A majority of the Lower House voted against the Joseph amendment. This means a pension referendum is off the table. This also means that participants will not be given an (individual) choice about converting previously accrued pensions into the new pension. The social partners made that choice and this will not change.
The principle of the new pension is for everyone in the Netherlands to enjoy a good pension. The rules were developed after years of negotiations between trade unions, employers and the government. The interests of participants, employers and pensioners have been carefully weighed.
The social partners then made choices for your pension at Pensioenfonds PGB. They are representatives of employers and employees, such as the trade union, the works council and the entrepreneurs' association or your (former) employer.
And within Pensioenfonds PGB, participants, employers and pensioners are also represented in the board and the accountability body. Furthermore, we work closely with our Pensioners' Association (VVG-PGB) with more than 15,000 members, for example on the right to be heard.
The choices for the new pension have been made, but even now, you can still join the debate about the new pension. This can be done, for example, via the accountability body of Pensioenfonds PGB or during dialogue sessions with pensioners.
Pensioenfonds PGB is expected to make the switch on 1 January 2027. We have been preparing for this for quite some time now. The interests of all our participants are paramount. We remain committed to a good and careful transition to the new pension. If there is a change in the law, we will act accordingly and inform you about it.