Law and Regulation

The European Central Bank (ECB) has cut interest rates that were already close to zero and introduced a stimulus plan in a bid to kick-start the eurozone economy.

The UK government will fight hard against European Commission (EC) pressure to overturn its pensions sector, according to economic secretary to the Treasury Andrea Leadsom MP.

The arrival of "heavy hitter" ex-politicians on the European Commission will create opportunities to influence pension matters, according to a European Union (EU) lobbyist.

Carly Rees has been hired as an associate by Sackers, taking the law firm's total number of pensions lawyers to 50.

The revised Institutions for Occupational Retirement Provision (IORP) Directive is not intended to outlaw UK trustees or treat schemes like banks, according to the European Commission.

The government cannot rely on auto-enrolment (AE) in its current form to solve the pensions crisis, says the Pension Policy Institute (PPI).

UK pensions would be better off regulated by a single body in the future, the pensions minister Steve Webb has said.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC) has hit Mazars with almost £2m in fines and costs for giving bad advice to trustees of the First Quench scheme.

The government is looking into exit fees levied on people cashing in their defined contribution (DC) pots, but has as yet no plans to intervene, says Steve Webb.

A recap of the biggest news in the pensions world over the last six weeks.