PME sees scope for 12.6% pension rise
The increase for 2027 has not yet been decided: the final payment will depend on the fund’s financial position when it moves to the new system.
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Pension fund PME expects retirees to receive an average 12.6% more pension in 2027. The fund stresses that this is an expectation and that the final increase will only be set after the transition to the new pension system.
PME manages the pensions of nearly 635,000 current and former employees in the metal and technology sectors. According to reports on the fund’s quarterly report, its current funding ratio rose from 127.7% to 132.8% in the third quarter.
The policy funding ratio, the 12-month average that is important, among other things, for indexation, rose from 124.6% to 126.7%, according to the same information. The improvement was mainly due to higher interest rates and new projections for life expectancy.
PME wants to switch to the new pension rules on 1 January 2027. According to the fund, the expected increase depends on economic conditions and interest rates around the time of the transition.
Board member Alae Laghrich warns that 12.6% is not a fixed percentage. The fund assumes a stable economy and stable interest rates. Major fluctuations could affect the final increase.
PME says it will inform participants of their final monthly amount at the beginning of 2027. According to the reports, any back payment for January and February is scheduled for March. The expected increase is an average estimate; individual effects may differ.
The stated increase is an average expectation and therefore offers no certainty about the amount each participant will receive. According to the fund, economic fluctuations and changes in interest rates could affect the final increase.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- PME expects an average 12.6% pension increase in 2027.
- The increase depends on the financial position at the transition to the new system.
- The increase has not yet been definitively set.
Left
Arguments An increase is welcome, but pension policy must prevent risks from being placed entirely on participants. The transition must be transparent and protect solidarity between generations and participants.
Values Financial security, solidarity, protection of workers and public oversight.
Consequences A transition that is too rapid or unclear could increase differences between participants and heighten uncertainty among retirees.
Centre
Arguments The institutional approach is to set the increase definitively only when the financial position and the rules allow it. Communication should temper expectations without concealing the positive outlook.
Values Carefulness, financial stability and predictability.
Consequences Caution prevents later disappointments, but can leave participants uncertain for longer.
Right
Arguments If a fund is financially strong enough, participants should benefit from their own accrued pension as soon as possible. A higher payment could also improve retirees’ purchasing power.
Values Ownership, responsibility, purchasing power and limited institutional restraint.
Consequences A rapid increase helps households immediately, but leaves less of a buffer for future setbacks.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The financial percentages, the expected increase and the transition date are consistent with the sources used. The text makes clear that this is an expectation, not a final decision.
- confirmed PME manages pensions for nearly 635,000 current and former employees. — Mentioned in reports on PME’s quarterly report. source
- confirmed The current funding ratio rose from 127.7% to 132.8%. — Mentioned in MetaalNieuws’s publication on PME’s third quarter. source
- confirmed PME expects an average increase of 12.6% in 2027, subject to conditions. — The expectation and the condition of limited fluctuations in interest rates and the economy are attributed to PME board member Alae Laghrich. source
- confirmed PME wants to switch to the new pension rules on 1 January 2027. — Stated on PME’s information site about the transition. source
Editor's note
The percentages mentioned and the expectation of 12.6% come from reports on PME’s quarterly report. The final percentage has not yet been set.Sources
- Verhoging van PME-pensioenen met 12,6% in 2027 lonkt — MetaalNieuws
- Dit blijft hetzelfde en dit verandert — PME Pensioenfonds
- News update: pension transition and pension fund funding ratios – 2026Q3 — De Nederlandsche Bank
More on this in Dutch media
- NU.nl — „pme pensioen”
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- Trouw — „pme pensioen”