Article 6

Definitions For the purposes of this Directive: "institution for occupational retirement provision", or "institution", means an institution, irrespective of its legal form, operating on a funded basis, established separately from any sponsoring undertaking or trade for the purpose of providing retirement benefits in the context of an occupational activity on the basis of an agreement or a contract agreed: individually or collectively between the employer(s) and the employee(s) or their respective representatives, or with self-employed persons, in compliance with the legislation of the home and host Member States, and which carries out activities directly arising therefrom; "pension scheme" means a contract, an agreement, a trust deed or rules stipulating which retirement benefits are granted and under which conditions; "sponsoring undertaking" means any undertaking or other body, regardless of whether it includes or consists of one or more legal or natural persons, which acts as an employer or in a self-employed capacity or any combination thereof and which pays contributions into an institution for occupational retirement provision; "retirement benefits" means benefits paid by reference to reaching, or the expectation of reaching, retirement or, where they are supplementary to those benefits and provided on an ancillary basis, in the form of payments on death, disability, or cessation of employment or in the form of support payments or services in case of sickness, indigence or death. In order to facilitate financial security in retirement, these benefits usually take the form of payments for life. They may, however, also be payments made for a temporary period or as a lump sum. "member" means a person whose occupational activities entitle or will entitle him/her to retirement benefits in accordance with the provisions of a pension scheme; "beneficiary" means a person receiving retirement benefits; "competent authorities" means the national authorities designated to carry out the duties provided for in this Directive; "biometrical risks" mean risks linked to death, disability and longevity; "home Member State" means the Member State in which the institution has its registered office and its main administration or, if it does not have a registered office, its main administration; "host Member State" means the Member State whose social and labour law relevant to the field of occupational pension schemes is applicable to the relationship between the sponsoring undertaking and members.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-27 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.