The financial crisis has put a sharper focus on pensions systems, including the new funded schemes set up in many Central and Eastern European Countries.

On behalf of Commissioner Spidla, Mr Georg Fischer (European Commission - Head of Unit Social Protection and Social Services in DG Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities) gave the keynote speech to the EFRP conference on "Private Pension Systems in the Central and Eastern European Countries" on 24th March 2009. The speech makes some interesting points about the impact of the financial crisis on pensions systems, the EU's role and early lessons and responses. Full text of the speech is available in the related documents link."  

More recently, on 4th May 2009, Commissioner Spidla himself gave a speech to a conference in Bratislava on "Pension reform and the current crisis" which covered similar ground. Full text of the Commsioner's speech is also available in Related Documents.