5.6.2010   

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 148/14

1.

Is Article 4 of Directive 79/7/EEC (1) to be interpreted as meaning that the annual pension adjustment system (valorisation) provided for in the law on the statutory pension insurance scheme falls within the scope of the prohibition of discrimination in Article 4(1) of that directive?

2.

If the answer to the first question is in the affirmative:

Is Article 4 of Directive 79/7/EEC to be interpreted as precluding a national provision concerning an annual pension adjustment whereby a potentially smaller increase is provided for a particular category of pensioners receiving a small pension than for other pensioners, in so far as the provision in question adversely affects 25 % of male pensioners, but 57 % of female pensioners and there are no objective grounds for discrimination?

3.

If the answer to the second question is in the affirmative:

May a disadvantage for female pensioners arising from the annual increase in their pensions be justified by the earlier age at which they become entitled to a pension and/or the longer period during which they receive a pension and/or by the fact that the standard amount for a minimum income, provided for under social law (balancing supplement standard amount), was disproportionately increased, where the provisions concerning the payment of the minimum income provided for under social law (balancing supplement) require account to be taken of the pensioner’s other income and the income of a spouse living in the common household, whereas in the case of other pensioners the pension increase takes place without account being taken of the pensioner’s other income or the income of the pensioner’s spouse?