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NAPF's head of policy, Darren Philp, echoed the sentiment expressed by a number of national pension organisations that the European Union should focus on the larger issues facing the industry and leave the "specific details" to Member States.
Philp praised as "sensible" the holistic approach adopted in both the White and Green Papers, but warned that this stood at odds with the work of the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA).
"One of the things that concerns us about what is happening with pensions in the EU at the moment is that you have the White Paper taking a holistic approach – looking at adequate, safe and sustainable pensions – but where we seem to have the EIOPA work on the review of the IORP Directive on a separate track."
He instead suggested focusing on the reforms proposed in the White Paper, before "jumping off" and examining the IORP Directive.
Philp cited the growing challenge of longevity and encouraging saving as areas the Commission should instead focus on – with the White Paper noting the EU would "closely monitor and encourage pension reforms" to allow for later pension take-up and expressing continued interest in an automatic link between retirement ages and growing longevity.
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