a presentation for foreigners about how to travel in Germany.
Pensions Core Course 2013: The Inverted Pyramid - Pension Systems in Europe and Central Asia
1. THE INVERTED PYRAMID: PENSION
SYSTEMS IN EUROPE AND CENTRAL ASIA FACING
DEMOGRAPHIC CHALLENGES
Team led by Anita Schwarz and Omar Arias
December 2012
1
2. IMPORTANT EUROPEAN ACHIEVEMENT OF
PROVIDING OLD AGE SECURITY
Over last century, increasing number of workers
insured against risks of old age, disability, and
loss of a breadwinner
Insured workers and their employers paid a
percentage of wage as contribution
When each new group of workers joins,
contribution revenue goes up, but initially since
no one from the new group is eligible for benefits,
no additional expenditures occur
Over time as the workers who have paid become
eligible for benefits, expenditures increase
2
3. MATURATION OF PENSION SCHEMES
THROUGHOUT EUROPE
Established around 1900s > Industrial workers
Commerce, civil servants,
salaried employeesSince 1930s >
Farmers, domestic workers,
self-employedSince 1950s - >
Baby boomersSince 1970s - >
Increased female LFP rate
Since 1960s (earlier in ECA)
Since 1990s in ECA - >
Since 2010s - >
Drop in total and formal LFP rate
Post-1990s babies enter LM
Maturity expected in 1960
Extended to 1990
Extended to 2000
Extended to 2010
Extended to 2020
No Extension,
Added stress 1990-2030
No Extension,
Added stress 2010-2050
3
4. LABOR FORCE GREW IN LAST CENTURY
40.25
0.45
0.65
0.85
1.05
1.25
1.45
1.65
1.85
2.05
2.25
1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 2001 2011
Labor Force Growth (source: Peter Flora, ILO)
Austria
Belgium
Bulgaria
Denmark
Finland
France
Hungary
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Poland
Portugal
Romania
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
UK
5. COVERAGE OF THE LABOR FORCE GREW AS
WELL
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970
percent Pension Insurance Coverage, % Labor Force
Austria Belgium Denmark Finland
France Germany Ireland Italy
Netherlands Average Linear (Average) 5
6. HIGHER CONTRIBUTION RATES LED TO
FURTHER INCREASES IN REVENUE
0
20
40
60
1940 1949 1961 1977 1983 1989 1993 1997 2002 2010 2012
Contribution rates in
Northern Europe
Sweden Netherlands Finland
Norway Iceland Ireland
UK Germany Switzerland
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1940 1949 1961 1977 1983 1989 1993 1997 2002 2010 2012
Contribution rates in
Southern Europe
France Italy Spain
Portugal Slovenia Greece
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
1940 1949 1961 1977 1983 1989 1993 1997 2002 2010 2012
Contribution rates in Central Europe and
Balkans Bulgaria
Poland
Croatia
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Hungary
6
7. POLICY CHOICES WHEN FLUSH WITH
CONTRIBUTION REVENUES
56
58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Male Average Effective
Retirement Age
Austria Belgium
Denmark France
Germany Italy
Netherlands Spain
Sweden United Kingdom
54
56
58
60
62
64
66
68
70
72
74
1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010
Female Average Effective
Retirement Age
Austria Belgium
Denmark France
Germany Italy
Netherlands Spain
Sweden United Kingdom
7
8. DURATION OF RETIREMENT INCREASED FROM
INCREASING LIFE EXPECTANCY AND FALLING
EFFECTIVE RETIREMENT AGE
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Belgium Spain Sweden
ExpectedYearsinRetirement
1970
1990
2009
63
57
59
64
63
65
Average Effective Retirement Age Shown on Each Bar
71
67
63
Data Sources: OECD, Eurostat
8
9. AND PENSION SPENDING GREW
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
Pension Spending, % GDP
Austria Belgium Denmark Finland France
Germany Ireland Italy Netherlands Norway
Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom Greece Turkey
Source: OECD, Flora
9
10. POVERTY RATES FOR PENSIONERS LARGELY FELL
RESULTING IN LOWER POVERTY RATES FOR THE
ELDERLY COMPARED TO THE GENERAL POPULATION
10
-5
-4
-3
-2
-1
0
1
2
3
4
5
Gap in 1987*
Gap in 2004*
11. NOW EUROPE IS AGING
11
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Ireland
Iceland
Norway
UnitedKingdom
Denmark
Netherlands
Sweden
Finland
Austria
Switzerland
Germany
Cyprus
France
Belgium
Slovenia
Greece
Spain
Portugal
Italy
Slovakia
Lithuania
Poland
Estonia
Hungary
CzechRepublic
Romania
Latvia
Croatia
Bulgaria
Albania
Montenegro
TFYRMacedonia
Serbia
Bosnia&Herzegovina
Armenia
RepublicofMoldova
RussianFederation
Belarus
Ukraine
Georgia
Tajikistan
Kyrgyzstan
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Azerbaijan
Turkey
Northern Europe Southern Europe Central Europe Balkans "Old" countries
of FSU
Young countries
%ofpopulationovertheageof65
2010 2050
12. BUT MORE TROUBLING IS THE PROJECTED
DECLINE IN WORKING AGE POPULATION
-50.0%
0.0%
50.0%
100.0%
150.0%
200.0%
Germany
Switzerland
Austria
Netherlands
Finland
Denmark
Sweden
UnitedKingdom
Norway
Ireland
Iceland
Portugal
Slovenia
Italy
Greece
Spain
Belgium
France
Cyprus
Bulgaria
Romania
Latvia
Poland
Lithuania
Croatia
Slovakia
Hungary
Estonia
CzechRepublic
BosniaandHerzegovina
TFYRMacedonia
Serbia
Albania
Montenegro
Georgia
RepublicofMoldova
Ukraine
Belarus
RussianFederation
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Turkey
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Turkmenistan
Kyrgyzstan
Tajikistan
Northern EU Southern EU Central EU Balkans
(non-EU)
Old Countries
of FSU
Young
Countries
1970-2010
2010-2050
12
13. SOCIAL INSURANCE MODEL WHICH PROVIDED
GENEROUS BENEFITS FOR SO LONG CAN NO
LONGER DO SO
Contributors
Pensioners
Generous Benefits
Contributors Pensioners
Not So Generous Benefits
13
14. LEADS TO FISCAL DEFICITS IN PENSION
SYSTEMS FAR GREATER THAN DURING
RECENT FINANCIAL CRISIS
-7%
-6%
-5%
-4%
-3%
-2%
-1%
%
2007 2017 2027 2037 2047 2057 2067
%ofGDP
Projected Pension System Deficits in Average
CE Country
14
15. FACED WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC ONSLAUGHT,
EUROPE HAS UNDERTAKEN LOTS OF PENSION
REFORM
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Northern
Europe
Southern
Europe
Central
Europe
Balkans
(non-EU)
"Old"
countries of
FSU
Young
countries
percentofcountriesineachsub-region
Parametric Pension Reforms 1995-2010
Increase in Contribution Rate
Indexation Reforms
Extension of Averaging Period
Years of Service Reforms
Decrease in Contribution Rate
Increase in Retirement Age
Changes to Benefit rate
15
16. ADOPTED A SMORGASBORD OF STRUCTURAL
REFORMS
Point System Notional
Accounts
Funded
Defined
Contribution
Universal
Pension
Germany
France (pvt sector)
Romania
Slovak Republic
Estonia
Bosnia, RS
Croatia
Montenegro
Serbia
Sweden
Italy
Latvia
Poland
Azerbaijan
Kyrgyz Rep
Russian Fed
Turkmenistan
Sweden
Denmark
Poland
Hungary
Slovak Rep
Lithuania
Latvia
Estonia
Bulgaria
Romania
Croatia
FYR Macedonia
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
Kyrgyz Rep
Russian Fed
Ireland
UK
Netherlands
Denmark
Czech Republic
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Kosovo
16
17. IMPACT OF REFORMS - RETIREMENT AGES WENT UP,
BUT SO DID LIFE EXPECTANCY – DURATION OF
RETIREMENT DID NOT CHANGE MUCH
17
-4
-2
0
2
4
6
8
Iceland
Austria
Netherlands
Sweden
Germany
Finland
Ireland
UnitedKingdom
Switzerland
Denmark
Norway
Belgium
Slovenia
Spain
France
Portugal
Greece
Cyprus
Italy
Bulgaria
Romania
Lithuania
Poland
Slovakia
CzechRepublic
Latvia
Hungary
Estonia
Croatia
Northern Europe Southern Europe Central Europe
Years
Change in Duration of Retirement from 2001-2009
Source: Eurostat
change in effective retirement age change in life expectancy at effective retirement age
18. NO EFFECTIVE DECLINE IN GENEROSITY
(2001-2008)
-40.0%
-20.0%
0.0%
20.0%
40.0%
60.0%
80.0%
Germany
Austria
Netherlands
Switzerland
Finland
UnitedKingdom
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Iceland
Ireland
Slovenia
Italy
Greece
Spain
Belgium
France
Cyprus
Portugal
Latvia
Poland
Lithuania
SlovakRepublic
CzechRepublic
Estonia
Romania
Hungary
Northern Europe Southern Europe Central Europe
percentchangebetween2001and2008
Changes in Generosity Levels (01-08): Growth in
Pension Spending as % of GDP relative to growth in
share of elderly population
18
19. GROWTH IN PENSION SPENDING PER ELDERLY
PERSON RELATIVE TO GROWTH IN GDP PER
CAPITA, 2001-09
19
-60%
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Germany
Austria
Netherlands
Switzerland
Finland
UnitedKingdom
Denmark
Norway
Sweden
Iceland
Ireland
Slovenia
Italy
Spain
Greece
Belgium
France
Cyprus
Portugal
Latvia
Croatia
Poland
Bulgaria
Lithuania
Slovakia
CzechRepublic
Estonia
Romania
Hungary
Montenegro
Macedonia
Albania
Serbia
Belarus
Russia
Armenia
Moldova
Kazakhstan
Turkey
Kyrgyzstan
Azerbaijan
Tajikistan
Northern Europe Southern Europe Central Europe Balkans "Old" FSU "Young"
20. ARE EASY SOLUTIONS POSSIBLE?
Increase the working age population
Fertility increases
No evidence that policy measures work
Even if they did, the impact of increased fertility would
come too late
Immigration
Governments need to consider revamping immigration
policies
Both of these extend the pyramid
Eventually the additional children will get old and
need benefits as will the immigrants
Only long-term solution if fertility continues to grow
and immigrants continuously flow in 20
21. INCREASE LABOR FORCE PARTICIPATION – NOT
MUCH ROOM IN PRIME WORKING AGES
21
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Ireland
UnitedKingdom
Netherlands
Germany
Norway
Austria
Iceland
Finland
Denmark
Switzerland
Sweden
Italy
Spain
Greece
Cyprus
Belgium
Portugal
France
Slovenia
Romania
Croatia
Hungary
Poland
Lithuania
Bulgaria
Latvia
Estonia
Slovakia
CzechRepublic
Macedonia,TFYR
Serbia
Georgia
Ukraine
Moldova,Republicof
RussianFederation
Turkey
Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan
Northern Europe Southern Europe Central Europe BK OC YC
Labor Fore Participation Rates for the 40-44 age
cohort
total male female
22. INCREASE COVERAGE THROUGH
FORMALIZATION OF THE LABOR FORCE
Countries commonly blame informality of labor
markets
Brought the problem forward, but not the root cause
Increased formality helps in short run, but makes
long run deficit worse
Shown in results from CGE model
If the system is unaffordably generous, adding more
workers adds revenue today, but makes the long term
deficits worse
Only improves long run if the government cheats
workers, giving them low rates of return on
contribution
Hard to induce workers out of informality if the
government is cheating workers 22
23. INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY
Limited impact if labor becomes more productive
and results in higher wages
Higher wages result in higher contributions
Benefits after retirement typically not indexed fully
to wage growth, providing some gains
Might be possible to tax growth from technical
change that is not reflected in wage growth
23
24. ROOM FOR USING OTHER FISCAL
RESOURCES IS LIMITED
Consumption taxes are the main
source of tax revenue in most
countries
On average VAT accounts for about 45
percent of government revenue
Standard VAT rates between 18 and 27
percent
Some room for base broadening and
improved administration
Corporate and Personal income taxes
vary in importance
On average income taxes account for 20
percent of government revenue
Substantial variation in rates, base and
yield
Payroll Contributions also vary
On average social contributions account for
25 percent of government revenue
Other taxes
Estate Taxes
Property Taxes
Other fiscal costs will also rise with
aging
Need to leave room for saving
0 10 20 30 40
Azerbaijan
Armenia
Tajikistan
Kosovo
Kyrgiz Republic
Kazahkstan
Albania
Russia
Turkey
Georgia
Macedonia
Lithuania
Romania
Estonia
Latvia
Slovakia
Bulgaria
Moldova
Poland
Croatia
Ukraine
Czech Republic
Montenegro
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Serbia
Slovenia
Belarus
Hungary
Percent of GDP
Income Taxes
Taxes on
Goods and
Services
Other Taxes
Social
Security
Contributions
24
25. LEFT WITH HARDER SOLUTIONS
People will need to work longer
Benefits might need to be reduced
People will need to save more
People need to understand these choices
25
26. POTENTIAL FOR “ACTIVE AGING” IS HUGE IN
ECA REGION
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
Georgia
Kazakhstan
Sweden
Kyrgyzstan
Ireland
Estonia
UnitedKingdom
Latvia
Azerbaijan
Germany
Lithuania
Finland
Denmark
Moldova
Portugal
Netherlands
Spain
Bulgaria
RussianFederation
CzechRepublic
Austria
Slovakia
Ukraine
Luxembourg
Romania
Greece
France
Italy
Serbia
Croatia
Belgium
Slovenia
Hungary
Turkey
Poland
Potential to increase Labor Force among 45-64
year olds
45-49 50-54 55-59 60-64
Data Source: ILO 26
27. RETIREMENT AGES WOULD HAVE TO RISE
SIGNIFICANTLY EVEN TO MAINTAIN 1970
DURATION OF RETIREMENT
27
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Belgium Spain Sweden
ExpectedYearsinRetirement
1970
1990
2009
2009 adj
72
71
67
64
74
71
65
63 63 63
57
59
Average Effective Retirement Age Shown on Each Bar
28. WORKING LONGER
Policies to encourage active aging
Opportunities for effective skills upgrading throughout
working-life
Adapting workplace to enable productive employment of
older workers
Removing barriers and disincentives to work while
receiving a pension or to work part-time
Facilitating labor mobility
May be trade-offs between actively recruiting
immigrants and having current workers work longer
Will need to recognize and provide for those who are
unable to work longer
Tying retirement ages to life expectancy may not be
enough
Only corrects for longevity increases, not working age
population declining 28
29. MAY NEED TO CONSIDER REDUCING
BENEFITS
Will countries be able to afford much more than
prevention of old age poverty?
If not, should we even bother with income
differentiated pensions?
Should we continue to distinguish between
contributory and noncontributory pensions?
Need for less drastic changes if we can start now
But there will be limits to benefit reduction given
the need to maintain adequate benefits
At the minimum, bring the elderly up to the poverty
line
29
30. SAVINGS BECOME CRITICAL FOR
MAINTAINING BENEFIT ADEQUACY
Voluntary savings programs have not been
successful
Building up public reserves dedicated to aging
not even successful during boom years
Mandatory savings (second pillars) experienced
problems related to industrial organization of the
pension fund industry
Could not withstand fiscal pressures in the PAYG
system
Opt-out models for voluntary savings may be
more successful
Additional contributions by employees for
savings may result in more robust systems 30
31. POLICIES TO ENCOURAGE SAVINGS
Centralizing business areas with scale economies
Creating competition in the portfolio management
industry
Designing portfolio benchmarks for pension funds in
the form of lifecycle strategies
Designing payout structures that insure proper risk
allocation of investments, inflation, and longevity
risks
Considering the introduction of guarantees on the
value of the contributions, if necessary, to make
viable some rational risk taking by pension fund
managers
Designing sustainable models for the payout phase
31
32. POLITICAL ECONOMY
People still believe that benefits can become more generous
“Stealth” reforms – introducing automatic changes without explaining
them to people don’t work
As soon as they start to have impact, people clamor for reversals
Social contract has to be renegotiated
May not be fair to preserve pensions for baby boomers while
punishing later generations
32