Bill on Wtp Commitments and Other Pension Topics Submitted to the Council of State

The Council of Ministers has approved the Bill on Wtp commitments and other pension topics. This proposal is now submitted to the Council of State for advice. The bill amends parts of the Pension Act concerning survivors pensions and pension accrual during disability. These changes were promised to the Senate during the Future Pensions Act (Wtp) discussions and do not affect the transition to the new system.

Survivors Pension

When a parent passes away, children often have the right to an orphans pension. The exact conditions vary per pension scheme. This bill establishes a single uniform definition in the law that determines when a child is entitled to an orphans pension. This is especially important for stepchildren, foster children, or children from blended families. The Wtp also stipulated that after termination of employment or when receiving unemployment or sickness benefits, coverage for the orphans pension continues for a maximum of six months. The law is now amended to allow people to voluntarily extend this coverage. This was already possible for the partners pension.

Pension in Case of Disability

In cases of disability, old-age pension is often still accrued over the period a person is disabled, without paying premiums. The Wtp included transitional arrangements for insurers and closed funds whose employer no longer exists. This ensures no changes for disabled persons already benefiting from this scheme. However, some issues have arisen in implementation. Therefore, this bill expands the transitional arrangements.

Equal Adjustment in the Flexible Contribution Scheme

The Wtp provides two ways to accrue pension: the solidarity scheme and the flexible contribution scheme. Trade unions and employers choose between these two. The solidarity scheme offers more opportunities to share risks, while the flexible scheme offers more individual choice.

Within the flexible contribution scheme, it was possible for different pensioners to receive different annual adjustments to their pension amounts. This was complex for some funds both operationally and communicatively. This bill allows the pension payment of newly retired persons to move in line with the pension payments of other pensioners. This possibility already existed within the solidarity scheme.

Entry into Force

The bill is now submitted to the Council of State for advice. This advice will be weighed by the government, after which the bill will be submitted to the House of Representatives. If the House agrees, the bill will be submitted to the Senate. If the Senate also agrees, the bill can enter into force on January 1, 2027. Whether this timeline is met depends on the parliamentary process.