October 2024

Regulators increase scrutiny on funded reinsurance amid pension de-risking surge

The growing use of innovative “funded” or “asset-intensive” reinsurance structures by life insurance companies has attracted regulatory attention, particularly in light of the expanding pension de-risking market. These transactions, which involve transferring corporate pension scheme liabilities to life insurers, have led to an increase in reinsurance activity where both investment and longevity risks are passed to reinsurers. In its latest report, Hogan Lovells notes that while regulators recognize the strategic role of reinsurance in managing risk and capital, the rising volume of...

September 2024

EU. Who can expect the most healthy life years?

In 2022, the number of healthy life years at birth in the EU was 62.6 years on average, 62.8 years for women and 62.4 years for men. Life expectancy at birth for women in the EU was, on average, 5.4 years longer than that for men (83.3 years compared with 77.9 years). Healthy life years - free from activity limitations - represent 75% and 80% of the total life expectancy for women and men, respectively. Therefore, on average, men tend to spend a greater proportion...

In brief: EU strikes investment facilitation deal with Angola

The European Union has struck a first-ever deal with Angola to stimulate foreign investments needed to achieve sustainable development goals. The EU-Angola Sustainable Investment Facilitation Agreement (SIFA) aims to boost Angola’s appeal to foreign investors by making investment regulations more transparent, promoting the use of e-government for authorisations, and enhancing stakeholder involvement. Angola made up 8% of the EU’s foreign direct investment in Africa, or €21.7bn, in 2022. It invested €2.9bn in the EU in the same year, making it the country’s main trade and investment...

August 2024

How to solve the crisis of the pension system in the EU?

The demographic time bomb in Europe has been ticking for decades. The countries of the European Union are getting older, and people are living longer. More than a fifth of the population of the European Union is now aged 65 or over. That number is expected to grow to a third by 2050. Last year, the World Health Organization warned that in 2024, the number of people over the age of 65 will exceed the number of people under the...

EU allocates €43 million for Palestinian Authority salaries

The European Union (EU) has announced a €43 million contribution to assist the Palestinian Authority in paying salaries and pensions for its employees and retirees in the West Bank. According to the EU statement, this financial aid is intended to help the Palestinian Authority meet part of its obligations to its civil servants amid severe financial difficulties caused by a prolonged economic crisis in the occupied Palestinian territories. The situation is exacerbated by irregular Palestinian tax clearance payments and ongoing deductions...

July 2024

2024 Pension adequacy report: Current and future income adequacy in old age in the EU

By European Union  The report’s main focus is on old-age pension systems. It looks primarily at statutory pensions, incorporating the adequacy contribution of supplementary pensions where relevant. The report also looks at the role of survivors’ pensions in providing adequate old-age income for surviving spouses. In the context of its analysis of income inequalities and redistribution mechanisms, the report also considers minimum income provision for older people and how taxation affects income distribution in old age. Given the importance of services...

June 2024

Economic & Budgetary Projections for the EU Member States (2022-2070)

By Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs European Economy Institutional Papers are important reports analysing the economic situation and economic developments prepared by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs, which serve to underpin economic policy-making by the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament. Views expressed in unofficial documents do not necessarily represent the views of the European Commission. Get the report here

EU. ESAs publish final greenwashing report calling for critical scrutiny

The European Supervisory Authorities (ESAs) – the European Banking Authority (EBA), European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) – have called on financial institutions to deepen their critical scrutiny of sustainability related claims and improve product disclosures to combat greenwashing. Following two years of research, the trio today published their key findings and recommendations in tackling greenwashing. Key recommendations include an increase of human resources and expertise, along with increased use of tools for greater...

March 2024

Building Europe’s Green Transition and Retirement Security – Listed Real Estate’s Dual Role in Global Megatrends

As we enter 2024, the world continues to confront financial and environmental challenges on a global and societal scale. Globally, efforts to meet the Paris Agreement’s objectives are falling behind, with the green transition’s investment levels not meeting the necessary targets. This was highlighted by the World Bank’s Senior Managing Director, at the recent EU Sustainable Investment Summit, where the critical need for accelerated private investment in sustainability was underscored. The Commission identified a 1.5 trillion euro annual funding need...

Lessons from the Pan-European Personal Pension product (PEPP)

By Hans van Meerten Europe has come up with legislation for a new individual pension product: the PEPP. This introduces an individual retirement account that can be rolled out in the entire European Union (EU). And can be offered to citizens worldwide. Europe – like most continents - is ageing at a rapid pace. In 2060, there will be two people at a working age for every pensioner, in comparison with four people at a working age at the present time....