All Country Reports articles – Page 28

  • Country Report

    Austria: Focus on re-emerging Europe

    April 2012 (Magazine)

    Austrian institutions are finding new ways of dealing with low interest rates but are still waiting for reform, writes Barbara Ottawa

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: Reforms on track

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    With as much as 40% of the Dutch population likely to face retirement benefit cuts of 1-3% from next year, the issue of pension provision has become a top priority in the portfolio of Minister Henk Kamp. He presides over the department of social affairs and labour, “but from the ...

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: Pensions turmoil

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    Changes to Dutch pensions could mean greater interest in DC structures, such as premium pension institutions (PPIs), argue Gerard Roelofs and Michel Iglesias del Sol

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: ‘Modular’ management gains ground

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    In the Netherlands, the classic model of fiduciary management has been losing ground since the crisis of 2008. Trustee boards are taking back control. André de Vos reports

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: The bigger, the better?

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    Pension fund consolidation is generally welcomed in the belief that big equals beautiful. Our sister publication, IPNederland conducted an in-depth analysis based on comprehensive data on Dutch pension funds

  • Country Report

    Belgium: Change on the way

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    Challenges in the form of regulation and lower expected returns mean Belgian pension funds must seek economies of scale and improved governance, writes Karel Stroobants

  • Country Report

    Belgium: Working longer

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    An Van Damme analyses Belgium’s attempt to raise the age of retirement through incentives rather than legislative decree

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: Big is beautiful – up to a point

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    Mariska van der Westen and Miranda Schoutsen report on the growing trend of Dutch pension fund consolidation. What is the optimum size for a pension scheme?

  • Country Report

    The Netherlands: Sustainable after the crisis?

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    Pierre Akkermans outlines recent pension developments in the Dutch pension system

  • Country Report

    Belgium: Clarity after deadlock

    March 2012 (Magazine)

    After more than a year of political deadlock, Belgium’s new government has pensions in its sights. Christine Senior reports

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Reform under way

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Frances Kehoe evaluates Ireland’s minimum funding standard and the introduction of sovereign annuities

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Move to sustainment

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Reform of the funded state pensions system foresees a planned single-career average pension fund for all employees, writes Pádraig Floyd

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Put on a green jersey

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Infrastructure is the asset class hotly tipped as austerity budgets bites, writes Jonathan Williams. But can Ireland’s industry be attracted to an illiquid asset at a time when funding concerns are paramount?

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Funding for the future

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    The re-instatement of the funding standard, as well as an overhaul to increase capital buffers, come at a time when pension funds in Ireland have yet to recover from the recession. Jonathan Williams examines how the industry views the reinstatement and how funds can de-risk

  • Country Report

    Ireland: A levy too far

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Ireland’s economic woes have led the government to introduce a tax on pension fund assets. But the planned €450m pensions levy brings with it a significant impact on an already ailing industry, finds Jonathan Williams

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Work extension

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Employers will need to consider the impact of the change in state pension age on their HR policy and occupational pension schemes, writes Aisling Kennedy

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Borrowing to buy

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Will vendor finance get pension funds investing in the Irish property market? Shayla Walmsley reports

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Beyond bailout

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    Ireland should not lose its perspective on long-term issues like pensions, argues Jerry Moriarty

  • Country Report

    Ireland: Greatly diminshed

    February 2012 (Magazine)

    The National Pensions Reserve Fund was designed to help fund future government pension liabilities, writes Pádraig Floyd. How has it fared amid the chaos of the financial markets of 2011?

  • Country Report

    Central and Eastern Europe: Decimated

    January 2012 (Magazine)

    Hungary’s mandatory pension system is in tatters following last year’s nationalisation of the sector’s assets, writes Thomas Escritt