Latest on Regulation & Reform – Page 384

  • News

    Future provision threatened by early pension access - OECD

    2009-04-23T11:00:00Z

    [12:00 CEST 23-04] GLOBAL – The OECD has warned future pension provision could be undermined by giving early access to pension funds to aid people in “severe economic difficulties” alongside access to national pension reserves.

  • News

    The winter of Swiss discontent?

    2009-04-23T10:00:00Z

    [11:00 CEST 23-04] SWITZERLAND – A referendum against a cut in the conversion rate of the Swiss mandatory second pillar pension regime will most likely happen before Christmas.

  • News

    EC to focus on member protection at insolvency

    2009-04-22T16:00:00Z

    [17:00 CEST 22-04] EUROPE – The European Commission (EC) is seeking a contractor to help it further investigate measures for protecting supplementary pension benefits in the event of employer insolvency.

  • News

    OECD flags need for better pensions governance

    2009-04-22T15:35:00Z

    [16:35 CEST 22-04] GLOBAL – Pension fund governance and risk management needs to be improved to avoid exposure to risky assets and investments that are not fully understood, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned.

  • News

    UK Budget cuts higher rate tax relief (updated)

    2009-04-22T13:25:00Z

    [14:25 CEST 22-04] UK – Alistair Darling, chancellor of the Exchequer, has confirmed tax relief on pension contributions for high earners will be reduced from 40% to 20% from April 2011.

  • News

    EC to regulate alternatives managers worth over €250m

    2009-04-21T13:00:00Z

    [14:00 CEST 21-04] EUROPE - Managers of hedge funds, private equity and real estate funds would escape regulation under a proposed European Commission directive targeting alternative investment fund managers, if their assets under management total less than €250m.

  • News

    TPR urges vigilance on fraud and 'unacceptable behaviour'

    2009-04-20T16:15:00Z

    [17:15 CEST 20-04] UK – The Pensions Regulator (TPR) has highlighted the importance of good governance in the economic downturn as schemes may be more vulnerable to "certain actions which give us cause for concern" such as fraud and inappropriate transfers.

  • News

    Ukraine to receive second IMF instalment after reforms

    2009-04-20T15:45:00Z

    UKRAINE – A mission from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) confirmed it has recommended the second tranche of a loan should be paid to Ukraine following the implementation of budget reforms which include the balancing of the state pension fund.

  • News

    MEP's pension faces reforms to cut deficit

    2009-04-17T16:15:00Z

    [17:15 CEST 17-04] EUROPE – Members of the ABSL voluntary pension fund for Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have been told they will have to retire later, as part of a number of reforms aimed at reducing the growing pension deficit.

  • News

    IASB to unveil draft IFRIC14 amendments

    2009-04-16T15:40:00Z

    [16:40 CEST 16-04] GLOBAL – The International Accounting Standards Board is planning to publish an ‘exposure draft’ of amendments to certain aspects of IAS19 later this year, which will allow a firm to recognise certain assets within its holdings as reducing future pension contributions.

  • News

    Estonian gov’t takes contribution holiday

    2009-04-16T15:30:00Z

    ESTONIA – The government of Estonia is suspending payment of its contributions to the second pillar pension regime for two years.

  • News

    Vodafone class action reopened on appeal (updated)

    2009-04-15T16:20:00Z

    [17:20 CEST 15-04] UK/USA – An appeal by plaintiffs in a class action against Vodafone, including Lothian Pension Fund, has resulted in the case being reopened after it was originally dismissed over jurisdiction issues.

  • News

    Gov't faces Eq Life legal challenge for compensation

    2009-04-15T16:15:00Z

    [17:15 CEST 15-04] UK – The UK government is facing a high court challenge from Equitable Life policyholders over its failure to fully implement the compensation recommendation of the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

  • News

    Russia moves on reforms as Ukraine seals IMF loan

    2009-04-15T15:15:00Z

    UKRAINE – Dmitry Medvedev, president of Russia, has confirmed draft laws to change the country's pension system onto an insurance basis are being finalised, while Ukraine has implemented anti-crisis measures, including balancing of the state pension fund, to secure continued IMF funding.

  • News

    IMF warns Croatia against changing second pillar

    2009-04-14T16:00:00Z

    CROATIA – The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned there could a negative repurcussions which go beyond the pension system should Croatia abolish occupational pension provision.

  • News

    ECJ to review Poland's overseas investment limit

    2009-04-14T15:45:00Z

    POLAND – The European Commission has referred Poland to the European Court of Justice for limiting the amount of money that local pension funds can invest overseas to just 5%, arguing this in turn breaks EC rules concerning the free movement of capital.

  • News

    Quantitative easing has 'distorted' pension liabilities

    2009-04-09T16:00:00Z

    [17:00 CEST 09-04] UK – The Bank of England’s policy of quantitative easing has indirectly increased the pension scheme deficits of FTSE 100 companies as the price of gilts “soared to their highest level in 20 years”, Deloitte has claimed.

  • News

    Maltese reforms cut 2006 liabilities by €1.6bn

    2009-04-09T16:00:00Z

    MALTA – Pension reforms introduced in 2006 to raise the state pension age from 61 to 65 between 2014 and 2023 have reduced pension liabilities by €1.6bn, according to figures from the National Statistics Office (NSO).

  • News

    TPR seeks consultancy for DC review

    2009-04-08T15:55:00Z

    [16:55 CESt 08-04] UK – The Pensions Regulator (TPR) is seeking a consultant to review the risks surrounding defined contribution (DC) schemes and to propose a new regulatory framework.

  • Greece ordered to raise women’s pension age
    News

    Greece ordered to raise women’s pension age

    2009-04-08T15:45:00Z

    GREECE – The European Court of Justice has told the Greek government it must increase the women’s state pensions age for people working in the civil service and military as current rules discriminate in the favour of mothers especially and therefore penalise men.