News

We are pleased to announce the re-appointment of the EAPSPI Board of Directors, which took place during the Annual General Meeting held in Paris on 7 November. Claudia Wegner-Wahnschaffe will continue in the role of Chair for another term.

Looking ahead, the Board is committed to progressively implementing the agreed strategy to advance the Association's objectives. Together with the Pension Policy Committee, key issues and priorities will be identified to continue to deliver tangible value to our members.

The Board looks forward to continuing on this constructive and fruitful path together with our members.



Bottom - from left to right: Johan Sjöström - KPA, Sweden; Philippe Soubirous - Prefon, France; Claudia Wegner-Wahnschaffe - VBL, Germany; Boštjan Vovk, Modra, Slowenia; Amaia Aldasoro Iturbe - Elkarkidetza, Basque Country; Piia Laaksonen - Keva, Finland; Andrea Müller (Secretary General) - AKA e.V., Germany.

On November 7-8, we were delighted to host our Annual General Meeting and Conference in Paris, where we gathered over 70 industry experts - particularly from the pension fund sector - for a series of insightful presentations and discussions on socially responsible investment (SRI) in today's dynamic financial landscape.
 
The conference was officially opened by the re-elected Chair of EAPSPI, Claudia Wegner-Wahnschaffe (VBL. Versorgungsanstalt des Bundes und der Länder, Germany) who delivered the keynote speech highlighting the critical role of public services and their pension provision - not just because they represent a very large group of employees. She pointed out that a functioning public service is crucial for all citizens since it is the prerequisite for economic development, social participation and adequate services of interest ensuring the stability of both public administration and democracy in Europe.
 
Following her address, Marianne Kermoal-Berthomé, Director of Social Policies and Member of the Executive Committee-Groupe Caisse des Dépôts (CDC), provided an introduction to the sessions and emphasized the pivotal role of CDC in managing pensions for the French state. She specifically highlighted CDC's collaboration with the state pension service to efficiently process nearly 800,000 pensions annually. This partnership, she noted, was highly relevant to the conference's focus on public pension schemes as responsible investors. CDC’s (which was one of the founding members of EAPSPI in the 1990s) active interest in EAPSPI's European exchanges further underscored the importance of collaboration in promoting sustainable investment practices.
 
We would like to express our sincere thanks to our members, CDC and Prefon, for their extraordinary efforts in organizing and hosting this impactful conference. Their commitment ensured that we were able to delve into the most pressing challenges and opportunities related to SRI investing.
 
Over the course of the event, participants engaged in thought-leading sessions focusing on topics such as benefits and limitations of ESG integration, biodiversity, regulatory issues of sustainability and the responsibilities of public investors. Discussions explored the latest frameworks and evolving stakeholder expectations, providing invaluable insight into the future of SRI investing.
 
We look forward to continuing these important conversations and are grateful for the contributions of all our speakers and participants in making this conference a success.

In September, we had the privilege of visiting EAPSPI member The Scottish Public Pensions Agency (Scottish Government) for our second Meet & Greet event. Held annually, these meetings have proved invaluable in promoting in-depth discussions and personal exchanges on supplementary pension schemes in Europe.

The get-together provided a unique platform to learn about the work of SPPA, the pension systems in UK and Scotland and explore the latest challenges, innovations, and developments in pension provision in Europe.
The EU Commission’s latest Pension Adequacy Report, served as a starting point for discussions and a critical benchmark for evaluating the sustainability and fairness of pension systems in Europe.

EAPSPI members from Slovenia and Finland contributed to a broader understanding of the diversity of pension systems across Europe by sharing the unique aspects of their countries' pension schemes, highlighting the importance of understanding country-specific approaches. Also on the agenda were evolving challenges, such as tackling the gender pension gap - an issue where Belgium's initiatives sparked the conversation on equitable pension outcomes.

Updates from Brussels on the Capital Market Union and insights into Switzerland’s pension system further enriched our understanding of the regulatory and policy frameworks that will shape the future of our sector.

What we take away from this gathering is the clear need for ongoing collaboration and exchange allowing us to dive deeply into complex topics, foster a shared understanding, and drive collective progress. These events are an essential part of our efforts to support sustainable and resilient pension systems across Europe.

💡 Key Learnings:

➡ In-person engagement deepens understanding: Complex pension challenges require time and personal interaction to explore fully.

➡ Diverse perspectives strengthen our approach: The contributions from different countries broaden our collective expertise and help address region-specific but also pan-European needs and challenges.

➡ Regular dialogue is critical: Staying informed on regulatory and policy shifts ensures that we remain at the forefront of pension developments.

➡ Addressing issues like the gender pension gap is critical to creating fair and balanced systems for all.

We are grateful to SPPA for hosting this successful event, and we look forward to continuing the Meet & Greet series for EAPSPI members next year. These discussions are essential as we work together to shape the future of public sector pensions in Europe.

Join us on November 7th and 8th for two days of insightful discussions and networking in Paris

We are excited to announce that our members Caisse des Dépôts and Préfon will be co-hosting this year’s EAPSPI Annual General Meeting and Conference.

On November 7th, we will hold our Open Information Meeting from 14:00 to 17:10, which is open to all interested parties. During this session, we will present the key topics our association has worked on over the past year, including:

Mechanisms of Progressive Retirement Across Europe

European Pension Policy: Legislative and supervisory activities (EIOPA, IORP 2, Capital Markets Union)

Cross-Border Pension Information

The day will conclude with the EAPSPI General Assembly for members only starting from 17:15.

On November 8th, we are hosting our Annual Conference focusing on ‘What do ESG commitments mean for public pensions?’

This promises to be a thought-provoking discussion on how ESG factors are reshaping the public pension landscape. It’s a unique opportunity to hear from key industry leaders and engage with experts.

We look forward to welcoming you to this event!

Practical Information AGM

• Newsletter

Dear Readers,

Welcome to our latest edition of EAPSPI European Policy News. Following the recent European elections, we are closely monitoring changes and new developments in the EU policy landscape. This issue brings you up to date with the latest and most relevant policy updates and legislative changes.

You will find an overview of the Sustainability Due Diligence Obligations (CSDDD), where agreement has been reached on the Supply Chain Directive, and we explore the latest developments in the review of the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation (SFDR). We also examine EIOPA’s opinion on sustainability claims, which proposes four key principles, and the EU Parliament's position on the Financial Information Disclosure Act (FIDA). Finally, we bring you a summary of the latest Pension Adequacy Report, published in June.

Stay informed and engaged with us as we navigate these important policy developments together.

Best regards,

European Policy News Team

Last week's conference in San Sebastian was a great experience and we're humbled by the positive feedback we received. Many thanks to our member and host Elkarkidetza ESVP for organising a high level event in a stunning setting and to all the participants, speakers and partners for making it a success.

The discussions on pension sustainability, adequacy, pension literacy and communication were insightful and provided new perspectives. We explored topics such as automatic enrolment, lump sums versus annuities and the impact of migration on pension systems.

Special thanks to Deputy Minister of Finances and Budget Hernando Lacalle Edeso for the keynote speech on the Basque financial and pension system, to our speakers Elsa Fornero, Carmen Boado Penas, Ole Settergren and to our moderator Yves Stevens for sharing their knowledge and expertise with us.

For professionals interested in pension issues, this was an event worth attending. The charm of San Sebastian added an extra flair to our discussions.

We're grateful for the engaging discussions and look forward to seeing how these insights will shape future discussions.

• AGM 2023_Presentation

The annual EAPSPI conference: "The Challenge of an Adequate, Fair and Sustainable Pension System" in Donostia/San Sebastián brought together a wealth of expertise from internationally renowned speakers such as Ms Elsa Fornero (Professor of Economics at the University of Turin), Ms Carmen Boado (Professor at the School of Mathematics and Computer Sciences, Actuarial Mathematics & Statistics at Heriot Watt University Edinburgh) and Mr Ole Settergren (Research Director at the Swedish Pensions Agency).

EAPSPI was also honoured by the presence of Mr. Hernando Lacalle, Basque Vice-Minister of Finance and Budget, who delivered the keynote speech on the Basque Country and its pension system.

Moderated by Yves Stevens (Professor of Social Law & Director of Post-Academic Training at the Faculty of Law, KU Leuven-Belgium), the first round table showed that building and maintaining trust in pensions and the pension system is fundamental. By empowering individuals to make informed decisions about their financial future, reforms to pension systems are seen as less critical and the need for them is understood. As we have heard, research shows a statistically significant correlation between pension literacy and acceptance of pension- reforms.

Pension tracking services such as the ETS - European Tracking Service - presented by ETS project manager and EAPSPI chair Claudia Wegner-Wahnschaffe - were discussed as a means to improve pension literacy. By providing accessible information in one place, they empower individuals to navigate the complexities of pensions with greater confidence.

As the speakers engaged with an audience passionate about the European pension landscape, it became clear that the conference was a platform for important discussions and insights into the latest research and pension reforms in Europe.

Updated Agenda:

EAPSPI 2023 Annual General Meeting

Location:

Donostia – San Sebatián. Basque Country

Dates:

November 23/24/25

Venue:

Hotel de Londres y de Inglaterra

Registration Form

The first EAPSPI "Pension Seminar and Meet & Greet" as part of the Pension Policy Committee (PPC) meeting in Stockholm on 5-6 September showed once again how important and fruitful the European exchange and collaboration on pensions is.

The program was carefully put together and - amongst others - provided latest insights on

• Biodiversity in investments
• MinPension tracking service
• Recent pension developments in different European countries
• IORP II directive
• Communication & branding for pensions
• Gender pension gap
•  Legal rulings

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this two-day event. A special thanks to our hosts from KPA Pension for their hospitality and for providing us with in-depth knowledge of the Swedish pension system, presenting specific case studies from their daily work and facilitating the exchange with national social partners, including representatives from the Swedish Pension Agency.

A special highlight was the guided art tour in the beautiful premises of Folksam/KPA.

After two years, EAPSPI was able to hold its Annual Pension Conference and AGM in person again.

It was a great opportunity to meet face-to-face once again and get the latest insights on pensions, inflation and geopolitical challenges from our expert speakers - including Uwe Dürkop, Chief Economist Sparkasse Berlin; Jens Henriksson, CEO Swedbank; Matti Leppälä, Secretary General Pensions Europe, Brussels; Klaus Stiefermann, CEO aba, Germany; Amaia Aldasoro Iturbe, Vice President Elkarkidetza, Basque Country; Piia Laaksonen, Chief Actuary Keva; Johan Sjöström, CEO KPA, Sweden; Hagen Hügelschäffer, Managing Director AKA, Germany; Björn Hamre, Director KLP Norway.

We would like to thank all participants for their valuable contributions to the EAPSPI Annual Pension Conference 2022 in Berlin and VBL - Versorgungsanstalt des Bundes und der Länder for their support in organizing our event in a stunning location at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin ballroom.

After two years of remote meetings, the EAPSPI Annual Pension Conference and AGM 2022 will take place in person on September 30 in Berlin, following the ETS event on September 29.

Further information found here: ETS

Program

Registration form

We look forward to welcoming you in Berlin.

Dear Members and Observers, .

the documentation of the Annual Meeting 2021 is now available in the Event-Section of the EAPSPI-Homepage.

Due to COVID-19 and travel restrictions, the AGM took part online, and was hosted jointly by EAPSPI and KPA Pension.

The programm and the recordings for the referred meetings are as follows:

• Annual Conference
• Open Information Meeting