. the ratio between recipients of non-wage incomes and those actually in gainful employment;
Amendment 247 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Stresses the urgent need to create working conditions that enable older workers who so choose to remain on the labour market; stresses that, given the low percentage of older workers on the labour market, age discrimination must be combated; calls on the Commission, on the basis of its anti-discrimination work, and on the Member States to develop instruments so that working conditions are adapted to the needs of older workers; points to the importance of measures such as the right to flexible working times for older workers, the right to training and the right to a flexible exit into retirement without loss of entitlements;
Amendment 248 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 16 a (new) 16a. Notes that the economic downturn at EU level is putting more pressure on national budgets, and calls for a commitment on the part of Member States to draw up and prioritise a long-term strategy for pension systems;
Amendment 249 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17.
Amendment 25 #
Motion for a resolution Recital D b (new) Db. whereas the trend towards supplementary pensions constitutes a risk for people with temporary or part-time contracts who do not build up sufficient pension rights; whereas the EU should play a leading role in preventing age discrimination on the labour market and defending the pension rights of workers with atypical contracts or who have had breaks in their careers,
Amendment 250 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory
Amendment 251 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements
Amendment 252 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements
Amendment 253 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the
Amendment 254 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; observes that these disparities are especially salient for employees in the most onerous occupational categories; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life,
Amendment 255 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed, which must be eliminated; calls on Member States and
Amendment 256 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; recognises that priority should be given to ensuring that employees can work until the statutory retirement age; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life, for example by reducing early retirement possibilities and rewarding people who work for longer;
Amendment 257 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and
Amendment 258 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, on the basis of real situations for reforming their retirement schemes, to include in such reforms thinking on age management, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life, for example by rewarding people who work for longer;
Amendment 259 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life, for example by rewarding people who work for longer and, in the case of women, providing them with insurance cover for periods spent as carers;
Amendment 26 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 Amendment 260 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 17. Notes that there are major disparities in the statutory retirement age and in the actual age at which older people cease to be employed; calls on Member States and the two sides of industry, therefore, to exchange information about good experiences and to conclude agreements leading to a prolongation of working life, for example by rewarding people who work for longer and introducing disincentives for early retirement;
Amendment 261 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Considers that Member States should take into account the need to introduce financial incentives in order to encourage workers to continue working beyond the statutory retirement age: benefits acquired after reaching retirement age should be more attractive than those acquired earlier;
Amendment 262 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Calls on the Member States to use the EU Year of Active Ageing, 2012, to engage in cooperation with the social partners and, with the support of the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, to develop recommendations concerning the creation of high-quality jobs and the reduction of physical and mental stress for employees, thus enabling them to work until existing statutory retirement ages and making it unnecessary to raise those ages further;
Amendment 263 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 a (new) 17a. Notes that working life should not only be prolonged at both ends, but also in the middle; stresses that employment and decent work are the best tools for prolonging careers;
Amendment 264 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls on the Member States to provide employers with information and to offer them advice with the aim of reducing prejudices concerning the employment of older persons (for example advice concerning health training, ergonomic changes to working routines, and working conditions that safeguard older employees' health and their ability to work);
Amendment 265 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 17 b (new) 17b. Calls on the Member States to introduce socially acceptable incentives for later retirement and, where desirable, develop attractive models for a flexible transition from work to retirement;
Amendment 266 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 Amendment 267 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age; draws it to Member States’ attention, therefore, that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the
Amendment 268 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that
Amendment 269 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a dynamic labour market
Amendment 27 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 270 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for
Amendment 271 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements of employment and the capacities of workers; considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age by monitoring the correct implementation of Directives 2000/78 and 2006/54 and by means of the EU 2020 Strategy; considers it necessary to increase protection of older workers, facilitating lifelong learning for them;
Amendment 272 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the
Amendment 273 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements of employment and the capacities of workers; considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age; observes furthermore that reductions in earned income, breaks in gainful employment, for example for purposes of education or to act as a carer, qualification measures and unemployment arising through no fault of one’s own, must be taken into greater account as prime causes of the risk of poverty in old age;
Amendment 274 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements of employment and the capacities of workers; considers there to be a need for an active policy to prevent discrimination on grounds of age which should promote a European culture of active ageing and make it possible for older people to lead a life of vitality and dignity;
Amendment 275 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 18. Considers that, for older employees performing physically and/or mentally demanding work, a labour market geared to flexibility and security must offer creative solutions such as greater flexibility in the statutory retirement age, part-time pensions or adapted working conditions, with the emphasis on ability to work, to strike a lasting balance between the requirements
Amendment 276 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Stresses that an older labour force and longer working lives do not imply lower productivity or less innovation and in fact can make a positive contribution to the recovery and future growth;
Amendment 277 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Observes that older workers often find it difficult to adjust to the changing conditions on the labour market, which is why they are to some extent less in demand; stresses, however, that, because of their many years of experience, they can be very useful to the economy, a fact which is far too often overlooked; considers, therefore, that the use of older workers in part-time retirement can be an excellent approach;
Amendment 278 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18 α. Calls on the Member States to combat effectively the practice of making workers approaching retirement redundant by providing more support for job-seeking services and training to enhance their employability, and to examine the possibility of subsidising, jointly with employers, part of their insurance contributions under certain terms and conditions, such as age, possibility of reintegration into the labour market, etc.;
Amendment 279 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Stresses that the EU 2020 has set out to achieve a 75% employment rate among persons aged 20-64; calls on the Member States to raise employment levels and, in particular, increase employment among older women and men in order to modernise the functioning of labour markets and introduce structural reforms based on the flexicurity approach; calls on the Member States to offer comprehensive advice and support for jobseekers and rehabilitation measures for long-term reintegration into the labour market;
Amendment 28 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1.
Amendment 280 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Stresses that it is important to take account of the health – the mental and physical capacities – of older workers and, in that light, to determine the duration and type of work which they can perform;
Amendment 281 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Observes that the absence from the labour market of somewhat more than half of the approximately 80 million people living with disabilities is having a dramatic impact, as the number of employed people in Europe will decline by half this number, i.e. around 20 million, by 2020; notes furthermore that, by creating reasonable conditions and organising work flexibly, it is possible, appropriately and effectively, from the point of view of work, not only to increase the proportion of people living with disabilities who are employed but also to raise the retirement age in the interests of sustainability and also bearing in mind that the only source of later growth will be labour productivity;
Amendment 282 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 a (new) 18a. Considers that any change in state pensionable age must allow sufficient time for individuals to prepare for the new situation;
Amendment 283 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 b (new) 18 b. Calls on the Member States, in the context of the reforms and the extension of working life, and with the assistance of the Commission, to intensify their efforts to promote health at work through more effective implementation of the directives on health and safety at work, and by creating a culture which promotes health among the workforce, with the emphasis on small and medium-sized businesses;
Amendment 284 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 18 c (new) 18 c. Stresses that, in the case of intellectually and physically demanding jobs, lifelong learning is a useful tool for giving older workers the opportunity to carry on working by performing other tasks;
Amendment 285 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 Amendment 286 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to sustainable and adequate pension systems; welcomes, however, its reference to the inclusion of older workers in the labour market;
Amendment 287 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to sustainable and adequate pension systems, although the attainment of some of the objectives presented in that document depends on them;
Amendment 288 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to sustainable and adequate pension systems; suggests therefore that these objectives should be incorporated into the EU 2020 Strategy;
Amendment 289 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to sustainable and adequate pension systems
Amendment 29 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Appreciates the holistic approach adopted by the Green Paper, which – taking particular account of the subsidiarity principle - is intended to impart fresh impetus at national and EU level with the aim of safeguarding old-age pensions;
Amendment 290 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 19. Regrets that the 2020 Strategy devotes no explicit attention to decent, sustainable and adequate pension systems;
Amendment 291 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 19 a (new) 19a. Calls on the EU to make the adequacy and sustainability of pension schemes a part of the 2020 strategy so as to ensure that the employment and growth strategy supports the EU's efforts to achieve its social cohesion goals;
Amendment 292 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 Amendment 293 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful, this will mean that more
Amendment 294 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful, this will mean that more people are in work
Amendment 295 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful
Amendment 296 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful
Amendment 297 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful, this will mean that more people are in quality work and that economic growth will benefit from this, thus enhancing both the sustainability and the adequacy of pension systems;
Amendment 298 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 20. Considers that, if the 2020 Strategy is successful, this will mean that more people are in work and that economic growth will benefit from this, thus enhancing both the sustainability and the adequacy of pension systems;
Amendment 299 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Considers that policies of discounting social security contributions have become widespread, particularly in the last decade, with the aim of encouraging employability; as such policies have been shown not to be fully effective in fulfilling such aims and involve reducing public resources allocated to pensions, sees a need to require responsible, limited and extremely localised of discount schemes, to ensure not only that such policies are effective but also that the public pension system is reinforced;
Amendment 3 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 9 b (new) - having regard to Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 establishing a general framework for equal treatment in employment and occupation,
Amendment 30 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Appreciates the holistic approach adopted by the Green Paper, which is intended to impart fresh impetus at national and EU level with the aim of safeguarding
Amendment 300 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20a. Considers that there is a need to reinforce mutual recognition between the Member States of training courses which could improve the match between supply and demand on the job market at European level, thus helping to meet the EU 2020 strategy target of a 75% employment rate;
Amendment 301 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 20 a (new) 20 α. Considers that, in the light of the marked differences between the Member States' individual pension systems, greater use should be made of the open coordination method for the exchange of best practice and experience in relation to pension systems, particularly in the context of the structural changes which are in progress to ensure that pension systems are sustainable and pension benefits are adequate;
Amendment 302 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of
Amendment 303 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports
Amendment 304 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older workers, women, members of minority groups
Amendment 305 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older workers, women, members of minority groups, young people in the period of transition between school and work, people with different abilities and the long-term unemployed;
Amendment 306 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older workers, women, members of minority groups, young people making the transition from school to work, disabled people and the long-term unemployed;
Amendment 307 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older workers, women, disabled people, members of minority groups and the long- term unemployed;
Amendment 308 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020
Amendment 309 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 21. Supports, in accordance with the 2020 Strategy, a targeted and active labour market policy which will lead to increased participation in employment on the part of older and young workers, women, members of minority groups and the long- term unemployed;
Amendment 31 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 1. Appreciates the holistic approach adopted by the Green Paper, which is intended to impart fresh impetus at national and EU level with the aim of safeguarding old-age pensions; notes, however, the restrictive conclusions regarding retirement age and the prominence given to the different pillars;
Amendment 310 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Recalls that it is up to the Member States to implement the EU2020 strategy and calls on Member States to consider appropriate policy measures that will encourage older workers to remain active on the labour market, taking into account their own national circumstances and traditions;
Amendment 311 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21 α. Calls on the Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, to adopt effective policies to help the disabled gain access to employment and training and to activate that section of the population, which will both increase the revenue of the funds and secure a decent standard of living for the disabled;
Amendment 312 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Takes the view that measures involving the exchange, development and implementation of proven practices in the area of working conditions and the organisation of work are necessary as part of the EU 2020 Strategy;
Amendment 313 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Considers that the investment role of pension funds in assisting the move to a sustainable, low-carbon and socially inclusive society envisaged in the 2020 strategy should be taken into account;
Amendment 314 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Considers that pension schemes cannot serve as adjustment variables to meet the objectives of the stability and growth pact and that the aim of any reform of pension schemes should be to preserve their long-term sustainability;
Amendment 315 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Calls on the Member States to put measures in place to protect workers' health and safety at work as soon as they enter the job market;
Amendment 316 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 a (new) 21a. Considers it a relevant point that the Member States should manage to safeguard an adequate level of pay, as laid down in the EU 2020 Strategy, since adequate pay levels, through their respective contributions, also help to safeguard adequate pension schemes;
Amendment 317 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 b (new) 21 b. Calls on the Member States, with the assistance of the Commission, to support efforts to promote the economic integration of immigrants by combating undeclared work and improving the employability of the immigrant section of the population;
Amendment 318 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 b (new) 21b. Considers that the Ecofin Council cannot pre-empt the debate on the future of pensions from the short-term point of view of bringing public finances back into balance;
Amendment 319 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 c (new) 21 c. Calls on the Member States, in cooperation with the EU, to take initiatives to facilitate access to the labour market for students who wish to work while pursuing their studies;
Amendment 32 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Firmly opposes new EU legal provisions which seek to standardise, call into question or hamper the continued implementation of functioning state pension systems;
Amendment 320 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 21 – point 1 (new) 1. Considers that, in order to pursue the objectives of the EU 2020 Strategy and in particular to attain an employment rate of 75% of people aged between 20 and 64, it is necessary to reform the pension system so as not to penalise young people’s entry into the world of work;
Amendment 321 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22.
Amendment 322 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses th
Amendment 323 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of mobility on national labour
Amendment 324 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the EU, as well as the need for such mobility; considers, therefore, that if the European Union and the Member States have a strong interest in increasing workers’ mobility, obstacles to internal and cross-border mobility must be removed and issues such as lack of transferability, long vesting periods, preservation of dormant rights, non- regression and differences in tax treatment and actuarial principles must be addressed;
Amendment 325 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of
Amendment 326 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the EU, as well as the need for such mobility, but considers that it must not have any negative impact on national social security systems;
Amendment 327 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the EU, as well as the need for such mobility and the positive impact which a more dynamic labour market could have on the pension system;
Amendment 328 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 22. Stresses the growing importance of labour-market mobility in the EU, as well as the need for such mobility, which sometimes also has a negative impact on employees;
Amendment 329 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Firmly opposes new EU legal provisions which call into question voluntary occupational pension schemes or hamper their continuation; observes that these schemes are not, after all, financial market schemes but a form of voluntary social provision by employers, not based on any intention of making a profit, which is immune from insolvency thanks to national rules and systems (such as the pensions insurance association in Luxembourg and Germany);
Amendment 33 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 a (new) 1a. Emphasises that demographic change is a prognosis relying on statistical probability and that, as the recent crisis has shown, it is not possible to establish enough criteria to predict future developments;
Amendment 330 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Draws attention to the fact that immigration within the European Union affects the whole market and destroys its equilibrium, in addition to which it affects pensions; notes that, because of immigration, demographic changes are not identical in the EU Member States and that it would therefore be desirable to institute financial arrangements to regulate the portability and mobility of pensions throughout the EU;
Amendment 331 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Considers therefore that there is a need to improve information and advice to members of pension schemes by setting up, where needed, one-stop-shops to give an efficient and precise response to the requests of those who have worked in several Member States;
Amendment 332 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Considers that the EU should introduce reporting mechanisms through the Social Open Method of Coordination to monitor progress in ensuring both the sustainability and adequacy of pensions in the medium and long term;
Amendment 333 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Considers that, given the shift to funded schemes which is already taking place, Article 5(2) of Directive 2004/113/EC should be amended to ban differences in treatment on the basis of gender in funded occupational pension schemes to avoid widening the gender income gap;
Amendment 334 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Emphasises that the liberalisation of prudential regulation brought about by that directive may have contributed to the losses and problems suffered by occupational pension schemes in the financial crisis; highlights the fact that the IORP Directive does not provide for proper protection of the contributions and future pensions of the members of occupational pension schemes and calls on the Commission to repeal it;
Amendment 335 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 a (new) 22a. Is convinced that the European internal market for old-age pension products represents unity in diversity and intergenerational solidarity, that no ideal, universal pension model exists, that even new solvency rules laid down in a directive must be based on acceptance of this and that the main focus must be on products available which are of international significance, as greater legislative efficiency in European implementation must not result in powers being exceeded so as to encroach on the powers of national governments;
Amendment 336 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 b (new) 22b. Expressly opposes EU minimum standards for the acquisition and preservation of occupational pension entitlements if the occupational pensions have been financed by the employer; rejects in particular any reduction of, or prohibition on, periods in relation to which occupational pension entitlements no longer lapse when an employee changes employer; observes that both would increase costs by up to 30%, which would mean an end to the occupational pension schemes voluntarily financed by businesses, which cannot be in the interests of employees either; observes that in Germany alone, such voluntary schemes have a total volume of more than €450 billion;
Amendment 337 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 b (new) 22b. Calls for grandfathered status for existing arrangements and agreements on the social responsibility of businesses;
Amendment 338 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 b (new) 22b. Advocates a step-by-step reintegration of the assets of funded schemes into public pension schemes - as Argentina has done - in order to strengthen the redistributive character of pension systems; calls on the Member States to promote statutory pension systems which guarantee that old-age poverty can be prevented and, through their earnings-related component, ensure that living standards are maintained;
Amendment 339 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 b (new) 22b. Notes that EU regulation should not only coordinate arrangements governing the pension rights of mobile workers, but also monitor and supervise the overall performance of national pension systems, in order to protect the pension rights of mobile workers and ensure that they have access to reliable data which enables them to make an informed decision before moving cross-border;
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Notes that the existing European coordination and legal framework for pay-as-you-go pension systems and occupational retirement pension systems is entirely adequate, has been operating successfully in some cases for more than 50 years and does not need to be expanded;
Amendment 340 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 c (new) 22c. Stresses that employer-financed occupational pensions are primarily instruments of loyalty to the business and serve to retain employees; notes that, due to demographic change and the associated substantial reduction in the availability of labour, occupational pensions, which are already of great significance, will become even more so throughout Europe; notes that, in Germany alone, 65% of all employees are already affiliated to occupational pension schemes;
Amendment 341 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 d (new) 22d. Stresses that the Pension Funds Directive must protect legitimate expectations in the form of pre-existing commitments, so that it is not acceptable for the requirements relating to capitalisation and other supervisory aspects to be retrospectively rendered more stringent; stresses that this would jeopardise the survival of voluntary occupational old-age pension schemes; observes that direct commitments have no place within the scope of the Pension Funds Directive, as no payments are made to external pension funds and as national safety mechanisms operate in the event of insolvency;
Amendment 342 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 e (new) 22e. Stresses that a vesting period of at least five years must apply to employer- financed occupational pensions, as they solely constitute an instrument to bind employees and reward loyalty to the business;
Amendment 343 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 f (new) 22f. Observes that EU rules on transferability of occupational pensions may only apply to pension systems with full capital cover, while systems financed by liability reserves and other systems without full capital cover must continue to be excluded from transfer;
Amendment 344 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 g (new) 22g. Calls for a Commission study on the extent of cross-border labour mobility;
Amendment 345 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 h (new) 22h. Calls for investigation into whether pensions insurance associations, such as those that exist in Luxembourg and Germany to safeguard second-pillar pensions in the event of insolvency, can be recommended to other Member States as security models and best practice;
Amendment 346 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 i (new) 22i. Calls on the Commission to commission an impact assessment analysing the additional costs entailed in the Member States through the introduction of EU minimum standards and the standardisation of aspects of second-pillar provision (e.g. vesting period changes, new indexation arrangements and the inclusion of direct commitments within the scope of the Pension Funds Directive);
Amendment 347 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 j (new) 22j. Notes that the structural differences between pension systems and differing performance targets in the Member States rule out any EU internal market for pensions or occupational pensions;
Amendment 348 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 k (new) 22k. Firmly rejects the inclusion within the scope of the IORP Directive of any form of in-company social cover, e.g. ‘book reserve schemes’, because such schemes do not constitute financial market products; emphasises that applying IORP provisions would generate huge cost increases, thus leading to the abolition of in-company schemes – an outcome which cannot be in the interests of employees and which is glaringly at odds with the political aim of improving pension provision;
Amendment 349 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 l (new) 22l. Calls for companies’ voluntary occupational pension schemes to be exempt from EU minimum standards in order to prevent their curtailment or abolition and to protect employees’ interests;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 b (new) 1b. Emphasises that life expectancy is contingent on multiple factors, that working conditions and safety at work are decisive, and that, therefore, special account needs to be taken of forms of employment involving a high degree of psychic and physical stress;
Amendment 350 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 22 – point 1 (new) 1. Notes that, as stated in the Monti Report, mobility of workers, which is necessary in order to improve the efficiency of employment markets, is still inadequate in Europe;
Amendment 351 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes that, in the first pillar, pension entitlements are governed by the relevant coordinating Regulation, but that, for
Amendment 352 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes that while, in the first pillar, pension entitlements are governed by the relevant coordinating Regulation
Amendment 353 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes that, in the first pillar, pension entitlements are governed by the relevant coordinating Regulation, but that, for second-pillar pensions, simplified arrangements are needed to ensure portability;
Amendment 354 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 23. Notes that, in the first pillar, pension entitlements are governed by the relevant coordinating Regulation, but that, for second-pillar pensions, arrangements are needed to ensure portability, although entitlements under occupational pension schemes do not constitute a major hindrance to mobility;
Amendment 355 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Rejects the concept of a supplementary implementation arrangement laid down at European level (28th regime) because it would bring no added value given the need for it to connect in various ways with the wide range of national taxation and social security systems;
Amendment 356 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 23 a (new) 23a. Notes that, as indicated by the analyses performed and reported on in the Green Paper itself, significant differences persist in the implementation of Directive 2003/41 by Member States; considers it desirable, therefore, to adopt a Community initiative to create a homogeneous reference framework for the operational capability of pension funds which will enable the sector to develop in a manner appropriate to meet the new and altered requirements of Member States;
Amendment 357 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 Amendment 358 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 Amendment 359 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Considers that, while birth rates are expected to decline, economic productivity is steadily increasing and is likely to offset future costs for pension schemes;
Amendment 360 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various second-pillar systems, conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability begins when new contracts are concluded, an application for transfer being approved only if the actuarial sum transferred is to be placed in a fund whose purpose is payment of old-age pensions;
Amendment 361 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various second-pillar systems, conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability begins when new contracts are concluded, an application for transfer being approved only if the actuarial sum transferred is to be placed in a fund whose purpose is payment of old-age pensions;
Amendment 362 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various second-pillar systems, conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability
Amendment 363 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various
Amendment 364 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various second-pillar systems, conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability begins when new contracts are concluded, but that every effort should be made to include existing contracts where possible; an application for transfer being approved only if the actuarial sum transferred is to be placed in a fund whose purpose is payment of old-age pensions; considers that tax must be calculated and paid in the Member State where the entitlements have been accumulated;
Amendment 365 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 24. Considers that, because of the diversity and complexity of the various second-pillar systems, conditions need to be laid down concerning the portability of acquired pension entitlements in the sense that portability begins when new contracts are concluded, an application for transfer being approved only if the actuarial sum transferred is to be placed in a fund whose purpose is payment of old-age pensions; considers that tax must be calculated and paid in the Member State where the entitlements have been accumulated; with regard to cross-border issues, the clear focus of EU activity should be on developing minimum standards for the acquisition and preservation of pension rights and on facilitating the establishment of national tracking systems for those rights;
Amendment 366 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Notes that occupational pension provision in the form of in-company schemes does not work at transnational level;
Amendment 367 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 a (new) 24a. Observes that in countries with a strong second pillar not all categories of workers have access to funded occupational pensions; believes that funded occupational pensions should also be accessible for workers with a precarious or fixed-term contract;
Amendment 368 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 b (new) 24b. Points out that European-level harmonisation of technical standards is not helpful, due to biometric differences (in mortality rates and likelihood of invalidity), continuing differences in the legal structure of IORPs and differences in national social-security, tax and labour laws;
Amendment 369 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 c (new) 24c. Underscores the point that employer- financed occupational pension schemes are a form of voluntary provision by employers, one of the aims of which is to reward and promote employee loyalty; considers, therefore, that because, under labour law, the provision of this type of occupational pension is at the discretion of the employer, who also determines its level and the form it takes, a vesting period of several years is justified; points out that the reduction of vesting periods, by increasing the financial burden on employers, would have the effect of making them less willing to enter into voluntary commitments, ultimately resulting in the curtailment or abolition of this form of supplementary occupational pension provision for individual employees – an outcome at odds with the intended social-policy objectives;
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 c (new) 1c. Emphasises that pay-as-you-go state pension systems have demonstrated their stability and reliability by passing the stress test constituted by the financial and economic crisis;
Amendment 370 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 d (new) 24d. Points out the risk that successful and sustainable old-age pension schemes could be unnecessarily burdened, or indeed that their viability could be threatened; considers it necessary that portability standards should not apply in an unrestricted way to internal implementation arrangements which retain liquidity within companies and which would be substantially affected by an obligation to release such liquidity in the event of transfer;
Amendment 371 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 24 – point 1 (new) 1. Observes that, in order to raise the mobility rate, it is necessary to inform European citizens of their pension rights accumulated in Member States where they have been employed;
Amendment 372 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 Amendment 373 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar pension provision has been recognised
Amendment 374 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that
Amendment 375 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar and third- pillar pension provision has been recognised, and that
Amendment 376 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar pension provision has been recognised, and that
Amendment 377 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar pension provision has been recognised
Amendment 378 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar occupational retirement pension provision has been recognised, that responsibility for such provision stills rests with the Member States and that it must also be ensured that such provision meets European conditions and criteria applicable to second-pillar provision; points out that, as a matter of principle, the introduction of a second pillar must not lessen the responsibility of the welfare state for poverty-proof pension provision;
Amendment 379 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar and third- pillar pension provision has been recognised, and that it must also be ensured that such provision meets European conditions and criteria
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 d (new) Amendment 380 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar pension provision has been recognised, and that it must also be ensured that such provision meets European conditions and criteria applicable to second-pillar provision; at the same time, notes that in cases where Member States have mandatory pension funds managed by private institutions, such schemes should also be reviewed from the point of view of compliance with European conditions and criteria as regards security, investment and asset classification;
Amendment 381 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 25 25. Notes that in many Member States the importance of second-pillar pension provision linked to a profession has been recognised, and that it must also be ensured that such provision
Amendment 382 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 Amendment 383 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that
Amendment 384 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all
Amendment 385 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all employees by right, in those Member States where work-related pensions are not mainly included in the first pillar, without any discrimination on grounds of sex, sector and/or employment contract;
Amendment 386 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all employees by right, without any discrimination on grounds of age, sex, sector and/or employment contract;
Amendment 387 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all employees by right, without any discrimination on grounds of age, sex, sector and/or employment contract;
Amendment 388 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all employees by right, without any discrimination on grounds of sex, age, sector and/or employment contract;
Amendment 389 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 26. Considers that the second pillar must be available to all employees by right, without any discrimination on grounds of age, sex, sector and/or employment contract;
Amendment 39 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 e (new) 1e. Emphasises that, not only in times of economic crisis, private pension funds and occupational pensions are subject to market developments and, as a result, face the risk of losses owing to market fluctuations and possible insolvencies; notes, further, that there is no evidence that better regulation can eliminate these risks;
Amendment 390 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 26 a (new) 26a. Considers that, with an eye to the future, changes in the provisions affecting second-pillar and third-pillar products, in the interests of intergenerational solidarity, should be applied to new agreements;
Amendment 391 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 Amendment 392 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 Amendment 393 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 Amendment 394 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 Amendment 395 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 Amendment 396 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 27. Calls on the Commission to investigate how employees‘ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated
Amendment 397 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 27. Calls on the Commission to investigate how employees’ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated
Amendment 398 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 27. Calls on the Commission to encourage Member States to investigate how employees' right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated
Amendment 399 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 27. Calls on the Commission to investigate how employees’ right to participate in the second pillar can be facilitated and to make proposals, through enhanced social dialogue, for developing such a pillar where it does not yet exist and a method of governance to ensure that it is managed jointly, particularly with regard to its savings investment strategy;
Amendment 4 #
Motion for a resolution Citation 12 – having regard to the report of the Committee on Employment and Social Affairs and the opinions of the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs under Rule 50 of the Rules of Procedure, the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy, the Committee on the Internal Market and Consumer Protection and the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A7-0000/2010),
Amendment 40 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 f (new) 1f. Points out that more and more atypical working arrangements and increasing levels of temporary employment are leading to extremely low wages, a state of affairs which simply excludes many employees from third-pillar pension schemes and makes them vulnerable to old-age poverty;
Amendment 400 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 27. Calls on the Commission to investigate
Amendment 401 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 a (new) 27a. Points out that some pension funds have short-term profit strategies which destroy jobs and thus create difficulties in funding the pension schemes; therefore stresses the need for pension funds to change their investment strategy and make socially responsible investments in the real economy;
Amendment 402 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 a (new) 27a. Considers that fresh investigation of the question of transfer is not useful because European-level arrangements are neither necessary nor helpful and they would make no contribution whatever to achieving the aims set out in the Commission green paper;
Amendment 403 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27b (new) 27b. Stresses that solvency supervision of pension funds must be based on risks and must require prudence in all cases and at all levels;
Amendment 404 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 27 a (new) 27a. Takes the view that the IORP Directive should be implemented fully in all Member States and that the Commission should carry out the prior analysis needed to determine the changes required in order to implement a revised directive;
Amendment 405 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social and civil dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision
Amendment 406 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision and highlights the importance of the constant evaluation of skills and lifelong learning in order to prevent any drop in the efficiency of the elderly active population;
Amendment 407 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision and to take full account of the results of this dialogue;
Amendment 408 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social
Amendment 409 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social and civic dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision;
Amendment 41 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 g (new) 1g. Points out that occupational pension schemes are almost exclusively offered in large enterprises and that employees in SMEs are mostly excluded from any such arrangement;
Amendment 410 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 28. Calls on the Member States to support the development of a social and civic dialogue in the field of old-age pension provision;
Amendment 411 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 a (new) 28a. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to strengthen the social dialogue in order to devise and implement reforms of pension systems at European, national and sectoral levels and labour market reforms;
Amendment 412 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 28 b (new) 28b. Calls on the Member States to strengthen public pensions by improving the quality of jobs, raising wage levels, enhancing the quality of social services and finding more sustainable ways of financing social protection systems;
Amendment 413 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 Amendment 414 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 Amendment 415 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 29. Considers that the EU rules concerning the third pillar and its smooth cross-border functioning must be examined in the light of the proper functioning of the internal market, particularly for financial products, and the creation of a level playing field; underlines that this re- examination of the rules must take account of the interests of members of pension schemes;
Amendment 416 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 a (new) 29a. Takes the view that the mandatory capital-based pension systems which have been introduced in some Member States must be dealt with separately, since such systems are covered by rules which differ from those applicable to occupational retirement pension schemes;
Amendment 417 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 29 a (new) 29a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to give representatives of workers and retirees a significant role on supervisory bodies and on bodies in charge of defining investment policies and strategies for private pension schemes, so as to promote socially responsible investment in the interests of contributors and beneficiaries;
Amendment 418 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 Amendment 419 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 30.
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 h (new) 1h. Points out that occupational pensions can often not be transferred to other enterprises and to other Member States;
Amendment 420 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 30.
Amendment 421 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 30. Supports the establishment of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA); stresses the need to equip it so that it can perform effectively the tasks entrusted to it and, in particular, can take appropriate account of the specificities and characteristics of occupational pensions;
Amendment 422 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 a (new) 30a. Calls on the Commission to promote a European framework directive on minimum pensions which could lay down that every person from a certain age onwards, irrespective of the number of years he or she has worked, is entitled to a minimum pension;
Amendment 423 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 30 a (new) 30a. Opposes the establishment of a European agency or supervisory authority for occupational and other pensions, as these are policy areas in which the principle of subsidiarity must be strictly observed, thus ruling out European supervision and control;
Amendment 424 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 Amendment 425 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 Amendment 426 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 31.
Amendment 427 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 31. Stresses the importance of using a uniform methodology to calculate the
Amendment 428 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 a (new) 31a. Recalls that pensions remain a Member State competence, and is concerned that any further European legislation in this area may have an adverse impact on some pensioners or place onerous requirements on certain Member State schemes;
Amendment 429 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 a (new) 31a. Calls, too, for the development of new methods and indicators to gauge the effects of pension reforms on disadvantaged groups;
Amendment 43 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 i (new) 1i. Points out that the unemployed are excluded from occupational pension schemes and cannot afford to invest in private pension funds, making them extremely vulnerable to old-age poverty;
Amendment 430 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 31 a (new) 31a. Advocates the introduction of socially responsible, transparent and consumer friendly product-description rules for capital-based retirement pension products in the European internal market;
Amendment 431 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with
Amendment 432 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions;
Amendment 433 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with
Amendment 434 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions; calls on the Commission and Member States to
Amendment 435 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning
Amendment 436 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions; calls on the
Amendment 437 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering
Amendment 438 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 32. Is concerned about the inadequate information provided to the public by public authorities and bodies administering pensions concerning the necessity, possibilities, accumulated entitlements, likely results and actual state of affairs with regard to old-age pensions; calls on the Commission and Member States to launch campaigns to enable and encourage members of the public to take measures to ensure adequate pension provision for themselves, supports the development of an EU-wide tracking system to enable citizens to access information about their accrued rights from anywhere in the EU, based on existing Member State initiatives and experiences;
Amendment 439 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 32 a (new) 32a. Points out that complementary pension schemes which are capitalised are often considered as difficult to access because they are too technically complex; considers that if employers and employees are to be encouraged to join such schemes, not only must their management be improved, but also their rules must be simplified, and at least better information should be provided, by standardising it on a common basis to make it more intelligible; considers that there should be more rules for capitalisation systems, which should be more tightly regulated on a voluntary basis, ensuring monitoring and transparency, supervision and improvement of the solvency of capitalisation systems; considers that legislative changes could be made, particularly with regard to solvency rules;
Amendment 44 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 j (new) 1j. Points out that a shift from pay-as- you-go pension systems to contribution- based systems implies a shift of risk from the community to individual workers; notes that pay-as-you-go pension systems are safeguarded by the principle of 'solidarity between generations' and hence safer than private pension schemes;
Amendment 440 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 33 Amendment 441 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 33 33. Considers that the information provided to individual members of the public in Member States and by funds concerning the accumulated entitlements
Amendment 442 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 33 33. Considers that the information provided to individual members of the public in Member States and by funds concerning the accumulated entitlements commonly recorded in a national pensions register should be more transparent, accessible and linked at European level;
Amendment 443 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 33 a (new) 33a. Calls on Member States and the Commission to develop EU common rules to ensure that Member States provide citizens with regular, reliable updates about their future individual pension rights and general, standardised information on the potential risk of suffering a reduction in accrued rights and the administrative costs, payout options, internal and cross-border portability restrictions, default options, etc. of the various schemes and products available to them;
Amendment 444 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when
Amendment 445 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when pension provision
Amendment 446 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that
Amendment 447 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when pension provision is reformed, or when there is a changeover from a promised pension to a promised pension arrangement, or from a final salary to a mean salary system, or any other significant change, the public must be promptly and fully informed of the consequences
Amendment 448 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when pension provision is reformed, or when there is a changeover from a promised pension to a promised pension arrangement, or from a final salary to a mean salary system, the public must be promptly and fully informed of the consequences, stresses that providing information to individuals is not enough and that they should be protected against insolvency risks regardless of the scheme they are involved in;
Amendment 449 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when pension provision is reformed, or when there is a changeover from a promised pension to a promised pension arrangement, or from a final salary to a mean salary system, the public must be promptly and fully informed of the consequences; considers that, in this case, the reform must provide for an effective transitional regime which can avoid drastic reductions in benefits;
Amendment 45 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 k (new) 1k. Notes that the impact of the economic crisis (increase in large-scale unemployment, dismissals of older employees and increasing prevalence of precarious working conditions) has undermined the sustainability of pension systems;
Amendment 450 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 34. Considers that, when pension provision is reformed, or when there is a changeover from a promised pension to a promised pension arrangement, or from a final salary to a mean salary system, the public must be promptly and fully informed of the long- term consequences;
Amendment 451 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 a (new) 34a. Considers it desirable, therefore, to agree on a common programme of education concerning social security and a common information programme to recognise and act upon the right of everybody to know pension scenarios and their own insurance status; considers in particular that, by means of suitable applications such as ‘electronic files’, social security bodies should be able to follow individuals from their entry into the labour market until their departure from it, documenting the situation at every given moment and during transition phases and providing the solutions which can be adopted for a well-informed choice among opportunities and advantages;
Amendment 452 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 a (new) 34a. Calls for individuals to have the right to information concerning the countries, sectors and products in which pension funds invest their assets;
Amendment 453 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 34 – point 1 (new) 1. Considers that, in order to be genuinely sustainable, the reform of the pension systems of the Member States must be combined with a preparedness to reorganise the labour market so as to promote the principle of flexicurity and to modernise the social protection system;
Amendment 454 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 35. Considers that, in the further debate on an adequate, safe and sustainable pension
Amendment 455 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 35. Considers that, in the further debate on an adequate, safe and sustainable pension system, it would be helpful to establish an EU-level pensions platform on which stakeholders are represented who contribute information about best practices and help to prepare policy initiatives;
Amendment 456 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 35. Considers that, in the further debate on an adequate, safe and sustainable pension system, it would be helpful, while observing the principle of subsidiarity, to establish a pensions platform on which stakeholders are represented who contribute information about best practices and help to prepare policy initiatives;
Amendment 457 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 35. Considers that, in the further debate on an adequate, safe and sustainable pension system, it would be helpful, while observing the principle of subsidiarity, to establish a pensions platform on which stakeholders are represented who contribute information about best practices and help to prepare policy initiatives;
Amendment 458 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 a (new) 35 α. Stresses that correct information and transparency in relation to pension systems is extremely important; proposes that one-stop-shops should be set up to provide information on the operation of the pension systems, and obligations and benefits in order to create a workforce that knows its rights and obligations, whilst at the same time facilitating workers' mobility;
Amendment 459 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 a (new) 35a. Recommends that the EU should develop a system of reporting for Member State national data that should also comprise medium-term and long-term developments and progress in the safeguarding of poverty-preventing, sustainable and adequate pension schemes; new indicators should give a differentiated picture of the social situation of people receiving old-age pensions and of the years before they retired (i.e. employees with a migrant background, employees from small enterprises, etc.);
Amendment 46 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 l (new) 1l. Emphasises that, as part of the exchange of best practices under the Open Method of Coordination (OMC) in the employment sphere macro-economic differences between the Member States should be duly taken into account when dealing with micro-economic measures;
Amendment 460 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 a (new) 35a. Calls on the Commission to encourage an exchange between Member States of statistical methods and ways to analyse the sustainability of pension schemes to achieve better coordination in this area;
Amendment 461 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 a (new) 35a. Calls on the Commission and Member States to renew and strengthen the Social Open Method of Coordination, in order to develop a better understanding of what an adequate income in old age means and to devise common indicators to monitor the social realities faced by retired people and inform national debates on adequacy; when coordinating national policies on pensions, it will be essential to pay due attention to the impact of the reforms on vulnerable groups (women, informal carers, the long- term unemployed, young and older workers, disabled people and migrants with short careers in the EU);
Amendment 462 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 a (new) 35a. Is concerned at the trend towards individual contribution schemes; points out that providing information about risks is not enough, and calls on the Commission and the Member States actively to reduce risks for individuals;
Amendment 463 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 35 b (new) 35b. Stresses that, should consideration be given to enacting an EU regulation governing occupational and/or private pension scheme, pension schemes should not be allowed to make high-risk investments, such as in leveraged products, private equity, naked short selling, and credit default swaps (CDS), that are not based on real business transactions;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 m (new) 1m. Explicitly rejects the assumption that national budget constraints caused by the economic crisis justify the cutting of pension entitlements; emphasises that only increased revenue can offset losses to state budgets generated by the collapse of the capital markets;
Amendment 48 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 n (new) 1n. Emphasises that pension schemes should not only prevent old-age poverty, but generally guarantee the preservation of a decent standard of living;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 1 o (new) 1o. Calls on the Council to agree an EU target for minimum wages (statutory, collective agreements at national, regional or sectoral level) which provide for remuneration amounting to at least 60% of the relevant (national, sectoral, etc.) average wage in order to enable more employees to secure individual pension entitlements above the poverty threshold;
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas people are nowadays entering the labour force at a later age due to longer and, for some, higher education, on average people leave the labour market earlier than the legal pension age,
Amendment 50 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2.
Amendment 51 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that many Member States face enormous challenges in ensuring that pensions meet citizens’ expectations; emphasises that the EU should help the Member States to overcome these challenges first and foremost by fostering exchanges of experience;
Amendment 52 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that Member States have to tackle both problems of common concern and those arising from very different socioeconomic and legal conditions, and face enormous challenges in ensuring that pensions meet citizens’ expectations;
Amendment 53 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that Member States face enormous challenges in ensuring that pensions meet citizens' expectations
Amendment 54 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 2. Stresses that Member States face enormous challenges in ensuring that pensions meet citizens
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 2 a (new) 2a. Believes that pension funds should build on the advantages of collective insurance;
Amendment 56 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Sorely misses any mention of SMEs, which are one of the main sources of employment in the EU and
Amendment 58 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 59 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3.
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas people are entering the labour force at a later age due to unemployment rates that particularly affect poorly qualified young people, or due to longer and higher education, and on average people leave the labour market earlier than the legal pension age, and longevity is increasing,
Amendment 60 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. S
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 3. Sorely misses any mention of SMEs, which are one of the main sources of employment in the EU and can, must and wish to make a major contribution to the sustainability and adequacy of pension systems by creating intersectoral or territorial funds capable of establishing a link between SMEs; stresses that the creation of such intersectoral or territorial funds would make it possible to affiliate temporary workers and thus make them more fully involved in financing pension systems;
Amendment 62 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 a (new) 3a. Considers that awareness-raising among older workers and companies, especially SMEs, about innovative staff management and work organisation methods would be favourable to older workers;
Amendment 63 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 3 b (new) 3b. Calls on the Member States to support SMEs with regard to the provision of continuous training which enables employees and managers to adapt to changing situations and to maintain their employability;
Amendment 64 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that
Amendment 65 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that sound economic and social policies make an important contribution to
Amendment 66 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that sound economic and social policies, taking account of the challenges of intergenerational solidarity and predicted birth rates, make an important
Amendment 67 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that sound economic and social policies make an important contribution
Amendment 68 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that sound economic and social policies make an important contribution to growth and stability; points out that the social partners have a decisive role to play in that connection;
Amendment 69 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 4. Observes that sound economic and social policies make an important contribution to growth and stability; points out that the social partners have a decisive role to play in that connection;
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A A. whereas people are entering the labour force at a later age than before due to longer and higher education, on average people leave the labour market earlier than the legal pension age, and longevity is increasing,
Amendment 70 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Notes that the persistence of the economic crisis is making the employment of wage-earners increasingly precarious, which has an adverse impact on pension systems, and that it is therefore necessary to institute social protection schemes for the benefit, in particular, of the most disadvantaged sections of the population;
Amendment 71 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that state pension systems have guaranteed reliable retirement incomes even during the crisis and have thus made a major contribution to economic stabilisation and, hence, to the efforts to deal with the crisis, whereas individuals insured under capital-based systems have in some cases suffered severe losses;
Amendment 72 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 a (new) 4a. Points out that decent pension schemes should be a cornerstone of EU policy, as they can play a decisive role in achieving social progress and implementing the social market economy;
Amendment 73 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Emphasises that decent, safe pension schemes which prevent poverty are vital elements in the fight against social exclusion and discrimination and in the promotion of social justice and social protection, gender equality, and solidarity between generations;
Amendment 74 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 b (new) 4b. Notes that the positive anti-cyclical effects of pay-as-you-go state pension systems are counterbalanced by the pro- cyclical effects of capital-based occupational and private systems, with their significant potential for exacerbating the crisis;
Amendment 75 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1 (new) stresses the importance of overhauling the intergenerational pact, by insisting both on recognition of the value of work done by older people and prioritising the employment of young people;
Amendment 76 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5.
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a
Amendment 78 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a positive approach as part of economic governance and more particularly in the Stability and Growth Pact, and in the European Union’s financial and corporate governance legislation;
Amendment 79 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a positive approach as part of economic governance and more particularly in the Stability and Growth Pact; considers that the efforts made by countries to introduce pension reforms which resulted in an increase in their debt and deficits should be recognised and not penalised when assessing the stability of public finances in the short and long term;
Amendment 8 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. whereas the financial and economic crisis has greatly added to the underlying demographic challenge facing the EU,
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 5. Considers that long-term investment in pension systems requires a positive approach as part of economic governance and more particularly in the Stability and Growth Pact; calls on the competent bodies in the Member States to promote social inclusion and combat undeclared work in order to improve the balance of pension systems;
Amendment 81 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Points out that in the context of retirement pension provision a systematic distinction should be drawn between the first (state pensions), second (occupational pension provision as a social benefit) and third (private pensions) pillars;
Amendment 82 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 a (new) 5a. Welcomes the mass mobilisations of trade unions and social movements which have occurred in a number of Member States in protest against these austerity policies in general and the new wave of neo-liberal pension 'reforms' in particular; strongly supports the prospect of EU-wide coordination of these resistance movements against the EU- wide concerted class war from above launched by the Commission, the Council and the governments of all the Member States except Cyprus;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 b (new) 5b. Highlights the fact that, according to mainstream economists, maintaining average annual labour productivity growth of 1.3-1.7%, as in past decades, will make it possible to produce increasing added value with a decreasing workforce and provide a sound basis for a fair distribution of incomes between economically active and non-active persons (such as pensioners, children, pupils, students, etc.); emphasises that further productivity reserves could be mobilised by increasing energy and resource efficiency;
Amendment 84 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 5 c (new) 5c. Points out that securing sufficient productivity growth on a path towards sustainable development, introducing the more egalitarian distribution of incomes and wealth, phasing out precarious employment, promoting 'Decent Work' and achieving full employment are the real key economic issues when it comes to safeguarding the financial sustainability of pension systems and ensuring the adequacy of future pensions;
Amendment 85 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems
Amendment 87 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems are and will continue to be a primary responsibility of the Member States;
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems are a primary responsibility of the Member States; however, since the challenges and concerns as to their sustainability and adequacy are shared by all of the EU, considers it helpful to lay down some minimal common guidelines and a fully coordinated approach, so as to guide and promote more adequate and sustainable pension systems throughout the EU;
Amendment 89 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems are a primary responsibility of the Member States, but recognises that the Member States' economies are all interdependent; therefore calls on Member States to use soft law tools, such as the Open Method of Coordination, to guarantee the adequacy, safety and sustainability of their pension systems;
Amendment 9 #
Motion for a resolution Recital A a (new) Aa. reminding Member States that it is their duty to find solutions which ensure that pension systems deliver adequate incomes in old age in such a way as to guarantee everyone a decent life,
Amendment 90 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems are a primary responsibility of the Member States, but that the EU needs to properly coordinate the various policies and bring about a consensus on how to achieve a stable future for pension systems;
Amendment 91 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 6. Stresses that pensions and pension systems are a primary responsibility of the Member States; stresses the EU’s role in accompanying economic governance with sound social policies and in promoting social justice and combating poverty; stresses that demographic change is affecting all EU Member States and that the EU has a special role to play in the cross-border mobility of pensions, as the free movement of workers is a core element of EU policy;
Amendment 92 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Considers that the widespread adoption of the contributory system entails the individualisation of corrective systems and forms of accompaniment for breaks in employment and for periods spent as a carer, which serve to meet the needs of the increasingly numerous categories of people who face the risk of poverty;
Amendment 93 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Calls on Member States to promote active employment policies in order to reduce unemployment rates among young workers and increase women's labour force participation rate;
Amendment 94 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Notes that pay-as-you-go systems are those most based on solidarity as they guarantee equal access to entitlements for both sexes, for different categories of workers and for pensioners who devoted part of their career to taking care of dependents;
Amendment 95 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 b (new) 6b. Views with regret the fact that young people are entering the labour market late and that their final pension entitlements are affected by this; believes, therefore, that the time spent in internships needs to be incorporated into the final pension calculation;
Amendment 96 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 6 a (new) 6a. Stresses that the EU is facing even more pressure on its financial markets, particularly in the eurozone, and therefore calls for an integrated EU approach in order to provide for security and continuity of pensions systems in the Member States;
Amendment 97 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Observes that the
Amendment 99 #
Motion for a resolution Paragraph 7 7. Observes that the EU lacks a set of common criteria which
source: PE-454.538
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History
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