Preparation for retirement

Recommendation 695 (1973)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 24 January 1973 (23rd Sitting) (see Doc. 3158, report of the Committee on Social and Health Questions). Text adopted by the Assembly on 24 January 1973 (23rd Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Having regard to the report of its Committee on Social and Health Questions on preparation for retirement (Doc. 3158) ;

2. Considering that the proportion of the aged in the populations of the Council of Europe member States has increased steadily in the last two decades, and recognising the collective responsibility to ensure that the aged can continue to lead a meaningful and satisfactory life, and that services provided for them should aim to keep them active within the community ;

3. Recalling its Recommendation 502 (1967) on persons wishing to engage in gainful employment after retirement, and Resolution (70) 16 of the Committee of Ministers on social and medico-social policy for old age, and stressing the importance of the full implementation by the governments of the Council of Europe member States of the proposals formulated in these texts ;

4. Welcoming the present work of the Committee of Ministers on measures enabling retired wage-earners to engage in paid employment, and on the effects of lowering the retirement age and of the ageing of the population on social security schemes ;

5. Considering that the situation of retired people could be improved considerably by adequate preparation for their retirement,

6. Recommends that the Committee of Ministers :

a work out proposals on the lines set out in the report of its Committee on Social and Health Questions (Doc. 3158) for effective approaches to preparation for retirement in order to facilitate the transition from working to retired life, thereby ensuring that the persons concerned be fully informed on questions of income, housing, medical and social services, as well as recreational facilities ;

b ensure :

that the intergovernmental activities referred to in paragraph 4 above will lead to the adoption in Council of Europe member States of flexible retirement schemes, enabling persons to choose more freely the moment of retirement before or after a standard retirement age in the light of their health situation, personal abilities and aspirations, and with the possibility to combine pensions with gainful activities ;

that retired persons and members of their families can benefit from the protection provided to them under all branches of social security prior to retirement ;

c that retired persons and members of their families can benefit from the protection provided to them under all branches of social security prior to retirement ;

d inform the Assembly on the implementation by Council of Europe member States of the proposals formulated in Resolution (70) 16 of the Committee of Ministers ;

e invite Council of Europe member States which do not yet do so, to introduce a widow's pension and to adjust pensions and social assistance payments to elderly people at least annually to variations in the cost of living in accordance with the relevant provisions of the European Code of Social Security and the Protocol thereto ;

f invite Council of Europe member States to consider the possibility of modifying their legislation to the effect that retirement pension and related social security rights acquired by women are transferable to their surviving husbands under the same terms as those rights acquired by husbands are transferable to their surviving wives.