CELEX: C1998/209/14
Language: en
Date: 1998-07-04 00:00:00
Title: JUDGMENT OF THE COURT (Sixth Chamber) of 30 April 1998 in Joined Cases C-377/96 to C-384/96: (references for a preliminary ruling from the Belgian Hof van Cassatie/Cour de Cassation): August De Vriendt v. Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen, Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen v. René van Looveren and Others (Directive 79/7/EEC - Equal treatment - Old-age and retirement pensions - Method of calculation - Pensionable age)

4.7.98                EN                  Official Journal of the European Communities                                      C 209/7
(Court of Cassation) for a preliminary ruling in the pro-            D. A. O. Edward (Rapporteur), J.-P. Puissochet, G. Hirsch,
ceedings pending before that court between Caisse Natio-             P. Jann and L. Sevón, Judges; G. Tesauro, Advocate
nale d'Assurance Vieillesse des Travailleurs SalarieÂs               General; D. Louterman-Hubeau, Principal Administrator,
(CNAVTS) and EÂvelyne Thibault Ð on the interpretation               for the Registrar, has given a judgment on 30 April 1998,
of Council Directive 76/207/EEC of 9 February 1976 on                in which it has ruled:
the implementation of the principle of equal treatment for
men and women as regards access to employment,                       On a proper construction, Council Decision 89/688/EEC
vocational training and promotion, and working                       of 22 December 1989 concerning the dock dues in the
conditions (OJ L 39 of 14.2.1976, p. 40) Ð the Court                 French overseas departments precludes exemptions of a
(Sixth Chamber), composed of: H. Ragnemalm, President                general or systematic order, which would thus amount to
of the Chamber, R. Schintgen, G. F. Mancini, J. L. Murray            the reintroduction of a charge having an effect equivalent
(Rapporteur) and G. Hirsch, Judges; D. Ruiz-Jarabo                   to that of a customs duty. That decision does, however,
Colomer, Advocate General; D. Louterman-Hubeau,                      authorise exemptions which are necessary, proportionate
Principal Administrator, for the Registrar, has given a              and precisely determined and which respect the strict
judgment on 30 April 1998, in which it has ruled:                    conditions laid down in Article 2(3) thereof, interpreted in
                                                                     the light of the limits laid down in Article 226 of the EC
Articles 2(3) and 5(1) of Council Directive 76/207/EEC of            Treaty.
9 February 1976 on the implementation of the principle of
equal treatment for men and women as regards access to               (1) OJ C 95 of 30.3.1996.
employment, vocational training and promotion, and
working conditions preclude national rules which deprive
a woman of the right to an assessment of her performance
and, consequently, to the possibility of qualifying for
promotion because she was absent from the undertaking
on account of maternity leave.
                                                                                   JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
                                                                                            (Sixth Chamber)
(1) OJ C 189 of 22.7.1995.
                                                                                            of 30 April 1998
                                                                     in Joined Cases C-377/96 to C-384/96: (references for a
                                                                     preliminary ruling from the Belgian Hof van Cassatie/
                                                                     Cour de Cassation): August De Vriendt v. Rijksdienst
                                                                     voor Pensioenen, Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen v. ReneÂ van
              JUDGMENT OF THE COURT                                                     Looveren and Others (1)
                       of 30 April 1998                              (Directive 79/7/EEC Ð Equal treatment Ð Old-age and
                                                                     retirement pensions Ð Method of calculation Ð
in Joined Cases C-37/96 and C-38/96 (references for a                                       Pensionable age)
preliminary ruling from the Tribunal d'Instance, Paris):
Sodiprem SARL and Others (C-37/96) and Roger Albert                                          (98/C 209/14)
     SA (C-38/96) v. Direction GeÂneÂrale des Douanes (1)
(Dock dues (octroi de mer) Ð Fiscal rules applicable to                       (Language of the case: Dutch and French)
the French overseas departments Ð Decision 89/688/EEC
Ð Charges having an effect equivalent to a customs duty                (Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be
                     Ð Internal taxation)                                     published in the European Court Reports)
                        (98/C 209/13)
                                                                     In Joined Cases C-377/96 to C-384/96: references to the
               (Language of the case: French)                        Court under Article 177 of the EC Treaty by the Belgian
                                                                     Hof van Cassatie/Cour de Cassation for a preliminary
                                                                     ruling in the proceedings pending before that court
  (Provisional translation; the definitive translation will be       between August De Vriendt and Rijksdienst voor Pensioe-
         published in the European Court Reports)                    nen (C-377/96), Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen and ReneÂ van
                                                                     Looveren (C-378/96), Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen and
                                                                     Julien Grare (C-379/96), Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen and
In Joined Cases C-37/96 and C-38/96: references to the               Karel Boeykens (C-380/96), Rijksdienst voor Pensioenen
Court under Article 177 of the EC Treaty from the Tribu-             and Frans Serneels (C-381/96), Office National des Pen-
nal d'Instance (District Court), Paris, for a preliminary            sions (ONP) and Fredy Parotte (C-382/96), Office Natio-
ruling in the proceedings pending before that court                  nal des Pensions (ONP) and Camille Delbrouck (C-383/
between Sodiprem SARL and Others (C-37/96) and Roger                 96) and Office National des Pensions (ONP) and Henri
Albert SA (C-38/96) and Direction GeÂneÂrale des Douanes             Props (C-384/96) Ð on the interpretation of Article 7 of
Ð on the interpretation of Articles 9, 12 and 95 of the EC           Council Directive 79/7/EEC of 19 December 1978 on the
Treaty Ð the Court, composed of: G. C. Rodríguez                     progressive implementation of the principle of equal
Iglesias, President, C. Gulmann, H. Ragnemalm, M.                    treatment for men and women in matters of social security
Wathelet (Presidents of Chambers), G. F. Mancini, J. C.              (OJ L 6 of 10.1.1979, p. 24) Ð the Court (Sixth
Moitinho de Almeida, P. J. G. Kapteyn, J. L. Murray,                 Chamber), composed of H. Ragnemalm (Rapporteur),
 ---pagebreak--- C 209/8               EN                Official Journal of the European Communities                                    4.7.98
President of the Chamber, R. Schintgen, G. F. Mancini,             airport to a hotel with a stop, on occasions, at a tourist
J. L. Murray and G. Hirsch, Judges; S. Alber, Advocate             attraction, where the precise route to be taken is not
General; L. Hewlett, Administrator, for the Registrar, has         predetermined, does not constitute a regular service within
given a judgment on 30 April 1998, in which it has ruled:          the meaning of Article 4(3) of Regulation No 3820/85 of
                                                                   20 December 1985 on the harmonisation of certain social
                                                                   legislation relating to road transport.
Article 7(1)(a) of Council Directive 79/7/EEC of
19 December 1978 on the progressive implementation of
                                                                   (1) OJ C 94 of 22.3.1997.
the principle of equal treatment for men and women in
matters of social security must be interpreted as meaning
that, if national legislation has maintained a different
pensionable age for male and female workers, the Member
State concerned is entitled to calculate the amount of
pension differently depending on the worker's sex.
(1) OJ C 40 of 8.2.1997.
                                                                                  JUDGMENT OF THE COURT
                                                                                           of 5 May 1998
                                                                   in Case C-157/96 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
                                                                   the High Court of Justice, Queen's Bench Division): The
                                                                   Queen v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and
                                                                   Commissioners of Customs & Excise, ex parte: National
              JUDGMENT OF THE COURT                                                 Farmers' Union and Others (1)
                       (First Chamber)
                                                                   (Agriculture Ð Animal health Ð Emergency measures
                       of 30 April 1998                            against bovine spongiform encephalopathy Ð Mad cow
                                                                                               disease')
in Case C-47/97 (reference for a preliminary ruling from
Richmond Magistrates' Court): criminal proceedings                                          (98/C 209/16)
against E. Clarke & Sons (Coaches) Ltd and D. J. Ferne (1)
(Social legislation relating to road transport Ð
Compulsory use of a tachograph Ð Exemption for
                                                                                   (Language of the case: English)
vehicles used for the carriage of passengers on regular
  services where the route covered does not exceed 50 km)
                         (98/C 209/15)
                                                                   In Case C-157/96: reference to the Court under Article 177
                                                                   of the EC Treaty from the High Court of Justice, Queen's
               (Language of the case: English)                     Bench Division (United Kingdom) for a preliminary ruling
                                                                   in the proceedings pending before that court between the
                                                                   Queen and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
                                                                   and Commissioners of Customs & Excise, ex parte:
In Case C-47/97: reference to the Court under Article 177          National Farmers' Union, David Burnett and Sons Ltd,
of the EC Treaty from Richmond Magistrates' Court                  R. S. and E. Wright Ltd, Anglo Beef Processors Ltd,
(United Kingdom) for a preliminary ruling in the criminal          United Kingdom Genetics, Wyjac Calves Ltd, International
proceedings pending before that court against E. Clarke &          Traders Ferry Ltd, MFP International Ltd, Interstate Truck
Sons (Coaches) Ltd and D. J. Ferne Ð on the                        Rental Ltd, Vian Exports Ltd, interveners: Anglo Dutch
interpretation of Article 2 of Council Regulation (EEC)            Meat Exports Ltd, Beck Food Group Ltd, First City
No 684/92 of 16 March 1992 on common rules for the                 Trading Ltd, Weddel Swift Ltd, Carrex August Ltd,
international carriage of passengers by coach and bus              Meatal Supplies (Wholesale Meats) Ltd, Meat Marketing
(OJ L 74 of 20.3.1992, p. 1), and of Article 4(3) of               Services (UK) Ltd, NWL (Ireland) Ltd, Hibernia Foods
Council Regulation (EEC) No 3820/85 of 20 December                 plc, Duggins Ltd (D.T.), Swallow Foods International Ltd,
1985 on the harmonisation of certain social legislation            British Association of Sheep Exporters Ð on the validity
relating to road transport (OJ L 370 of 31.12.1985, p. 1)          of Article 1 of Commission Decision 96/239/EC of
Ð the Court (First Chamber), composed of: M. Wathelet              27 March 1996 on emergency measures to protect against
(President of the Chamber), P. Jann (Rapporteur) and L.            bovine spongiform encephalopathy (OJ L 78 of 20.3.1996,
Sevón, Judges; S. Alber, Advocate General; L. Hewlett,             p. 47) Ð the Court, composed of: G. C. Rodríguez
Administrator, for the Registrar, has given a judgment on          Iglesias, President, C. Gulmann, H. Ragnemalm, M.
30 April 1998, in which it has ruled:                              Wathelet, R. Schintgen (Presidents of Chambers), G. F.
                                                                   Mancini, J. C. Moitinho de Almeida, J. L. Murray,
                                                                   D. A. O. Edward, J.-P. Puissochet, G. Hirsch, P. Jann and
A passenger transport service, supplied on a number of             L. Sevón (Rapporteur), Judges; G. Tesauro, Advocate
occasions pursuant to a block reservation made by a tour           General; L. Hewlett, Administrator, for the Registrar, has
operator and providing for a single journey from an                given a judgment on 5 May 1998, in which it has ruled: