Policies of the EU Towards Occupational Pensions : Limits to Regulation

This chapter deals with regulatory policies of the EU towards occupational pensions. It focuses in particular on the pension fund directive adopted in 2003. Largely based on a close reading of official documents, the chapter traces the discussion about a potential social dimension to the directive in addition to its financial elements. The chapter distinguishes between a coalition in favour of a "Liberal Europe" and a "Social Europe". The contribution also provides reasons why the proponents of a "Social Europe" have failed