Private Pensions: OECD Classification and Glossary

Discussions on pension policy are often unnecessarily complicated by misunderstandings over basic definitions. As one of its first tasks, the OECD Working Party on Private Pensions created a classification of private pension systems that is applicable worldwide. The classification contains a separate glossary of terms used in the private pensions field. These definitions have been approved by the 30 member governments of the OECD through their representatives to the Working Party on Private Pensions. This bilingual publication, in English and French, is a practical tool for government pension officials, academic and business communities, and journalists. It is hoped that it will contribute to mutual understanding, one of the key objectives of the OECD's work.