The Evolution of Pension Policy Governance in the EU
Date Issued
2012
Date
2012
Author(s)
Liang, Wan-ling
Abstract
For decades, a series of changes have shaken the post-industrial society, like socio-economic changes, demographic changes etc. These force the welfare states must adjust the current institutional arrangements in respond to the pressures. Therefore, pension policy, which accounts for the highest proportion of social security expenditure, becomes the main welfare reform project. European Union, as a representative supranational organization, integrates and coordinates its member states’ pension policy, also affects Western countries. Based on the context, this thesis take EU as a case, by exploring EU pension policy in order to understand the overall experience and meaning of pension reform in Western, as a reference for pension reform in Taiwan. The purpose of this study is to explore EU pension policy, to see how they reform their pension policy under inner discrepancy and integration pressure and to figure out the specific content of the policy reform process. Besides, from governance theory perspective, we can understand how the EU address different pension systems and ideas in Member States. By distinguishing different governance tools in the EU pension governance, we can find some trends and characteristics.
The present study shows that the EU use community governance in the area of gender equality, portability of pension rights, single insurance market and occupational pension policy in early times. Although community governance made little progress, it is still a incomplete picture of pension integration. With the introduction of the Open Method of Coordination in 2000 in pension policy, the EU gradually work out the appropriate form of governance to lead the development of the pension policy of the Member States, and establish the three principles of pension reform: adequacy of pensions, financial sustainability of pension systems and modernization of pension system. Hoping prompt the Member States to carry out pension reforms, they establish indicators and peer pressure. EU combine these two governance tools, it shapes integrated pension governance image gradually. These two governance tools used in different policy areas have diverse governance types. However, the complexity of the pension policy itself, coupled with the discrepancy between the national pension systems and the socio-economic status, the pace of pension reforms in member states are different too. Efficiency and legitimacy is still an unavoidable problem of governance in the EU.
All in all, I think that the pension policy development and pension reform trend in the EU also can be found in Taiwan and by comparing these two cases can lead to further thinking. The experience of pension reform in the EU has some implications, for example, “the identity and pension right” or “the labour market changes and the classification of private pension systems” both are important issues can be studied in the future. Also, researchers can validate the EU pension policy effects by evaluating the interaction between the EU and its Member States in pension reform.
Subjects
European Union
pension reform
pension policy
governance theory
the open method of coordination
Type
thesis
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