The European Union plays a key role in shaping workplace pensions through Directives and in judgements of the European Court of Justice . More broadly pensions figure as part of employment policy, financial markets, and the ageing population. This is reflected in the Lisbon Agenda (see more below) and the Single Market in financial services.

Recent NAPF activities

Draft pensions portability directive

The Commission published a draft directive on pensions portability in October 2005. NAPF in concert with the ABI, CBI and EEF, lobbied successfully to make the latest text (April 07) considerably less prescriptive and interventionist.

Solvency II

Solvency II is to set revised Europe-wide standards for the regulation of insurance business. Although Solvency II is only intended to cover insurance business, this will be monitored for any unwelcome extension to occupational schemes.