10.8.2013

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

C 233/4

(Case C-318/13)

2013/C 233/06

Language of the case: Finnish

Referring court

Parties to the main proceedings

*Applicant: X

Questions referred

1.Is Article 4(1) of Directive 79/7/EEC (Directive on the progressive implementation of the principle of equal treatment of men and women in matters of social security) to be interpreted in such a way that it precludes national legislation on the basis of which the different life expectancies of men and women are used as an actuarial calculation criterion for a statutory social benefit payable due to an accident, when, by using this criterion, the lump sum benefit paid to a man is smaller than that paid to a woman of the same age and in a similar situation in other respects?

2.If the answer to the first question is affirmative, does the case involve a sufficiently serious breach of EU law, this being a condition for Member State liability, particularly when account is taken of the following:

— in its case-law, the CJEU has not taken a specific position on the question of whether sex-based actuarial factors may be taken into account in the determination of statutory social security benefits falling within the scope of application of Directive 79/7/EEC;

— in its judgment issued in case C-236/09 Test-Achats the CJEU has stated that Article 5(2) of Directive 2004/113/EC (Directive implementing the principle of equal treatment between men and women in the access to and supply of goods and services), which allows such factors to be taken into consideration, is invalid but has stipulated a transitional period prior to the provision becoming invalid; and

— in Directives 2004/113/EC and 2006/54/EC (Directive on the implementation of the principle of equal opportunity and equal treatment of men and women in matters of employment and occupation) the EU’s legislature has allowed, on certain conditions, sex-based actuarial factors to be taken into account in the calculation of benefits referred to in these Directives, and on the basis of this the national legislature has assumed that these factors can also be considered in the area of statutory social security referred to in this case?

Language of the case: Finnish

(1) OJ 1979 L 6, p. 24.

(2) OJ 2004 L 373, p. 37.

(3) OJ L 204, p. 23.