Latest on Regulation & Reform – Page 447
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Features
Hungary tilts balance towards equities
Radical pension reform in Hungary continues apace despite a recent government admission about the state of the economy, writes Krystyna Krzyzak
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Features
Poland leads part of the way
Although it is the biggest and most developed CEE market, Poland has to catch up with practices elsewhere, writes Krystyna Krzyzak
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News
Swiss court ruling over fund collapse appealed
SWITZERLAND – Authorities for the Swiss canton of Solothurn have appealed a court ruling that dismissed their lawsuit against six people connected with the 1996 collapse of the Vera/Pevos pension fund.
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News
German railways talks to pension funds about buying shares
GERMANY – German national railway operator Deutsche Bahn is holding talks with large pension funds over its planned privatisation – institutional investors could take over as much as 50% of the shares, it was said.
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News
Germany to axe social tax exemption for DC schemes
GERMANY – The government has sent a strong signal that it will axe a social tax exemption for defined contribution schemes, which the German pensions industry feels is crucial to further spread of the second-pillar in the country.
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Features
McCreevy endorses second pillar pensions
Ageing populations; shrinking work forces, are putting intense pressure on state pensions. This is driving change throughout the whole pensions system: The relationship between the state and its citizens; the nature of the pensions promises made by employers to their employees; the design of private retirement saving products. The pressure ...
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Features
More needed for pan-European funds
More will need to be done for pan-European pension funds and cross-border activities to “grow and blossom”, European pension fund representatives told the sixth annual IPE Awards seminar. ABP’s pension director and European Federation for Retirement Provision president Jaap Maassen said: “I am optimistic and see progress, but there are ...
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Features
Reform impetus runs out of steam
After making good progess establishing its third pillar, the Czech Republic now finds itself being overtaken by its neighbours, as George Coats reports
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Features
Call for think tanks to help benefit systems
Nobel prize winner James Heckman calls for European think tanks to help tackle the issues facing welfare states and their pension systems. Speaking to IPE at the sidelines of the recent European Colloquia in Prague, organised by Pioneer Investments, Heckman said in order to provide pensions to their ageing populations, ...
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Features
Groupe expects changes to assumptions under IORP
The Groupe Consultatif Actuariel Européen says it expects to see “significant” changes in the way discount rates and other pension fund assumptions are determined under the occupational pension fund directive. The Groupe, which represents European Union actuarial associations, has issued a 26-page study called ‘Minimum Technical Provisions for Defined Benefit ...
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Features
More than just a pressing need to know
Pension funds need more formal skills to deal with the plethora of new developments in the sector – from the flood of new investment products to changes in finance, pension and social legislation. Rachel Fixsen reports
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Special Report
Skilled delegates the way to ensure democracy
Paid pension fund staff clearly need thorough training in the business area relevant to their role. But the decision-making process at a fund involves many others. In Denmark, more pension funds are taking a serious look at the skills of their delegates elected by members, says Claus Skadhauge, head of ...
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Features
Entering into the 26th regime
Proposals for 26th regime pension products come under the critical gaze of the Dutch pension insurers association working party on these products
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Features
Finnish proposal garners support
Twenty five EU member states are backing a diluted version of the directive on portability of supplementary pensions, as Jeremy Woolf reports
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Features
Tax and pan-European pensions
A big barrier to pan-European pensions - taxation - is being lifted, according to the European Commission’s (EC) Peter Schonewille. Speaking at Multi Pensions 2006 in Amsterdam, Schonewille said that cross-border tax deductions for contributions paid to pension funds in other member states no longer presented an obstacle in 20-22 ...
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News
Dutch insurers have €31bn pension liabilities - DNB
NETHERLANDS - Dutch life insurers have pension liabilities totalling €31.2bn, pensions regulator De Nederlandsche Bank said.
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News
Dutch funds return to equities - DNB
NETHERLANDS – Dutch pension funds invest more in equities now than they did during the internet boom, according to a study by Dutch pensions regulator De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB).
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News
Varma CEO to chair new market association
FINLAND – Matti Vuoria, chief executive of Varma Mutual Pension Insurance Co., has been elected chairman of Finland’s new Securities Market Association.
