World Pension Association (WPA) was set up as one of the major issues discussed during the I International Pension Funds Conference, held in Madrid April 2000. This was organised by INVERCO, the Spanish Association of Investment and Pension Funds, as member of EFRP (European Federation of Retirement Provision, based in Brussels, and FIAP (International Federation of Pension Fund Administrators), based in Santiago de Chile.

Besides EFRP and FIAP other countries not belonging to these Federations have joined to WPA: United States, Canada, Australia, Thailand and Nigeria.

The objectives of World Pension Association are as follows:

a) To exchange information about Pension developments.

b) To achieve the understanding of different pension systems around the world, and

c) To promote the development of retirement provision.

The World Pension Association is based in Madrid and has established a Steering Committee which is integrated by EFRP and FIAP officers, and representatives of US, Australian, Canadian and Thailandese Associations. The World Pension Association is opened to any other Pension Associations not represented through the Steering Committee.

EFRP members: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Guernsey Islands, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

FIAP members: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Perú, Poland, República Dominicana, Republic of Kazakhstan, Russia, Spain, Uruguay, Ukraine and Venezuela.