Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-12-12-Speech-3-288"
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"en.20011212.10.3-288"2
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"Mr President, I really regret that the representatives of the presidency are not present as we discuss this very important issue. Our ageing European society calls for clear strategies to ensure the adequacy of pension systems. Several measures, such as increasing the retirement age of an ever healthier population and thus increasing the size of the active workforce, are a crucial step in improving the ratio between the active working population and retired persons. But it is evident that other measures have to be implemented as well. The importance of occupational pensions schemes will rise in many Member States.
The European citizen would benefit from single market occupational pension schemes. The variety of occupational pension schemes and providers would be improved. The citizen and his employer could thus choose the most successful and best suited scheme, bringing the best interest rates, while offering full security of investment.
More and more Europeans work for relatively short periods of time in another Member State. They are still disadvantaged when it comes to their occupational pension schemes. Tax obstacles stand in the way of a fully functioning single market. The Commission communication sets a strategy to resolve these obstacles that are a clear disincentive to individuals who wish to contribute to pension schemes outside their home Member States, as well as pension institutions that wish to provide pensions across borders.
I welcome the Commission communication as a first step towards a solution of this issue. Like Mr Pronk, I wholeheartedly support the so-called EET model, as outlined in the Commission communication and in our committee's report. The EET model means that pension inputs are exempted from taxation. The pension scheme as well would be exempt and only the output would be taxed. This system serves to defer taxation to the moment the pension becomes payable, thus avoiding double taxation without the need to harmonise the level of taxation and without thus interfering in the Member States' taxation practice.
Tax issues are in the hands of the Member States. Like our rapporteur, Mrs van den Burg, who has done an excellent job with this report, I also wholeheartedly support the method of open coordination. It is the only way we can achieve the results which our fellow European citizens need.
I strongly urge the Member States to work quickly to achieve the necessary results for the benefit of our ageing population. Although we in the European Parliament may for the time being unfortunately not have the legislative means to decide on these issues, I can assure you that we follow them very closely and will do our best to achieve a common market for occupational pension schemes."@en1
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