80% of companies do not offer employment pension plans, according to a study
“The expectations created with the Law of impulse for employment pension plans They are very far from being fulfilled. One of the reasons is the slow deployment in collective bargaining, which is a complex, sectoral and tremendously atomized process, and in many agreements the social forecast is not yet perceived as a priority against other demands (salaries, days, working conditions). We have a recent example with the frustrated sector pension plan of the metal sector. “
He criticizes it Mariano Jiménez, President of the Pension Consultants Organization (Ocopen @Ocopen_), which has recently presented a proposal, prepared together with the Observatory of the European Systems of Complementary Social Security and the Institute of Spanish Activals (IAE), for Promote complementary social forecast (PSC) in Spain.
Other reasons of the current fiasco of collective pension plans They are, in Jiménez’s opinion, “the lack of clear incentives, Especially for more vulnerable SMEs and groups, such as young people, women and low income “, as well as the” low pension culture “of our country. For this expert, the paralysis situation makes it necessary to adopt” new initiatives, including a Social and political pact for the development of complementary systems “.
Four measures to strengthen pensions
The Ocopen proposal, with the Institute of Actuarios and the Observatory of European Systems of Complementary Social Security, seeks to reverse this situation, through the Reaching of the Multipilar Model of forecast, strengthening social security, and also employment plans and individual savings volunteer.
In the words of Mariano Jiménez, “The multipilar system is essential. We cannot continue to postpone a debate that affects the sustainability of the pensions of the next generations.”
These experts raise Four axes of action Priority:
– Creation of a Subcommission at the Toledo Pact dedicated exclusively to social forecast complementary, as well as the approval of a law that separates and clarifies the different pension savings systems.
– Develop the pillars 2 and 3, with measures such as the mandatory inclusion of the PSC on the social dialogue agenda, collective bargaining and the implementation of sector plans, In addition to studying formulas such as Self -Role To extend the coverage.
– Further fiscal and financial incentives, Key aspect to stimulate the participation of workers and companies. Among the measures raised are the periodic update of the contribution limits, the creation of preferential systems that meet certain conditions, the introduction of Specific bonuses for vulnerable groups and the review of the tax treatment of contributions and yields in order to encourage collection in the form of rent.
– Information about future pensions, Transparency and financial education, with initiatives such as the elaboration of a National Financial Education Plan, the implementation of a system that provides personalized information on future pensions and dissemination campaigns that promote the culture of pension savings and better explain the functioning of the public system.
The president of Ocopen considers that, if these measures were applied, a greater sustainability of the pension system as a whole, The inequalities in coverage between sectors and companies would be reduced, internal savings would be increased and, in addition, it would be channeled towards productive investment, thus contributing to national economic growth.
The challenge of population aging
At the information breakfast organized by Ocopen, to present this new pact for the complementary social forecast, a Round table in which, in addition to Mariano Jiménez, they participated Manuel Álvarez, Honorary Collaborator of Ocopen and author of the book Pensions: the broken promise; and Carlos A. Quero, Supervision Director of the Vidacaixa Business Directorate.
Issues such as the influence of the European framework on the development of social forecast systems in Spain were addressed, the need for periodically review the recommendations of the Toledo Pact and the importance of promoting financial education, so that citizens can better plan their retirement and complement public benefits.
The specialists noted that “the debate on the sustainability of the system has become unplazable”, in a context marked by the population aging, The imminent Retirement of the generation of Baby Boom And one of the Substitution rates of higher pensions of the OECD: close to 80% in Spain, compared to 55% of the average of the most developed countries.
