The IOPS is an independent, standard-setting body whose mission is to promote good practices in pension supervision and to serve as a world-wide forum for policy dialogue and the exchange of information.

The key resource of the IOPS is its very active membership. Research projects are proposed and developed by country members and project teams – ensuring the great involvement, relevance and commitment to all projects undertaken.

Drawing on the IOPS Principles of Private Pension Supervision, a series of Guidelines and Good practices on various issues are being developed to help supervisory regimes throughout the world to be in line with international standards.  

Our main on-going research projects include thematic projects on selected issues, yearly data collection and updates on pension systems information to expand the comprehensive data source on the regulation of private pension systems worldwide and the guidelines for risk-based supervision. The Working Paper Series offer a review of all the projects conducted with our member countries, on various critical subjects (such as, for example, digitalisation of financial services, consumer protection, supervision of large-pension funds).

The IOPS Principles of Private Pension Supervision provide a set of principles to cover the necessary requirements for an efficient and effective pension supervisory regime.

Widely adopted and used by supervisory authorities from around the world, they outline 10 main areas for effective pension supervision. [more]

The Methodology for Review of Supervisory Systems using IOPS Principles  provides a structured framework to pension supervisory authorities for a self-assessment vs. the Principles or an assessment by 3rd parties. [more]

These guidelines and good practices aim to help pension supervisory authorities to identify the areas of weakness to bring the regulation and supervisory regimes and techniques in line with international standards. Although they are not legally binding instruments, the Members are encouraged to observe and adopt them and identify the areas of weakness to bring the regulation and supervisory regimes and techniques in line with international standards.

[View the Guidelines]

The ISSA/OECD/IOPS Complementary and Private Pensions Database provides a comprehensive data source on the regulation of private pension systems worldwide. It is publicly available on website of The International Social Security Association (ISSA):

Access the database

• June 2019: PensionsEurope publishes a brochure on 'Supervisory reporting requirements for pension funds which are fit for purpose'.
  Read the Press release  and download the Brochure (pdf)

• April 2019: the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority (EIOPA) published its Results of the Peer Review on Supervisory Practices with Respect to the Application of the Prudent Person Rule for IORPs (2019) (pdf)

• October 2018: CONSAR released its Risk-based Supervision Methodology (pdf)

• August 2018: Article "Pension funds want ESG guidelines", by Carlos Ramirez Fuentes, in Top1000funds.com

OECD Global Pension Statistics Project

The Global Pension Statistics Project (GPS) provides a valuable means for measuring and monitoring the pension industry. It allows inter-country comparisons of current statistics and indicators on key aspects of retirement systems across OECD and non-OECD countries.

OECD Pension Markets in Focus

This annual report, which now covers 87 countries, gives an overview of private pension systems worldwide and outlines latest developments.

OECD Pensions Outlook

The 2018 edition of the OECD Pensions Outlook examines how pension systems are adapting to improve retirement outcomes. It focuses on designing funded pensions and assesses how different pension arrangements can be combined taking into account various policy objectives and risks involved in saving for retirement.

Organisations and websites relating to pension supervision

Since its founding in 2001, the Journal of Pension Economics and Finance has served as the only peer-reviewed journal focusing on pension economics and finance issues.

Through its association with the OECD and the International Organisation of Pension Supervisors (IOPS), this journal has become an influential outlet for research on pension issues and is widely circulated to the top academic departments as well as leading regulators, policymakers and international organisations.

Members can access JPEF issues online through this link.