The European Trade Union Institute (ETUI), the Trade Union related Research Institutes (TURI) network, the European Social Observatory (OSE), and the INCA CGIL Observatory on European social policies, in collaboration with the Workers’ Group of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), are organising on April 17, 2012 a European conference on the topic « Addressing Pension Challenges: EU and Stakeholders’ Approaches ».

While pension reform has been central to political debate over the last decades, new topics are now at the core of the dialogue between policymakers and stakeholders.

With the recent publication of the Commission’s White Paper on Adequate, sustainable and safe pensions, the EU is seeking to establish common ground for the reform of national retirement schemes. This conference aims to shed light on the state of debate at both EU and national level, while focusing on the role of social partners and trade unions in particular.

After the Great Recession and the development of economic and social policies thereafter, new questions on the adequacy and sustainability of pensions need to be addressed: while the EU has set a new agenda for the recalibration of pension policy, a new round of reforms have characterized the member states.

What has been the impact of the economic and financial crisis on the sustainability of pensions? How do recent financial and economic constraints interact with more long-term challenges (e.g. ageing)? What new social protection is required in view of atypical and insecure jobs?  What are the “grey areas” in the new EU coordination of social security schemes?  What is the specific role of trade unions?

These questions and others will be addressed at the conference, while promising research strategies will be proposed for a new dialogue between analysts, policymakers and social partners on the viability of national pension programs and the prospect for EU coordination of social security schemes.

WHEN: 17th April 2012 from 9.30 AM to 4.00 PM

WHERE: European Economic and Social Committee, rue Van Maerlant 2, BE-1040 Brussels, Van Maerlant Building – Room VM1

LANGUAGES: Simultaneous interpretation will be provided in English, French and Italian

CHARGES: Participation is free of charge. Participants will not be entitled to any reimbursement of expenses

REGISTRATION: www.ose.be/conference170412 by 30 March 2012