WRITTEN QUESTION E-2387/01 by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission. Pension Fund Manager commissions.
Date: 2001-08-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: EU Member State, bank charges, financial institution, financial legislation, supplementary pension

C 40 E/242

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

14.2.2002

Residential and other types of long-term care form part of social protection provisions, which are the
responsibility of Member States. The Commission has no competencies in this area.

The Commission is not aware of the existence of any European association of representatives of residential
care homes. However, there is a European Association of residential care home managers and a European
network of directors of social services.

The (cid:145)E. D. E.(cid:146) is The (cid:145)European Association for Directors of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly(cid:146) (Home
page address: http://www.ede-association.org).

The (cid:145)European Social Network(cid:146) connects the national associations of directors of social services at the
European level (Home page address: http://www.socialeurope.com; E-mail address: info@socialeurope.com).

Both organisations are known to have participated in various calls for proposals and to have received
project support. Representatives of the Commission have occasionally accepted invitations to address the
annual conferences of
there is no collaboration between the
Commission and these organisations.

these organisations. But

in general

Finally, there is (cid:145)EACHH(cid:146), The (cid:145)European Association for organisation of Care and Help at Home(cid:146), (contact
address: Association EuropØenne d(cid:146)Organisations d(cid:146)Aides et de Soins a Domicile, Av. Ad. Lacomble 69,
B-040 Bruxelles, tel. 02 739.35.11, fax 02 739 35.99). Yet, as the name indicates this organisation is
concerned with home care and not with care in residential homes.

(1) COM(1999) 221 final.

(2002/C 40 E/263)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2387/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 August 2001)

Subject: Pension Fund Manager commissions

Will the Commission estimate the average or typical cost paid to managers of pension funds in each
Member State as a proportion of the funds under management? Will it describe whether there are limits on
such commissions in any Member States (cid:129) either on all funds or a sub-set (cid:129) and, if so, what they are and
which Member States are concerned?

Answer given by Mr Bolkestein on behalf of the Commission

(21 September 2001)

The Commission is aware that the administration of pension funds and the corresponding costs could have
a significant impact on the efficiency and affordability of a certain pension fund in terms of return on
investment of the relevant assets.

Nevertheless, the Commission has no information on the average or typical costs paid to managers of
pension funds for the following reasons.

On the one hand, the Commission believes that competition and not regulation should lead to pensions
funds getting the best value from their fund managers. The Commission proposal (1) will lead to greater
choice in this respect. In addition, any limitation of the costs could have a negative impact on the quality
of the services provided and reduce the overall efficiency of the fund.

14.2.2002

EN

Official Journal of the European Communities

C 40 E/243

On the other hand, the great variety of the pension schemes in the Community leads to different levels of
administrative costs (for example a defined benefit scheme covering biometric risk would normally have
higher charges than a defined contribution scheme). The Commission is therefore of the opinion that the
influence of various factors on the administrative costs would question the value of any study dealing with
the average or typical costs paid to managers of pension funds.

(1) See proposal for a Directive of the Parliament and of the Council on the activities of institutions for occupational

retirement provision (COM(2000) 507).

(2002/C 40 E/264)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2392/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 August 2001)

Subject: EU competence

In which areas of EU competence does the Commission believe that less activity in the future would be
desirable?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(7 September 2001)

The Commission(cid:146)s activities are set out in its annual work programme drawn up on the basis of policy
objectives laid down when it took office (1) and more targeted policy objectives decided each year on the
basis of developments and new or existing needs for European-level activity. The areas in which there
should be (cid:145)less activity(cid:146) at a given time are those in which, at that time, there are fewer priority objectives
to be achieved.

(1) Strategic objectives 2000-2005 (cid:145)Shaping the New Europe(cid:146) (COM(2000) 154 final).

(2002/C 40 E/265)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2398/01

by Christopher Huhne (ELDR) to the Commission

(20 August 2001)

Subject: EU secession

Will the Commission describe the means by which certain geographical areas which were once within the
European Union seceded from EU membership? Does it regard this as a precedent for any future Member
State secession?

Answer given by Mr Prodi on behalf of the Commission

(24 September 2001)

(cid:145)secession(cid:146)

from the Union concerns Greenland, a Danish territory in which the
The only case of
Community Treaties have not been applicable, or have been applicable only on a limited basis, since 1985.
Other territories belonging to Member States were excluded from the EC Treaty at the time of conclusion
of the founding Treaties or Treaties of Accession. The Greenland question was settled by a Treaty between
Denmark and the European Community in accordance with the provisions of the EC Treaty allowing the
Community to conclude agreements. The negotiations followed a referendum in Greenland. The Greenland
Treaty was ratified by the Member States. It dates from the mid-19Il est difficile de considØrer lIt dates
form the mid-1980s and cannot be seen as a precedent for a Member State for two reasons: first, at the
time the Member States and the inotamment institutions declared that it was an exceptional situation;.
second, because Greenland is not a European State within the meaning of Article 49 of the Union Treaty.