Europe

UK - Industry criticism is in danger of damaging the institution of the non-executive, Coal Pension Trustees chief executive David Morgan told the National Association of Pension Fund's conference in Edinburgh last week.

UK - Scottish Widows Investment Partnership (SWIP) has launched the SWIP Global Liquidity Fund, which it expects to be the largest sterling institutional money market fund in the world, approaching £4bn, once monies are fully invested.

UK - The government is simplifying contracting-out rules in a bid to ease the burden on occupational schemes.

UK - Schemes considering action against beleaguered asset manager Merrill Lynch Investment Managers may find difficulty getting a law firm to take up the fight.

UK - The £2.23bn Tyne & Wear Pension Fund has dropped Barclays Global Investors (BGI), Morley Fund Management and JP Morgan from its manager roster, following an overhaul of its asset allocation structure.

FINLAND - The European Commission has cleared the joint control of Finnish financial administration services company, Pretax Oy.

UK - The proportion of companies disclosing information on directors' pension arrangements has risen dramatically over the last 12 months, a new study shows.

UK - A net surplus of £865m in the Corus Group pension scheme has dispelled fears that the scheme would show a massive shortfall under FRS17.

ICELAND - An icelandic pension fund is looking to review its overseas equities portfolio.

UK - Only 29% of organisations made some pension provision in 2000 compared with 34% in 1998, according to a new research report on employers' pension provision published by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).