Publication: The Argentine Pension System, its Success and Challenges: Contributions to an Informed Policy Debate
Loading...
Other Files
3,962 downloads
Date
2022
ISSN
Published
2022
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
Over the last two decades, the Argentine pension system has made extraordinary progress in extending coverage--now reaching to nearly one hundred percent of the elderly--by expanding its non-contributory scheme and establishing automatic benefit adjustment mechanisms and increasing the replacement rate. Nonetheless, important challenges remain which may require public policy interventions in the near future. Some challenges are relevant in the short term, relating to coverage and equity of the system, while others are important in the longer term associated with the financial sustainability of the system in the context of population aging. The non-contributory benefits to reduce the coverage gap did not consider the labor history of workers and their past partial contributions, generating a horizontal inequality problem. Additionally, the coexistence of different pension schemes is a source of inequity within the national system, where provincial schemes and special and differential regimes coexist, each with its own rules and different generosity of benefits. The achievements of the pension system in terms of coverage and adequacy have impacted costs. In 2020, public spending on pensions reached almost 12 percent of GDP, similar to that of developed countries where population aging is considerably higher. In this context, policy options presented in this paper seek to redefine the objectives of the system, seeking greater equity and sustainability. Based on this premise, the document explores the benefits of redesigning the system using a two-pillar model, i.e. a universal and basic benefit related to the protection against the risk of ending up in a situation of poverty plus a contributory scheme, proportional to the contribution made by workers during their employment history. Addressing the coverage issue by incorporating this dimension would not only improve equity of contributions and benefits, but also generate incentives to extend the working life of older adults. At the same time, a strategy that harmonizes rules across different schemes, eliminates inequities and management issues, and focuses on the beneficiary —and not on the benefit— as the center of the system, would bring the model closer to a more equitable and sustainable system.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“Apella, Ignacio, editors. 2022. The Argentine Pension System, its Success and Challenges: Contributions to an Informed Policy Debate. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/38208 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication The Pension System in Iran : Challenges and Opportunities, Volume 1. Main Report(Washington, DC, 2003-09)The present report evaluates the Iranian pension system and proposes a series o f policy interventions to improve outreach, financing mechanisms, incentives, equity, and management. It has been prepared at the request o f the Management and Planning Organization. Given data constraints, the analysis concentrates primarily on the Social Security Organization and the Civil Servants Retirement Organization, the two main pension funds. Occupational funds and non- contributory regimes are surveyed only briefly. The need to look more closely at these schemes in the near future i s emphasized. The report i s organized in eight sections. Section 1 presents the background o f the study. Section 2 provides a general overview o f the Iranian pension system. Sections 3 and 4 present detailed assessments of the Social Security Organization and the Civil Servants Retirement Organization. Section 5 concentrates on the tax treatment o f retirement savings. Section 6 proposes a framework for guiding pension reform, presents a typology o f pension mechanisms, and reviews international experiences. On the basis o f this framework, Section 7 outlines strategic directions for reforming the Iranian pension system and analyzes the financial and fiscal implications. Finally, Section 8 discusses the political economy o f pension reform and recommends necessary steps for the design and implementation o f a successful reform program.Publication China's Pension System : A Vision(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2013-02-27)China is at a critical juncture in its economic transition. A comprehensive reform of its pension and social security systems is an essential element of a strategy aimed toward achieving a harmonious society and sustainable development. Among policy makers, a widely held view is that the approach to pension provision and reform efforts piloted over the last 10-15 years is insufficient to enable China's economy and population to realize its development objectives in the years ahead. This volume suggests a national pension system that no longer distinguishes along urban and rural locational or hukou lines yet takes account of the diverse nature of employment relations and capacity of individuals to make contributions. This volume is organized as follows: the main text outlines this vision, focusing on summarizing the key features of a proposed long-term pension system. It first examines key trends motivating the need for reform then outlines the proposed three-pillar design and the rationale behind the design choices. It then moves on to examine financing options. The text continues by discussing institutional reform issues, and the final section concludes. The six appendixes provide additional analytical detail supporting the findings in the main text. The pension system design can play an important role in supporting or constraining such economic and demographic transitions: 1) fragmentation and lack of portability of rights hinder labor market efficiency and contribute to coverage gaps; 2) multiple schemes for salaried workers, civil servants, and, in some areas, migrants similarly impact labor markets; 3) legacy costs that are largely financed through current pension contributions weaken incentives for compliance and accurate wage reporting; 4) very limited risk pooling and interurban resource transfers limit the insurance function of the urban pension system and create spatial disparities in old-age income protection; 5) low retirement ages affect incentives and benefits and undermine fiscal sustainability; and 6) relatively low returns on individual accounts result in replacement rates significantly less than anticipated while at the macro level, are likely to inhibit wider efforts to stimulate higher domestic consumption.Publication Global Pension Systems and Their Reform : Worldwide Drivers, Trends, and Challenges(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-05)Across the world, pension systems and their reforms are in a constant state of flux driven by shifting objectives, moving reform needs, and a changing enabling environment. The ongoing worldwide financial crisis and the adjustment to an uncertain 'new normal' will make future pension systems different from past ones. The objectives of this policy review paper are threefold: (i) to briefly review recent and ongoing key changes that are triggering reforms; (ii) to outline the main reform trends across pension pillars; and (iii) to identify a few areas on which the pension reform community will need to focus to make a difference. The latter includes: creating solutions after the marginalization or, perhaps, demise of Bismarckian systems in countries with high rates of informality; keeping the elderly in the labor market; and addressing the uncertainty of longevity increases in pension schemes.Publication Republic of Niger : Towards an Integrated and Sustainable Pension System(Washington, DC, 2009-06-30)This report was prepared at the request of the Government of Niger to: (i) provide a comprehensive assessment of the Nigerien pension system, (ii) analyze current reform initiatives and recommend possible refinements and alternatives, and (iii) examine implementation challenges. To this end, the report develops a set of general guidelines to assess reform options in terms the adequacy of benefits, security, financial sustainability, redistribution, incentives, and administrative efficiency. The core of the report is organized in three chapters. After providing a summary of the background (chapter one), chapter two develops the policy framework and updates the assessment of the mandatory pension systems. The assessment looks at the financial situation of the schemes but also discusses other problems that had been previously overlooked in terms of the adequacy of benefits; the type of redistribution; as well as issues related to incentives. Chapter three reviews Government ongoing reform initiatives, summarizes the international experiences that are relevant to Niger, and, presents recommendations to strengthen current policies by outlining the components of a multi-year reform program, and developing a road map towards implementation.Publication Bulgaria : Ensuring Pension System Sustainability(Washington, DC, 2009-09)The report, Bulgaria: Ensuring Pension System Sustainability Pension Reform Policy Note was written in September 2009. The report states that the Bulgarian pension system has undergone significant and well designed reform in 2000-2003. However, attempts to restore financial self-sustainability of the pension scheme were not as successful as envisaged. Projections presented in this note suggest that recently introduced government contributions are insufficient to achieve financial sustainability and introduce growing distortions into the financing system. Additional reforms to the system will be needed to meet these challenges. Among the suggested reforms are; ensuring automatic sustainable pension indexation mechanism free of ad hoc interventions; attempting to further increase effective retirement age by reviewing early retirement rules and eliminating gender differences in retirement ages. A continued slow increase of retirement ages for both genders should also be considered; further strengthen disability certification processes to respond to likely increase in disability claims due to the economic downturn; strengthen long term financial planning, including revision of contribution rates which would be more compatible with long-term fiscal sustainability, and consider an exit strategy for formalized Government contribution to the scheme.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Global Economic Prospects, June 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-10)The global economy is facing another substantial headwind, emanating largely from an increase in trade tensions and heightened global policy uncertainty. For emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), the ability to boost job creation and reduce extreme poverty has declined. Key downside risks include a further escalation of trade barriers and continued policy uncertainty. These challenges are exacerbated by subdued foreign direct investment into EMDEs. Global cooperation is needed to restore a more stable international trade environment and scale up support for vulnerable countries grappling with conflict, debt burdens, and climate change. Domestic policy action is also critical to contain inflation risks and strengthen fiscal resilience. To accelerate job creation and long-term growth, structural reforms must focus on raising institutional quality, attracting private investment, and strengthening human capital and labor markets. Countries in fragile and conflict situations face daunting development challenges that will require tailored domestic policy reforms and well-coordinated multilateral support.Publication Digital Progress and Trends Report 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-03-05)Digitalization is the transformational opportunity of our time. The digital sector has become a powerhouse of innovation, economic growth, and job creation. Value added in the IT services sector grew at 8 percent annually during 2000–22, nearly twice as fast as the global economy. Employment growth in IT services reached 7 percent annually, six times higher than total employment growth. The diffusion and adoption of digital technologies are just as critical as their invention. Digital uptake has accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic, with 1.5 billion new internet users added from 2018 to 2022. The share of firms investing in digital solutions around the world has more than doubled from 2020 to 2022. Low-income countries, vulnerable populations, and small firms, however, have been falling behind, while transformative digital innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) have been accelerating in higher-income countries. Although more than 90 percent of the population in high-income countries was online in 2022, only one in four people in low-income countries used the internet, and the speed of their connection was typically only a small fraction of that in wealthier countries. As businesses in technologically advanced countries integrate generative AI into their products and services, less than half of the businesses in many low- and middle-income countries have an internet connection. The growing digital divide is exacerbating the poverty and productivity gaps between richer and poorer economies. The Digital Progress and Trends Report series will track global digitalization progress and highlight policy trends, debates, and implications for low- and middle-income countries. The series adds to the global efforts to study the progress and trends of digitalization in two main ways: · By compiling, curating, and analyzing data from diverse sources to present a comprehensive picture of digitalization in low- and middle-income countries, including in-depth analyses on understudied topics. · By developing insights on policy opportunities, challenges, and debates and reflecting the perspectives of various stakeholders and the World Bank’s operational experiences. This report, the first in the series, aims to inform evidence-based policy making and motivate action among internal and external audiences and stakeholders. The report will bring global attention to high-performing countries that have valuable experience to share as well as to areas where efforts will need to be redoubled.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2025(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-01-16)Global growth is expected to hold steady at 2.7 percent in 2025-26. However, the global economy appears to be settling at a low growth rate that will be insufficient to foster sustained economic development—with the possibility of further headwinds from heightened policy uncertainty and adverse trade policy shifts, geopolitical tensions, persistent inflation, and climate-related natural disasters. Against this backdrop, emerging market and developing economies are set to enter the second quarter of the twenty-first century with per capita incomes on a trajectory that implies substantially slower catch-up toward advanced-economy living standards than they previously experienced. Without course corrections, most low-income countries are unlikely to graduate to middle-income status by the middle of the century. Policy action at both global and national levels is needed to foster a more favorable external environment, enhance macroeconomic stability, reduce structural constraints, address the effects of climate change, and thus accelerate long-term growth and development.Publication Global Economic Prospects, January 2024(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-01-09)Note: Chart 1.2.B has been updated on January 18, 2024. Chart 2.2.3 B has been updated on January 14, 2024. Global growth is expected to slow further this year, reflecting the lagged and ongoing effects of tight monetary policy to rein in inflation, restrictive credit conditions, and anemic global trade and investment. Downside risks include an escalation of the recent conflict in the Middle East, financial stress, persistent inflation, weaker-than-expected activity in China, trade fragmentation, and climate-related disasters. Against this backdrop, policy makers face enormous challenges. In emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs), commodity exporters face the enduring challenges posed by fiscal policy procyclicality and volatility, which highlight the need for robust fiscal frameworks. Across EMDEs, previous episodes of investment growth acceleration underscore the critical importance of macroeconomic and structural policies and an enabling institutional environment in bolstering investment and long-term growth. At the global level, cooperation needs to be strengthened to provide debt relief, facilitate trade integration, tackle climate change, and alleviate food insecurity.Publication The Container Port Performance Index 2023(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-07-18)The Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) measures the time container ships spend in port, making it an important point of reference for stakeholders in the global economy. These stakeholders include port authorities and operators, national governments, supranational organizations, development agencies, and other public and private players in trade and logistics. The index highlights where vessel time in container ports could be improved. Streamlining these processes would benefit all parties involved, including shipping lines, national governments, and consumers. This fourth edition of the CPPI relies on data from 405 container ports with at least 24 container ship port calls in the calendar year 2023. As in earlier editions of the CPPI, the ranking employs two different methodological approaches: an administrative (technical) approach and a statistical approach (using matrix factorization). Combining these two approaches ensures that the overall ranking of container ports reflects actual port performance as closely as possible while also being statistically robust. The CPPI methodology assesses the sequential steps of a container ship port call. ‘Total port hours’ refers to the total time elapsed from the moment a ship arrives at the port until the vessel leaves the berth after completing its cargo operations. The CPPI uses time as an indicator because time is very important to shipping lines, ports, and the entire logistics chain. However, time, as captured by the CPPI, is not the only way to measure port efficiency, so it does not tell the entire story of a port’s performance. Factors that can influence the time vessels spend in ports can be location-specific and under the port’s control (endogenous) or external and beyond the control of the port (exogenous). The CPPI measures time spent in container ports, strictly based on quantitative data only, which do not reveal the underlying factors or root causes of extended port times. A detailed port-specific diagnostic would be required to assess the contribution of underlying factors to the time a vessel spends in port. A very low ranking or a significant change in ranking may warrant special attention, for which the World Bank generally recommends a detailed diagnostic.