Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Vieillesse (CNAV), France

Full name

Caisse Nationale d'Assurance Viellesse (CNAV, France) (The National Retirement Fund of Public Social Security)

Key contacts

Dr Claudine Attias-Donfut (Director CNAV Research Department, member of CNAV Executive Board).

Other contacts:

Mr Alain Rozenkier (Deputy Director, Research Department (DRV) in CNAV).

About

CNAV is a national public body in charge of the general pension scheme which manages the basic pension. Through its Research department (Direction des Recherches sur le Vieillissement - DRV) it has adopted a strategically planned approach to ageing research (social sciences), running four main national research programmes in this field : 'Relations Between Generations', 'Old Age and Dependency', 'Ageing and Migration' and 'Technology and Ageing'.

DRV is one of the very few research teams dedicated only to research on ageing. The current DRV budget - €355,000 in 2003 - covers additional expenses for studies and survey programmes.

Some of these programmes initiated and launched by the DRV are developed in cooperation with other public administrations such as the Ministry of Welfare or other pension schemes and public institutions which also contribute to their funding.

CNAV co-operates with other French or international researchers or research teams and sometimes funds research carried on by other teams.

The topics of ageing covered are as follows:

  • Relations between generations: transmission between generation, family memory, social changes, social mobility, changes in gender and generational relationships, grandparenthood, financial transfers, family and solidarity between generations. The Three-Generations Programme began in 1990 and is continuing until 2004.

  • Old Age and Dependency: measurement of old age disability, professional support for the elderly, informal and family support, retirement homes for older people. The programme started before 1990 ended in 2005.

  • Ageing and Migration: Ageing among ethnic groups, transmigration, remittances among migrants, transition to retirement, retirement projects among elderly migrants. The Ageing and Migration Programme began in 2001 and will continue until 2008.

  • Technology and Ageing: elderly users and the uses of techniques and technologies, intermediary services and organisations, the social representation of ageing in the design and provision of technology, indoor and outdoor mobility. This programme has been running for six years and is now achieved.

There are two main target groups for these programmes; the scientific community (universities, students, etc.) and policy makers (public administrations and other institutions, including professionals involved in ageing policy and older people).

The programmes 'Ageing and migration' and 'generational relationship' will be pursued for the next years and a new one will be launched on the theme of work and retirement.

Publishing and organising scientific meetings on the ongoing research, are part of the DRV research activities. It has to be stressed that DRV is also in charge of publishing Retraite et Société (Retirement and Society) which is the only specialised, interdisciplinary and scientific journal devoted to retirement and ageing questions.

Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Vieillesse (CNAV) website