Actions in Pension Schemes

  • Strengthening the organizational capacities of the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund to achieve the objectives of the Public Administration Reform Strategy

    WESTERN BALKANS Montenegro
    Start activities
    13-11-2023
    End activities
    10-05-2024
    Partner Institution
    Pension and Disability Insurance Fund
    Type of Assistance
    Organisation/business strategy & planning, Organisational management (structures & functions)
    Code
    2023-20
    Description
    The action in collaboration with the Pension and Disability Fund of Montenegro aimed to improve the quality of service and transparency to the insured and beneficiaries in line with the Public Administration Reform Strategy. Experts from Bulgaria, Romania and France mobilised by SOCIEUX+ assessed organisational and functional capacities, as well as services and communication and together with the partner institution elaborated a Strategic Plan for the period of 2024-2027. Three missions in Podgorica focused on the development and modernization of the organization and work of the Fund for the realization of the objectives of the Public Administration Reform Strategy.

  • Survey on pension adequacy and spending of the single elderlies

    East Asia Mongolia
    Start activities
    14-11-2022
    End activities
    24-02-2023
    Partner Institution
    Training, Assessment and Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection (TARILSP)
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building
    Code
    2022-23
    Description
    The Training, Assessment and Research Institute for Labor and Social Protection of Mongolia works on methodological improvements in data collection on social protection matters, which reverberate on the quality and relevancy of data analysis and, therefore, policy advise. Experts from Belgium, Finland, Portugal, and Slovakia mobilized by SOCIEUX+ have collaborated with the partner in reengineering data-collection methods (sampling and questionnaires) and provided examples of modern tools and methods for data analysis. The partner has engaged into the elaboration of policy advise, thus building the ground for the development of knowledge-based policy making in the area of social policy.

  • Best practices and strategy for collection of voluntary contributions to non-state pension funds

    Eastern Europe Azerbaijan
    Start activities
    17-10-2022
    End activities
    10-02-2023
    Partner Institution
    State Social Protection Fund
    Type of Assistance
    Institutional capacity building
    Code
    2022-21
    Description
    Through two activities, Finnish, French, and German experts mobilized by SOCIEUX+ provided the State Social Protection Fund of Azerbaijan with EU good practices in collecting voluntary contributions to non-state pension funds, followed by a strategy to create, attract and create incentives to non-state pension funds.

  • Capacity building for the improvement of the Brazilian second pillar pension governance and supervision of the legal and regulatory framework

    South America Brazil
    Start activities
    21-02-2022
    End activities
    21-10-2022
    Partner Institution
    Cearense Association of Economists Pensioners and Retirees (ACEA)
    Type of Assistance
    Individual capacity building (human resources development)
    Code
    2021-23
    Description
    The Associação Cearense dos Economiários Aposentados e Pensionistas (ACEA) reached out to SOCIEUX+ in order to provide capacity building, in the form of e-learning courses, to members of Brazilian organizations defending the rights of pensioners. ACEA noticed a clear need for members of such organizations to gain more extensive knowledge on governance, management, and supervision of occupational pension funds, in order to detect shortfalls in the system, apply due diligence, and prevent mismanagement and fraudulent behaviors. The e-learnings, crafted by Portuguese, Spanish, German, and French expertise covered topics such as basic knowledge of the functioning of second pillar pension funds, best practices for regulation and supervision of funds, legal and regulatory frameworks governing second pillar pension funds. This successful e-learnings were followed by hundreds of participants from various parts of Brazil.

  • Analysis of the pension legislative framework and strategic guidance

    Central Asia Tajikistan
    Start activities
    16/08/2016
    End activities
    28/03/2017
    Partner Institution
    Gency for Social Insurance and Pensions (ASIP)
    Type of Assistance
    Legislative & regulatory framework development
    Code
    2016-04
    Description
    An assessment report of the existing pension legal framework has been elaborated by experts from Bulgaria and Latvia identifying gaps, risks and challenges, and formulating specific mitigation strategies and measures. The experts also prepared a compendium of requirements for the implementation of the legal framework, taking into account the administrative functions needed to operationalize the system. Following this, experts from Latvia and Lithuania produced a functional assessment and reviewed the business processes and workflows of the Agency for Social Insurance and Pensions (ASIP) of Tajikistan in view of their adequacy in terms of human and material resources, technical competencies and tools, corporate organization and workflows. In particular, experts reviewed the current methodologies, formulas and processes used by ASIP for the calculation of pension benefits.

  • Advice on sustainability and investment of pension funds

    South-East Asia Cambodia
    Start activities
    24/10/2018
    End activities
    02/08/2019
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Economy and Finances
    Type of Assistance
    Individual capacity building (human resources development)
    Code
    2018-28
    Description
    The Action had an essential capacity building motive. The National Social Protection Committee of Cambodia – a long-standing SOCIEUX+ partner - wishes to enhance its role as a guardian and a regulator of an expanded and reformed social protection system. The present Action focused on pensions, in the light of the planned reform, which finally came into force in 2022, bringing in the system private sector workers, together with public civil servants. NSPC’s staff have received significant exposure to EU and international cases and practices, particularly on the issue of (sustainably) financing pensions. Relevant international standards were presented by experts from Finland and Lithuania, with a focus on taxation, collection of contributions, the very build-up of a pension system, and its financing.

  • Design of a comprehensive training plan for State Social Security Institutions

    NORTH AMERICA Mexico
    Start activities
    12/11/2018
    End activities
    17/05/2019
    Partner Institution
    Organización Nacional de Instituciones Estatales de Seguridad Social (ONIESS)
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building
    Code
    2018-20
    Description
    The Organización Nacional de Instituciones Estatales de Seguridad Social (ONIESS) is a platform gathering social security agencies of adhering Mexican states. Its role is one of policy coordination, capacity support of member organizations, and advocacy towards federal authorities in areas related to the social security mandate of the member organizations. In practice, ONIESS is primarily concerned with pension systems. Through this action, ONIESS has been supported by SOCIEUX+ mobilized experts from France and Spain to assess the needs in capacity building of the staffs of ONIESS’ member organizations and, on this basis, to formulate a comprehensive training plan. The plan encompasses four principal areas of concern, namely professional risks, the future of social security policy, financial and actuarial techniques, and administration and planning of social security schemes.

  • Social Insurance: assistance in the development of the State agents pension system

    Western Africa Gabon
    Start activities
    may-17
    End activities
    aug-17
    Partner Institution
    Pensions and Family Benefits Fund of State Agents [Caisse des Pensions et des Prestations Familiales des Agents de l'Etat]
    Type of Assistance
    Institutional Strengthening
    Code
    2016-07
    Description
    This action results from 5 distinct requests by the Caisse des Pensions et des Prestations Familiales des Agents de l'Etat (CPPF). The action's technical products - an assessment report on the organizational strategy of CPPF; recommendations on the development of social marketing and communication policy; recommendations for a revised IT architecture; a roadmap in view of the development of a new insurance branch, namely a complementary pension scheme – were all intended to contribute to the strengthening of the organizational capacities of the young CPPF. Teams of experts with different profiles and country origin (France, Morocco, the Netherlands) have exchanged with the Partner’s teams in the course of four activities.

  • Support for the set up of universal health insurance

    Western Africa Togo
    Start activities
    oct-2015
    End activities
    sep-2016
    Partner Institution
    Institut National d’Assurance Maladie (INAM)
    Type of Assistance
    Institutional Strengthening
    Code
    2015-09
    Description
    Experts mobilized from France and Lebanon delivered an analysis of Togo’s Institut National d’Assurance Maladie (INAM)’s institutional organization and capacities. The assessment focused on the challenges faced by INAM in view of the extension of health coverage, clarified the institutional responsibilities, while identifying issues requiring further technical assistance to INAM, such as the preparation of a strategic plan, the enhancement of internal capacities in the field of “risk management,” and the development of a management information system. The first two topics were then addressed by experts through peer-to-peer exchanges with the relevant INAM’s executives and staff, presenting models and good practices applicable to INAM’s context and needs.

  • Follow up support to the reform of the pension system in Mexico

    NORTH AMERICA Mexico
    Start activities
    Feb-16
    End activities
    May-17
    Partner Institution
    Institute of Social Security of the State of Guanajuato (ISSEG)
    Type of Assistance
    Policy development
    Code
    2015-24
    Description
    In response to a request of from the Institute of Social Security of the State of Guanajuato (ISSEG), this action started the process of constitution of a national platform of social security State Institutes, with the objective of setting up a framework for cooperation and information-sharing among State Institutes. Spanish experts supported ISSEG in finalizing a declaration for the creation of a National Pension forum, to be delivered to the 16th edition of the National Social Security Conference. Experts also advised ISSEG and other State Institutes on the specific stages required for establishing a National coordination body, including the elaboration of the constituent documents and the legal framework of a national platform (which will become the Organización Nacional de los Institutos Estatales de Seguridad Social - ONIESS).

  • Support to revise the SP Strategy of the MoSD in Jordan

    Middle East and Gulf Countries Jordan
    Start activities
    aug-2015
    End activities
    dec-2015
    Partner Institution
    Ministry of Social Development
    Type of Assistance
    Policy development
    Code
    2015-11
    Description
    The Ministry of Social Development (MoSD) is responsible for the provision of social services to a wide range of beneficiaries, including young people and children, families and people living with disabilities. These services are provided at a local level though social service directorates and offices. The strategic objective of the MoSD is to contribute to the development and implementation of an integrated social policy in Jordan. Social protection is delivered through four major public programmes: a social insurance programme; a public programme for the civil service and military (phasing out); a social assistance programme; and, an assistance programme for Palestinian Refugees (delivered through the UN Relief and Works Agency). There was a need to strengthen and rationalise programmes so that they better serve the most vulnerable. Moreover, addressing needs of the Syrian refugee crisis, and its impact on the country, remains a major challenge for the Government. Jordan had recently drafted a Poverty Reduction Strategy (2013-2020) and the Response Plan for the Syria Crisis. In this context the MoSD engaged in a more strategic planning approach to rationalise and strengthen existing programmes, and the needed capacities to do so. Over a period of several months, experts mobilised by SOCIEUX work with the peers on the elaboration of a draft Strategic Plan 2016-2021 for the MoSD entitled “Together – Tackling Disadvantage: Realising the potential of all our citizens and building sustainable communities”. Moreover, the experts submitted a roadmap for a communication strategy for the dissemination and endorsement of the Strategic Plan as well as a monitoring and evaluation framework for its implementation titled Business Performance.

  • Training on the pension systems and a capacity development needs assessment

    EASTERN AFRICA Burundi
    Start activities
    jun-2014
    End activities
    jun-2014
    Partner Institution
    National Pensions and Occupational Risks Office
    Type of Assistance
    Individual capacity building (human resources development)
    Code
    2014-02
    Description
    The National Office for Pensions and Occupational Risk (ONPR) for civil servants, magistrates and judicial personnel implements contributory pensions, vocational hazards and associated benefit social insurance in Burundi since 2010. The ONPR faced challenges of efficiently managing increasing expansion of the scheme including at organisational level. To address these challenges, experts mobilised by SOCIEUX+ worked with their peers on the elaboration of an internal management strategy, the establishment of monitoring and control procedures, and the improvement of quality assurance mechanisms. The staff of ONPR, and other stake holding institutions in the area of pension, was to be trained key concepts of social protection to widen their understanding of the functioning of pension systems. Further, the intervention assessed and formulated recommendation on how to best respond to identified needs of the partner institutions for the efficient and effective management of the pension scheme.

  • Supporting contributory pensions coverage extension, investment management and administration

    NORTH AMERICA Mexico
    Start activities
    End activities
    aug-2014
    Partner Institution
    Institute of Social Security of the State of Guanajuato [Instituto de Seguridad Social del Estado de Guanajuato]
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational capacity building
    Code
    2014-04
    Description
    The Institute of Social Security of the State of Guanajuato (ISSEG) is responsible for providing insurance benefits to the formal sector [public employees and civil servants] in the Mexican State of Guanajuato. The amounts of pensions originally guaranteed by the ISSEG were pre-defined as a percentage of the affiliate’s wage at time of compliance of retirement criteria. The underlying solidarity fund is financed by contributions of workers and employers, as well as the returns generated by investments. Due to the challenges in funding the existing system, the ISSEG was considering reforms to set benefits on actual historical contributions. Mobilised experts contributed in building capacities of the ISSEG for planned reforms by addressing issues with their peers in policy definition and administrative requirement definition by sharing EU Member States and common experience in making pension schemes affordable in the face of changing economic, policy and demographic environments. In particular, they transferred understanding on legal, actuarial and financial implications of the implementation of the proposed reforms.

  • Support to non – and contributory pensions

    NORTH AMERICA Mexico
    Start activities
    jun-2015
    End activities
    nov-2015
    Partner Institution
    Institute of Social Security of the State of Guanajuato [Instituto de Seguridad Social del Estado de Guanajuato]
    Type of Assistance
    Policy development
    Code
    2014-25
    Description
    Follow-up from action 2014-04 This action built on these achievements of the first action with the ISSEG, and allowed European experts and their Mexican peers to formulate practical recommendations for the coordinated development at federal level of state pension funds. Exchanges addressed in particular legal, actuarial and administrative aspects. ISSEG’s experience and leadership was first presented to two Mexican States pension funds, which was a significant step to boost state-level coordination and cooperation. The final action’s activity was a National Inter-State Pensions Conference which brought together all state funds of Mexico. The first conclusion reached by consensus during the conference was the need to work towards establishing a new framework law, which contains general principles aimed at guaranteeing a "decent" and coordinated pension system for all Mexicans and which is disassociated from salaries.

  • Support to the organisation of a pension forum

    Western Africa Togo
    Start activities
    jul-2016
    End activities
    jul-2016
    Partner Institution
    Inter-African Conference on Social Welfare [Conférence Interafricaine de la Prévoyance Sociale]
    Type of Assistance
    Organisational management (structures & functions)
    Code
    2015-20
    Description
    The Inter-African Conference for Social Welfare (CIPRES) is a regional organisation of fifteen Western and Central African countries created by the Ministries in charge of finances and social affairs in 1993. It formulates common management guidelines for social protection institutions. It also conducts studies, formulates harmonisation proposals on legislations, and facilitates training of managerial and technical staff at the regional level. As part of its thematic responabilities, the CIPRES also responds to the needs of its members for innovative and coherent mechanisms for reforms which will guarantee financial sustainability of pensions. For this purpose, CIPRES decided to organise a a regional pension forum to discuss the future of pensions systems, and to initiate a reflection and an exchange about best possible solutions for mitigating financial risks. European experts mobilised by SOCIEUX participated in the three-day Forum on Pensions for the CIPRES Region, which took place in Abidjan, Cameroon, end of July 2016. They were speakers on European best practices, and participated as resource persons in the debates of the panels on financing of pension systems and policies for the placement of reserve funds, and on perspectives of pension funds for the civil service/public sector, and factors for their viability.