All articles by Leen Preesman – Page 89
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News
De Grave to chair PGGM cooperative
NETHERLANDS - The board of the PGGM cooperative has appointed Frank de Grave as its new chairman.
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NewsInterest rate pressure keeps PME and PMT cover ratios down
NETHERLANDS - PMT and PME, the industry-wide pension funds for Dutch metal workers, saw their cover ratios drops from 100% to 98% and 99% respectively in the first quarter of this year, despite strong gains from equities and fixed income.
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TNT returns lift need for short-term recovery plan
NETHERLANDS - The €4.9bn TNT postal pension fund returned 16.8% on investments last year and has topped that up with an additional 6.6% earned during the first quarter of 2010, so there is no longer immediate pressure from a short-term recovery plan.
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News
Harbour workers accept settlement in Optas pensions dispute
NETHERLANDS - The representative body of Dutch harbour workers (SBPVH) said it has settled its financial dispute with the Optas Foundation concerning the ownership rights to a harbour pension plan.
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NewsRobeco to refocus its energies on pensions
NETHERLANDS - Pure play asset manager Robeco plans to increase its focus on the pensions industry from approximately 50% of current institutional investor business to 60% within the next five years, but will scale back its attention on UK and Italian business.
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FTK parameters could cost extra 50% in contributions - VB and OPF
NETHERLANDS - The new parameters for the financial assessment framework FTK, as proposed by social affairs’ minister Piet Hein Donner, could require a 50% rise in contributions, the pensions bodies VB and OPF have claimed.
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News
SPMS considers APG and BlackRock as new providers
NETHERLANDS - The €5bn pension fund for Dutch medical consultants, SPMS, is planning to swap its present pension provider and asset manager Doctors Pension Funds Services (DPFS) for two larger players.
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News
Housing pension SPW gained 13.8% in 2009
NETHERLANDS - The €5bn pension fund for the housing corporations (SPW) has returned 13.8% on investments last year, its preliminary figures suggested.
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News
Shell's Dutch pension plan makes spectacular recovery
NETHERLANDS - The Dutch pension fund of energy giant Shell pulled back a major recovery on its investments last year and delivered a 26% return on assets.
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News
Flexible model needed for governance - Donner
NETHERLANDS - Pension funds will not have to adopt a one-size-fits-all model as part of of pension fund governance improvement proposals, according to social affairs’ minister Piet Hein Donner.
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News
Donner to give pension funds more leeway on recovery
NETHERLANDS - Dutch pension funds will be given more time to submit recovery plans during times of financial crisis, so they can avoid the effects of volatile markets.
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News
Most pension advice is sub-standard, says AFM
NETHERLANDS - The Dutch financial communications watchdog, the Financial Markets Authority (AFM), has argued the expertise requirements of pension advisers must be tightened as their overall quality of advice is sub-standard.
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News
Dutch pension assets rose 10% in 2009 - DNB
NETHERLANDS - The combined assets of Dutch pension funds increased by 10% to €743bn in 2009, after a decrease of 17% during the previous year, according to pensions regulator De Nederlandse Bank (DNB).
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News
Dutch pensions industry warns of 'communications bottleneck'
NETHERLANDS - The Dutch pension sector is becoming increasingly worried about the effectiveness of pensions communication when it comes to explaining new pension contracts to their participants.
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News
Pension funds recovering faster than expected - DNB
NETHERLANDS - Dutch pension funds have seen their recovery plans pull back considerably faster than anticipated last year, according to pensions regulator De Nederlandsche Bank.
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NewsDutch pension bodies call on government to limit reforms
NETHERLANDS - The Dutch pension fund lobbying organisations have called on a new Dutch government to hold back from adding further pension regulations, as fundamental system changes would be seen as risky to an already under pressure sector.
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News
Donner seeks to dissuade from allowing pensioner board members
NETHERLANDS - Social affairs’ minister Piet Hein Donner has advised Parliament against allowing pensioners onto the board of industry-wide pension funds at this time.
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NewsDutch retirement age rose sharply in 2007
NETHERLANDS - The average retirement age of Dutch workers quickly rose by one year to 62 in 2007, according to Statistics Netherlands (CBS).
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News
Dutch associations want one-step retirement age jump
NETHERLANDS – If the tax-facilitated retirement age is to be raised it should be carried out in a single step, rather than as a gradual rise, the Dutch pension fund organisations VB, OPF and UvB have argued together with the insurers representative body, VvV.
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News
Policy must remain prerogative of a scheme’s board - ABP
NETHERLANDS - The €208bn civil service scheme ABP says it is essential that a pension fund’s board keeps its discretionary competence for decisions about policy on contributions, indexation and investment.
