Pension System – Page 304
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FeaturesLessons from Canada
Gail Moss assesses the challenges Canada is facing in the area of workplace pensions
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Country ReportItaly: Caution over reform
The proposal for a €1bn government fund investing in SMEs has re-ignited the debate on pension fund investment limits. Carlo Svaluto Moreolo finds pension fund representatives cautious, but ready to argue the case for reform
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Features
ING OFE: Investing with your hands tied
Nina Röhrbein spoke with Grzegorz Chlopek (pictured), CIO and vice-president of ING PTE, Poland’s second biggest pension fund (with assets of €11.4bn) about the challenge of operating as a large institutional investor in a highly regulated market
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Country Report
Italy: Restrictions, restrictions
When it comes to asset allocation, Italian pension funds remain more restricted than their counterparts in the west of Europe due to the limits of legislation, writes Nina Röhrbein. Italian funds also often have their hands tied by employees who make individual investment choices from a pool of guaranteed and balanced lines the funds are obliged to offer – that is, if they even join a pension fund
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Country Report
Italy: Political machinations
As sovereign debt levels rise, and the cost of borrowing increases, Maria Teresa Cometto reports on the effects of the pension sector on Italian public finances and the political willingness to make the necessary changes
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News
BBC to close scheme to new members as deficit hits £2bn
UK – The BBC has initiated a three month consultation on changes to its £8.23bn (€10.16bn) defined benefit (DB) pension scheme following a deficit increase to around £2bn in 2009 from £470m in 2008.
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News
BT Pension scheme cut deficit by £1.4bn last year
UK - The underfunded BT Pension Scheme (BTPS) has managed to reduce its deficit by 16% following strong returns in 2009.
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News
NAPF 'foundation' pension could limit means-testing, but at a cost
UK – Introducing a 'foundation' pension combining the current Basic State Pension (BSP) and the State Second Pension (S2P) could reduce the number of people on means-tested pension benefits to 25% by 2050, according to research by the Pensions Policy Institute (PPI).
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News
UK think tank calls for auto-enrolment into ISAs
UK – Pensions and individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) should be brought closer together through tax harmonisation and auto-enrolment into ISAs in an effort to boost long-term savings in the UK, a report from the Centre for Policy Studies has argued.
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Country ReportSwitzerland: Funding questions
Barbara Ottawa assesses the decision of the Swiss authorities not to force public funds to move to full funding over the coming decades
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Country ReportSwitzerland: Investment decisions in 2009
Pension funds’ investment behaviour has come under heavy criticism from all sides due to the financial crisis, writes Peter Baenziger. Appropriate asset allocation was a major challenge for Swiss pension institutions in 2009
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Features
Unipension: Risk, adjusted
Martin Steward spoke with Niels Erik Petersen (pictured) and Søren Bang Andersen of Unipension, the consolidated administration service for Denmark’s pension funds for architects, MAs, MScs and PhDs, agricultural academics and veterinary surgeons
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Opinion Pieces
Pension contracts and regulation
Robert C Merton and Jan Snippe argue that Dutch pension legislation should be inspired by fresh and logical thinking
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Country Report
Switzerland: The BVG generation
The BVG/LPP law of 1985 introduced mandatory workplace pensions in Switzerland.Looking back over the last 25 years, IPE questioned five industry figures
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Country Report
Switzerland: Doing the splits
Nina Röhrbein looks at how Switzerland is dividing up the AHV/AVS Social Security Fund to avoid what has been described as ‘an unhealthy state of affairs’
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Country Report
Switzerland: The wrong conversion
Barbara Ottawa assesses March’s national referendum on the mandatory conversion rate for Swiss pensions. This political victory for the few might prove detrimental to the many who will now have to pay higher contributions
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Country Report
Greece: Deep structural problems
Reeta Paakkinen examines Greece’s economic woes and the impact of pension reforms. There are signs that the private sector will have to play a greater role in future provision
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Country Report
Cyprus: Stepping off the path
Nina Rohrbein looks at the effects of Regulation 2/2010 on the conservative asset allocations of Cypriot pension funds
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Country Report
Egypt: Towards reform
Egypt is to supplement its €42bn of social security reserves with a new defined contribution system that has been developed in partnership with the World Bank. The Egyptian deputy minister for finance, Dr Mohammed Maait, told Pirkko Juntunen about the planned new system
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Country Report
Malta: UK QROPS in Malta
As the economic climate stalls national pension reform, UK expatriates can now adminster funds from the locale. Stephanie Testaferrata reports
