Europe

UK - The BBC has revealed that contributions to its £6.5bn final-salary pension scheme will rise to ensure its survival after a massive drop in its surplus.

UK - Accountancy giant KPMG has conceded it may be in the wrong in its dispute with former employees over its pension promise.

UK/EC - The European Commission has praised the UK for having one of the best funded pensions system in Europe.

UK - A Labour MP is to reintroduce a Bill to parliament that aims to force trustee boards to include a pensioner or pensioner-nominated representative.

UK - Pension funds are opposing the Financial Services Authority's moves to increase disclosure on short selling activity.

UK - The government is under pressure to advise companies and their trustees over whether the low-paid should be encouraged to join occupational schemes.

UK - KAS Bank has hired Kate Parker to be a sales representative for UK institutional investors.

UK - Engineering workers whose pensions were slashed when their firm went into liquidation have held a protest march in London.

UK - Barnett Waddingham has announced a series of pension seminars during February and April.

UK - Charities may be able to hoard pension surpluses in years of good returns by setting up a fund that is exempt from Inland Revenue caps, actuaries believe.