> COMING UP

New pension rules

We are living in turbulent times. The war in Ukraine continues, as does the ensuing energy crisis. We are also facing massive inflation. Fortunately, we've been able to partially offset it by increasing pensions, and we hope to be able to do so again at the end of the year. There's also a lot happening in the pensions world: new pension rules are on the way. Both houses of the Dutch Parliament have given the green light to the Future of Pensions Act. The employer and employee representative organisations, together with the pension fund, can now proceed with implementation of that legislation. Behind the scenes, of course, we're already hard at work, as you can read in this magazine. Our intention is to switch to the new pension scheme on 1 January 2026. We’ll do so very carefully, of course – you don’t need to worry about the pension you've accrued. Under the new pension rules, each member has their own personal capital. That capital rises and falls with the rate of return, which is largely determined by interest rates. You’ll be able to see that right down to the last euro. I can very well imagine that you’ll have questions about all this. Members’ meetings are planned for the autumn, and I look forward to seeing you there and answering all those questions.

ERWIN CRAMER Director Bpf Koopvaardij Management Division