de Valera, S.

Archive of European Integration

1 June 1982 /.d..J-English Edition European Communities EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Working Documents 1982-1983 DOCUMENT 1-212/82 REPORT drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (Doe. 1-949/81 - COM(81) 779 final) ~a · draft Council recommendation on th~rinciples for a Community policy with regard to retirement age Rapporteur: Miss S. DE VALERA PE 77.062/fin. / By letter of 18 January 1982 the President of the Council of the ~opean catmunities requested the &lr~ Parliament, pursuant to the EEX:: Tre~ty, to deliver an q>inioo ,on the prqx:~sal fran the Ccmnission of the Eurqkan Camtunities to the Council for a-~tion on the principles fat a Ccmm.mity policy with reqerd to retirement age. On 21 January 1982 the President of the Eurqlean Parliarrent referred this proposal to the Ccmnittee on Social Affairs and Eh'ployrrent a5 the camri.ttee responsible and to the Ccmnittee on Ebonani.c and ftt:metary Affairs for an opinion. On 28 January 1982 the catmittee on Social Affairs· and Eh'ploytrent appointed Miss Sile de Valera rapporteur. 'lbe carmittee considered the carmissicn proposal and the draft report at its meetings of 26 February 1982, 17 March 1982, 31 March 1982 and 28 April 1982. At its meeting of 28 April 1982 the committee decided by 16 votes to 1 . with 5 abstentiau; to reccmrend that Par.lianent approve the Camri.ssion pt'q)Osal subject to- the amendnents set out below. . 'lhe carmittee then adopted the notion for a resolution as a whole by --~otes to 3 with 3 abstentions. '!he following took part in the vote: Mr Papaefstratiou, chairman; Mr Peters, Mr Horgan, Mr Fischmann, vice-chail:nen; Miss De Valera, rapporteur; Mr Boyes, Mr Brok, Mr calvez, Mrs Cassanmagnago cerretti, Ms Clwyd, • Mr Damette, Mr Duport, Mr Eisma, Mr Cb.!rgo, Mr Lezzi (deputizing for Mr Dich') Mr f.teartin, Mrs Maij-Weggen, Mr van Minnen, Mrs ~ielsen, Mi- Patterson, Mrs Salisch and Mrs Squarcialupi (deputizing for Mr Ceravolo). , '1he opinion of the Camtittee on Econanic and M:metary Affairs is attached. 'lbe rapporteur will present the explanatory statarent orally to the House. - 3 - PE 77. 0'62/fin.\ ·, ·• '"\' .,.,, ., -~. " CONTENTS • Amendnents ' .. 5 ............................................................. JbtiCXl far a re8()lut.ial. . _ ••.....••......•.•..• •. . . • . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . 7 ~inioo of the camu.ttee oo &:xxlanic and Mcnetary Affairs •••••••••••••• 10 - 4 PE 77 .062/fin. 'lhe Carmittee on Social .Affairs and Enployment hereby subni.ts to the European Parliament the follCMing amendnents and notion for a resolution: Amen<itents ~ 1 the carmittee .on socia!=s¥ &\j)lO)iri#lt Text prcp?sed by the camri.ssion Draft Council recarirendation oo the principles of a Ccmnunity policy with regard to retirement age (Doe. 1-949/81) RK:CMvlENDS '!HE ~ STATES· A. To a~ to this end the necessary measures to introduce flexible retir-."emeot gradually into the fromew6rk of statutory or occupational insurance schemes in accordance with the following principles: 1. To ensure that retirement is volunt-ary, the rules governing the age No. 2 - Failing that, and as long as the system stipulates a fixed age for entitlement to a pension, workers should be offered the q?tion, during a specified period, of applying for a pension in advance of the statut-ory age. (Rest deleted) - Increased flexibility as regards the age of entitlement to an old age pension \\Ould also be achieved by a system under which entitlement to a pension arose · after a given nunt>er of years.of enploy-ment or rneniJership of an insurance scheme. No. 3 2. During a given period. prior to retire- 2. ment, elderly w::~rkers whose \\Orking tilre is gradually being reduced should receive a special allowance, agreed by collective baraiining, carpensating partly or in f 1 fOi the reduction in their earnings, and their pension rights should not be impaired. - 5-' fran which an old age pension may be . drawn should be made roore flexible. To this end: - After a given age - identical for nen and wanen - \\Orkers should be free to choose the time of ·their retirarent. - Failing that, and as long as the system stipulates a f~ age for entitlenent to a pension, workers should be offered the option, during a specified period, of applying for a pension in advance of the statutory age or requesting its deferment beyond that age. Reductions made to the atrot.mt of pensions taken early should not be such as to render pointless the exercise of the option. - Increased flexibility as regards the age of entitlement to an old age pension Would also be achieved by a system under which entitlement to a pension arose after a given number of years of enployrrent or membership of an insurance scheme. During a given period prior to retire-ment, elderly workers whose working tine is gradually being reduced should receive a special allowance coopen-sating partly or in full for the reduction in their earnings, and their pension rights should not be impaired. PE 77.062/fin. No. 4 (deleted) No. 5 4. Workers receiving an old age pension cannot be excluded fran all forms of paid E!l'lployment. . 'l11e CXIIbinatiat of • with-fa~ ~&Fooly - 6 -3. Financial incentives to praiDte the early~ of.elderly workers should ool.y be applied foe a limited period in the. event .of exceptiooal. ~ circ\Dstances and should rtot be1 regarded as an integral part of a flexible· retii'emeut system. 4. Workers receiving an old age pension cannot 'be excluded fran all fOilliS of paid enployment • 5. WOrkers \1h> are within two years of the mi.ni.Rba retirement age should have access to awrcpriate counselling services and retirement preparation prograanes. PE 77.062/fi.n. '!he camrl.ttee on Social Affairs and &tployment hereby subnits to the European Par lianent the following trotion for a resolution: !Cl'IOO FOR A RESOLUT90N closing the procedure for consultation of the European Parliaroont on the proposal' fran the Carmission of the F.m'opean Comu.mities to the Council for a draft recoomendation on the principles for a Ccmnunity policy with regard to retirement age A. having regard to the pr~al fran the Catmi.ssion to the Council (CCM(81) 779 finat/, B. having been consulted by the Council (Doe. 1-949/81), c. having regard to its resolution on enployment .and the adaptation of \<IIOrking t . 2 une , D. having regard to the report by Mrs Squarcialupi on the situation and l . 3 problems of the aged in the European Ccmnunity , E. having regard to the report by the Camlittee on Social Affairs and atploynent and the cpinion of the Ccmnittee a1 Econanic and bletary Affairs (Doe. 1-212/82), F. having regard to the result of the vote~ on the prq:>osal fran the Carmission, 1. Wel~s in principle the subnission of a recatJrendation on the .. principles for a Community policy to harmonize the widely varying provisions for retirement currently obtaining in the Menber States, a step which has repeatedl;t been urged bY the European Parlianv:mt and its app~riate camri.ttee in connection with the need to ·adaPt ftAX'king time: ·hopes that this recatatendation will be the first step towards a directive on the hanroni.zation of nati~ laws; 2. Issues a warning, however, against over-cpt~stic expectations. as to the nurrber of jobs likely to be safeguarded as a consequence of earlier retirement in view of the fact that, owing to rationalization and the develqxnent of new technoloc:Jies, only sane of the vacancies thus created would be filled; suggests, however, that enployers should be encouraged, by appropriate. measureS 1 tO reserve. as many a5 poSSible Of the VacancieS created in this way for young workers; 1 OJ No C 16, 21.1.1982, p. 12 2 OJ No c 260, 12.10.1981, p. 54 3 OJ No c 66, 15.3.1982 - 7 - PE 77.062/fin. 3. Draws attention, nmeover, to the inevit8ble costs anci' additiooal. financial burden such measures will entail for state aoo private pensioo ~s w005e resources are already stretched to the limit; points Qlt at the scme time that the financial burden i.np:lee<1 by such measures will be offset fran the fiaancial and social points of view by the sinllltaneoos reduction in unenployiient payments and rel8ted scx:ial ~ts: 4. Considers that;· i:f phase B of the reccmnendation is inplemented, the question of the future financing of pensia1S should also be considered in detail as a matter of urgency, as the present enployJRent situation · · could have an .werse effect oo scx:ial security schelres which are financed fran ~~s' caltributions; 5. Considers ttiat particular attention s~ld ~ ~d to the introduction of · retirenent prograna!S which prepare older "WOrkers to ccpe with the conditi~ they will pJ!d)ably face when they cease work; 6. Stresses in its report on the aqed1 the ~ to protect the dignity of these citizens by mainta.itlin<j their free<bil to choose between· r&birement ' and the possibility of gradually reducing Wol')dng hours before reti,l:'emerlt; 7. Is awat"e' ·ftu.t unless euployment policy follows a new course .:. involvinCJ either in.s~.t: or tl,e' reorganization of worlq.ng time - there wlll be . conti~, c:Cnflict · ~ the desire of many elderly peq>le to. continue to work and the qifficulty eJ«perienced by a.-very larqe nadJer of yclU'lg peqlle m ~inding jcbs; 8. Is also aware ·that ear-ry i';etirenent, which is used as a means C?f helping to solve th&.prci)lems of ~rs in crisis but can .Uso .affect peeple o who are still perfectly ·c~le of \<l0rld.Jl9., cannOt in ·itself ·'SOlve the enployment. p&'d:>lem; 9. Notes that a simil~ ~lict arises as a :result of the demand that the labour market .should be accessible to t.OOse retirillg early bu~ still ' ' wishing to ~ sane fonn of paid activity; 10. Considers, :hc:Mever, that the carbination of a pension with an incate fran paid enplQYll8lt should be permitted only up to an earnirigs ceiling to 'be fixed by the ~ States; 1 Doe. 1-848/81 - 8 - PE 77. 062/fin,. 11. Considers that reports drawn up by the Meslt.ler • States based on the principles of the Internatiooal Labour organization and on their exper-ience of the .applicatioo of t.he8e recamendations will assist in the preparatioo of further measures. to facilitate flexible arranqements in respect of the retirement aqe and the accarpanyinq restructuring of pension insurance schemes; 12. Calls on the MeniJer States' governments to present the reports of the studies made of the custa\\ary procedures in their countries as quickly as possible, as rapid action will help to reassure the Camamity's elderly citizens; 13. Instructs its President to forward to the Carmission and the COUncil the prqx>aal fran the carmission as voted by Parliament and the corresponding resolution as Parliament's opinion~ - 9 - PE 77.062/fin. Draftanan: Mt otmar PMNZ for the Camlittee oo SOcial Affairs end lllpl.oyment on the ~aft 'Cooncil Recatmendatioo on the principles of a ·caanunity policy with i'egard to :retirement age (Doe. 1-949/81) At its meeting of 24 February 1982, the Camlittee on Jroonanic and fobletary Affairs awointed Mr Franz draft.sman of ·the cpinioo for the catmittee oo Sociel Affairs and Enp1oyment. '11'le carmi.ttee coosidered the draft c:pinion at its meeting of 18/19 March and a~ it unani.Jrous1y-. Present: Mr J. Moreau, chail:man; Mr Ferranti, vice-ehai.J:mlm~ Mr Deleau, vice-chairman~ Mr Franz, draftsmam Mr Albers (deputizing for Mr Wagner), Mr eeumer, Mr von bismark, Mr Bcnaccini, Mr Caborn, Mr carossino (deputizing for Mr Fernandez), Mrs DesOOches, Miss Forster, Mr I. Friedrich, Mr de Goede, Mr de Gucht, Mr Hennan,_ Mr Hc::gJer, Mr IA:!onardi, Mr Mihr, Mr Orlandi (deputi'!ing for Mr Ruffolo), Mr Papantoniou, Mr Purvis, Sir Brancbl Rhys Willians, Mr Rogalla (deputizing for Mr Schinze1), Mr Seal (deputizing for Mr llegers), Mr van Ralply and Mr val Wogau. - 10 - PE 77.062/fin. In its Resolution of 18 ~'00 the aaaptation of working time, the Cooncil requested the carmis&ion to produce a Camllnication on the specific subject of retirement aqe. 'lhis Ccmtuni.cation (<ni(80)393 final) was presented in July 1980 and diseussed by the Standing Comli.ttee on Ehpl.oynent, after which the Ccmnissioo was dked to draft specific proposals. 'lbese prqxl&als have now been presented, and take the fonn of a draft Council rec~dation on the principles of a Caml.lnity policy with regard to retire-ment age (Doe. 1-949/81). '!he Catmittee on Eoooanic and t-b1etary Affairs 1. Expresses its full support for the Carmi.ssion' s prq;x>aal for a reccmrendation; 2. Is convinced tllat a flexible retirement age system is preferable to fixed age limits in the individ.tal interest of many workers, and is also I'IDI'e in keeping with a socially responsible market econany; 3. Assunes that flexible retirement age limits can mean either lengthening or shortening individuals' working lives; 4. Agrees with the Camcil that flexible retirement, which should be volWltary, ,should be accatpanied by measures to facilitate the gradual reduction of .working hoors at ~ end of a worker's career, such as part-time work and longer holidays for older workers r · 5. Agrees that a flexible retirement system ccW.d solve the prd>lern · of equal treatnent for men and \«~Den with regard to pensionable age; 6. &rphasizes that, given the great variety of insurance schemes and legis-lation on retirement age and old age pensions in the EX:=, and the diversity of Melrber States' experience in this .field, ccnparative studies and analyses need to be made in preparation for a hantari.zation of Ccmnunity policy; 7. Draws particular attention to the following prcblE!ITS and prerequisites for the gradual introduction of a hanoonized flexible retirement system: ~ i - ll - PE 77.062 /fin - taking advantage of early retirememt provisioos shoold entail a redlct.ion in an indivicilal~s pension. Similarly, deferring retirement shclll.d entitle an individual to a higher pension; - the introductioo of the right to ~ \lh!n to leti.re will have to be . . - the offer of financial iaoentiws for early retimment may be lll(!prc.priat:e . in sare cases, but sboold not be regarded as an integral part of a flexible retirement sy.t;tan; the offer of fi.nal'lcial i.ment.i.ws for early retiremen~ er ~i.nq the· J'Uit)er of boorS worked per week durinq a specified period prior to retirement: - where flexible retirement is coocerned, every effort rrust be made. for the date of ceasing worlt to be detemdned by agreement between ertployees and ertployer in accordance with the provisioo5 laid cXIwn by law and collective agreeaent; 8. '1he introductial of fl.ex.ible retirement cannot be :regarded as an isolated experiment in the sbqrt.-term enplC7jii.B1t policy. only careful study can show whether and in 1llat conditioos fl.exilile retirement will have substantial or ool.y slight effects oo the l.aboor marltet: 9. Welcanes, however, ·the Camti.ssion' s Recaml!!ndatioo to the Oooncil prc:posin g. as a first stage, an analysis of Meni:ler States' pensial provisials, follG\led by their gradlal harm:lnizatioo. - 12 - PE 77.062/fin ·,. 

Report drawn up on behalf of the Committee on Social Affairs and Employment on the proposal from the Commission of the European Communities to the Council (Doc. 1-949/81-COM(81) 779 final) for a draft Council recommendation on the principles for a Community policy with regard to retirement age. Working Documents 1982-1983, Document 1-212/82, 1 June 1982

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