IPE: Holistic balance sheet approach a danger to occupational pensions

04 May 2012

According to Heribert Karch, chairman at Germany's occupational pensions association, the 'holistic balance sheet' approach for IORPs currently under consideration in Brussels would be a "danger" to occupational pensions.

Karch welcomed a number of changes that have been made to the European Commission's White Paper on pensions since fall last year. But he again lamented the ongoing debate over the need for higher capital requirements for all pension funds, irrespective of legal protections already in place. "The Commission said there would certainly be no copying and pasting when it comes to Solvency II for pension funds, and now a holistic balance sheet approach is being discussed", he said.

According to Karch, a holistic balance sheet approach that took employer liability and insolvency protection into account would be "unnecessary" because it would increase costs without changing the status quo. He said he was worried this would be the ultimate outcome of talks on solvency for pension funds, as he "failed to see any compromise or Plan B that would save us from grave damage".

Full article (IPE subscription required)


© IPE International Publishers Ltd.