Pension Reform in the EU Accession Countries: Challenges, Achievements and Pitfalls

Like the current member States of the European Union (EU), the 13 accession countries have diverse pension systems that vary in the adequacy of benefits, the degree of solidarity, and the roles of government, workers, employers, and pension funds in scheme management. Since the mid-1990s, nearly all have increased their pensionable age and adopted new systems for voluntary supplemental pension savings. Five have scaled down their social insurance schemes in favour of new systems of commercially managed individual savings accounts. The article discusses these reforms and their match with key elements of the countries' political and economic environments, financial markets and regulatory experience. It highlights alternative approaches to pension protection for retired workers in conditions of ageing populations.