Current challenges faced in the law governing state pensions

theme No.: 14d
responsible federal state: Federal Government
date: 24.04.2023 - 28.04.2023

The conference is aimed at judges from social courts of all instances.
The law in Germany governing state pensions has come into sharp focus, not least due to the recent introduction of the hotly-debated basic pension supplement. In the last few years, a number of changes, intended to keep the state pension at a stable level, have taken place, ranging from those brought about by the Act on Flexible Pensions (Flexirentengesetz) 2017, the extension of the contribution period for pensions awarded on the basis of inability to work, to those resulting from the Act to Improve the Performance and Stability of the State Pension System (RV Leistungsverbesserungs- und Stabilisierungsgesetz) in 2019. It is not just demographic changes that will once again result in urgent questions in the years to come with regard to how to finance state pensions. Of note will also be the legal consequences of a rising bill for the supplement from the Federal Government. The pandemic and the costs caused by the restrictions put in place to combat it increased discussion on the way in which pensions should be adjusted. Under the coalition agreement between the parties governing since the 2021 election, there are plans to introduce a capital-oriented component to the German state pension.
The conference will give judges at the social courts an overview of the legal developments which have occurred over the past few years. Furthermore, there will be discussions on legal reforms and current issues regarding payment of benefits and the financing thereof in the context of the entirety of the social security system.
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