EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 113/23

(Case C-82/10)

2010/C 113/36

Language of the case: English

Parties

Applicant: European Commission (represented by: N. Yerrell, Agent)

Defendant: Ireland

The applicant claims that the Court should:

—Declare that in failing to apply the European Union insurance legislation in its entirety to all insurance undertakings on a non-discriminatory basis, the Republic of Ireland has failed to fulfil its obligations under, in particular, Articles 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16 and 17 of Council Directive 73/239/EEC of 24th July 1973 on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the taking-up and pursuit of the business of direct insurance other than life assurance, as subsequently amended, and Articles 22 and 23 of Council Directive 92/49/EEC on the coordination of laws, regulations and administrative provisions relating to the taking-up and pursuit of the business of direct insurance other than life assurance and amending Directives 73/239/EEC and 88/357; and

—order Ireland to pay the costs.

Pleas in law and main arguments

The Commission is of the opinion that i) the Voluntary Health Insurance Board (hereinafter referred to as VHI) could not properly continue to benefit from an exemption under article 4 of directive 73/239/CEE with effect from the first change to its capacity by virtue of the entry into force of the Voluntary Health Insurance (Amendment) Act 1996, and ii) from this date it became fully subject to the requirements of the European Union insurance legislation, including in particular those relating to authorisation, financial supervision, establishment of technical provisions and a solvency margin including the guarantee fund.

VHI currently continues all its operations without having obtained authorisation from the Irish Financial Regulator, nor having complied inter alia with the necessary solvency requirements.