Pension reforms delayed after senators raise concerns

Pension funds will get an extra year to transition to the new pension system. Minister Carola Schouten (Pensions) pushed the deadline to early 2028 under pressure from the CDA, PvdA, and GroenLinks in the Senate, De Telegraaf reports.

The senators worried that 3.5 years would not be long enough for pension funds to transition to the new system. And you don’t risk chaos with people’s pensions, they argued.

GroenLinks senator Roel van Gurp wanted the transition deadline postponed until 2029. CDA senator Ria Oomen argued for 2030. Schouten was against such a lengthy postponement, but she did have to compromise with the parties as they are part of the “pension coalition” that must get the new system passed in the Eerste Kamer.

The Minister, therefore, agreed to postpone the deadline until 2028. She also promised to amend the law in such a way that it would be easier to arrange further postponement in the future. “I do not rule out that it will be later if that is necessary in practice,” she said.

At the request of the CDA, the government will also appoint a commissioner to monitor the pension transition. ‘

The Eerste Kamer, the Dutch Senate, had a long debate on the new pension system on Monday. Schouten will answer questions posed by the Senators on Tuesday, and the Eerste Kamer will vote on the pension law next week.

The Rutte IV coalition of VVD, D66, CDA, and ChristenUnie doesn’t have a majority in the Eerste Kamer. It, therefore, needs the support of opposition parties like GroenLinks and PvdA to get laws passed.