JUDGMENT OF THE COURT

(Sixth Chamber)

of 14 October 2004

in Case C-193/03 (reference for a preliminary ruling from the Sozialgericht Stuttgart): Betriebskrankenkasse der Robert Bosch GmbH v Bundesrepublik Deutschland (1)

(Social security - Reimbursement of medical expenses incurred in another Member State - Article 34 of Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 - Health insurance fund applying a simplified full reimbursement procedure for bills for small amounts)

(2004/C 300/40)

Language of the case: German

In Case C-193/03: Betriebskrankenkasse der Robert Bosch GmbH v Bundesrepublik Deutschland — reference to the Court under Article 234 EC from the Sozialgericht Stuttgart (Germany), made by decision of 19 March 2003, received at the Court on 9 May 2003 — the Court (Sixth Chamber), composed of: A. Borg Barthet (Rapporteur), President of the Chamber, J.-P. Puissochet and S. von Bahr, Judges; Advocate General: M. Poiares Maduro, Registrar: R. Grass, has given a judgment on 14 October 2004, in which it has ruled:

Article 34 of Regulation (EEC) No 574/72 of the Council of 21 March 1972 fixing the procedure for implementing Regulation (EEC) No 1408/71 on the application of social security schemes to employed persons and their families moving within the Community, as amended and updated by Council Regulation (EEC) No 2001/83 of 2 June 1983, as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No 1399/1999 of 29 April 1999, is to be interpreted as not precluding a practice whereby a health insurance fund, in the application of national rules, reimburses medical costs incurred by its members during a stay in another Member State in full when those costs do not exceed DEM 200.

(1)  OJ C 200 of 23.8.2003.