Belgium

BELGIUM - Belgium's recent national wage negotiations have not had the desired impact on the industry-wide pensions sector, with the final draft containing no references to any new sector fund as compared to initial drafts.

BELGIUM - The Belgian regulatory authority is considering making it mandatory for pension funds to establish a statement of investment principles outlining certain rules and regulations that asset managers will have to comply with.

BELGIUM - The Belgian authorities are considering setting up a compensation scheme along the lines of the Pensions Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) in the US or the Pension Protection Fund (PPF) in the UK.

BELGIUM - Belgian asset managers are being forced to be more selective in the number of pension fund RFPs that they respond to.

BELGIUM - VKG, the e500m Belgian pension fund for doctors, dentists and pharmacists, is making a foray into hedge funds and is set to appoint one to two investment managers before the end of the year.

BELGIUM - The European Financial Services Round Table (EFR) has called on the European Union to create a Pan-European pension regime to work hand-in-hand with existing pension structures with the aim of realising a European single market for private pensions....

BELGIUM - Belgian-based Dexia Sustainable, the flagship SRI fund managed by Dexia Asset Management, has been awarded an Austrian green funds label for its 10 SRI sub-funds registered for sale in Austria.

BELGIUM - Belgian pension funds returned 3.8% for the first three months in 2004, according to Mercer Investment Consulting.

BELGIUM - VKG, the e500m Belgium pension fund, is expected to make a final decision on its foray into alternatives shortly.

BELGIUM - Belgian pension funds in 2003 saw a positive return for the first time this century thanks to powerful equity performance, according to a study by Mercer Human Resource Consulting.