Judgment of the Court 4 December 1986

In Case 71/85 REFERENCE to the Court under Article 177 of the EEC Treaty by the Gerechtshof [Regional Court of Appeal], The Hague, for a preliminary ruling in the case pending before that court between

THE COURT composed of: Lord Mackenzie Stuart, President, Y. Galmot, C. Kakouris, T. F. O'Higgins and F. Schockweiler (Presidents of Chambers), G. Bosco, T. Koopmans, O. Due, U. Everling, K. Bahlmann, R. Joliét, J. C. Moitinho de Almeida and G. C. Rodríguez Iglesias, Judges, Advocate General: G. F. Mancini Registrar: D. Louterman, Administrator

after considering the observations submitted on behalf of Federatie Nederlandse Vakbeweging, the plaintiff in the main proceedings, by J. M. M. de Laat, Advokaat, in writing and orally, The Kingdom of the Netherlands, the defendant in the main proceedings, by I. Verkade, Secretary-General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in the written procedure, and by H. Siblesz, in the oral procedure, The Commission of the European Communities, by J. Currall, a member of its Legal Department, and F. Herbert, Avocat, in writing and orally, The United Kingdom, by R. Ricks, of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, in the written procedure,

having regard to the Report for the Hearing and further to the hearing on 6 March 1986,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General delivered at the sitting on 2 July 1986,

gives the following

JUDGMENT

The first question

The second and third questions

Costs

1 Language of the Case: Dutch.