The 2018 Pensions Adequacy Report, published today, analyses how current and future pensions help prevent old-age poverty and maintain the income of men and women for the duration of their retirement. It underlines that Member States pay more and more attention to sustainable, adequate pensions in their reforms, but further measures will be needed in the future.
Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility commented: “Every retired person has the right to live in dignity. This is a key principle of the European Pillar of Social Rights. Adequate pensions are essential in preventing poverty and social exclusion among older people in Europe, especially women. And we need to make that sure that people in non-standard work or self-employment are not left out. Our priority must to be to pursue ongoing reforms that encourage adequate pensions for everyone.”
To ensure the adequacy and sustainability of current and future pensions, pension systems need to promote longer working lives, in accordance with continuously increasing life expectancy. Member States should also take further steps to close the gender gap in pensions, by putting in place equal opportunity policies targeted at women and men of working age, for instance, promoting the work-life balance and equal distribution of caring responsibilities, addressing labour market participation, work intensity and career breaks.
The Commission aims at supporting Member States in these efforts, for instance with its proposal to create a better balance between private life and professional career for working parents and carers. Finally, it is also important to continue to extend pension coverage to people in non-standard or self-employment, and to promote supplementary pension saving. In this vein, the Commission has recently put forward a proposal for a Recommendation on access to social protection.
