# CE2004078EN.01074401.xml

| 27.3.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 78/744 |
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27.3.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 78/744

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(2004/C 78 E/0792)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2494/03

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(25 July 2003)

Subject:   Pensions

Subject:

| 1. | Will the Commission estimate the proportion of each Member State's pension age population that is in receipt of some pension based on a funded or private sector scheme? |
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1.

Will the Commission estimate the proportion of each Member State's pension age population that is in receipt of some pension based on a funded or private sector scheme?

| 2. | Will the Commission estimate the proportion of each Member State's working age population that is currently contributing to a funded pension scheme whether private or public? |
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2.

Will the Commission estimate the proportion of each Member State's working age population that is currently contributing to a funded pension scheme whether private or public?

| 3. | Will the Commission estimate how many privately funded pension schemes in each Member State are currently declaring that they are unable to meet their existing obligations at current levels of the financial markets? |
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3.

Will the Commission estimate how many privately funded pension schemes in each Member State are currently declaring that they are unable to meet their existing obligations at current levels of the financial markets?

Answer given by Mrs Diamantopoulou on behalf of the Commission

(26 August 2003)

(26 August 2003)

The joint report of the Council and the Commission on adequate and sustainable pensions adopted in March 2003 (1) summarises in its table 3 (pages 31-32) information obtained from the Member States' authorities on the importance of private pension provision, mainly through occupational pensions. The table provides for most Member States information on the proportion of employees contributing to private pension schemes and pensioners receiving benefits from such schemes.

1

Moreover, Eurostat has started collecting data on active, deferred and retired members (2) of autonomous pension funds. The figures below reflect the situation in 2001:

2

| | Number of active members | Number of deferred members | Number of retired persons |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Belgium | 269 835 | 56 631 | 67 609 |
| Denmark | 11 404 | NA | 10 337 |
| Germany | NA | NA | NA |
| Spain (2000) (3) | 3 928 682 | 931 940 | 134 967 |
| Ireland | NA | NA | NA |
| Italy (3) | 1 811 022 | NA | 118 050 |
| Luxembourg | NA | NA | NA |
| Netherlands (2000) | 5 140 000 | 6 247 000 | 1 968 000 |
| Austria | 325 713 | NA | 39 658 |
| Portugal (3) | 283 244 | NA | 112 813 |
| Finland | 75 071 | 33 665 | 45 541 |
| Sweden | 427 119 | 339 048 | 133 620 |
| United Kingdom | NA | NA | NA |

Number of active members

Number of deferred members

Number of retired persons

Belgium

269 835

56 631

67 609

Denmark

11 404

NA

10 337

Germany

NA

NA

NA

Spain (2000) (3)

3

3 928 682

931 940

134 967

Ireland

NA

NA

NA

Italy (3)

3

1 811 022

NA

118 050

Luxembourg

NA

NA

NA

Netherlands (2000)

5 140 000

6 247 000

1 968 000

Austria

325 713

NA

39 658

Portugal (3)

3

283 244

NA

112 813

Finland

75 071

33 665

45 541

Sweden

427 119

339 048

133 620

United Kingdom

NA

NA

NA

The Commission does not have information on the number of privately funded pension schemes in each Member State which would currently be unable to meet their existing obligations at current levels of financial markets. The recently adopted Directive 2003/41/EC of the Parliament and of the Council on the activities and supervision of institutions for occupational retirement pensions, which will come into force two years after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, contains a host of prudential provisions to ensure that pension schemes will be able to meet their obligations to their members. It also ensure that an effective system of prudential surpervision be established to the same end.

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(1)  Available on: http://europa.eu.int/comm/employment_social/soc-prot/pensions/index_en.htm

1

(2)  Number of active members: the number of members who are actively contributing to the pension scheme. Number of deferred members: number of members who have left the pension scheme, but retain deferred rights. Number of retired members: number of persons who receive pension benefits (including widows, orphans, ...).

2

(3)  Figures for Spain, Portugal and Italy also contain data for some pension funds of the third pillar, these are personal pension schemes where there is no involvement from the employer.

3

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