IS CLEAR FROM THE FILE THAT THE ESSENTIAL OBJECTIVE OF THE BENEFIT GRANTED UNDER THE NATIONAL PROVISIONS IN QUESTION IS TO OFFER TO BELGIAN WORKERS WHO FOUGHT IN THE ALLIED FORCES BETWEEN 10 MAY 1940 AND 8 MAY 1945 AND SUFFER INCAPACITY FOR WORK ATTRIBUTABLE TO AN ACT OF WAR A TESTIMONY OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR THE HARDSHIPS SUFFERED DURING THAT PERIOD AND TO GRANT THEM , BY INCREASING THE RATE OF THE EARLY RETIREMENT PENSION , A BENEFIT BY REASON OF THE SERVICES THUS RENDERED TO THEIR COUNTRY .
13IN VIEW OF THIS OBJECTIVE AND OF THESE CONDITIONS FOR ITS GRANT , SUCH A BENEFIT DOES NOT EXHIBIT THE FACTORS RELATING TO A SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 4 ( 1 ) OF THE REGULATION .
14ARTICLE 4 ( 4 ) OF REGULATION NO 1408/71 , DEFINING THE SUBSTANTIVE FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THAT PROVISION , PROVIDES THAT THE REGULATION DOES NOT APPLY INTER ALIA ' ' TO BENEFIT SCHEMES FOR VICTIMS OF WAR OR ITS CONSEQUENCES ' ' .
15FOR THOSE REASONS IT IS NECESSARY TO REPLY TO THE FIRST QUESTION THAT ARTICLE 4 ( 4 ) OF REGULATION NO 1408/71 MUST BE INTERPRETED AS REFERRING ALSO TO SPECIAL SCHEMES SUCH AS THAT REFERRED TO IN ARTICLE 1 ( 4 ) OF THE BELGIAN ROYAL DECREE OF 27 JUNE 1969 LAYING DOWN THE CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A SCHEME OF NATIONAL RECOGNITION ENTITLES AN EMPLOYED PERSON TO AN EARLY RETIREMENT PENSION WITHOUT REDUCTION .
16IN VIEW OF THIS REPLY THE OTHER QUESTIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN ASKED BY THE NATIONAL COURT BECOME PURPOSELESS .
17HOWEVER , THE COMMISSION HAS CLAIMED IN ITS OBSERVATIONS THAT A BENEFIT SUCH AS THAT IN THE PRESENT CASE MUST , ALTHOUGH IT DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT WITHIN THE MEANING OF REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1408/71 , NEVERTHELESS BE CONSIDERED AS A SOCIAL ADVANTAGE WITHIN THE MEANING OF ARTICLE 7 ( 2 ) OF REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1612/68 OF THE COUNCIL OF 15 OCTOBER 1968 ON FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT FOR WORKERS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY ( OFFICIAL JOURNAL , ENGLISH SPECIAL EDITION 1968 ( II ), P . 475 ) AND THUS COMES WITHIN THE FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE LATTER REGULATION .
18IT CONCLUDES FROM THIS THAT THE GRANT OF SUCH A BENEFIT , ALTHOUGH NOT COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1408/71 , INCLUDING THOSE OF ARTICLE 3 ( 1 ), REMAINS SUBJECT TO THE PROVISIONS OF REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1612/68 , IN PARTICULAR THOSE OF ARTICLE 7 ( 2 ) ACCORDING TO WHICH A WORKER WHO IS A NATIONAL OF A MEMBER STATE ENJOYS IN THE TERRITORY OF THE OTHER MEMBER STATES ' ' THE SAME SOCIAL AND TAX ADVANTAGES AS NATIONAL WORKERS ' ' .
19IT IS NECESSARY TO EXAMINE THE VALIDITY OF SUCH AN ARGUMENT .
20REGULATION ( EEC ) NO 1612/68 , WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN IMPLEMENTATION OF ARTICLES 48 AND 49 OF