For Belgium, 2006 presents a window of opportunity to establish itself as a central player for pan-European pensions, according to the pension fund association.
Hugo Clemeur, secretary general of the Belgian Association of Pension Institutions says Brussels is “the capital of Europe” and that Belgium is an ideal location as a “credible centre of excellence for pan-European pension funds”.
He says that the country’s central location in Europe, its stable democracy, linguistic capabilities, good transport and communication networks, and the fact that many multi-nationals have headquarters in Brussels or elsewhere in Belgium, make it a front-runner for pan-European schemes.
“Its central location has important value for contact between pan-European pension funds,” he says.
Clemeur says that the government was not so much thwarting attempts made by the BVPI to put Belgium on the pensions map, but rather “not facilitating anything”.
Clemeur states that he hopes that
its pensions taskforce would be achieved by January 2007. However, he adds: “If this window of opportunity passes, we will need to wait for another.”

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