When the welfare state meets the regulatory state: EU occupational pension policy

The increasing relevance of occupational pensions for the income security of the elderly moves this policy area to the core of the tension between national redistributive welfare states and EU-wide single market regulations. Focusing on the European pension fund directive, the paper investigates whether European occupational pension policies are primarily shaped by the Commission's and international business agenda of market liberalization or the government preferences for national autonomy in social policy. The study finds that the directive liberalizes the pension market to some extent. Member states largely succeeded in securing the national prerogative in social policy. In explaining this outcome, the paper argues that the nature of domestic pension arrangements not only shapes government preferences but also the preferences of the European Parliament and important business actors. Business was too fragmented internally to succeed in establishing a full-blown liberal Europe in regard to occupational pensions, although their pressure was sufficient to secure liberal investment principles. Keywords: EU decision-making, international political economy, pensions, single market, social policy, welfare state