CMNT_TITLE

Invalidity, Old-Age and Survivors' Benefits Convention, 1967 (No. 128) - Finland (RATIFICATION: 1976)

Other comments on C128

Observation

Direct Request

Replies received to the issues raised in a direct request which do not give rise to further comments

2019

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Article 25, in conjunction with Article 21 of the Convention. Duration of payment of survivors’ benefits. The Committee notes from the Government’s report that, pursuant to the 2022 reform of the survivors’ pension scheme, the duration of the surviving spouse’s pension is limited to a period of ten years, or until the youngest child reaches the age of 18. The Committee recalls that Article 25 of the Convention requires survivors’ benefits be granted throughout the contingency, which is the loss of support suffered by the spouse or child as the result of the death of the breadwinner, as per Article 21(1). While the entitlement of spouses to survivors’ benefits may be conditional upon them being incapable of self-support, the Convention does not allow such entitlement to be based on other conditions such as caring for a dependent or to be limited in time, without this limitation being justified by a change in their own circumstances. The Committee therefore requests the Government to take the necessary measures to ensure that survivors’ benefits are paid throughout the contingency, in line with Article 25 of the Convention.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.