1 BY ORDER OF 20 JANUARY 1983 , RECEIVED AT THE COURT REGISTRY ON 16 FEBRUARY 1983 , THE CENTRALE RAAD VAN BEROEP , UTRECHT , SUBMITTED TO THE COURT FOR A PRELIMINARY RULING UNDER ARTICLE 177 OF THE EEC TREATY TWO QUESTIONS ON THE INTERPRETATION OF ARTICLE 119 OF THE EEC TREATY .
2 THAT ORDER WAS MADE IN THE CONTEXT OF NINE ACTIONS BROUGHT BY THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS AGAINST THE VARIOUS PUBLIC AUTHORITIES WHICH EMPLOY THEM .
3 THE PLAINTIFFS IN THE MAIN PROCEEDINGS ARE ALL WOMEN EMPLOYED AS CIVIL SERVANTS . THEY ARE MARRIED AND THEIR HUSBANDS ARE ALSO EMPLOYED IN THE CIVIL SERVICE . CIVIL SERVANTS ARE COVERED BY TWO SETS OF PENSION RULES : THE ALGEMENE OUDERDOMSWET ( GENERAL LAW ON OLD-AGE INSURANCE LAW , HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS THE ' ' OLD-AGE LAW ' ' ) AND THE ALGEMENE WEDUWEN EN WEZENWET ( WIDOWS AND ORPHANS GENERAL INSURANCE LAW , HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AS ' ' THE WIDOWS AND ORPHANS LAW ' ' ), ESTABLISHING A GENERAL PENSION SCHEME FOR PERSONS RESIDING IN THE NETHERLANDS , AND SECONDLY THE ALGEMENE BURGERLIJKE PENSIOENWET ( GENERAL CIVIL PENSIONS LAW ), LAYING DOWN PENSION ARRANGEMENTS FOR CIVIL SERVANTS .
4 . WHERE HUSBAND AND WIFE ARE BOTH CIVIL SERVANTS , THE AUTHORITY EMPLOYING THE HUSBAND IS PRIMARILY RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING THE CONTRIBUTIONS AND THE AUTHORITY EMPLOYING THE WIFE IS REQUIRED TO PAY THE CONTRIBUTIONS ONLY IN SO FAR AS THE UPPER LIMIT IS NOT REACHED BY THE CONTRIBUTIONS PAID ON BEHALF OF THE HUSBAND , IS INCOMPATIBLE WITH THE PRINCIPLE LAID DOWN IN ARTICLE 119 OF THE EEC TREATY THAT MEN AND WOMEN SHOULD RECEIVE EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK , IN SO FAR AS THE RESULTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE GROSS SALARY OF A FEMALE CIVIL SERVANT WHOSE HUSBAND IS ALSO A CIVIL SERVANT AND THE GROSS SALARY OF A MALE CIVIL SERVANT DIRECTLY AFFECT THE CALCULATION OF OTHER BENEFITS DEPENDENT ON SALARY , SUCH AS SEVERANCE PAY , UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT , FAMILY ALLOWANCES AND LOAN FACILITIES .