Netspar Project Group: Analyzing auto‑enrolment in European proposals

The European Union has in recent years increasingly steered towards automatic participation in pension schemes (auto‑enrolment). This is reflected in various policy documents and proposals, each with its own legal status and degree of binding force. The project group can explore the underlying motives. Also relevant is the impact of potential binding EU provisions on the Dutch second and third pillars, and the extent to which the European Commission can encourage or enforce this. Furthermore: which forms/definitions of auto‑enrolment exist (in theory and in international practice), and which definition underpins EU recommendations? Finally: is an opt‑out envisaged and for whom; is the obligation placed on the individual employee or on the employer; and does the Dutch mandatory participation meet these expectations, or is the EU aiming for more individual variants (such as in the UK or via a personal PEPP account)?