10th BBinar: Pension systems in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries
The tenth BBinar will focus on the state, functioning and target achievement of pension systems in the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership countries as of today and forecasted for the future. Starting with the increasing challenges posed by demographic change (keywords: rising life expectancy, falling birth rates, emigration, ratio of contributors to pensioners), the pillars of the pension systems and their most important (reformed) parameters like legal pension age, accrual rates, deductions for early retirement are analysed. We will also address the situation on the labour markets and the extent to which these enable older people to remain in employment for longer. An attempt is made to position the pension systems in terms of their balance between the (sometimes contradictory) goals of financial sustainability (contribution rates, public subsidy requirement, pension expenditure as % of GDP, etc.) on the one hand and adequacy or prevention of poverty in old age (poverty rate of people 65+, requirements for and level of minimum pension, coverage by social assistance, etc.) on the other hand. Finally, potential plans for reform and expert recommendations will be discussed.
Agenda:
11:00 – 11:10: Introductory input (Welcome)
- Micheal Fuchs, Researcher, Social Protection and Inclusion research team, European Centre (Austria)
11:10 – 11:25: Input presentation from
- Muamer Halilbašić, Director, Sarajevo Institute of Economics (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
11:25 – 11:55: Comments to the presentation from
- Prof. Dr. Gordana Matković, Program Director, Center for Social Policy (Serbia)
- Michael Herrmann, Senior Advisor, Economics and Demography (United Nations Population Fund)
- Tigran Jrbashyan, Ameria CJSC, Partner, Director of Management Advisory Services, Team Leader of UNFPA funded “Development of population strategy and results framework for Armenia” and “National Transfer Accounts” projects
11:55 – 12:30: Q&A and discussion with audience
Moderator: Michael Fuchs, European Centre (Austria)
If you have any questions, please contact Sabina Gjylsheni (gjylsheni@euro.centre.org).
Register for the event here.
