Pension contribution rates have remained broadly stable since the mid-1990s. The average contribution rate in the 25 OECD countries that levy separate public contributions increased from 19.2% in 1994 to 19.6% in 2012, reaching a high of 20.0% in 2004. This probably reflects governments’ concerns over the effect on employment of high labour taxes. Indeed, these concerns seem to have taken precedence over the pressure on pension-system finances from ageing populations and maturing of schemes.