Europe

UK - Radical plans to tax pension contributions once a person's retirement pot tops £100,000 are set to be unveiled by the Inland Revenue.

UK - The ongoing risks firms face from final salary scheme closures will be a key topic at The Association of Corporate Treasurers' 2002 Pension Conference.

UK/US - Citisoft is set to merge with the Rowan Group in a bid to expand its US specialist consultancy business.

EUROPE - Index provider Standard & Poor's has appointed Christopher O'Brien as director of market development for its European business.

UK - Setting up a career average scheme for new members of the Local Government Pension Scheme would be an administrative nightmare, a senior pensions manager claims.

UK - Struggling newspaper group Trinity Mirror his dismissed fears about the health of its £1bn schemes which analysts believe to be £220m in deficit.

UK - Pensions industry reform will begin with next year's Budget, a leading politician has revealed.

UK/EUROPE - Gartmore has launched a fund of hedge fund business aimed at the UK pension fund market.

UK - More than half of all UK employees do not know the real value of their benefits, claims Royal & SunAlliance.

EUROPE/MIDDLE EAST - Schroder Investment Management has appointed Jeremy Cave as head of fixed income business development for Continental Europe and the Middle East.