; . . . SUCH NATIONAL LAW MAY NEVERTHELESS PROVIDE FOR EXEMPTIONS FOR CERTAIN PERSONS AND FOR CERTAIN TYPES OF VEHICLES ;
. . . THE SYSTEM PROVIDED FOR IN THIS DIRECTIVE COULD BE EXTENDED TO VEHICLES NORMALLY BASED IN THE TERRITORY OF ANY THIRD COUNTRY IN RESPECT OF WHICH THE NATIONAL BUREAUX OF THE SIX MEMBER STATES HAVE CONCLUDED A SIMILAR AGREEMENT . ' '
12 ARTICLE 2 ( 1 ) OF THE DIRECTIVE PROVIDES THAT MEMBER STATES ARE TO REFRAIN FROM MAKING CHECKS ON INSURANCE AGAINST CIVIL LIABILITY IN RESPECT OF VEHICLES NORMALLY BASED IN THE TERRITORY OF ANOTHER MEMBER STATE .
13 WITH REGARD TO VEHICLES OF THE TYPE IN QUESTION IN THIS CASE , ARTICLE 1 ( 4 ) PROVIDES THAT ' ' TERRITORY IN WHICH THE VEHICLE IS NORMALLY BASED ' ' MEANS ' ' THE TERRITORY OF THE STATE IN WHICH THE VEHICLE IS REGISTERED ' ' .
14 IN COMPLIANCE WITH THAT DIRECTIVE , A SUPPLEMENTARY AGREEMENT BETWEEN NATIONAL BUREAUX ( MENTIONED ABOVE ) WAS SIGNED ON 16 OCTOBER 1972 . ARTICLE 2 OF THAT AGREEMENT PROVIDES THAT :
' ' ( A ) WHEN A VEHICLE NORMALLY BASED IN A STATE WHOSE BUREAU HAS SIGNED THE PRESENT AGREEMENT GOES INTO THE TERRITORY OF ANOTHER MEMBER STATE , BEING A MEMBER OF THE EEC , AND IS THERE SUBJECT TO COMPULSORY THIRD-PARTY INSURANCE IN FORCE IN THAT STATE , THE OWNER , USER AND/OR DRIVER SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE INSURED WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE UNIFORM AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUREAUX AND TO BE HOLDERS OF A VALID CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH SUCH VEHICLE IS NORMALLY BASED , IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER OR NOT THEY ARE IN FACT HOLDERS OF SUCH A VALID CERTIFICATE . ' '
WITH REGARD TO THE UNIFORM AGREEMENT BETWEEN BUREAUX , ARTICLE 1 ( E ) PROVIDES THAT :
' ' NOTWITHSTANDING THE TERMS OF SUCH POLICY IT SHALL BE DEEMED TO BE A POLICY GIVING EXACTLY THE INDEMNITY REQUIRED BY THE COMPULSORY MOTOR INSURANCE LAW OF THE COUNTRY IN WHICH AN ACCIDENT OCCURS AND NO MORE AND TO BE SUBJECT TO SUCH CONDITIONS AND LIMITATIONS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THE POLICY AND ARE PERMITTED BY SUCH LAW . ' '
THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION
15 THE FIRST PART OF THE QUESTION SEEKS TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER THE GUARANTEE WHICH EACH NATIONAL BUREAU MUST GIVE CONCERNS THE SETTLEMENT OF CLAIMS IN RESPECT OF ACCIDENTS CAUSED ON ITS TERRITORY BY VEHICLES NORMALLY BASED IN THE TERRITORY OF ANOTHER MEMBER STATE , ON THE BASIS OF THE PROVISIONS RELATING TO COMPULSORY INSURANCE APPLICABLE IN THE STATE IN WHICH IT CARRIES ON ITS ACTIVITIES OR ON ANY OTHER BASIS WHICH DOES NOT TAKE ACCOUNT OF CASES OF EXCLUSION FROM INSURANCE PROVIDED FOR IN THE LAW OF THAT STATE .
16 THE BUREAU , THE FUND AND THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT CONTEND THAT THE PURPOSE OF THE DIRECTIVE WAS TO ALLOW FREE CIRCULATION THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY