About this event

Pension reforms top the political agenda across many countries. Growing population age, impending retirement of the baby boom generation, increases in life expectancy, labour market dynamic that brings new employment formats and career instabilities, create pressures for governments to rethink their pension systems’ rules. As in most of the countries, such reform would redistribute funds which are significant portions of the national GDP, governments are obliged to make efficient decisions supported by sound quantitative analysis that would ensure a lasting difference to its citizens.

Financial officials working on social protection schemes deal with uncertain future fiscal events and complex interrelated demographic and behavioral factors. That is why they must use forecasting tools and models for empowering policy-makers in the design and monitoring the effectiveness of pension systems. At this workshop we will take a look at the current debate on various aspects of actual and potential pension system reforms in SEE countries and beyond. The event will combine both theoretical and empirical approaches to pension reforms, with a special emphasis on behavioral economics and analytical tools that can support evidence-based policy making.

This workshop will outline the relation between pension system reforms and achievement of countries’ overall fiscal objectives and assess possible tools for improving effectiveness and efficiency of this spending. On this occasion we will be presenting technical – analytical approaches to assessing short term & long term impacts of different reform measures, which is also an important input for assessing possible approaches to improving pension system financing through better coordination of allocated financial resources.

Due to complexity of stakeholders involved in management of pension systems (ministries of social protection, labour, finance, insurance funds, labour unions, etc.), at this event we will also discuss prospects for incentivizing interinstitutional coordination and cooperation in exchange of financial and non-financial data. 

How will you benefit?

The workshop will address the specifics of pension system financing, prospects for improvement of its coverage and spending efficiency; coordination of funds from different national levels to ensure the desired policy outcomes. Therefore, upon its completion, participants will be able to:

• Identify specific shortcomings in procedures and institutional arrangements that constrain coordination of pension policies
• Describe factors that could cause inefficiencies in spending, and what could be done to address them
• Appraise the benefits of utilization of performance information when making budgetary allocation decisions
• Examine possible solutions for strengthening or introducing analytical tools in policy planning  
• Assess how to streamline the process of monitoring and evaluation of policy outcomes.

Since the workshop will be designed as partaking, the participants will be actively engaged in discussions and group exercises, and encouraged to share their country’s experiences and challenges encountered. It will provide a ground for sharing experiences and best practices between participants and thematic experts from the SEE region, and beyond.

Who should attend?

The workshop is designed for public officials committed to furthering pension systems in their country with innovative thinking, practical analytical tools and coordinated across-the-government actions. More precisely, the workshop is designed for technical officials responsible for design, financial planning, evaluating and monitoring of pension schemes, working at:

• ministries of finance budget department as analysts of pension budgets and macroeconomic policy departments
• ministries of social protection finance and policy departments participating in development and programming of pension policies, as well as on the preparation of annual budgets
• pension insurance funds working on programming and budgeting of pension policies
• other public institutions with a mandate in pension system (such as parliamentary committees, economic research institutes, etc.).

Lecturers

The learning initiative will be delivered under the guidance of:

• Saša Jazbec- State Secretary, Ministry of Finance of Slovenia
• Janez Šušteršič- International Expert and former Minister of Finance of Slovenia
• Tilen Božič- State Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equality of Slovenia 
• Giulia Pagliani- Policy Officer, EC Directorate General for Employment, Social Affairs & Inclusion
• Per Eckefeldt - EC Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs, Fiscal policy directorate 
• Alenka Kajzer - Deputy Director, Republic of Slovenia, Institute of Macroeconomic Analysis and Development
• Boris Majcen – Head of the Institute for Economic Research, Slovenia

Practical information

Travel and accommodation costs will be funded for up to three officials per country from: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Turkey. Public officials from other CEF constituency countries and beyond are also welcome to apply however they would have to obtain funding from their sending institution (or another donor) to cover these costs. No fee will be charged, and meals and refreshments during the event will be provided to all selected participants. Selected candidates have already received confirmations. 

The workshop be delivered in English and no translation will be provided.

 

For more information please contact:

• Ms. Tara Vasiljević: +386 1 369 6337; tara.vasiljevic@cef-see.org
• Mrs. Nina Agić: +386 1 369 6130; nina.agic@cef-see.org

 

 *This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSC 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Partners

This learning initiative was supported by: