Judgment of the Court 27 October 1993

In Case C-337/91, REFERENCE to the Court under Article 177 of the EEC Treaty by the Raad van Beroep, 's-Hertogenbosch (Netherlands), for a preliminary ruling in the proceedings pending before that court between

THE COURT, composed of: O. Due, President, G. F. Mancini, J. C. Moitinho de Almeida, M. Diez de Velasco and D. A. O. Edward (Presidents of Chambers), R. Joliét, G. C. Rodríguez Iglesias, P. J. G. Kapteyn and J. L. Murray, Judges, Advocate General: M. Darmon, Registrar: H. A. Rühl, Principal Administrator,

after considering the written observations submitted on behalf of: the Bestuur van de Nieuwe Industriële Bedrijfsvereniging, by C. R. J. A. M. Brent, Head of the Legal Service for Social Security Affairs of the Gemeenschappelijk Administratiekantoor, the Netherlands Government, represented by T. P. Hofstee, Deputy Secretary-General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as Agent, the German Government, represented by Ernst Röder, Ministerialrat in the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, and Joachim Karl, Regierungsdirektor in the same Ministry, acting as Agents, the United Kingdom, represented by Lucinda Hudson, of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, acting as Agent, assisted by Christopher Vajda, Barrister, the Commission of the European Communities, represented by Karen Banks and Ben Smulders, of its Legal Service, acting as Agents,

having regard to the Report for the Hearing,

after hearing the oral observations of the Bestuur van de Nieuwe Industriële Bedrijfsvereniging, represented by M. A. Broekhuis, Legal Adviser of the Gemeenschappelijk Administratiekantoor, the Netherlands Government, represented by T. Heukels, Assistant Legal Adviser at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, acting as Agent, the United Kingdom and the Commission at the hearing on 16 February 1993,

after hearing the Opinion of the Advocate General at the sitting on 31 March 1993,

gives the following

Judgment

First question

Second question

Third question

Costs

1 Language of the case: Dutch.