27 April 2007

IPE: Liechtenstein wants to join IOPS

The Financial Market Authority in Liechtenstein wants to become part of the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS). In its annual report the authority stated that as part of the country's efforts to become an internationally recognised domicile for pension funds it wants to join the worldwide voluntary organisation of pension supervisors.

'We have around 50 members all around the world, growing every month – so the 50 may be out of date by now,' IOPS president John Ashcroft told IPE. He sees one of the main advantages of membership in being able to 'share experiences with other pension supervisors from around the world'. Nobody at Liechtenstein's FMA was available for comment.

The Liechtenstein regulator also released figures on the country's pension funds showing that only one was underfunded. Last year the FMA had warned that several funds had a 'deficit regarding organisation and asset management structures'.

Liechtenstein has 14 multi-employer funds and 25 corporate funds. Only four of the 39 schemes are defined benefit schemes. Collectively they received around CHF227m (��m) in employer and employee contributions in 2006. This is up from CHF145m ten years ago.

Meanwhile, the European Federation for Retirement Provision (EFRP) has announced that the Dutch Association of Pension Funds for Professionals (Unie van Beroepspensioenfondsen) and the Slovak Association of Pension Funds Management Companies (ADSS) have been accepted as members.

EFRP Chairman Jaap Maassen said he was 'very pleased that all three pension fund associations in the Netherlands are now members of the EFRP'. As for the Slovakian membership he said it was 'very encouraging' as the organisation wants the EU enlargement to be reflected in its membership.

The EFRP has members in all EU-15 member states bar Greece, plus Hungary and now Slovakia. Croatia is an affiliated member as are Guernsey, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland

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