Pension reforms and participation in Spain

Eusebi Colàs-Neila

Tytuły

Abstrakt

The Spanish public pension system has periodically been reformed over the past three decades. These reforms have been of varying intensity and different in nature as regards their approval process. The first major reforms occurred in Spain in the 1980s and were characterised by their unilaterality due to the parliamentary majority of the government. They triggered a strong social response and various general strikes were called against their measures.

However, these reforms became more participatory by the mid-1990s. The main instrument of participation in pension reforms in the Spanish system is known as the Toledo Pact (Pacto de Toledo), which has been in force since 1995. It is a parliamentary commission that approves a series of declarative principles and recommendations to follow in the reform processes. Its purpose is to ensure broad political consensus before passing new regulations. Within this framework, another instrument used is social dialogue among government, unions and business organisations. Accordingly, there have been four agreements (1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011) approving a series of reform measures founded on the principles formulated in the Pact. On the basis of these agreements, the government in each case presented a bill to the Parliament for discussion and approval.

The last reform, which took place in 2013, was very significant due to a huge regression in terms of protection levels. Unlike prior reforms, it was passed without social dialogue and without following the consensus procedures of the Toledo Pact, thereby implying a return to unilaterality in this field.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the functioning and consequences of these instruments of participation, focusing on explaining the Toledo Pact, how it works and how it has served to increase legitimacy and consensus in pension reforms as opposed to unilateral regulatory changes.

JEL:	K31
ASJC:	3309

The Spanish public pension system has periodically been reformed over the past three decades. These reforms have been of varying intensity and different in nature as regards their approval process. The first major reforms occurred in Spain in the 1980s and were characterised by their unilaterality due to the parliamentary majority of the government. They triggered a strong social response and various general strikes were called against their measures.

However, these reforms became more participatory by the mid-1990s. The main instrument of participation in pension reforms in the Spanish system is known as the Toledo Pact (Pacto de Toledo), which has been in force since 1995. It is a parliamentary commission that approves a series of declarative principles and recommendations to follow in the reform processes. Its purpose is to ensure broad political consensus before passing new regulations. Within this framework, another instrument used is social dialogue among government, unions and business organisations. Accordingly, there have been four agreements (1996, 2001, 2006 and 2011) approving a series of reform measures founded on the principles formulated in the Pact. On the basis of these agreements, the government in each case presented a bill to the Parliament for discussion and approval.

The last reform, which took place in 2013, was very significant due to a huge regression in terms of protection levels. Unlike prior reforms, it was passed without social dialogue and without following the consensus procedures of the Toledo Pact, thereby implying a return to unilaterality in this field.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the functioning and consequences of these instruments of participation, focusing on explaining the Toledo Pact, how it works and how it has served to increase legitimacy and consensus in pension reforms as opposed to unilateral regulatory changes.

JEL:	K31
ASJC:	3309

Słowa kluczowe

reforma emerytalna, partycypacja, demokracja, partnerzy społeczni ; pension reforms, participation, democracy, social actors

pension reforms, participation, democracy, social actors

Bibliografia

Alarcón Caracuel M.R., La Seguridad Social en España, Pamplona 1999.

Carrera L.N., When does Europe matter? An analysis of pension reform policy in Spain and Italy, European Union Studies Association (EUSA) 11^th Biennial International Conference 2009, p. 1–32, http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/24602/ (accessed: 1.10.2018).

Díaz-Giménez J., Las Pensiones Europeas y sus Reformas Recientes, Instituto BBVA de Pensiones No. Documento de trabajo 7, 2014.

Duchemin C., Weber T., Social partners’ involvement in pension reform in the EU, European Observatory of Working Life – Eurofound, https://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ef/sites/default/files/ef_files/pubdocs/2013/691/en/1/EF13691EN.pdf (accessed: 1.10.2018).

Fargas Fernàndez J., Análisis crítico del sistema español de pensiones no contributivas, Pamplona 2002.

Fernández Avilés J.A., Nuevas recomendaciones sociolaborales Europeas para la reforma: más tensión entre la lógica economicista y las razones sociales. Revista de Trabajo y Seguridad Social2018, 424.

González Ortega S., La reforma de las pensiones públicas a través de la definición de sus principios organizativos, Cuadernos de Relaciones Laborales 1998, 12.

Gutiérrez Colominas D., Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesión 25), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2018, 209.

Hierro Hierro F.J., Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los Acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesiones 1 a 5), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2017, 195.

Hierro Hierro F.J., Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los Acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesiones 11 a 15), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2017, 198.

Hierro Hierro F.J.,Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los Acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesiones 16 a 20), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2017, 199.

Hierro Hierro F.J., Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los Acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesiones 21 a 24), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2017, 202.

Hierro Hierro F.J., Comisión de seguimiento y evaluación de los Acuerdos Pacto de Toledo (Sesiones 6 a 10), Nueva Revista Española de Derecho Del Trabajo 2017, 196.

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Monereo J.L., Fernández Bernat J.A., El factor de sostenibilidad en España: ¿Un nuevo paso para el cambio silencioso de modelo de pensiones públicas? Revista de Derecho Social2013, 62.

OECD, Pensions at a Glance 2017. How does Spain compare?, 2017, 1–2, www.oecd.org/spain/PAG2017-ESP.

Panizo Robles J.A., Dos décadas de reformas de la Seguridad Social: Del Pacto de Toledo de 1995 al Acuerdo Social y Económico de 2011, Revista de Trabajo y Seguridad Social 2011.

Rodríguez Cabrero G., The reform of the public pension system in Spain, Institute of Public Goods and Policies (CSIC-IPP) Working Papers No. 02–13a 2002, http://ipp.csic.es/sites/default/files/content/workpaper/2002/dt-0213a.pdf (accessed: 1.10.2018).

Schludi M., The Reform of Bismarckian Pension Systems, Amsterdam 2005.

Tortuero Plaza J.L., del Aguila Cazorla O., Martín Jiménez E., Moreno Romero F., La reforma de la jubilacion: Políticas de pensiones y políticas de empleo, Premios FIPROS – Fondo para el Fomento de la Investigación de la Protección Social, 2010, http://www.seg-social.es/prdi00/groups/public/documents/binario/143941.pdf (accessed: 1.10.2018).

Informacje

Informacje: Studia z Zakresu Prawa Pracy i Polityki Społecznej (Studies on Labour Law and Social Policy), Volume 25 (2018), Tom 25 Zeszyt 4, s. 417 - 430

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4467/25444654SPP.18.026.8954

Typ artykułu: Oryginalny artykuł naukowy

Tytuły:

Polski:

Pension reforms and participation in Spain

Angielski:

Pension reforms and participation in Spain

Autorzy

Eusebi Colàs-Neila

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1322-1254

Temporary Associate Professor at Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Spain

Publikacja: 13.11.2018

Status artykułu: Otwarte

Licencja: CC BY-NC-ND

Udział procentowy autorów:

Eusebi Colàs-Neila (Autor) - 100%

Korekty artykułu:

-

Języki publikacji:

Angielski

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