News

On 7 July 2010 the European Commission launched a Europe-wide public debate on how to ensure adequate, sustainable and safe pensions and how the EU can best support national efforts. The consultation is a joint initiative from Commissioners Andor (Employment and social affairs), Barnier (Internal market and services) and Rehn (Economic and monetary affairs), covering economic and social policies as well as financial market regulation. It does not make specific policy proposals but seeks views on possible future actions at European level.



In the submission UNI Europa underlines the need of a bold, inclusive and forward looking European employment strategy, which includes:

• Policies that make it possible for older workers to remain on the labour market longer. Such as investment in lifelong learning schemes, occupational health and safety measures and incentive driven policies towards employers to retain and hire older workers and invest in their competence.
• The worrying employment situation for young people requires a multitude of measures and effective policies, including programs and incentives towards companies that encourage them to employ young workers with job security.
• Policies that make it easier for women to enter the labour market, including qualitative and affordable child care facilities, and policies that encourage fathers and men to share caring responsibilities.
• Mobilisation to increase the rate of employment favouring quality jobs with job security and decent pay so as to ensure adequate and sustainable pensions in the future.

Recommendations to Members States and companies on pensions should be focused on the following elements:

• Encouragement to construct pension systems that account for periods of unemployment or different types of career breaks, including in particular parental leave.
• Employers should be encouraged to include staff on fixed-term contacts in their occupational pension schemes.
• Initiatives giving the self-employed or workers with freelance contracts the possibility to enter second tier pension schemes should be stimulated.
• Stimulate the development of flexible and differentiated measures for pension entitlement taking into account the expectancy of life in “good health” upon retirement pertinent to the particular sector rather than the average life expectancy of the population as a whole.
• First tier public pensions schemes should remain the backbone of the system, providing people with an adequate level of pension. Member States should not be encouraged to privatize their public schemes.
• The tendency towards defined contribution schemes should not be encouraged. The guaranteed minimum return that a defined benefit system ensures puts pressure on the fund instead of letting the individual worker carry the risk.

For more information please contact: Nina Johansson (nina.johansson@uniglobalunion.org), UNI Europa policy officer.

UNI Europa submission:

11938 UNI Europa submission to the green paper on pensions.pdf