The Board of Pensioenfonds PDN is proud to announce that De Nederlandsche Bank (DNB) has given the go-ahead for the transition to the new pension system effective 1 January 2027. It is a major milestone on the way towards the new pension scheme.
This decision marks the culmination of an intensive process that took place during the summer of 2026. In this process, employers, trade unions, the Association of DSM Netherlands Pensioners (VDP), Pensioenfonds PDN and DNB worked closely together. The ultimate result is that by means of in-depth consultations and open dialogue, we now have a Transition Decision 2.0 that does justice to the interests of everyone with a pension at PDN.
From challenge to collective result
In October 2025, the fund submitted the original transition decision to DNB. But DNB put on the brakes. DNB’s main objection was that the social partners and PDN had failed to provide sufficient justification for why they considered a different allocation of assets between younger and older members to be more balanced than the standard allocation prescribed by legislation and regulations.
DNB’s response did not mark the end of the process, but rather the start of a new phase in which all the parties involved sat down together again to explore how they could improve the transition decision.
The Board looks back on this period with appreciation. Although all parties were sometimes called upon to make difficult choices, there was always a shared ambition to achieve a careful and balanced transition to the new pension scheme on 1 January 2027 for all of the fund’s members and pensioners.
Carefully considered choices
The revised transition decision is based on a number of key principles:
In order to do justice to these guiding principles, various amendments were made to the transition decision drawn up in 2025: The pension compensation for employees has been improved; a decision has been taken to introduce a clear and transparent equal increase in the benefit paid to all pensioners upon transfer of their pension rights; and the Board may adjust the distribution of the transfer bonus if necessary to limit differences in the level of benefit between different groups of members.
Proud of the result
According to the Board, there is now a Transition Decision 2.0 that has been drafted with due care and in which the interests of younger members, active members, deferred members and pensioners have been balanced in a fair manner.
The Board is proud not only of the final decision, but also of the way in which it was achieved.
Eiko de Vries, Wtp Project Manager: "The approval of the transition decision is a significant milestone for our fund. We are proud of the result we have achieved together. Thanks to the dedication, commitment and willingness of all parties to keep looking for solutions, a decision has now been reached in which the interests of all groups have been duly taken into account."
There is light at the end of the tunnel
There now is light at the end of the tunnel. In November, everyone will receive a letter giving an initial indication of how the transition to the new pension scheme will affect their pension. This is an initial estimate, as we are basing the calculations for your new pension on the financial data as at 30 September 2026.
The actual financial information we need to make the proper calculations will only be available in the first quarter of 2027. This is because Pensioenfonds PDN must first finalise the figures as at 31 December 2026.
Keep an eye out for communications from Pensioenfonds PDN, both by post and on its website, over the coming weeks. We will regularly keep you informed about the new pension scheme.