IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ekd/002625/2916.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Financial solvency of pension systems in the European Union

Author

Listed:
  • Tânia Santos
  • Inmaculada Domínguez-Fabián

Abstract

Over the past century, most industrialized countries have adopted public pension systems based pay-as-you-go system, according to which the actual contributors pay the pensions of the actual pensioners, with the expectation that future taxpayers pay their pensions when they retire. The evolution of the pension systems financial position is determined by the influence of demographic and macroeconomic variables. Publications by international data sources, as European Commission (2006) and Eurostat (2008), allow concluding that developed countries face the problem of ageing population, mainly caused by the strong increase in the old-age dependency ratio and by the decline in the fertility rates. Regarding the evolution of economic variables, we should note the decline of the young activity rates and the increase of the unemployment rates of all age groups, which increases demand for pensions and reduces the contributions periods to Social Security systems. We pretend to analyse the equity and financial solvency of the European pension systems. To analyse the equity and financial solvency of the European pension systems, we have proceeded to calculate the value of old-age pensions, the replacement rates (RR) and the internal rates of return (IRR), for each country studied. To calculate the old-age pension, we applied the rules defined by each country, considering various salary scenarios, retirement age decisions and different contribution periods. With the idea of analyzing whether there is harmonization between the European pension systems, we analyze the case of different individuals, and calculate the RR and the IRR individuals would get in each of the European countries. Those countries that provide an IRR over an estimated economic growth will be settled as insolvents in the Samuelson financial sense, and parametric reforms will be raised in order to improve its financial solvency. Among the proposed measures there are the increase of the contribution rate, the increase of the legal age of reform and increase of the number of years of earnings considered for calculating the first old-age pension. We also analyze the combination of these measures. Pension systems of most European countries are insolvent. Proposed measures - as the increase of the contribution rate, the increase of the legal age of reform and increase of the number of years of earnings considered for calculating the first old-age pension, and the combination of these measures - will improve the financial solvency of the European pension systems.

Suggested Citation

  • Tânia Santos & Inmaculada Domínguez-Fabián, 2011. "Financial solvency of pension systems in the European Union," EcoMod2011 2916, EcoMod.
    • Handle: RePEc:ekd:002625:2916
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://ecomod.net/system/files/TANIA%20SANTOS_ECOMOD_15%20MAY.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Muriel Bouchet, 2003. "The sustainability of the private sector pension system from a long-term perspective: the case of Luxembourg," BCL working papers 6, Central Bank of Luxembourg.
    2. Robert Holzmann & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2001. "New Ideas about Old Age Security : Toward Sustainable Pension Systems in the 21st Century," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13857, December.
    3. Michele Boldrin & Sergi Jimenez-Martin & Franco Peracchi, 1999. "Social Security and Retirement in Spain," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security and Retirement around the World, pages 305-353, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Javier Alonso Meseguer & J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz, 2007. "Reforma de las pensiones: la experiencia internacional," Working Papers 2007-18, FEDEA.
    5. Arnaud Dellis & Raphaël Desmet & Alain Jousten & Sergio Perelman, 2004. "Micro-Modeling of Retirement in Belgium," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Micro-Estimation, pages 41-98, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Jimeno, Juan F. & Rojas, Juan A. & Puente, Sergio, 2008. "Modelling the impact of aging on social security expenditures," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 201-224, March.
    7. Martin Feldstein, 1998. "Privatizing Social Security," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number feld98-1, March.
    8. Robert Holzmann & Richard Hinz, 2005. "Old Age Income Support in the 21st century: An International Perspective on Pension Systems and Reform," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 7336, December.
    9. Martin Feldstein, 1998. "Introduction to "Privatizing Social Security"," NBER Chapters, in: Privatizing Social Security, pages 1-29, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Martin Feldstein & Andrew Samwick, 1998. "The Transition Path in Privatizing Social Security," NBER Chapters, in: Privatizing Social Security, pages 215-264, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    11. Martin, John P. & Whitehouse, Edward, 2008. "Reforming Retirement-Income Systems: Lessons from the Recent Experiences of OECD Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 3521, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Jonathan Gruber & David A. Wise, 1999. "Social Security and Retirement around the World," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number grub99-1, March.
    13. Salvador Valdes‐Prieto, 2000. "The Financial Stability of Notional Account Pensions," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(3), pages 395-417, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Georgios Symeonidis & Platon Tinios & Panos Xenos, 2020. "Enhancing Pension Adequacy While Reducing the Fiscal Budget and Creating Essential Capital for Domestic Investments and Growth: Analysing the Risks and Outcomes in the Case of Greece," Risks, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-17, December.
    2. Juan F. Jimeno, "undated". "El sistema de pensiones contributivas en España: Cuestiones básicas y perspectivas en el medio plazo," Working Papers 2000-15, FEDEA.
    3. Assar Lindbeck & Mats Persson, 2003. "The Gains from Pension Reform," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 41(1), pages 74-112, March.
    4. Börsch-Supan, A. & Härtl, K. & Leite, D.N., 2016. "Social Security and Public Insurance," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 781-863, Elsevier.
    5. Sergio Nisticò & Mirko Bevilacqua, 2018. "Some Notes On The Redistribution Inherent In The U.S. Public Pension System," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(3), pages 566-581, July.
    6. Munyambonera, Ezra & Katunze, Miriam & Munu, Martin Luther & Sserunjogi, Brian, 2018. "Expanding the Pension Sector in Uganda," Research Series 275661, Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC).
    7. Rudolf Sivák & Pavol Ochotnický & Andrea Čambalová, 2011. "Fiškálna udržateľnosť penzijných systémov [Fiscal Sustainability of Pension Systems]," Politická ekonomie, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2011(6), pages 723-742.
    8. Borgmann, Christoph, 2001. "Assessing social security: Some useful results," Discussion Papers 97, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Institut für Finanzwissenschaft.
    9. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 2002. "Political economics and public finance," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 24, pages 1549-1659, Elsevier.
    10. Axel Börsch‐Supan & Alexander Ludwig & Joachim Winter, 2006. "Ageing, Pension Reform and Capital Flows: A Multi‐Country Simulation Model," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 73(292), pages 625-658, November.
    11. Juan F. Jimeno, "undated". "Incentivos y desigualdad en el sistema español de pensiones contributivas de jubilación," Working Papers 2002-13, FEDEA.
    12. Kathleen McKiernan, 2021. "Social Security Reform in the Presence of Informality," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 40, pages 228-251, April.
    13. De la Torre, Augusto & Schmukler, Sergio, 2007. "Emerging Capital Markets and Globalization: The Latin American Experience," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 349, March.
    14. David K. Miles, 2000. "Funded and Unfunded Pension Schemes: Risk, Return and Welfare," CESifo Working Paper Series 239, CESifo.
    15. Carlos Vidal-Meliá & Inmaculada Domínguez-Fabian, 2005. "The Spanish Pension System: Issues Of Introducing Notional Defined Contribution Accounts," Public Economics 0504006, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Kathleen McKiernan, 2021. "Social Security Reform in the Presence of Informality," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 40, pages 228-251, April.
    17. Hans Fehr & Christian Habermann & Fabian Kindermann, 2008. "Social Security with Rational and Hyperbolic Consumers," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 11(4), pages 884-903, October.
    18. Pascal Belan & Philippe Michel & Bertrand Wigniolle, 2007. "Capital Accumulation, Welfare, and the Emergence of Pension-Fund Activism," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 63(1), pages 54-82, March.
    19. Violante, Giovanni L. & Attanasio, Orazio P., 2000. "The Demographic Transition in Closed and Open Economies: A Tale of Two Regions," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 1313, Inter-American Development Bank.
    20. de la Torre, Augusto & Gozzi, Juan Carlos & Schmukler, Sergio L., 2007. "Stock market development under globalization: Whither the gains from reforms?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 1731-1754, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ekd:002625:2916. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Theresa Leary (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ecomoea.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.