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Pension Systems in Asia-Pacific: Main Issues and Diagnosis. Presentation by Michiel Van der Auwera 16 October 2007. Overview. Socio-economic challenges Review of existing pension situation in Asia Way forward identifying need for reform contribution of multilateral development banks.
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Pension Systems in Asia-Pacific: Main Issues and Diagnosis Presentation by Michiel Van der Auwera 16 October 2007
Overview • Socio-economic challenges • Review of existing pension situation in Asia • Way forward • identifying need for reform • contribution of multilateral development banks
I . Socio-economic challenges • Ageing population • Declining family support for elderly people • Globalization
Ageing population • Asian population grew from 1.4 billion people in 1950 to 3.7 billion in 2000 • Demographic transition from high fertility and mortality rates to low fertility and mortality rates
Demographic dividend 4 3 Demographic dividend 2 1
results in increased public spending on pensions If the past relationship between demography and public spending on old-age pensions continue: • Expenditure of national income devoted to pensions in Asia, excluding China, will rise from 2% in 1990 to 10% in 2050 • Expenditure of national income devoted to pensions in China will rise from 3% in 1990 to over 13% in 2050
2. Declining family support for elderly … • Traditionally, Asian families provide support for the elderly relatives • Increased mobility from rural to urban areas is weakening traditional support • Changing family structure: declining birth rates, increasing number of single head households
needs to be supplemented by formal mechanisms • Pure market solutions (individual savings) work to some extent, but often fail • Shortsighted behavior, leading to insufficient saving when young • Lack of reliable savings instruments • Governments interventions are required • Mandatory pensions plans, means-tested assistance • Regulation and supervision, information, …
3. Globalization … • Increased integration of markets and growing mobility across the world • Labor market policies need to balance between addressing inequality and efficiency
requires adjusted pension design • Public programs, including pension schemes, will have to be adjusted • Pension designed to accommodate mobility of the labor force, not only between public and private sector, but also across states
Major areas of concern • DB schemes: fiscal sustainability – link between contributions and benefits • Funded schemes: investment policy and performance • Overall: • governance and management of the pension systems • limited coverage
Changing environment for Asian pension systems • New requirements • Increased demand for old-age protection • Increased formalization • Increased flexibility • Existing situation • Limited coverage • Need for improved governance • Need for improved pension design
III. Way forward • Objective: pension systems that deliver adequate and affordable benefits in sustainable way • Reform towards multi-pillar pension systems • A long-term endeavor! * World Bank. 2005. Old-Age Income Support in the Twenty-first Century: An International Perspective on Pension Systems and Reform (Holzmann, R. and others)
Basic goals of pensions • Reducing or preventing poverty among the elderly • Providing adequate retirement income, maintaining same standard of living, smoothing of lifetime consumption • Encourage economic growth through increased saving • These goals can be addressed by a multi-pillar pension system
Role of Multilateral Development Banks • Raise awareness among policy makers • Assist in pension reform when support is required • Available tools • TA to prepare reform • Loan programs to assist in implementation
Pension reform needs • Following Asian financial crisis focus on strengthening financial market institutions • Emerging reform needs • sustainability of the maturing pension systems • adequacy and affordability of the pension systems for the ageing population • Pension reform in Asia and Pacific is still at the initial stage
For More Information (Michiel Van der Auwera, e-mail: mvanderauwera@adb.org) Web site: www.adb.org