All articles by George Coats – Page 11
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News
Finns change OECD pension data reporting
FINLAND - Finland’s ministry of social affairs and health has corrected its pensions data it presented to the OECD.
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News
Icelandic pension fund consolidation continues
ICELAND - Two regional Icelandic pension funds are close to finalising a €500m merger agreement.
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Features
Trying to get some space
During the campaign for February’s general election the then-opposition Socialist Party (PS) promised to cut taxes, raise public sector wages and increase pensions. The governing right-of-centre Social Democrat Party (PSD) was offering fiscal stringency. For a majority of the electorate the choice seemed obvious, and PS leader José Sócrates emerged ...
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Features
Lobbying with Chinese chacteristics
The Chinese authorities are pressing ahead with the implementation of a pension reform that is intended to build a sustainable system for all employees, according to Wang Dongjin, vice-minister of labour and social security. The reforms are part of the transformation of communist China’s economy and society that began in ...
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News
Buhrmann switches administration to Blue Sky
NETHERLANDS – The €775m corporate pension fund of Amsterdam-based office products supplier Burhmann is to switch its pension administration and management support to the Blue Sky Group.
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Features
Opting out of guarantees
The consultation process during the preparation of legislation to implement the EU pension directive has given the industry an opportunity to lobby the authorities on a number of issues. “The process appears to have been a success,” says, says Kurt Bednar of Mercers in Vienna. The main issue centred on ...
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Features
Move towards equities
Finnish pension funds have posted above target level real returns of more than 7% for the last couple of years, according to Matti Leppälä, director responsible for international and legal affairs for the Finnish Pensions Alliance (TELA). But the industry is concerned that regulations put unnecessary limits on investments which ...
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Features
Last details to be finalised
The pension reform that was the focus of attention for years is no longer on the pension industry’s agenda, according to Guido Blasco, a consultant at Hewitt in Milan. “The consensus is that the reform works, so the debate is no longer about the reforms themselves but about the proposals ...
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Features
In the shadow of constraints
Portugal’s private pension system received a blow at the start of this year when the government removed the tax benefits on employee contributions to third pillar arrangements. Ironically, the step was taken by a centre-right government that ideologically favoured private provision. However, it was forced to adopt stringent fiscal measures ...
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News
Iceland: €2.7bn pension fund merger talks fail
ICELAND – Talks to engineer the merger of two of Iceland’s largest pension funds have proved abortive.
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News
Sejm debates pensions after miners’ demonstration
POLAND –The lower house of the Polish parliament, the Sejm, is debating a proposal to end mine workers’ right to retire on a full pension after 25 years of work whatever their age.
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News
SWIP appoints southern Europe head
EUROPE – Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has appointed Corrado Amari, 54, as head of southern Europe.
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News
Merged group shows higher returns
ESTONIA – The pension funds managed by the recently merged LHV-Seesam Asset Management showed considerable progress in their first-half performance.
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Features
Story of pensions success
Croatia’s second pillar pension funds have proved to be a spectacular success since their foundation in 2002, despite being launched against an unstable political background as the country grappled with recovery from the 1991-95 Yugoslav war and political parties pursued confrontation rather than consensus. The reform also paved the way ...
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Features
Bridging the gap
Before they were united in the 19th century both Germany and Italy were described as geographic expressions rather than countries. There are those who suggest that the same thing might be said now of Belgium. Throughout the second half of the 20th century the central government responded to friction between ...
