The EU pensions regulator has launched another survey to gauge the potential take-up of the pan-European Personal Pension Product (PEPP) by eligible providers.

The first such survey it conducted was in March 2021, shortly after the PEPP rules were published in the EU’s Official Journal.

The second survey comes about two months before those rules come into effect, on 22 March.

Similar to what it said about the first survey, EIOPA said responses would provide it with valuable insight and “help the European supervisory community to prepare for an effective implementation” ahead of the PEPP Regulation’s entry into force in March.

EIOPA previously told IPE that it received 167 responses from 19 countries, with one third of respondents coming from the asset management sector, another third from the insurance sector and the remainder split between banks and IORPs.

Constituents of all of these groups are eligible PEPP providers, although in many countries IORPs will not be able to offer PEPPs because legislation does not allow them to offer personal pension products.

According to EIOPA, 18% of respondents to the first survey (30 respondents) were considering offering a PEPP, 51% (84 respondents) were not considering offering a PEPP and 31% (53 respondents) were undecided.

Similar to last time, the new survey asks respondents if they are considering launching a PEPP and if they are not or are undecided, why or what would need to change.

If respondents indicate they are considering offering a PEPP, the survey asks about the timeframe for doing so, from ‘as early as possible’ to ‘not in the near future’.

At a PensionsEurope conference in June last year, Fausto Parente, EIOPA’s executive director, said about 13 players would be ready to offer a PEPP immediately after the March 2022 application date, and 50 were considering launching a PEPP during the first two years.

EIOPA’s new survey also asks if those considering offering a PEPP are intending to distribute the product outside of their Member State.

Stay tuned for IPE’s special report on the PEPP in our February magazine, out early next month

The latest digital edition of IPE’s magazine in now available.