SEPTEMBER 1977 TO REJOIN HER HUSBAND , SETTLED PERMANENTLY THERE , AND REGISTERED WITH THE AGENCE NATIONALE POUR L ' EMPLOI ( NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT AGENCY ). FOR THREE MONTHS SHE RECEIVED GERMAN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT AND SUBSEQUENTLY SHE RECEIVED UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT FROM THE ASSOCIATION POUR L ' EMPLOI DANS LES INDUSTRIES ET LE COMMERCE ( ASSEDIC ) ( ASSOCIATION FOR EMPLOYMENT IN INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE ).
4 THE FUND REFUSED TO REIMBURSE HER FOR MEDICAL EXPENSES ON THE GROUNDS THAT ARTICLE 25 OF REGULATION NO 1408/71 GAVE UNEMPLOYED MIGRANT WORKERS THE RIGHT TO SICKNESS AND MATERNITY BENEFITS ONLY IF THEY WERE ALSO ENTITLED TO UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS . ACCORDING TO THE FUND , THE RESPONDENT IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS WAS NOT ENTITLED TO FRENCH UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS BECAUSE SHE HAD NOT WORKED IN FRANCE BEFORE BECOMING UNEMPLOYED .
5 IN ORDER TO DECIDE THE DISPUTE THE COUR D ' APPEL STAYED THE PROCEEDINGS AND SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING QUESTION TO THE COURT OF JUSTICE :
' ' IN THE CASE ENVISAGED BY ARTICLE 71 ( 1 ) ( B ) ( II ) OF REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1408/71 OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES OF 14 JUNE 1971 , IS RESIDENCE IN THE COMPETENT STATE PRIOR TO THE END OF THE PERIOD OF LAST EMPLOYMENT IN THE MEMBER STATE OTHER THAN THE COMPETENT STATE ONE OF THE CONDITIONS FOR OBTAINING THE BENEFITS REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 71?
' '
6 THE PROVISION WHICH THE COURT IS ASKED TO INTERPRET MUST BE PLACED IN ITS CONTEXT . IT IS CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 6 OF REGULATION NO 1408/71 , WHICH DEALS WITH UNEMPLOYMENT . ACCORDING TO THE SYSTEM ESTABLISHED BY THAT CHAPTER , THE UNEMPLOYED PERSON MUST APPLY TO THE COMPETENT INSTITUTION IN THE MEMBER STATE IN WHICH HE WAS LAST EMPLOYED IN ORDER TO OBTAIN THE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS PROVIDED FOR . IF THE UNEMPLOYED PERSON LEAVES THAT MEMBER STATE FOR THE PURPOSE OF SEEKING EMPLOYMENT , HE CONTINUES TO BE ENTITLED TO THOSE BENEFITS , TO BE PAID BY THE COMPETENT INSTITUTION OF THE MEMBER STATE IN WHICH HE WAS LAST EMPLOYED , FOR A PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS . AT THE END OF THAT PERIOD OF THREE MONTHS , THE UNEMPLOYED PERSON MUST RETURN TO THAT STATE IF HE IS TO CONTINUE TO BE ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS .
7 ARTICLE 71 ( 1 ) PROVIDES FOR AN EXCEPTION TO THAT RULE IN THE CASE OF ' ' AN UNEMPLOYED PERSON WHO , DURING HIS LAST EMPLOYMENT , WAS RESIDING IN THE TERRITORY OF A MEMBER STATE OTHER THAN THE COMPETENT STATE ' ' . IN SUCH A CASE , THE PERSON CONCERNED MAY MAKE HIMSELF AVAILABLE FOR WORK TO THE EMPLOYMENT SERVICES OF THE MEMBER STATE IN WHICH HE RESIDES OR OF THE COMPETENT STATE , AS THE CASE MAY BE , AND THUS RECEIVE UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AFTER THE EXPIRY OF THE THREE MONTH PERIOD . THAT EXCEPTION IS INTENDED TO PROTECT FRONTIER WORKERS AND OTHER PERSONS WHO RESIDE IN