Pension provision in the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland: a comparative legal study

“Individual pension provisions have become a vital component in achieving adequate pensions”

The ageing population of Europe is putting pension systems under pressure. Therefore the European Commission produced a set of recommendations to support Member States in realising pension reforms. This study investigates whether the three-pillar pension systems of the Netherlands, Germany, the United Kingdom and Switzerland result in adequate pensions. It also assesses whether countries that are EU Member States take the European Commission’s recommendations into account more than countries which are not.

Key Takeaways for the Industry

• Individual pension provisions have grown in importance in recent decades.
• Countries that are, or were until recently, EU Member States score best when it comes to implementing the European Commission’s recommendations.