FOLLOWS FROM THE PRECEDING CONSIDERATIONS THAT THE ACTION, IN AS FAR AS IT IS DIRECTED AGAINST THE REFUSAL EXPRESSED IN THIS LETTER HAS BEEN INSTITUTED WITHIN THE TIME LIMITS AND IS THUS ADMISSIBLE ON THIS POINT .
30 THE DEFENDANT MAINTAINS THAT SINCE THE SCHEME OF SICKNESS INSURANCE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMUNITIES IS OF A CONTRIBUTORY NATURE, AFFILIATION TO THIS SCHEME TERMINATES FROM THE MOMENT THAT THE OFFICIAL LOSES THE BENEFIT OF HIS SALARY AND FOR THIS REASON NO LONGER PAYS THE NECESSARY CONTRIBUTIONS .
31 IT APPEARS FROM THE EXPRESS TERMS OF ARTICLE 72 OF THE REGULATIONS THAT AFFILIATION TO THE SAID SCHEME OF SICKNESS INSURANCE IS BASED ON THE STATUS OF THE OFFICIAL, WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE REGULATIONS .
32 IN DEFAULT OF PROVISIONS TO THE CONTRARY IN THE REGULATIONS, THE AFFILIATION OF AN OFFICIAL TO THE SCHEME OF SOCIAL INSURANCE ESTABLISHED BY THE COMMISSION CANNOT BE QUESTIONED, AS LONG AS HE RETAINS HIS STATUS OF OFFICIAL .
33 WHILST IT IS TRUE THAT THIS SCHEME IS OF A CONTRIBUTORY NATURE, THE PAYMENT OF CONTRIBUTIONS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN INDISPENSABLE CONDITION OF AFFILIATION, THE ADMINISTRATION BEING ABLE, IN THE CASE WHERE THE OFFICIAL LOSES THE BENEFIT OF HIS SALARY, EITHER TO PUT HIM IN A POSITION TO CONTINUE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS OR TO PAY DIRECTLY THE CONTRIBUTIONS WHICH THE ADMINISTRATION WILL THEN BE ABLE TO RECOVER BY RECOURSE TO LEGAL MEASURES .
34 BESIDES, THE CIRCUMSTANCE THAT THE SICKNESS WHICH THE OFFICIAL IS SUFFERING FROM DOES NOT JUSTIFY HIS ABSENCES FROM DUTY, DOES NOT NECESSARILY IMPLY THAT ALL THE EXPENSES HE HAS INCURRED BY REASON OF THIS SICKNESS ARE, THEMSELVES, UNJUSTIFIED AND DO NOT GIVE RISE TO ANY RIGHT TO BENEFITS .
35 FOR THESE REASONS, IT MUST BE CONCLUDED THAT, SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION OF THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THESE EXPENSES, THE APPLICANT CAN CLAIM REIMBURSEMENT OF THE MEDICAL EXPENSES INCURRED BY HER BETWEEN 15 JUNE 1970 AND 12 DECEMBER 1970 .
36 THEREFORE, THE REFUSAL OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT TO REIMBURSE THESE EXPENSES, FOR THE SOLE REASON THAT THE APPLICANT LOST THE BENEFIT OF HER SALARY DURING THIS PERIOD, MUST BE ANNULLED .
THE THIRD HEAD OF THE SUBMISSIONS
37 THE APPLICANT MAINTAINS THAT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BY REFUSING TO APPLY ARTICLE 76 OF THE REGULATIONS TO HER CASE, HAS FAILED IN THE OBLIGATIONS WHICH ARISE FROM THIS PROVISION .
38 BY ARTICLE 76 OF THE REGULATIONS " GIFTS, LOANS OR ADVANCES MAY BE MADE TO OFFICIALS, FORMER OFFICIALS OR WHERE AN OFFICIAL HAS DIED, TO THOSE ENTITLED UNDER HIM WHO ARE IN A PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT POSITION AS A RESULT INTER ALIA OF SERIOUS OR PROTRACTED ILLNESS OR BY REASON OF FAMILY CIRCUMSTANCES ".
39 BY THIS PROVISION, THE REGULATIONS IMPOSE NO EXPRESS OBLIGATION ON THE COMMUNITY AUTHORITIES, BUT AIM TO GIVE THEM THE OPTION OF HELPING OFFICIALS OR FORMER OFFICIALS WHO FIND THEMSELVES IN DIFFICULTY .
40 MOREOVER, THE EXCEPTIONAL AID PROVIDED BY ARTICLE 76 CAN ONLY BE GRANTED IN APPROPRIATE CASES WHERE THE PARTY CONCERNED IS