Towards adequate, sustainable and safe European pension systems

The Council held a policy debate on the future of pensions systems and adopted conclusions on adequate and sustainable pensions (see Council Doc. 16513/10).

The Council held an extensive debate on the future of pensions systems, in the light of the joint report of the Social Protection Committee and the Economic Policy Committee, after which it adopted conclusions about adequate, safe and sustainable pensions for all European citizens.

Concluding the discussions, the presidency noted a general consensus on:

·        the need to respect the principle of subsidiarity, taking into account the diversity of national systems,

·        the fact that beyond this diversity, Member States share common values and common objectives in this area,

·        the need for a holistic approach taking into account the principles of adequacy and sustainability of pensions,

·        the role of the open method of coordination on social protection and inclusion and the importance of appropriate indicators,

·        the willingness of Member States, despite budgetary constraints related to the financial and economic crisis, to ensure a decent income for pensioners.

By adopting the conclusions on adequate and sustainable pensions, ministers invited Member States to inform future pensioners about their future public and private pension entitlements and to ease access to pension entitlements for individuals in atypical employment.

The Commission and the Member States were called upon to consider the consequences of the budgetary measures and the ongoing pension reforms, and to take into account their impact in terms of adequacy, safety and sustainability.

The Commission and the EU countries should also collaborate on the development of methodologies allowing member states to assess the implications of pension policies on sustainability and adequacy.